Thread: Immigration Activists Plan May 1 Boycott, Marches

Immigration Activists Plan May 1 Boycott, Marches
(AP) LOS ANGELES Immigration activists are calling for a repeat of last year's boycott and massive marches for immigrants' rights that drew more than 1 million people to the streets in dozens of cities nationwide.

The so-called "Great American Boycott II" is being planned for May 1, organizers for the March 25 Coalition said Monday. The group is made up of immigrant rights organizations and others who frequently plan rallies around the country.

Last year's demonstrations, on May 1, temporarily shuttered businesses and schools across the country as people took to the streets in Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami and other cities.

The boycott was fueled by anger over federal legislation that would have criminalized being in the country in illegally and fortified the U.S.-Mexico border. The goal was to raise awareness about immigrants' economic power.

The legislation later stalled in Congress. A compromise plan floated last month would grant work visas to illegal immigrants but require them to return home and pay hefty fines before being allowed to com back and become legal U.S. residents.

Recent protests have not attracted as many supporters as last year's demonstrations. A rally last weekend in Los Angeles drew about 10,000 people, compared to the half-million who marched last May.

Javier Rodriguez, one of the "Great American Boycott II" organizers, declined to predict how many people might participate. He said recent raids on illegal immigrants have created fear within the community and could lower the turnout.

The March 25 Coalition is named for demonstrations in Los Angeles on March 25, 2006, that drew about half a million people to the streets demanding greater rights for illegal immigrants.
http://kutv.com/topstories/topstories_s ... 12753.html

What a difference a day makes.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18059553/site/newsweek/

May Day
Activists are planning a repeat of last year’s huge marches and protests in favor of legalizing immigrants and ending deportations.


WEB EXCLUSIVE
By Andrew Murr
Newsweek
Updated: 3:33 p.m. ET April 11, 2007

April 11, 2007 - Last year’s giant immigrant rallies culminated in a May 1 boycott as an estimated 1 million protesters marched peacefully in two dozen cities from Boston to Los Angeles. Now, organizers plan to do it again. Dubbed The Great American Boycott II and timed again to coincide with Labor’s traditional May Day celebration, leaders want immigrants to flex their economic muscles by abstaining from purchases, skipping school and attending mass rallies in cities from New York and Chicago to San Antonio.

Last year’s protests targeted the restrictive House bill authored by Rep. James Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin that would have made illegal immigrants felons and mandated 700 miles of border fence. (The House later passed the bill, H.R. 4437, but it died in the Senate, which supported a more liberal measure.) This year’s agenda is broader and more diffuse. Organizers are pushing for an end to the recent spate of raids on businesses that hire large numbers of illegals. They also want to stop the federal government from splitting families by deporting undocumented parents whose U.S.-born children are American citizens. Longtime Los Angeles immigration activist Javier Rodriguez, one of last year’s organizers, says he expects “millions” of immigrants will participate, including a larger coalition of groups than last year. Rodriguez recently spoke with NEWSWEEK’s Andrew Murr. Excerpts:

NEWSWEEK: What is planned for May 1?
Javier Rodriguez: We expect a national boycott that will be several times bigger than last year in its size, effectiveness and also in its political message. Easily, there will be over 100 cities that will be boycotting and/or marching throughout the country—primarily, the major cities and regions where the immigrant has staked his ground … California, Texas, Arizona, New York, Rhode Island, Illinois and elsewhere. I expect millions will participate.

Last spring’s rallies and boycott were driven by the House immigration bill sponsored by James Sensenbrenner. That’s no longer an issue. What’s the driving issue now?
The people see two things. One, they see that the Bush administration [approach] has not worked. They see the hypocritical message telling them that he is for family unity and for migrants to be able to legalize, while at the same time he has launched a campaign of persecution that has turned into psychological warfare. The people see right through that. It was those mass marches of last year that pushed the Latino electorate along with the antiwar sentiment that allowed them to defeat the Republican majority [in Congress]. It was a very astute move on the part of the immigrant community. That’s one. But the driving force was that they see their immigration status has not changed. Nothing has happened.

Who is participating this year?
In New York, we have the May 1st Coalition. We have labor support, the West Coast International Longshore Workers Union and we have immigrants’ rights groups, including the Hermandad Mexicana Nacional in Los Angeles. And a whole slew of other groups. We had 63 national organizations come to an organizing session in February. We’re a lot better organized. Last year, we launched the May 1 boycott -at the March 25 rally. This year, we’ve been at it for five months.

The immigrant community will be at the heart of this, but we expect other people to join in. [We are working with] the ranks of the antiwar movement and the African-American community. And also labor.

How about elected officials?
I’ll be very honest with you. At this point, we don’t have any. But with three weeks to go, as the momentum builds and the hype takes over, there will be many. Many of them joined in for the rally on March 25 last year. Even the mayor [Antonio Villaraigosa] of Los Angeles [who supported a mass rally but came out against the economic and school boycotts]. He’s an old buddy, [but] we definitely have different views. Last year, he didn’t close City Hall. He scabbed on our one-day boycott.

What do you mean?
He opened up City Hall.
Last year, we also had the California Speaker Fabian Núñez, [and] the Senate Majority Leader Gloria Romero closed the … State Senate that day.

Last time, we had city council folks here in L.A., as well as in New York and in San Antonio. Many of them will show up for the rally. We have the rank-and-file priests on our side.

Have you spoken to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, which opposed last year’s boycott?
We hope that they come to their senses and support us.

Last year, the Spanish-language DJs of Los Angeles provided key publicity for the March 25 rally, but then many opposed last year’s boycott. Are they on board this year?
We expect the majority of DJs to come and support the effort, meaning airing it on their programs and bringing it up in jokes, appeals, promos and cultural comments, just like last year. We are moving now. We approached [TV host] Don Cheto yesterday, and they are expecting an official letter from us and they agreed. We have another one who is not very political, Humberto Luna, who will be opening his program to us on a daily morning show on La Ranchera radio.

What effect do you expect this year’s boycott to have?
After the rallies last year, the opinion polls began to say that the majority of the American people were in favor of a legalization process. We want that to continue. It had to do with the fact that the immigrant community came out by the millions and they demanded respect. And we did it in such an orderly way, so civilly. We are calling for a humane plan to legalize all immigrants, and we want an end to the deportations and raids.

The so-called "Great American Boycott II"

Let's call it like it is the "Great Criminal Illegal Alien Boycott II".

We expect the majority of DJs to come and support the effort, meaning airing it on their programs and bringing it up in jokes, ]appeals, promos and cultural comments, just like last year.

The jokes on you. The vast majority of American DJs are against you!

After the rallies last year, the opinion polls began to say that the majority of the American people were in favor of a legalization process

Was this a La Raza, Mecha, communist, socialist or Mexica Movement poll?
It sure wasn't a poll that was taken by the US citizens.

demanded respect

Please march and demand! You are waking up more Americans!

He said recent raids on illegal immigrants

Thank you ICE-Keep up the raids!!!

After 40 or more of these so-called amnesty marches, it only deepens my disgust and resentment of these people as a whole. I never recognized how much they suck from from Americans until they started these demands for millions of illegals who have invaded this country; until their Mexican government started telling us what we can do or not do.

My anger will certainly last for a lifetime.

I LOVE to go shopping on these boycott days. Will save up extra money to spend May 1st.
The check out lines move alot quicker without illegals demanding lower prices than what is marked on items. (anyone else noticed this?)

Last year, we also had the California Speaker Fabian Núñez, [and] the Senate Majority Leader Gloria Romero closed the … State Senate that day.

This is what happens when your state becomes overrun with illegals. They vote (the illegals vote along with all the rest) for no one but Hispanics for office. When the Hispanics get into office they support the illegals. This is a preview for the rest of the country, not just California, if people don't WAKE UP.

THANK YOU LORD!!

My prayers are being answered.

Can you guys imagine how many more sleepy Americans will be waking up?

We couldn't have paid for this kind of help

AMericans from sea to shining sea will be on Congress's ass like white on rice after this one

We're looking forward to no traffic May 1st like last year.

Jean Wrote:

We're looking forward to no traffic May 1st like last year.

Yeah Jean. I told everyone ,last year on May 1st, their quality of life could be like that EVERY DAY if we could get all the damned illegals out of Southern Caliafornia. The freeways were clear, the stores weren't packed to the rafters and everything looked......well, cleaner.