Thread: "Walk for the Undocumented" Kicks off in Boston

"Walk for the Undocumented" Kicks Off at State House Press Conference
by Meredith DeFrancesco and Jason Pramas (Staff), Aug-08-08

VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGdid6cb ... g/node/275







BOSTON/Beacon Hill - On Tuesday, Centro Presente of Cambridge, the Center to Support Immigrant Organizing of Boston, Organization Maya K'iche of New Bedford and several other immigrant, community and religious organizations held a press conference on the State House steps to announce the start of a "Walk in Solidarity with the Undocumented" from Boston to New Bedford by Maine-based photojournalist Jim Harney.

Both cities are noted for being home to large numbers of immigrants. New Bedford was the site of a large raid on the Michael Bianco factory last year by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Over 350 immigrant workers were arrested, most detained and many deported as a result.

Harney is dying of cancer, but hopes to draw attention to the plight of undocumented immigrants - often referred to as "illegal immigrants" - in the U.S., and their need for justice and a rational federal immigration system.

"I have cancer. I have terminal cancer.," said Harney in an address that can be viewed on the video accompanying this article. "And I'm hoping to use the last days that I have walking in solidarity with the undocumented human beings who are risking their lives walking from Central America trying to make it to the United States to do something very very simple. That is, to come up with an income where they'll be able to support families that are in dire straits that are living in economies that are collapsing that are falling apart. And much of the reason for that is because of trade relationships that have basically favored the elite of Central American rather than having done anything to support the impoverished of Central America.

"Those who are living outside the economic system making one dollars two dollars a day. It's unjust it's terrible and for that reason human beings are coming north trying to make an income. I believe that it's incredibly important that we begin to stretch our imaginations so that we begin to identify with the excluded of this planet- with those who are being humiliated. With human beings who are working in conditions that are simply terrible. And every day that they go to work they're worried about the immigration authorities coming in and grabbing them and separating them from families and putting them in detention camps."

Harney concluded, "The undocumented - 12.5, 13 million - are the hope of this country, and it's about time that we start to recognize them, to support them, to be proximate to them as they live in the shadows. We've got to create a situation where we bring them out and create an economic system that treats them with decent and fair wages, treats them as fellow citizens, that puts them on a path to citizenship and allows them to stand tall and allow their dignity to grow rather than to humiliate them. It's time that we do that, and this time is now."

The "Walk for the Undocumented" will take Harney to New Bedford by next Friday. Depending on the state of his health, he hopes to continue his walk to New Haven, Conn. - another major immigrant city - by October. His doctors say that he has 6 months to a year to live.

Text and Photos by Jason Pramas. Video by Meredith DeFrancesco of WERU-FM Community Radio in Bangor, Maine, and guest staff member of Open Media Boston.
http://www.openmediaboston.org/node/275

TOUGH!!!! Don't expect me to cry over a bucnch of ILLEGAL ALIENS. I don't care what they want. They have no right to be here and no right to be making demands.

We want LEGAL IMMIGRANTS ONLY.

Do those people look hungry to you?

Harney concluded, "The undocumented - 12.5, 13 million - are the hope of this country, and it's about time that we start to recognize them, to support them, to be proximate to them as they live in the shadows.

And there is no hope for this country except illegal aliens as slaves, while so many Americans are out of work.

We've got to create a situation where we bring them out and create an economic system that treats them with decent and fair wages, treats them as fellow citizens, that puts them on a path to citizenship and allows them to stand tall and allow their dignity to grow rather than to humiliate them. It's time that we do that, and this time is now."

The time is NOW to get rid of ALL the illegals. They humiliate me as an American and our country. I was driving down the street the other day and these mexicans our flying their flag not OLD GLORY. That is humilitating to all Americans as far as I`m concerned. They could care less about our culture and country, all they care about is just jobs. It`s humiliating to me when I go look for a job and everyone speaks spanish. Then they have the nerve to ask for rights, I`m furious. I also was humiliated when I was let go in a lay off and the Illegals stay, how humiliating! I`m hoping and praying we win this fight.

Originally Posted by pjwishes

We've got to create a situation where we bring them out and create an economic system that treats them with decent and fair wages, treats them as fellow citizens, that puts them on a path to citizenship and allows them to stand tall and allow their dignity to grow rather than to humiliate them. It's time that we do that, and this time is now."

The time is NOW to get rid of ALL the illegals. They humiliate me as an American and our country. I was driving down the street the other day and these mexicans our flying their flag not OLD GLORY. That is humilitating to all Americans as far as I`m concerned. They could care less about our culture and country, all they care about is just jobs. It`s humiliating to me when I go look for a job and everyone speaks spanish. Then they have the nerve to ask for rights, I`m furious. I also was humiliated when I was let go in a lay off and the Illegals stay, how humiliating! I`m hoping and praying we win this fight.

You want dignity. EARN IT Follow our laws.

Maybe if they walk south and keep going?

Harney concluded, "The undocumented - 12.5, 13 million - are the hope of this country, and it's about time that we start to recognize them, to support them, to be proximate to them as they live in the shadows. We've got to create a situation where we bring them out and create an economic system that treats them with decent and fair wages, treats them as fellow citizens, that puts them on a path to citizenship and allows them to stand tall and allow their dignity to grow rather than to humiliate them. It's time that we do that, and this time is now."

HELL NO! How do you think we got in this mess in the first place?? They are the downfall of this country and we American taxpayers are killing ourselves because we are forced to support them. NO MORE. They don't live in the shadows you moron! They're marching in the streets demanding things they have not earned nor paid for! They are stealing our identities and killing our citizens, they are criminals!

They can go home and be the "hope" of their own countries! We've had enough! DEPORT! DEPORT! DEPORT!

Here, let me help with the logistics:

Directions from A to B:
1: Start out going SOUTH on TREMONT ST toward BEACON ST.
0.7 mi

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2: Turn RIGHT to stay on TREMONT ST.
0.1 mi

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3: Turn RIGHT onto MARGINAL RD.
0.1 mi

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4: Merge onto I-90 W/MASS PIKE/MASSACHUSETTS TURNPIKE (Portions toll).
54.9 mi

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5: Merge onto I-84 W via EXIT 9 toward US-20/STURBRIDGE/HARTFORD (Portions toll) (Crossing into CONNECTICUT).
41.7 mi

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6: Merge onto CT-15 S via EXIT 57 on the LEFT toward I-91 S/CHARTER OAK BR/N.Y. CITY.
1.9 mi

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7: Merge onto I-91 S via EXIT 86 toward NEW HAVEN/N.Y. CITY.
16.6 mi

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8: Merge onto I-691 W via EXIT 18 toward MERIDEN/WATERBURY.
8.0 mi

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9: Merge onto I-84 W via EXIT 1 on the LEFT toward WATERBURY/DANBURY (Crossing into NEW YORK).
43.8 mi

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10: Merge onto I-684 S via EXIT 20 toward WHITE PLAINS/NEW YORK CITY.
11.1 mi

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11: Merge onto SAW MILL PKWY S/SAW MILL RIVER PKWY S via EXIT 5 toward RT-117.
18.5 mi

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12: Merge onto I-287 W via EXIT 22 toward ALBANY/TAPPAN ZEE BR (Portions toll).
19.3 mi

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13: Merge onto I-287 S via EXIT 15 toward NEW JERSEY (Crossing into NEW JERSEY).
46.9 mi

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14: Merge onto I-78 W via EXIT 21B toward EASTON PA (Portions toll) (Crossing into PENNSYLVANIA).
107.4 mi

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15: Merge onto I-81 S via EXIT 1B on the LEFT toward HARRISBURG (Passing through MARYLAND, WEST VIRGINIA, and VIRGINIA, then crossing into TENNESSEE).
526.9 mi

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16: Merge onto I-40 W via EXIT 1B toward KNOXVILLE.
28.6 mi

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17: Merge onto I-640 W via EXIT 393 toward I-75 N/LEXINGTON.
10.5 mi

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18: Merge onto I-40 W/I-75 S toward NASHVILLE/CHATTANOOGA.
17.1 mi

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19: Keep LEFT to take I-75 S via EXIT 368 toward CHATTANOOGA.
83.4 mi

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20: Merge onto I-24 W via EXIT 2 toward I-59/CHATTANOOGA/BIRMINGHAM (Crossing into GEORGIA).
17.3 mi

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21: Merge onto I-59 S via EXIT 167 on the LEFT toward BIRMINGHAM (Crossing into ALABAMA).
124.1 mi

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22: Merge onto I-459 S via EXIT 137 on the LEFT toward TUSCALOOSA/MONTGOMERY.
33.2 mi

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23: Merge onto I-59 S via the exit on the LEFT toward TUSCALOOSA (Passing through MISSISSIPPI, then crossing into LOUISIANA).
290.0 mi

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24: Merge onto I-12 W via EXIT 1A toward HAMMOND.
84.9 mi

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25: Merge onto I-10 W via the exit on the LEFT toward BATON ROUGE.
4.5 mi

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26: Keep LEFT to take I-10 E toward LAFAYETTE (Crossing into TEXAS).
265.8 mi

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27: Merge onto US-59 S via EXIT 770A on the LEFT.
131.9 mi

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28: Take the exit toward US-59/LAREDO/GOLIAD.
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29: Take the US-77-BR ramp.
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30: Turn RIGHT onto US-77.
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31: Take the US-59-BR S ramp toward GOLIAD.
0.6 mi

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32: Turn RIGHT onto US-59 BR/US-77/SW MOODY ST. Continue to follow US-59 BR/SW MOODY ST.
2.9 mi

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33: US-59 BR/SW MOODY ST becomes US-59 S.
116.0 mi

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34: Turn RIGHT onto US-59/LLOYD BENTSEN HWY/TX-44. Continue to follow US-59/LLOYD BENTSEN HWY.
62.3 mi

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35: Turn LEFT onto SANTA URSULA AVE.
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36: Merge onto US-83 S via the ramp on the LEFT.
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37: Stay STRAIGHT to go onto SANTA URSULA AVE.
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38: Turn RIGHT onto FARRAGUT ST.
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39: Turn RIGHT onto I-35 BR N/CONVENT AVE.
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40: End at Laredo, TX


* Map;

Then, cross the International Bridge and viola! - You're There!!

Estimated Time: 34.0 hours 46 minutes Estimated Distance: 2177.04 miles

It must be Brain cancer, that is effecting rational thought.