Thread: TN: Both sides of immigration issue make their voices heard

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Link to related article on Rev. T.J. Graham.
http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=F ... ic&t=38535

Sunday, 09/10/06

Both sides of immigration issue make their voices heard

By MICHAELA JACKSON
Staff Writer


A vocal crowd converged on Legislative Plaza Saturday evening to protest illegal immigration, prompting a heated exchange between passionate demonstrators on both sides of the issue.

The throng was mobilized by the Rev. T.J. Graham, a local pastor and radio talk show host, who vehemently spoke out against those who enter the United States without going through the proper channels.

"From this day forward, you're not black, you're not white, you're not green, you're not yellow. You're an American," Graham said to a cheering crowd. "This country is yours. It does not belong to people who want to invade it.

"Now we're not hating on anyone, but there's laws."

Graham's exhortation drew a bristling response from pro-immigrant demonstrators at the rally. Shortly after he began speaking, Heather Cross of Nashville started chanting, "Human rights! Human rights!"

Members of the crowd tried to quiet her, but when she continued to chant, Graham gave her the floor.

"If you really have a problem with this, why don't you go knock on the door and take the 2-year-old babies back yourself, to death," she said to Graham.

Her statement drew a strong reaction from the crowd and the other speakers at the rally, who began yelling and pointing. The rally stopped short of devolving into a yelling match when Graham regained control.

"When we allow people to come into this country, while we get treated like third-class citizens, then there's a problem," Graham said. "Take away the housing, take away the food stamps and take away the drugs, and then they'll have to go home."

Graham's words, and the rally itself, drew a strong response from those on hand who disagreed with him.

"They're pinning one group with all the problems," said Summer Polacek, a community activist affiliated with the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition. "If you take away the group, the illegal immigrants, the problems will still be there."

The crowd was drawn predominantly from Graham's church, True Hope Missionary Baptist in north Nashville, and from the audience of his radio talk show on WVOL-AM.

"It's kind of disheartening to me when I see that 40 percent of the people here are African-American, and the leader is African-American," said Melissa Gordon, who is black and a volunteer for the coalition. "This is 21st-century Jim Crow-ism at its best, and you have African-Americans leading the initiative."

Dale Hire, a participant in the rally from Nashville, said he did not understand why U.S. soldiers were dying to defend the Iraqi border when their own borders at home are not secure.

"I just feel that our government should be in complete control of our borders, and no one should enter our country unless they're legally authorized," he said. "I feel that the decisions we make are going to have a huge impact on our country in the future, because who will pay for (illegal immigrants') health care? And who will pay for their education? And it breaks the cohesiveness of society when there's not a unified language."

Many participants at the rally expressed patriotic sentiments, waving American flags and gesticulating on love of country.

"We've fought for this for a long time — America has fought for people to be able to come to this country the legal way and prosper," said Xavier Lilley of Nashville. "What is the purpose of having laws if you're not going to follow them?" •

Heather Cross of Nashville started chanting, "Human rights! Human rights!"

This woman is a complete idiot! She calls his radio show everyday, multiple times, and harrasses him. She is a babbling anarchist and needs to be in a mental home. The comments on his show are just meant to disrupt. Most of the time he just hangs up on her, and she calls right back. I saw her on tv and she looks every bit the part.

Dale Hire, a participant in the rally from Nashville, said he did not understand why U.S. soldiers were dying to defend the Iraqi border when their own borders at home are not secure.

"I just feel that our government should be in complete control of our borders, and no one should enter our country unless they're legally authorized," he said. "I feel that the decisions we make are going to have a huge impact on our country in the future, because who will pay for (illegal immigrants') health care? And who will pay for their education? And it breaks the cohesiveness of society when there's not a unified language."

My dear man, our government IS in complete control of our borders and what you see happening at our borders is EXACTLY what our government wants and is damn determined to get....through walk-ins, Free Trade Agreements, and the upcoming and in process now....North American Union.

If we don't get these Traitors out of the Executive Branch starting with the White House through a Double Impeachment...then you can take your American Flag, fold it neatly and put it in the heirloom chest...because in a matter of months, it will no longer have an independent sovereign nation to "long may she wave" over nor an indepedent government to protect this nation. NAU will consist of a regional government comprised of Canada, US and Mexico operating subject to the WILL of the World Trade Organization instead of the Will of the People of the former nations.

And that is the sad repugnant and real truth of the matter at hand.