Thread: Prince William County immigrant rally held

Immigrant rally held

http://www.potomacnews.com/servlet/Sate ... 9725&path=
By KIPP HANLEY
jhanley@potomacnews.com
Monday, September 3, 2007

"Si se puede! Si se puede!"

That's what motorists up and down Prince William Parkway heard Sunday at the pro-immigration rally and march.

The rough English translation to the Spanish statement is "Yes, we can," and it was echoed over and over by the several thousand people gathered at the Sean T. Connaughton Community Plaza to protest the anti-illegal immigration resolution passed by the Prince William County Board of Supervisors.

The resolution could, among other things, deny county services to illegal immigrants if fully approved this month. After passing the resolution in July, the supervisors directed county staff to determine which county services could be denied to illegal immigrants.

While the day was one of protest, it was also one without animosity. Signs, smiles and cheers were everywhere. Vendors with push carts were selling frozen treats to families, volunteers were handing out bottled water and social activists and musicians were inspiring the crowd with speeches and song.

As the crowd swelled, both American flags and protest signs could be seen dotting the landscape. The signs said everything from "Don't Divide Our Families" to "Rescind the Resolution" to "We Are All One Community." Volunteers sported bright orange and green shirts with the statement: "Stop Racism, Rescind Anti-Immigration Resolution."

Woodbridge resident Victoria Hernandez was one of many in attendance with their families. She moved from El Salvador to the United States 16 years ago before starting a family.

Both she and her 15-year-old daughter Karen were outraged at what the county is contemplating in regards to the illegal immigration problem.

"In school everybody asks, 'why do we learn history?' and the answer is so history won't repeat itself," said Karen, who attends Osbourn Park High School. "[But] it's repeating itself right now. It happened with the African-Americans a couple years back. It's not right how they are doing this. They should stop racism and discrimination. God made us all equal."

Samuel Pineda, 37, of Manassas Park, was one of the many volunteers assisting those taking buses to the event. Pineda, who works for a party goods rental company, said the immigrant population has been erroneously criticized as one which doesn't pay taxes.

Depending on the severity of the new policy, Pineda said it's possible that many families he knows could be separated when they go to a public place because of their parents' legal status. And that's not something he wants to see happen.

The rally started at 3 p.m. and roughly an hour later, those gathered began an organized march down Prince William Parkway to the intersection at Old Bridge Road. The people walked four and five wide on the sidewalk and stretched, at one point, the entire length of the mile-long route.

Many motorists honked and waved as they zipped past the construction cones on the parkway, eliciting waves of cheers up and down the sidewalks.

While the crowd was overwhelmingly Hispanic, there were others showing solidarity for the Hispanic population. One such person was 18-year-old Baltimore resident Nick Powell, who volunteers for the United Workers Association.

"No human being should be labeled as illegal," said Powell, who came down from Maryland with a few supporters on a bus.

Father Bob Menard of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Triangle was one of the many speakers during the four-hour-long rally. His message to the supervisors was simple.

"We are constituents of the county, we are constituents of the United States, we are constituents of the one America and we are constituents of the human family," Menard said. "And we are here to respond."

The rally came near the end of a weeklong boycott of Prince William County stores that weren't outwardly supporting all immigrants. A few of the green signs that pledged their support for the immigrant community could be seen sprinkled in the crowd on Sunday.

While Woodbridge Workers Committee spokesperson Nancy Lyall recently called the boycott a success, it remains to be seen just how effective either the boycott or rally will be when it comes time for the county to put teeth in its resolution.

"We'll cross our fingers and hope for the best," Pineda said

Several thousand??

I wonder if they are stretching that number a bit. LA couldn't get more than a couple thousand out for Elvira.

Why can they have rallys...and we can't?????????

I doubt there was anything near that number. If they can murder, rape, sexually assault children, etc., what's a little lie here and there?

What has happened to this country?
Criminals can gather in the streets protesting, demanding, they want rights that aren't even given to them in their own countries, and Lakewood had to cancel their rally, the minutemen had to cancel their rally becuase of threats and our government stands by with their thumbs up their butts doing nothing!

I feel like I'm in the twilight zone, No sorry this is happening in the good OLE U.S.A. thanks to El Presedente Boosh! Again all I can say is GOD HELP US...we are going to need it!

I saw the rally on the local news tonight,I seriously doubt there was 500 people and a some of the group was anchor babies,preschoolers.
The two that were interviewed were saying "If you kick us out we will just come right back" and an anchor breeder said "We are just here working,I don't see what the problem is if we're working.We are trying to support families,here and in our home country".




Head 'em up,move 'em out Rawhide!

[quote="Rawhide"]I saw the rally on the local news tonight,I seriously doubt there was 500 people and a some of the group was anchor babies,preschoolers.
The two that were interviewed were saying "If you kick us out we will just come right back" and an anchor breeder said "We are just here working,I don't see what the problem is if we're working.We are trying to support families,here and in our home country".

I don't see the compairson Karen, in the article, makes with blacks. They were legal citizens. The illegals don't want to be ONE with us. They are being racist by not wantintg to become Americans like learning English and embracing our ways instead of trying to keep their views different. We have all of these different orgaznizations that have their own agendas and none of them are doing what is right for America, just what is right for their different ethnic organizations. If you are legal and you WANT to be an American and work in unity to make this country strong, that is one thing but Illegals don't want to be Americans. They send their money to Mexico instead of investing in AMerica. It is not racisim on our part, but diversity does not make for a strong country. We don't want to be another Mexico, we already have one. I do not want illegals here in My country. They are law breakers when they steal someone elses id. If you lie and cheat you are a liar and cheater. Nothing can change that no matter how you try to justify it

[quote="Rawhide"]I saw the rally on the local news tonight,I seriously doubt there was 500 people and a some of the group was anchor babies,preschoolers.





And it was mentioned that people had been bussed in from other places too.

Boy, if they can't get more than 500 people showing up at these things being bussed in from out of town....and paid.....anymore, then the "movement" is in bigger trouble than they're willing to admit.

Can't wait to see what happens in DC.......lol.

Agrneydgrl wrote-
Nothing can change that no matter how you try to justify it

I,Rawhide, wasn't speaking for myself,I was giving a report of what the rallying illegals were saying to reporters on my local news,I live in the next county over from the rally and thought I'd share what my local news media was saying and showing.The quotes were from the illegals at the rally not me.

My sign off on each post is,IMHO, a viable option for ridding the country of the illegals,though I'd prefer to use cars to do the job so we could play my favorite theme song from the radios whilst doing the job.Come on,it'd be fun-everytime the song says "dogies" we'll substitute "illegals".

You wrote-
If you are legal and you WANT to be an American and work in unity to make this country strong,

I couldn't agree with you more!People need to stop this craziness of "celebrate diversity" and start celebrating UNITY,geez,its even on our money-E Pluribis Unim.The people who come here legally and make the effort to assimilate, I welcome them but those who come illegally need to go.No if,ands or buts.




Head 'em up,move 'em out Rawhide!