'America First' rally to protest illegal immigration

By Aaron Nicodemus
Standard-Times staff writer
May 03, 2007 6:00 AM
NEW BEDFORD — Ken Pittman, local talk radio host, has set a date for his "America First" rally that will draw attention to the problems associated with illegal immigration.

The rally will be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 26 in the ballroom of the Days Inn, located at 500 Hathaway Road. The rally is hosted by a new organization called WALL, which stands for "We're American Legally and Loyally," of which Mr. Pittman is the director. WALL is also a reference to the idea of building a wall along the border of U.S. and Mexico.

"The rally is going to remind legislators that it's not about ethnicity or gender; it's about status, illegal or legal," Mr. Pittman said. "And it will remind the legislators that the pockets of the taxpayer are finite."

He said that he keeps hearing from Democrats in Massachusetts that there is nothing they can do about the illegal immigration issue, because it is a federal issue.

"There are Americans out there that are hurting, and they should have help first," he said. "There are state laws that put Americans and illegals in the same line."

The answer to illegal immigration is not to allow illegals to continue coming into the country, he said, but for America to work to solve the economic problems of the countries from which the illegals come.

Mr. Pittman, an afternoon talk show host for WBSM-AM, has consistently railed against illegal immigration since the March 6 raid on Michael Bianco Inc., where federal authorities arrested 361 illegal immigrants working in the factory. Mr. Pittman said the rally will have "nothing to do" with WBSM.

He said he is trying to bring in some of the area's and nation's top conservative politicians and media. Jeff Beatty, a Republican running against John F. Kerry for U.S. Senate, will speak at the rally. Numbers USA, a Washington, D.C., organization that monitors immigration statistics, will have a speaker at the rally, as well.

Roger Hedgecock, a talk show host for radio station KOGO-AM in San Diego who occasionally fills in on the Rush Limbaugh Show, will make a video appearance at the rally. Mr. Pittman said he is trying to book Tom Tancreado, Republican congressman from Colorado and a presidential candidate, as well as Sean Hannity, a conservative political commentator for Fox News.

The event will be held inside in order to control and limit any counter-demonstrations that might appear, he said. Video appearances also are not visible outside, he said.

How will he tell who is friendly toward the rally and who is not, he was asked.

"If anybody's got signs or are clearly there for a counter-demonstration, they won't be allowed inside," he said, saying that he will hire a police detail for the event.

Contact Aaron Nicodemus at anicodemus@s-t.com

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