Thread: Latinos march for unity, rights

ST. HELENS — About 400 Latinos and their allies marched through St. Helens last week to promote peace and unity in the face of a Columbia County ordinance targeting immigrants who have skipped the legal process.

Called the Procession for Respect and Dignity, it revealed the humans who are part of a hot political debate in rural northwest Oregon. In November, voters in the county decided to place fines on employers who hire immigrants who have slipped into the country under the radar. The ordinance is on hold during a court challenge.

The appeal was filed by a coalition of social justice activists and business owners backed by the American Civil Liberties Union.

One ballot measure, which failed, would have required worksite billboards that would read, “Legal Workers Only.â€

[quote]This country needs to fix its broken immigration system,â€

[quote]
One commenter skipped the insults and argued, “I’m sorry, it is not too much to ask you to be here legally. There are people who have waited for 10 years to come here legally. Get in line.â€

I wrote in support of the ordinance to Helen City Oregon Laurie Selden Assist City Attorney and Prosecutor and Cheryl Castro Legal Assist.

Hello and good afternoon to you and your city. I was just writing to you in regards to an article I was reading about "immigrants" protesting an ordinance.

And as always in their article they seem to always leave out the fact they are "ILLEGAL ALIENS".It is always immigrants!

An ordinance that is well within the rights of AMERICAN CITIZENS to pass and enforce. An ordinance that HOPEFULLY stops the hiring of "ILLEGAL ALIENS". Let's face it,that is what they are. Even in our Federal laws that is the name denoted to people who "illegaly"come into this country without permission or proper authorization or papers and documantation.

Time to stop this calamity. This is my country and NOT THEIRS. I am not in their countries demanding rights and subsidies and social benefits and jobs. Besides in Mexico if you were to work it would only be for 6 months ,where in which that job would have to be given to a Mexican National!

I as well as many more throughout this country stand behind you and your community and peoples to pass and enforce your rights.

Sincerely
Mr __________
Stokesdale N Carolina

PS This is a shortcut to story:http://www.sentinel.org/node/9855

It doesn’t matter where you come from, the color of your skin, or your documentation status. Everyone deserves to be treated with human dignity.â€