Thread: Latino rally planned - Activists seek immigration reform

Latino rally planned
Activists seek immigration reform
By Stephen Wall, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 07/04/2008 09:42:20 PM PDT

Area Latino activists have launched plans for a massive nationwide Latino mobilization and political rally in support of immigration reform this summer.

The group is part of the "Somos America" (We Are America) coalition of 100,000 people expected to converge in August on the Democratic National Convention in Denver.

"I feel strongly that the Hispanic community has to make a commitment to organize itself and make demands on whoever is elected to office," said the Rev. Patricio Guillen, a Catholic priest who runs a San Bernardino organization that provides assistance to immigrants. "The Hispanic community is not going to allow candidates to just make a lot of promises. We're going to make them keep their word."

Where do they stand?

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., advocates tighter border security and says the federal government has thus far failed in that regard. He calls border security an "essential" element of national security.

Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., supports securing the border with additional personnel, infrastructure and technology. He says the country should increase the number of legal immigrants and remove incentives to enter illegally by cracking down on employers who hire illegal immigrants.

Sources: www.johnmccain.com; www.barackobama.com

The event aims to re-create the type of grass-roots movement that prevailed in 2006, when thousands of people participated in street protests across the country to oppose a federal bill to crack down on illegal immigrants. The proposal ultimately failed.

This time, organizers hope to use the backdrop of the convention as a platform for a major lobbying effort. They want to secure a commitment from presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama and the Democratic majority in in the House of Representatives for comprehensive immigration reform in 2009.

Members of the coalition are pressing for a path to citizenship for the estimated 12million illegal immigrants in the country. They also urge support for federal legislation to allow illegal-immigrant college students to gain legal status and pay in-state tuition rates.

Organizers also oppose the construction of fences along the 2,000-mile U.S.-Mexico border and want the federal government to stop raids targeting people in the country illegally.

"Our Latino communities are tired of the immigration-enforcement policies that have resulted in attacks, not only against undocumented immigrants, but that have affected all Latino people in this country," said Jose Calderon, a professor of sociology and Chicano studies at Pitzer College in Claremont.

Besides plans to attend a march and rally Aug. 26 in downtown Denver, local activists are forming "Viva Obama Clubs," a campaign to promote Latino voter registration, voter education and get-out-the-vote organizing efforts throughout California and the nation.

The "Viva Obama Clubs" are modeled after the "Viva Kennedy Clubs" that were organized by Latinos in 1960 and contributed significantly to John F. Kennedy's victory over Richard Nixon in the presidential election, said Armando Navarro, an ethnic studies professor at UC Riverside.

There are more than 12million Latino registered voters nationwide, making them a key constituency for Republicans and Democrats to woo in the campaign.

In California, more than 2.6million Latinos are projected to cast votes this year, up from about 2.1million in 2004, according to the Tomas Rivera Policy Institute at USC.

Obama and John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, spoke separately last week at a conference of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials. Both identified the immigration issue as a top priority.

Navarro stressed that the Denver rally should not be seen as a protest and is not intended to be critical of Obama.

"This is not a protest. This is a solidarity event of Latinos showing that we are with the Democrats, but Democrats also have to be with us on the issue of immigration reform," said Navarro, also the coordinator of the Riverside-based National Alliance for Human Rights.

As large as the Latino population is, with nearly 48million people nationwide and 15million in California, "we're an extremely disorganized community at this point in time politically," Navarro said.

"If we expect to be on the priority list of an Obama administration, we must show power in Denver."
http://www.redlandsdailyfacts.com/sanbe ... ci_9791336

"Our Latino communities are tired of the immigration-enforcement policies that have resulted in attacks, not only against undocumented immigrants, but that have affected all Latino people in this country," said Jose Calderon, a professor of sociology and Chicano studies at Pitzer College in Claremont.

Hey, guess what, our American communities are tired of the lack of immigration enforcement - which is why your efforts are only angering the voting population. Gimme, gimme, gimme doesn't work with people who are struggling to get by and also paying benefits for you that they can't afford for themselves. Go ahead, march. Get us really ticked off.

Please join the FIRE Coalition, http://firecoalition.com/ , the American Legion http://legion.org/homepage.php and Riders Against Illegal Aliens http://ridersagainstillegalaliens.com/ for a three day national security convention Thursday-Saturday, August 21-23, 2008 at American Legion Post 1111 in Denver suburb Broomfield, Colorado. Numerous federal, state, and local legislators, veterans, citizens, and nationally-recognized experts will gather to discuss threats and solutions to our national security.
http://firecoalition.com/article/index. ... unce&id=74

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What we need is a small contingent to march right in front of them with a sign saying


*American Voters!*
Oppose this event?
Log onto NumbersUSA
Remember Det. Don Young


The majority of people who see their event will be opposed to it but not know what to do. Their events have always caused them an even bigger backlashes among their opponents. We can not pay to get the kind of support they create for us. If you read this call the police and ake sure they march behind a memorial for the Denver Policeman killed by an illegal alien.


DENVER METRO POLICE
1-303-871-8888 Swat
1-720-913-2000 HQ

"Our Latino communities are tired of the immigration-enforcement policies that have resulted in attacks, not only against undocumented immigrants, but that have affected all Latino people in this country," said Jose Calderon, a professor of sociology and Chicano studies at Pitzer College in Claremont.

They only affect you if your "Illegal". Even We Citizens are checked regularly . Get Over It Whiner's . The U.S Enforce's our Laws even if the Federal Level is Corrupt then the State steps in . Thats Why our Country is Great . Our Constitution

"I feel strongly that the Hispanic community has to make a commitment to organize itself and make demands on whoever is elected to office," said the Rev. Patricio Guillen, a Catholic priest who runs a San Bernardino organization that provides assistance to immigrants. "The Hispanic community is not going to allow candidates to just make a lot of promises. We're going to make them keep their word."

Catholic Priest are not in a really good position right now to speak out on anything . Still deep in debt on many Lawsuits . Seems your running a "For Profit" Church and crossing the line on "Seperation of Church and State ". Maybe i'm wrong But ya'll never shut-up

feel strongly that the Hispanic community has to make a commitment to organize itself and make demands on whoever is elected to office," said the Rev. Patricio Guillen, a Catholic priest who runs a San Bernardino organization that provides assistance to immigrants. "The Hispanic community is not going to allow candidates to just make a lot of promises. We're going to make them keep their word."

Ths Hispanic community as a whole is shooting itself in the foot and should condemn those like Rev. Patricio Guillen when they make statements that are inclusive of all Hispanics, irrespective of whether they are legal or not. It send the message that all Hispanics advocate for the legalization of those who entered this country in violation of immigration law.

Certainly, I would hope that most reasonable people who also happen to be Hispanic, understand that illegal immigration has nothing to do with race, but rather the sovereignty, safety and the rule of law within this country. Those who continue to make this an issue of race need to be called out for their disgusting use of the Hispanic community to further their open border agenda.

This may be a good sign to have as a counter.

[size=200] LA County Spends $36 Million On Welfare For Illegals In May 2008 The total cost for illegal immigrants to County taxpayers far exceeds $1 billion a year – not including the millions of dollars for education.â€

"Our Latino communities are tired of the immigration-enforcement policies that have resulted in attacks, not only against undocumented immigrants, but that have affected all Latino people in this country," said Jose Calderon, a professor of sociology and Chicano studies at Pitzer College in Claremont. "

Your Latino communities? You have no right to a community in America, idiots. As for legal Latino's, not once have I seen fellow citizens try to deport them.

"I feel strongly that the Hispanic community has to make a commitment to organize itself and make demands on whoever is elected to office," said the Rev. Patricio Guillen, a Catholic priest who runs a San Bernardino organization that provides assistance to immigrants. "The Hispanic community is not going to allow candidates to just make a lot of promises. We're going to make them keep their word."
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REVOKE THAT CHURCH'S TAX-EXEMPT STATUS...THE PRIEST HAS NO BUSINESS GETTING INVOLVED IN POLITICS AND POLITICAL ADVOCACY ON BEHALF OF FOREIGN NATIONALS LIVING AND WORKING HERE ILLEGALLY.