Thread: Thousands to starve themselves to press for immig justice

Thousands choose to starve themselves in order to press for immigration justice

Albor Ruiz - Ny Local

Thursday, June 3rd 2010, 4:00 AM
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Hunger in New York is nothing new. But lately immigrants and their supporters - feeling betrayed by the Obama administration and Congress - have given the old, shameful problem an unexpected dimension.

Dozens of people are freely choosing to starve - and risk their lives - as an extreme means to pressure politicians to pay attention and repair our broken migration system.

"We want to show Sen. [Chuck] Schumer that we cannot wait any longer, that we need him to take action on the Dream Act in the Senate," said Osmán Canales, 21, a permanent U.S. resident who arrived here from El Salvador in 1999.

Canales, of Long Island, is one of about 10 young people from the New York State Youth Leadership Council who began a hunger strike Tuesday outside Schumer's Manhattan office. The group is demanding the New York senator move the Dream Act forward as a stand-alone bill.

Schumer, chairman of the Senate immigration subcommittee, co-sponsored the legislation that would allow immigrant youth who were brought to the U.S. as children, graduated from high school and completed two years of college or military service to apply for citizenship. But the students say Schumer has done little to move the bill forward.

The students had planned to begin their strike last week but they postponed it after Schumer promised to give them a response regarding the possibility of a congressional hearing on the Dream Act. They decided to act, they say, after the senator failed to respond.

"We plan to stay here until we get a commitment from the senator," Canales vowed.

Mike Morey, the senator's spokesman, had this to say:

"We have held multiple meetings and conversations with them over the past week about our efforts to advance and pass comprehensive immigration reform, which would include the Dream Act ... We also encourage the students to target those senators who are not yet supporting comprehensive immigration reform."

More and more immigrants, tired of empty words, are taking direct action. Yesterday, more than 50 people began a 72-hour fast organized by Make the Road NY and the New Sanctuary Coalition.

"Following the example of labor leader and immigrant rights champion César Chávez, the fast will be an opportunity for prayer, reflection and strengthening the commitment for justice for immigrants," the organizers said.

City Council members Julissa Ferreras, Ydanis RodrÃ*guez, and Jumaane Williams joined the fasters. Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.) and the Rev. Donna Schaper, of Judson Memorial Church, came to offer support.

Meanwhile, Oswaldo Cabrera, 42, an Ecuadoran immigrant, remains on a hunger strike since early last month in a church in New Jersey. He says he is willing to sacrifice his life for the sake of "5 million American children of undocumented parents who live in fear of them not coming back home at the end of the day."

On Tuesday, 55 people - among them Council members Ferreras, Daniel Dromm and Brad Lander - were arrested at 1 Federal Plaza in the third week of civil disobedience over the racist Arizona law.

These actions mark an escalation in tactics by immigration advocates and are certain to intensify. For immigrants of all ages these are desperate times and they demand desperate measures.

aruiz2@aol.com

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/que ... #community#ixzz0pn5yHc22

I posted this:

ratbstard

6:58:24 AM
Jun 3, 2010

Yo Al, Cesar Chavez fought against allowing IAs to take work away from Legal Immigrants. As for the statement: "strengthening the commitment for justice for immigrants," the organizers said. Well justice for Legal Immigrants is absolutely necessary but for those that came here Illegally, prosecution to the fullest extent of the law would be JUSTICE!

NO AMNESTY. ENFORCE CURRENT IMMIGRATION LAWS.

Immigration justice would be kicking them out.

Meanwhile, Oswaldo Cabrera, 42, an Ecuadoran immigrant, remains on a hunger strike since early last month in a church in New Jersey. He says he is willing to sacrifice his life for the sake of "5 million American children of undocumented parents who live in fear of them not coming back home at the end of the day."

Cabrera no one is arguing that those "American" children should not go with them. If your little tantrum kills you leave word with your family to make sure the undertaker does not allow the coffin door to hit you in the nose when he shuts it on you.

Big whoop. Thousands of Americans are already starving, my sympathy is reserved for those who are here legally.

First, the "student" staging this hunger strike need some remedial education. In particular, history. Chavez reported illegals and encouraged their deportation. Odd that they would choose him as their hero.

The author of this article needs a little help with math. 10 + 50 + 55 = thousands.

Cheap theatrics for the cameras.

I did find it interesting that the "journalist" that wrote the piece labled the law as "racist", using the power of the press to lable and the power of suggestion. I would bet that the "journalist" will never actually read the law because that would not fit with his agenda.

On Tuesday, 55 people - among them Council members Ferreras, Daniel Dromm and Brad Lander - were arrested at 1 Federal Plaza in the third week of civil disobedience over the racist Arizona law.

New York Daily News - Albor Ruiz - Ny Local

Albor RuÃ*z
Columnist at the New York Daily News since 1997, Albor Ruiz has had a long career as a writer and editor. He was hired at the Daily News in 1993 as an editorial writer and was the first Latino member of that paper’s editorial board. He has also worked as an opinion page editor for The News.

Ruiz was the editor-in-chief of the first daily bilingual newspaper, El Daily News, as well as the executive editor of the nationally distributed Más magazine. He has also written opinion columns for Newsday.

Throughout his career, Ruiz, who was born in Cuba and has lived in New York since 1980, has never lost sight of the struggles of Latino immigrants, using his work as a journalist to give them a voice, portraying not only their heartaches but also their accomplishments.

Whether writing for English or Spanish-language media, Ruiz’s journalistic mission has been to provide a voice for those whose stories often go untold by the mainstream media. In 1985, Ruiz gave the editorial pages of el diario-LA PRENSA an edge as their chief editorial writer and worked to cultivate a young reporting team. He has mentored scores of Latino and Latina journalists since then.

That should save on food stamps the american people need.

Originally Posted by vic

That should save on food stamps the american people need.

Welcome, vic.

when the protestors pass out and require medical assitance it is the TAX PAYERS who will be footing the bill.....

just like we do each and everyday for millions of illegals in this country .....


the insanity must end ..