Posted on 03/25/2006 4:34:12 PM PST by calcowgirl
Joining what some are calling the nation's largest mobilization of immigrants ever, hundreds of thousands of people boisterously marched in downtown Los Angeles Saturday to protest federal legislation that would crack down on undocumented immigrants, penalize those who help them and build a security wall on the U.S. southern border. Spirited crowds representing labor, religious groups, civil-rights advocates and ordinary immigrants stretched over 26 blocks of downtown Los Angeles from Adams Blvd. along Spring Street and Broadway to City Hall, tooting kazoos, waving American flags and chanting "Si se puede!" (Yes we can!). The crowd, estimated by police at more than 500.000, represented one of the largest protest marches in Los Angeles history, surpassing Vietnam War demonstrations and the 70,000 who rallied downtown against Proposition 187, a 1994 state initiative that denied public benefits to undocumented migrants.
(snip)
Many of the marchers were immigrants themselves — both legal and illegal -- from Mexico and Central America. Some had just crossed the border, while others had been here for decades. There were construction workers and business owners; families with young children and people in wheelchairs. Throughout the afternoon, protesters heard speakers demand a path toward legalization and denounce HR 4437, which would tighten border enforcement and crack down on employers who hire undocumented workers.
The rally was organized by numerous unions, religious organizations and immigrant rights groups and publicized through Spanish-language media, which encouraged participants to wear white to symbolize peace and bring American flags. The mostly peaceful march stretched over 26 blocks, shutting down streets and tying up traffic around downtown for hours. Police estimated the crowd at 500,000... Participants said the massive mobilization shows that immigrants' voices must be heard and that they are contributing to the country's economy.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Today we walked out of a restaurant after a non-speaking illegal came to our table before we did we all told the manager we will NOT be back till all illegals are GONE out of this restaurant!
We called our lawn service and told them they better not dare send any illegals to work on our lawn.
We called a foundation company and told them we better not see any illegals working on our foundation or they are so out of here.
Americans need to take a stand and if you go to a hotel and you see a non english speaking person cleaning your room callthe manager and front desk and have them remove the person immediately.
Take a stand, boycott all mexican destinations like cozymel.
If our politicians wont help lets show them where they can work in another country since they decided to insult every American today by waving their flag .
And being socialists they will vote for the socialist party.
..I think you can declare it official--California is lost...
Move em' up move em' out Rawhide!
Seeing this just makes me REAL mad.... and disgusted with our Government for not doing anything a long time ago!
Close the borders!!!!
is this a satire???
you realize that one of the problems is that there are lots and lots of legal immigrants here, even from Mexico...also Ireland is one of the largest sources of illegal labor in Boston...but they speak english
No I am VERY serious about this and we all know what a non-speaking illegal looks like by now.
More Than 100,000 Rally For Immigrants' Rights
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(AP) LOS ANGELES Tens of thousands of immigrant rights advocates from across Southern California jammed downtown to march Saturday in protest of federal legislation that would build more walls along the U.S.-Mexico border and make helping illegal immigrants a crime.
Protesters, many with their families and wearing white shirts symbolizing peace, came from as far away as Riverside County for a mass rally. They thronged the steps of City Hall, perched in trees and sat atop bus kiosks, chanting "Mexico!" "U.S.A.!" and "Si se puede," an old Mexican-American civil rights shout that means "Yes, we can."
The crowd was estimated at 100,000 and growing at noon, police Sgt. Lee Sands said. There were no arrests or injuries.
Police and rally organizers worked for weeks to arrange crowd and traffic control. Orange-shirted ushers helped guide the crowd, which held signs saying "Amnistia" and "Loving my family is not a felony."
It was the largest of a series of school walkouts and work stoppages that were held Friday and Saturday around the country. They are expected to culminate in a "National Day of Action" April 10 organized by labor, immigration, civil rights and religious groups.
The House of Representatives has passed legislation that would make it a felony to be in the U.S. illegally, impose new penalties on employers who hire illegal immigrants and erect fences along one-third of the U.S.-Mexican border. The Senate is to begin debating the proposals on Tuesday.
President Bush on Saturday called for legislation that does not force America to choose between being a welcoming society and a lawful one.
"America is a nation of immigrants, and we're also a nation of laws," Bush said in his weekly radio address about the emotional immigration issue that has driven a wedge into his party.
Bush sides with business leaders who want legislation to let some immigrants stay in the country and work for a set period of time. Others, including Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, say national security concerns should drive immigration reform.
"They say we are criminals. We are not criminals," said Salvador Hernandez, 43, of Los Angeles, who brought his wife and four children and carried a full-sized, blue-and-white Salvadoran flag.
Now a resident alien, Hernandez came to the United States 14 years ago illegally from El Salvador and has worked as a truck driver, painter and day laborer.
"We want to work legally, so we can pay our taxes and support the country, our country," said Francisco Flores, 27, a wood flooring installer from Santa Clarita who is a former illegal immigrant.
Arguments that the U.S. must tighten its borders as a security measure in an age of terrorism didn't play with the crowd.
"It's sugar-coating racism," said David Gonzalez, 22, of Moreno Valley.
"How is that making the border safer?" he asked. "When did you ever see a Mexican blow up the World Trade Center? Who do you think built the World Trade Center?"
In Phoenix on Friday, police said 20,000 demonstrators marched to the office of Republican Sen. Jon Kyl, co-sponsor of a bill that would step up enforcement along the U.S.-Mexico border and create a temporary guest-worker program that would require illegals to leave after five years. The turnout clogged major thoroughfares in what officials said was one of the largest protests in the city's history.
In Georgia, activists said tens of thousands of workers did not show up at their jobs Friday after calls for a work stoppage to protest a bill passed by the Georgia House on Thursday.
That bill, which has yet to gain Georgia Senate approval, would deny state services to adults living in the U.S. illegally and impose a 5 percent surcharge on wire transfers from illegal immigrants.
(© 2006 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
"" Senators are really concerned about their jobs they would tighten voting laws too.""
can you tell me which senator would be in political jeopardy if they dont tighten voting and immigration laws?
Let's see....in 1984, there were 70,000 illegal protestors and in 2006, there are 500,000. I'd say that we've been invaded and taken over in the intervening 12 years..
You're about 100 years late on that call...
""No I am VERY serious about this and we all know what a non-speaking illegal looks like by now.""
that isnt true...sounds like you have never met a non-english speaking legal immigrant
Initial reports I read said 100,000.
I don't know what the right number is, but that picture is downright scary!
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