Protestors Rip Retailer (About Our Home Depot Rally)
Hey Guys:
Here is a pretty damn fair article on our rally in Glendale at the Home Depot and their day labor center:
http://www.glendalenewspress.com/front/ ... 2649c.html
Protesters rip retailer
Demonstrators angry at The Home Depot for contributing to a day laborer center nearby.
Quote:
By Darleene Barrientos, News-Press and Leader
SOUTHWEST GLENDALE -- Protesters angry with Home Depot demonstrated in front of its Glendale store Saturday, alleging the home improvement retailer aids and abets illegal aliens by contributing to the day laborer center across the street.
Members of the organization SaveOurState.org came to Glendale from as nearby as Los Angeles and Arcadia and as far away as Ventura and Orange counties to hold up signs with messages like "Stop Home Depot's illegal alien day labor centers," "Home Depot supports racism" and "It's un-American to hire illegals."
"It's very simple," said Phyllis Nemeth, of Arcadia. "Home Depot aids and abets illegal aliens...Fifteen million unemployed Americans need jobs, too."
The day laborer center, across the street from Glendale's Home Depot at 5040 San Fernando Road, was established under a partnership between the city, Home Depot and Catholic Charities, which operates it. The city wanted to establish the center as a solution when residential neighbors complained that day laborers would loiter, litter, drink in public and even urinate on their properties.
At issue is the fact that Home Depot contributed money to establish the center and has established a partnership with the National Council of La Raza, said Joseph Turner, founder and executive director of SaveOurState.org.
"Imagine if Home Depot had partnered with a white separatist group," Turner said. "Imagine the outcry."
The National Council of La Raza is more a group that is working to integrate Hispanic immigrants into American society, spokeswoman Lisa Navarette said.
"It's unfortunate that people are saying that," Navarette said. "It clearly speaks to folks who don't know what we do as an organization and what we stand for."
Home Depot paid for some of the capital improvements to the day labor center in Glendale but does not operate it, Home Depot spokeswoman Kathryn Gallagher said. And the partnership that Turner speaks of is actually one of four hiring partnerships that Home Depot recently entered into.
"That is one of four hiring partnerships we have, along with [American Assn. of Retired Persons], the Department of Labor and Defense and also the Department of Labor," Gallagher said. "With our specific Hispanic-hiring partnership, we're hoping to recruit qualifying candidates for positions across country that speak Spanish and continue to bring diversity to company and better service to customers."
The need to speak Spanish as an employee is exactly why Dana McCowen of Los Angeles was participating in Saturday's demonstration.
"I'm here because with the influx of illegal aliens; it's been such a hard time -- for me as an American who doesn't speak Spanish -- to get a job," McCowen said, adding she hasn't been able to find a job that didn't require her to speak Spanish for the past three years.
Juan Rodriguez, Catholic Charities' program coordinator for the day labor center, declined to comment. Day laborers waiting at the center Saturday were also directed to not comment on the protest.
Several of the protesters, including Robin Hvidston, of Upland, booed at one man just outside the fence of the day laborer center as he spoke to day laborers in Spanish.
"We're not against immigration," Hvidston said. "We're just saying, enter the country legally."
Please pass this along to all your friends and family and message boards you frequent. We need to continue to educate the public on what Home Depot stands for and how they are selling out this country to make a buck.
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