Thread: AZ Star: Lack of opposition at rallies = defeat for us!

I would say the awaiting goons probably had something to do with it... who on earth would want to go out there and just get beaten up by these jerks? And then they start throwing things at the police...! Yay.

http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/181399

Immigration reform: The time is now
Our view: Opponents' silence at rallies this week spoke volumes on the issue
Let them know
Contact Southern Arizona's congressional delegation and tell them you support comprehensive immigration reform that includes border security, a guest-worker program, sanctions for employers who hire illegal entrants and a path to citizenship for those already here.
Rep. Raúl Grijalva D.C: 1-202-225-2435; Tucson: 622-6788
http://www.house.gov/grijalva/
Rep. Gabrielle Giffords D.C.: 1-202-225-2542; Tucson: 881-3588
Web: http://giffords.house.gov/
Sen. John McCain D.C.: 1-202-224-2235; Tucson: 670-6334 Web site: http://mccain.senate.gov
Sen. Jon Kyl D.C.: 1-202-224-4521; Tucson: 575-8633 Web site: http://kyl.senate.gov
• Tell state legislators you're in favor of federal, comprehensive immigration reform at http://www.azhouse.gov and http://www.azsenate.gov or 398-6000.
By all accounts, the number of participants in the immigration-reform marches this week was down compared with last year's protests. While the pro-immigrant side had a smaller turnout, the anti-immigrant side was barely noticeable.
The sparse turnout by counterprotesters in a dozen or so American cities should cause communities to re-evaluate their opposition to immigration reform.
If Tuesday's protests are any indication of national sentiment, anti-immigrant activists should get the message that perhaps not many everyday people — as opposed to talking heads on radio and television — agree with their position.
According to a story by Lourdes Medrano and Dale Quinn in Wednesday's Star, some 2,500 Tucsonans marched in favor of reforming the nation's broken immigration laws. Counterprotesters numbered about half a dozen.
The Tucson showing was a high point for anti-immigration forces.
Chicago had the largest march on Tuesday, with 150,000 participants. A story in the Chicago Tribune made no mention of an organized counterprotest. Los Angeles had 35,000 marchers, but news accounts made no mention of counterprotesters.
It was the same story in Dallas, where no one was reportedly offering a counterbalance to some 3,000 to 5,000 marchers. The Seattle Times noted a handful of individual counterdemonstrators at a march of 5,000.
Anti-immigrant forces had their best showing in Phoenix, where 250 people organized by the Minuteman movement held a counterprotest while 15,000 people marched.
If more people truly feel it is in the best interest of this country to deport all illegal immigrants and greatly increase border security, then more counterprotesters would have gone out to blunt the message of those in favor of immigration reform.
We hope that the numbers from Tuesday's rallies are truly indicative of national sentiment.
Letters to the editor and comments on the Star's Web site have blamed illegal immigrants for everything from traffic congestion and tainted spinach to the layoffs of Tucson Medical Center workers and urban sprawl.
We hope these are the views of a very small and misinformed minority.
Much of the vitriol directed at illegal immigrants comes from a land of make believe created by anti-immigrant commentators on radio and television who spew xenophobia and hate.
Take for example, claims that illegal immigrants are exploiting the health-care system and precluding U.S. citizens' access to health care. Illegal immigrants are entitled only to emergency care. At worst, U.S. citizens might have to wait a little longer in the emergency room. We see no evidence that citizens are being denied health care, either in the emergency room or in normal medical settings.
We are heartened by a comment President Bush made Thursday concerning the immigration reform debate in Washington, D.C.
"Comprehensive immigration reform means that we've got to be humane about the nearly 11 or 12 million people who are already here," the president said. "We need to treat these people not with amnesty, and not with animosity. So it's got to be a rational way forward."
Thankfully, animosity was a rarity during Tuesday's marches. We hope it remains that way as lawmakers debate immigration reform.
Congress must pass comprehensive immigration reform that includes border security, a guest-worker program, sanctions for workers who employ illegal entrants and a path to citizenship for those already here.
The STRIVE Act, for Security Through Regularized Immigration and a Vibrant Economy, is not a perfect solution, but it is a reasonable compromise.
Let them know
Contact Southern Arizona's congressional delegation and tell them you support comprehensive immigration reform that includes border security, a guest-worker program, sanctions for employers who hire illegal entrants and a path to citizenship for those already here.
Rep. Raúl Grijalva D.C: 1-202-225-2435; Tucson: 622-6788
http://www.house.gov/grijalva/
Rep. Gabrielle Giffords D.C.: 1-202-225-2542; Tucson: 881-3588
Web: http://giffords.house.gov/
Sen. John McCain D.C.: 1-202-224-2235; Tucson: 670-6334 Web site: http://mccain.senate.gov
Sen. Jon Kyl D.C.: 1-202-224-4521; Tucson: 575-8633 Web site: http://kyl.senate.gov
• Tell state legislators you're in favor of federal, comprehensive immigration reform at http://www.azhouse.gov and http://www.azsenate.gov or 398-6000.

I've heard comments from callers on Chicago stations. They were ready to fight and were very dissappointed that there weren't opposers there to fight with. I watched the video posted here of 2 Minutemen who were simply filming and not saying anything and you can clearly see they did everything they could to taunt them into a fight. You could also see there were alot there just aching to cut loose on them and just waiting for 1 word or 1 move to have at them. I'm amazed how steady his filming was considering they had grabbed the camera and really got in his face. I don't feel safe going to any rally where they are there......let alone "their" major march. Heck....you can't even be invited to speak without fear of being rushed and violence.

Just because our side does not want to imitate the actions of the angry illegal alien mobs in the streets does not mean anything for our side.

The illegals are in the streets because they are the interlopers, they are the tresspassers, they are the unruly mob.

Our people are working critical jobs they can't put down to go to the streets. Our people are using our strengths and fighting with every interior home team advantage we have with language and process.

You win wars by making your enemy fight you where you are strong and they are weak. You lose wars by trying to fight your enemy where they are strong and you are weak.

That is why no major organization in our movement tried to deploy to the streets on May 1.

The street actions are a sign of growing desperation for the other side.

Anyone that says we are losing because we were not out confronting large angry mobs of TB positive illegal aliens and gang bangers is a nut.

W

W - well said and exactly the reason why many of us have been unable to counterprotest. I am happy to continue faxing, emailing and to do everything I can do to get our point across. After all our opponents are people who appear to be prone to violence, chaos and lawlessness and waiting for an opportunity to physically attack anyone who opposes their demands for amnesty.

It was on a tuesday fer christsakes!! Why would anyone want to take off work to see a bunch of illegal ingrates throw their temper tantrums? It was much more productive and enlightening (I took time to write a well-worded (IMO) logical letter to my reps. If they think that they are entitled to citizenship and hand-outs just because they showed up, then that just goes to show how tterly worthless they are.

Originally Posted by sgt_shlitz

It was on a tuesday fer christsakes!! Why would anyone want to take off work to see a bunch of illegal ingrates throw their temper tantrums? It was much more productive and enlightening (I took time to write a well-worded (IMO) logical letter to my reps. If they think that they are entitled to citizenship and hand-outs just because they showed up, then that just goes to show how tterly worthless they are.

Agreed. Those claims of them being hardworking, law abiding etc. are merely that. Their children are yanked out of school for extended stretches over breaks to go back to Messyco and for their violent marches as well. Talk about training a kid up the way you want them to go. It's no wonder so many are 3rd grade educated in gangs and overcrowding our jails.

Now that the jobless claims are up, labor and the economy is slowing down I wonder what their claims of contribution and value to our economy will become next. Wonder what jobs they will claim to be doing that we won't do now?

It's insanity. It's like saying that Chicago should have won the Superbowl because they had more fans in the stands.