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  1. #31
    Senior Member Brian503a's Avatar
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    I posted the same article yesterday morning but it was duped later.

    I haven't seen any other articles on this, and it wouldn't surprise if Arnold wants to keep it low profile since he is trying to win hispanic support for his re-election for Governor.

    However there were several other articles promoting her appearance beforehand. So the brown berets knew she was coming and were prepared for her visit.

    I believe this is the same group that got in trouble earlier in the year for protesting without permits.

    Here are the earlier articles.


    http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/archiv ... 3local.htm

    June 23, 2006


    Watsonville
    First lady Maria Shriver to make appearance at Watsonville market

    By TOM RAGAN
    SENTINEL STAFF WRITER
    California's first lady Maria Shriver is scheduled to visit the Watsonville Certified Farmers Market in the second week of July, to promote the health benefits of fresh produce and encourage more people to use their food stamps and electronic benefit cards at farmers markets across the state.

    Nancy Gammons, the director of Watsonville's market, said Shriver's visit has been tentatively scheduled between 4 and 6 p.m. July 14, but she added: "Anything can happen or change at the last minute in politics."

    The impending visit would be just another in a series of public appearances to promote California Connect, a relatively new statewide campaign to help California families gain more access government assistance programs that aren't used enough, said Sabrina Lockhart, a spokeswoman for the Governor's Office.

    "So often people don't know how to cut through the maze of programs that exist in California," she said. "And the first lady is trying to make them as easy as possible for everybody involved."

    Lee Mercer, director of education and outreach for the Watsonville-based Second Harvest Food Bank, has been instrumental in setting up the visit.

    "We've been having a series of conference calls with the governor's office," Mercer said. "But right now the first lady is in Costa Rica, so everything is extremely tentative. But things are looking good. We're just trying to figure out when."

    Doug Mattos, promotions and communications director for the city of Watsonville, said the possibility of a personal visit by Shriver is "really exciting."

    It would be "fantastic," he said, for the farmer's market, local growers and the very people affected: low-income folks who live in poverty and rely on a multitude of government assistance programs.

    "This is going to be a huge shot in the arm for everybody involved," Mattos said. "I think she Shriver has an interest in the people in mind and she cares about nutrition. She doesn't get paid for it, and she certainly comes from her own money."

    Shriver, whose mother Eunice Kennedy Shriver founded the Special Olympics, has roots in America's royalty, the Kennedy family. John F. Kennedy was Eunice's older brother. Earlier this year in March, Shriver launched the California Connect campaign, urging 750,000 California residents to claim the roughly $1 billion in uncollected tax refunds, according to the California Connect Web site.

    Shriver is no stranger to the agricultural communities or impressing upon Californians the importance of eating nutritious food.

    In September 2005, Shriver and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger campaigned against obesity in the state by urging schools to get rid of the snack machines and eat more California grown fruits and vegetables.

    Obesity, they said, is an epidemic in the state, with Californians in the past decade gaining 360 million pounds collectively.

    In Watsonville, Shriver will promote what Second Harvest Food Bank has been trying to bring to the farmers market in the past year: A machine that accepts the so-called electronic benefit transfer cards.

    The machines, similar to debit machines found in grocery stores, are long past due, and Mercer believes it only fair that they be set up at the farmers markets up and down the state of California.

    As it is now, Gammons, as market director, has to issue wooden tokens to the customers who qualify for government assistance, and the transfer takes as long as five minutes and involves Gammons dialing numbers on her cell phone, according to Mattos.

    This is not the first time that Watsonville's farmers market has been in the spotlight, Mattos said.

    Last year, a famous Spanish television show based in Los Angeles, "Despierta America," or "Wake Up America" was filmed at the market, Mattos said.

    Calls to the governor's office for more particulars on Shriver's visit were not returned.

    Contact Tom Ragan at tragan@santacruzsentinel.com




    http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/archiv ... 02edit.htm

    July 21, 2006


    Maria Shriver: Don't let food stamp benefits go unused
    Summertime for many Californians means fresh strawberries, sweet corn, and big beautiful salads. But too few Californians share in this healthy bounty. Close to 3 million of our neighbors struggle every day just to feed their families.

    There's an easy way more Californians can afford healthy fruits and vegetables. I'm coming to the Watsonville Farmers Market today to get the word out about an important but under-used resource for hard-working Californians — food stamps ... yes, food stamps.

    Many of you know about the old food stamp program, but the old paper coupons are gone. Today's program uses a card that looks like an ATM card. Benefits are loaded directly onto the card.

    People who work are eligible for this important nutrition resource. For example, a family of four can earn up to $26,000 a year and apply. Single adults also can apply. And chances are you don't have to spend hours in line at the county office to fill out the paperwork. Community groups like those at the Watsonville Farmers Market help people complete the forms where they shop.

    More than 2 million eligible Californians leave unclaimed more than $2.3 billion from this program. Two-thirds of those Californians are kids. Food stamps are one of the best means we have to keep kids healthy and fight child obesity.

    Our local communities and farmers also suffer. In Santa Cruz, estimates show that 12,000 people neglect to receive more than $14 million in benefits — dollars that could be spent at Santa Cruz grocery stores, and would put more money in the pockets of local farmers.

    Why do people miss out? Many are low-wage workers who mistakenly think that since they work they're ineligible. Others think they have to miss work and spend hours in a county office to get help. Many immigrants have children who qualify, but think they risk deportation if they apply. They don't.

    Sharon, a central coast resident, has a typical story. She had retired from 30 years as a service rep for the phone company and was raising four kids — ages 8, 10, 12 and 14, when a divorce left her struggling as a single mother at 52. She was working a few hours in a local school office and received food from Second Harvest Food Bank. She received sporadic child support from her ex-husband, and was also caring for her 84-year-old mother. But supporting four children on the Central Coast, with some of the highest housing costs in the nation, she wasn't making ends meet.

    As a professional woman, she never thought she might qualify for food stamps. When Joel Campos, Second Harvest Outreach manager, and Carmelita Carranco, Community Food Hotline manager, told her she might be eligible, she was surprised. They helped her with the application and she turned it in. She was elated to learn she would receive $500 per month in food stamps, on the new Golden State Advantage electronic benefits card. With hungry kids, this was a great help.

    She received stamps on the Gold State Advantage card for three months, then was able to obtain more work with the school district. During a tough period in her life, though, this federal nutrition program was a real lifesaver.

    Too often, Californians like Sharon who work hard but struggle to get ahead, are unaware of resources and programs that can help.

    That's why I launched my Connect California campaign. I want to make it easy to learn about what we have for working families. At the Watsonville Farmers Market there will be more than 50 community opportunities there for you to explore.

    You can get tested for diabetes, learn how to cut your energy bill, hear about different career training resources, and learn how to save toward buying a home. You can begin applying for food stamps right there. There is no shame in applying for a resource to help feed yourself and your family.

    So rip this article out and give it to anyone who might qualify for food stamps. This resource is not perfect. We're working to improve it. But let's not wait. Let's make sure all Californians, especially our children, eat better today.

    Maria Shriver is married to California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger

    food stamp facts:

    What are they? Food Stamps help low-income families buy nutritious food. Stamps are not cash. They come on an electronic card that people use like bank cards to buy food. Most grocery stores and many other locations accept the cards

    You may be eligible for food stamps if you are:

    • Working for low wages or part time;[/*:m:32skqtp9]
    • Unemployed;[/*:m:32skqtp9]
    • Receiving welfare or other public assistance;[/*:m:32skqtp9]
    • Elderly or disabled with a low income;[/*:m:32skqtp9]
    • Homeless.[/*:m:32skqtp9]


    Food Stamps are for households with low income.

    A family can have up to $2,000 in countable resources, such as a bank account (or more if you live with someone over 60 or disabled).

    A person might find they can't pay all the bills and have enough money left to buy food; food stamps could help. They also can help a family eat better. If people are having a hard time affording healthy foods like fruits and vegetables, food stamps might help.

    For information, call Second Harvest Food Bank's Community Food Hotline, (831) 662-0991, or visit the Watsonville Farmers Market on July 21 from 3 to 7 p.m. More than 50 community programs will be there, and people may apply for food stamps there.





    http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/archiv ... 9local.htm

    July 20, 2006


    Maria Shriver comes to Watsonville to promote healthy eating
    By Emily Saarman
    Sentinel Correspondent
    WATSONVILLE — Food, games, music and the first lady.

    Friday is almost a holiday in Watsonville as the community plans to celebrate Maria Shriver's visit with festivities ranging from the raucous to the informative.

    Shriver, the wife of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, will visit the Watsonville Farmers Market on Peck and Main streets from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday. Her goal is to raise awareness about food assistance programs that help low-income families put healthy food on the table and make ends meet.

    Market director Nancy Gammons said publicity surrounding Shriver's visit has sent food stamp usage at the market soaring. Last week she distributed more than $180 worth of food stamp tokens, twice as many as ever before.

    "I ran out of wooden tokens," Gammons said.

    For Gammons, the fast pace of transactions was aided by a new device that verifies and distributes food stamp benefits with the swipe of a card.

    As part of her 'Connect California' campaign, Shriver will encourage low-income families to apply for food stamps. Only half of eligible Californians receive food aid, leaving more than $3 billion in federal coffers each year when it could be fighting hunger and supporting local agriculture.

    A festival-like atmosphere with games and information booths will lighten the serious tone of Shriver's visit. Events include:

    • The city parks department will be in the plaza noon to 2 p.m. with a potato sack race, water-balloon toss and face painting planned. [/*:m:32skqtp9]
    • The Santa Cruz County United Way is organizing an information and job fair on the plaza from 3 to 7 p.m. with more than 80 service agencies and employers signed up and a relay race, dancing and live music featuring the Watsonville Community Band.[/*:m:32skqtp9]
    • First Five of California and Santa Cruz County will provide games, storytelling and music while parents learn about health insurance and children's health.[/*:m:32skqtp9]
    • The Diabetes Health Center of the Pajaro Valley Community Health Trust will provide free diabetes screening. [/*:m:32skqtp9]
    • Workforce Santa Cruz County will provide information about upcoming job fairs, and several employers, including Dole and the Pajaro Valley Unified School District, will advertise openings.[/*:m:32skqtp9]
    • Five agencies will help people fill out applications for food stamps. Lee Mercer of Second Harvest Food Bank says interest has risen in recent weeks but there are thousands of eligible Watsonville residents who haven't applied.[/*:m:32skqtp9]


    For those who need extra enticement, Shriver sponsored a mailing of 4,000 $2-off coupons good at the farmers market Friday only.

    Contact Emily Saarmanat esaarman@santacruzsentinel.com.

    If You Go

    WHAT: Recreation, information, fresh produce and a visit from first lady Maria Shriver.

    WHEN: Friday.

    • Noon-2 p.m.: Operation Recreation, sponsored by the city of Watsonville.[/*:m:32skqtp9]
    • 3-7 p.m.: Services and job fair on the plaza, organized by Santa Cruz County United Way.[/*:m:32skqtp9]
    • 4-6 p.m.: Maria Shriver's visit.[/*:m:32skqtp9]
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  2. #32
    Senior Member greyparrot's Avatar
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    Maria Shriver: Don't let food stamp benefits go unused.

    Translation: I, my children, and my childrens children, will never want for anything...ever. Why shouldn't the wealth of those beneath us be shared, after all, it benefits us, right?

  3. #33
    Senior Member moosetracks's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dixie
    Quote Originally Posted by 2ndamendsis
    Wouldn't you call this "biting the hand that feeds you?"
    Yea!

    I hope she goes home and calls her Uncle Ted and tells him what he is supporting. What he really wants for this country. Teddy, it's more was what Maria got and middle class Americans don't have a security detail. Thanks a lot Ted.


    Ca. has allowed this to get so out of hand in their State, than it will spread clear across the Country like a wildfire.

    Whenever I email Reps. from Tx., Ca., NM., AZ, NV, I always tell them they caused this to happen by not following our laws, now the rest of the Country has to face this mess.


    Dixie
    Do not vote for Party this year, vote for America and American workers!

  4. #34
    Senior Member sawdust's Avatar
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    I don't understand why security took her away. They have almost stopped American citizens from having any security. I am concerned for all Americans safety.

  5. #35
    Administrator Jean's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by sawdust
    I don't understand why security took her away. They have almost stopped American citizens from having any security. I am concerned for all Americans safety.
    Maybe they weren't so concerned over her safety as they were about the publicity being created. They could have been under orders that if any demonstrators showed up to get Maria out of there. Just a thought.
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  6. #36
    Senior Member curiouspat's Avatar
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    Jean, I agree with your interpretation.

    I doubt they expected the treatment she received!
    TIME'S UP!
    **********
    Why should <u>only</u> AMERICAN CITIZENS and LEGAL immigrants, have to obey the law?!

  7. #37
    Senior Member dman1200's Avatar
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    BAWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

    Reading this totally made my morning. Honestly, I had to LOL! Maria Kennedy Shriver got exactly what she deserved. I think every politican who promotes this garbage should go through exactly what Maria went through, only they should go through it every day like the rest of us. How does it feel Maria to get a small taste of what we peasants go through each and every day in America? Now you should know that appeasement of these thugs never works. Question is will Maria get the picture and change or will she pull a Karl Rove and have selective amnesia within the next day or two and continue to promote this multicultural nightmare that we witness on a daily basis?

    Arnold, now that you know, you can do two things, continue to be a b-t-h and do nothing, but talk out of both sides of your mouth or grow a pair and do your job.
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  8. #38
    Senior Member Brian503a's Avatar
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    http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/archiv ... 01edit.htm


    July 24, 2006


    As We See It: Selfish protesters
    Watsonville Mayor Antonio Rivas has it exactly right: A protest against California first lady Maria Shriver was an unfortunate black eye for Watsonville.

    Shriver came to the Watsonville Farmers Market on Friday for arguably the most important issue facing young people in the Pajaro Valley: good nutrition, especially for the poor. She was in town to let people know that they may qualify for California's changing food-stamp program, as well as advocating for how to use the aid to improve nutrition, particularly for children.

    To an extent, the visit was successful. At least 25 people attending the market signed up for the food-stamp program, far more than in any particular day.

    But Shriver cut short her visit after an unruly group of protesters — identifying themselves as Brown Berets — threw a damper on the event. They shouted; they protested; they tried to prevent her from speaking.

    After the event, Rivas said, "I fully support free speech and the right to protest, but I do not condone the rude and offensive behavior I witnessed at the plaza this afternoon."

    He complained that the group deliberately interfered with Shriver's ability to speak directly to the people.

    We find ourselves in a similar position. We, too, encourage the right to express oneself, but that doesn't make it the wise thing to do. Why chase away someone who's reaching out to those in the community who need help most? The Brown Berets' behavior was arrogant and short-sighted. If their goal was to encourage Shriver never to come back in an attempt to help those in need, they succeeded.

    Thomas Avila, 5, came to the event in hopes of meeting the first lady but his visit with her was cut short by the protesters.

    "They were so rude, he started crying," said his mother, Virginia Avila, 42.

    Event organizer Shebreh Kalantari of United Way said Shriver had wanted to talk further, but security warned her away.

    Here's what one protester said: "We were trying to make Maria Shriver feel unwelcome in Watsonville."

    Others, of course, felt differently, but the protesters obviously cared only about their point of view. It's always odd how the same people who demand their own free speech won't let others talk.

    Rivas, to his credit, followed Shriver to the airport to apologize. Then, he sent out a statement apologizing for the protesters' behavior. Of course, a number of others who had wanted to meet Shriver or some who might want to hear what she had to say weren't allowed to do so — simply because of selfishness by some immature protesters.

    We wonder what some of the protesters are thinking today. Their point, whatever it was, was probably made, but at the expense of other innocent people. We can't imagine any statewide officials who would be anxious to come to Watsonville anytime soon.

    Assemblyman John Laird, D-Santa Cruz, said he attended the event to encourage eligible families to sign up for food stamps.

    He, too, said the visit was a success. He added: "By Santa Cruz standards, the protest was nothing."

    Somehow, we don't think that Watsonville officials and residents want to be judged that way.
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  9. #39
    Senior Member Brian503a's Avatar
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    http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/0 ... 290913.php

    Maria Shriver Greeted With Suspicion in Watsonville
    by Hiraeth
    Monday Jul 24th, 2006 3:35 AM
    California First Lady Maria Shriver visited Watsonville's Farmer's Market this past Friday afternoon where she was met with skepticism.



    On Friday afternoon in Watsonville, community members let Maria Shriver, wife of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, know just how they felt about her visit to their heavily immigrant city. Carrying signs that read, "Arnold Supports Terrorists" and "No Somos Tu Picture Op! Terminator Go Home!", people protested the visit from California's first lady. Billed as a promotion of the food stamp program, many attendees felt it was staged as a public relations opportunity with the Mexican-American community on behalf of her husband, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger who is up for re-election this November. He has not been a popular politician in the pro-labor Central Coast area, due in part to his attacks on schools, unions and immigrants via his verbal support for illegal, vigilante "border enforcement" militias, such as the Minutemen.

    Despite the protests, Shriver reportedly walked around the Watsonville Plaza's Farmers Market and special health promotion/job fair for approximately forty-five minutes, shaking hands and passing out information. She then retreated to a building across from the East side of the plaza and departed for the airport, cutting her visit short. Last year, Schwarzenegger was scheduled to appear at a Monterey County CHP ribbon cutting ceremony in May. However, when news of the organized protests against his visit were publicized, his appearance was abruptly cancelled at the last minute.

    From all appearances, the protest was relatively calm, with approximately forty people of all ages carrying signs and occasionally shouting out regarding their feelings about the Governor. The Watsonville Brown Berets were well represented, as well as grandmothers, workers and children. There were a few counterprotestors who were loud; the Watsonville police presence was light and they didn't seem to interfere with people's right to protest. A few older people expressed disappointment to the younger protesters for missing the opportunity to talk to Shriver.

    Who Is Maria Shriver?

    From an older person's perspective, one can understand why people from an earlier era might have a different outlook on her visit. Maria Shriver is the niece of the late Presidential John F. Kennedy and the late Presidential candiate, Robert Kennedy. The latter became a strong ally for farm worker rights and even participated in marches with Cesar Chavez in California in the late 1960s. Shriver is also the daughter of Eunice Kennedy and Robert "Sargent" Shriver. (Note: Sargent is his middle and common name, not a military title.) Though the name Sargent Shriver is now unfamiliar to most people under the age of 45, it would not be an exaggeration to say that he may have done more for poor people through his work at the federal level than any other single government official in United States history. Bill Moyers once said, “I can think of no American alive today who has touched more lives for the better than Sargent Shriver.”

    After a working in youth delinquency prevention and education, Shriver was appointed by his brother-in-law, President Kennedy, to pioneer a new program -- The Peace Corps. Within a few years the program was highly successful. Following the death of President Kennedy in 1963, Shriver was appointed by President Johnson to implement the mandates of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, the "War on Poverty." During the critical period of time when Johnson was escalating the Vietnam War, Shriver oversaw the creation of the most socially ambitious programs this country has ever seen. Through his leadership, Community Action Programs, Job Corps, Legal Services (programs for the poor, of which California Rural Legal Assistance was a beneficiary; support from the CRLA was critical to the early victories of the United Farm Workers.); Upward Bound, VISTA (now called Ameri-Corps), Teacher Corps; Foster Grandparents and Head Start were born. Despite the gradual reduction of funds for the programs -- a byproduct of President Johnson's unwillingness to disengage from Vietnam from 1965 - 1968, the majority of programs were still intact by the end of the Johnson presidency. Unfortunately, the election of Nixon signaled the end of this progressive era in American social policy. Though Nixon attempted to completely dismantle these projects, many lived on due to their widespread grassroots popularity. The fruits of these programs continue to benefit our communities up to this day. Both of Maria Shriver's parents continued their outstanding service to people well into their 80s. Unfortunately, Sargent Shriver, 90, now suffers from Alzheimer's Disease.

    Maria Shriver, 50, is a journalist by profession and has worked on Dateline NBC from 1989 until 2004. Since becoming a political spouse, she has suspended her work in journalism, citing a conflict of interest. Despite the fact she claims to be a Democrat, she campaigned for her Republican husband in 2003. As First Lady, Shriver has worked on promoting programs that give practical benefits to Californians, including health promotion, Food Stamps, the Earned Income Credit and disaster preparedness. When Schwarzenegger pushed his anti-union, anti-education referendum campaign in 2005, Shriver was conspicuously silent. Some reports have said that Shriver was angry at her husband for these unwise proposals. They have four children together, ages 16 - 8.

    As Schwarzenegger continues to tacitly endorse the harassment of immigrants through his approval of groups such as the Minutemen, one wonders what role Shriver will play in Schwarzenegger's re-election campaign. As a self-professed Catholic, one is left to wonder how Shriver can ethically lend the credibility of her Shriver name to an agenda that will be used to further oppress those whom her family fought their entire lives to help?
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  10. #40
    Senior Member Brian503a's Avatar
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    http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/archiv ... 5local.htm

    July 25, 2006


    Brown Berets say Shriver protest was warranted
    By Donna Jones
    Sentinel Staff Writer





    WATSONVILLE — The Watsonville Brown Berets often push people's buttons.

    To some, even for a group known for its militancy, the Berets crossed a line Friday while protesting a visit by California first lady Maria Shriver.

    But others characterized the group's action, which drove Shriver to abruptly end her tour of the downtown farmers market, as a peaceful albeit passionate protest.

    As for the Brown Berets themselves, they offered no apologies Monday for what Mayor Antonio Rivas described as "rude and offensive behavior."

    Tomas Alejo, one of the leaders of the Berets, said when the governor's wife shows up in Watsonville just a few months before a gubernatorial election the time was right to call attention to issues affecting the community.

    Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's policies — from a successful effort to repeal a law that would have allowed illegal immigrants to obtain driver's licenses to increases in fees at California's colleges and universities — have harmed Watsonville's Latinos, Alejo said.

    "Our intention was not to frighten her," Alejo said. "She had plenty of burly security around her. We were staying at our distance but we wanted to make sure she didn't have a photo op for his election campaign. ... We have nothing to apologize for."

    Shriver came to the weekly market to promote food stamp use by low-income families to buy fruits and vegetables.

    Watsonville police Capt. Manny Solano said police and Shriver's security expected protesters. But protesters' personal attacks on Shriver, yelling at her to leave, telling her she wasn't welcome, suggesting she pick strawberries and shouting that her handout wasn't needed, was disturbing, Solano said. He said aside from keeping the protesters at a distance, there was little police could do.

    "She wanted to roam the Plaza," Solano said. "You're talking about an open public city plaza. People are able to walk freely, exercise free speech."

    Tensions flared when some in the crowd began to challenge the protesters, criticizing them for attacking Shriver, Solano said. The first lady's security team thought the situation was dangerous enough to pull the plug on the visit, he said.

    "It was not so much dangerous in my opinion, but it was very difficult to provide protection with people trying to interfere with the visit," Solano said, adding some protesters were trying to push closer, and that the situation could have gotten out of hand if Shriver hadn't left.

    Shriver's spokeswoman Sabrina Demayo Lockhart called Friday's protest "out of the ordinary," and said the event had anything to do with the governor's bid for re-election. The stop in Watsonville was one of series that has taken the first lady to Fresno, Santa Ana and San Francisco to inform people about government services, she said. In addition to the food stamp promotion, Shriver has raised awareness about the federal earned income tax credit that can return up to $4,400 to low-income families.

    Luis Alejo, brother of Tomas and a Watsonville lawyer, was skeptical. If the idea was to increase food-stamp awareness, why not put more government funding behind hiring outreach workers to work year round rather than "just publicity three months before an election."

    The governor isn't faring well among Latinos in polls, and considering the city was a hotbed of student activism over the immigration issue earlier this year, no one should have been caught off guard by the passion of the protest, Luis Alejo said.

    "Whether people agree or not, they made legitimate arguments, and they had a legal right to do so," he said. "There were police all over. Had there been anybody who actually got out of line ... there would have been arrests."

    Councilman George Erickson, who was one of several elected officials following in Shriver's train, said he thought the protest "got a bit too pushy." He was disappointed Shriver was rushed off by her security, and didn't get to continue greeting the people who turned out to see her and those selling produce at the market.

    But Mireya Gomez Contreras, who staffed a YWCA Watsonville table at Friday's event, said she was glad to see the protest and she saw others in the crowd applaud.

    "Yes, we need food stamps," Contreras said. "Good for her if that's her focus, but there's a lot bigger issues the Brown Berets wanted to bring to light."

    Contreras acknowledged the protest made some nervous. She said she talked to an "older woman" who was afraid and left.

    "There's a lot of misconceptions about youth and about how people can create change," Contreras said. "Protests got women the right to vote, and look at the '60s, the Civil Rights Movement, the Chicano movement. We got a lot."

    Work prevented Councilman Manuel Bersamin from attending Friday's event. But he said maybe Shriver will carry a message back to her husband about the anger among young Latinos in Watsonville, and that will prompt some thinking about cuts to college outreach programs, to university funding, to the crisis in health care among the poor.

    Shriver, a niece of President John F. Kennedy, shouldn't have been surprised or disconcerted by the protest, he said.

    "Being a daughter of a Kennedy, she's really part of the inner circle. She's got to have been exposed to social protest," said Bersamin, an ally of the Brown Berets.

    Mayor Rivas said Monday he stands by a public apology he issued Friday, adding he plans to send a note of apology to both Shriver and her husband.

    Contact Donna Jones at djones@santacruzsentinel.com.
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