Site stirs passions

Another Saturday, another protest that runs the gamut



By Arlene Gross write the author

July 03, 2008 | 12:45 PM
On a blazing hot Saturday, four men arrived armed with American flags and protest signs, set up their posts just outside the gates of the town-sanctioned day laborer site on Depot Road in Huntington Station.

Drivers slowed down, some stopping to shout out their opinions — both for and against the activists.

"Why don't you go home and let them live in peace?" yelled one.

Another passed by giving them the thumbs-up sign in solidarity.

The protesting quartet, who have been out there almost every Saturday morning for the past two months, at times joined by a few others, next stopped at Councilman Mark Cuthbertson's house, as they had done the previous Saturday.

"His wife hopped in her Caravan and blasted out of there," Dave Jatsko, of Huntington, said.

When the foursome showed up at

Cuthbertson's Greenlawn residence the week before, three police cars arrived 10 minutes later.

"It was somewhat uneventful," said Arno Herwerth, of Hauppauge. "The police stayed with us. Then we went to Town Hall."

Referring to the councilman, Jatsko said, "He's the one who caused the problem. We're going to all the council people's homes."

"Obviously, he has a problem with strange men standing outside his house," said Brian Russell, of Sound Beach.

Russell, who calls himself a "New York patriot," was offended by the police asking their names. "But there's 50 or 70 of them [day laborers] standing in front of people's homes. Why aren't they asking for their names?"

In a 3 to 2 vote on Tuesday, the Town Board passed anti-loitering legislation making it illegal, and punishable by fines from $25 to $1,000, for contractors to stop in the middle of the street to pick up workers. Instead, they must drive into the hiring site's premises.

Cuthbertson later characterized the protesting at his house as "distasteful."

"I have three children under the age of 10, two of whom can read and I don't like them necessarily to have to read that their father is a 'traitor' and should be

deported."

Just minutes into their protest at the labor site, a young man jumped out of a car, threatening the protestors.

Herwerth, a retired New York City police officer, videotaped the man as he threatened and cursed at him. The man backed down, only getting back into his car when another passenger persuaded him to do so.

"We don't understand," said Jim Varady, of Huntington. "We're fighting for them. Especially for young people. I was out of work six months last year, eight months the year before. That's why I'm here."

Speaking through a translator, Carlos Alberto said, "It's their thing if they want to be racist. If they want to sit there all day, that's their problem."

"They came here the same way we did. They're just as illegal," added the 32-year-old El Salvadoran, who, like the dozens of other men standing around, was hoping to find work that day. "In America to live, you got to live with no problems. You work, relax, go home, take care of your family. That's what it's all about."

Commenting on police reaction to the protest, Varady said, "The cops told us [last week] that 'We're wasting valuable time. We could be responding to other calls.'"

Varady then explained his antagonistic feelings toward undocumented immigrants.

"The problem is, this is all for cash," he continued. "They're shacking up with their girlfriends, working for cash, making more money than us."

A driver who gave his name as Carlos stopped his car in front of the protesters because he was concerned that the men hated all Hispanics.

"A lot of Hispanics can't get their papers," he explained, and blamed the immigration problem on President Bush and the federal government.

Bob Bishop, who identified himself as a Republican from Huntington Station, pulled his car alongside the men and said, "Why are you here harassing these guys? They pay taxes. You guys are a disgrace to this country."

Russell rejoined, "Don't tell me they're paying taxes."

Bishop countered from his car, "You have nothing better to do on a Saturday."

Edina Hochman drove up in a truck filled with bread, fruits and vegetables donated by local shops, as she has done several times weekly for the past six years.

"We let them into this country," said Hochman, of Huntington. "It's our responsibility to make sure there's some kind of structure here."

"I just feel like these people are being scapegoated for everything that's wrong in this country," she said. "We're a bunch of hypocrites. All these people who are complaining will take them to do the jobs they don't want to do."

Two days after the protests, Jatsko said he was pleased with their efforts on Saturday.

"It worked out really good," he said. "Someone said, 'What took you guys so long?' They can't believe this thing's still open and wonder when they're going to close it down."

The protestors' ultimate goal, he said, is to close the site down.

"They don't have the moral integrity to admit that it was a failure 10 years ago," Jatsko said. "They don't have the moral courage to admit that it's a failure today."


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