Thread: Opponent of border wall begins 200-mile protest

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/hea ... 50257.html


Oct. 11, 2006, 11:05AM
Opponent of border wall begins 200-mile protest
Innkeeper feels the viewpoint of South Texans is disregarded, so far

By JAMES PINKERTON
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

LAREDO - "We're heading out," said Jay J. Johnson-Castro, speaking to nobody in particular.

As day laborers watched, the stocky South Texas innkeeper strode across the historic San Agustin plaza shortly before 11 a.m. Tuesday, swinging a brass-topped walking stick and trailed by more than a dozen journalists and several friends.

And with little fanfare or planning, Johnson-Castro began a quixotic trek from Laredo to Brownsville. During the next 15 days or so, he's hoping to rally border residents and topple Washington's plans to erect a controversial security fence along 700 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border.

"This is my personal expression against an idea that is as ugly as a wall," said Johnston-Castro, as he walked south on Chihuahua Street toward Laredo's city limits. "Think of how we rejoiced when the Berlin Wall came down. It separated families.

"And we're going to do the same thing? We can't allow it."

Johnson-Castro, 59, who owns a bed-and-breakfast in Del Rio, says he thinks Washington leaders have ignored the viewpoint of border residents.

"We cannot allow the ruling class to come into our community and divide us," he said. "My appeal is 'Walk with me a mile if you oppose the fence.'

" 'If you're opposed to the insult to our neighbors across the river, walk a mile.' "

As Johnson-Castro headed out of town, few joined his walk. But there were frequent signs of support as passing motorists honked their horns and shouted encouragement.

'Are you the walker?'
Maria Arce, a Laredo homemaker, pulled her maroon Toyota over to the curb and asked Johnson-Castro "are you the walker?"

Arce then handed him $5, and wished him good luck.

Others watched Johnson-Castro with interest, but not approval.

On the front steps of the Falcon National Bank, Ricardo Sandoval said he favored a wall because "there's too many immigrants coming in."

"I think it's a good idea," said Sandoval, a Laredo native who lives in Evansville, Ill. "It would keep us working here, and the violence out. All that drug trafficking, it will slow it down and save us tax money."

No use for the wall
Still, many others voiced support for Johnson-Castro's effort.

"The commerce and tourism between Mexico and South Texas is very good. A wall would hurt a little bit of everything," said Robert Stanfield, general manager of the well-known La Posada hotel. "I'm trying to look at what the positives would be, but I can't find it."

As the afternoon wore on, and the heat increased, Johnson-Castro and his small entourage walked past the Paleteria Chueca, a Popsicle outlet on the outskirts of Laredo.

The company's owner, Hector Gonzalez, invited the group in for free Popsicles.

"What do you think of the wall?" Johnson-Castro asked him.

"No, it's bad," Gonzalez replied, and he was invited to walk a mile.

He declined with a hearty laugh, but Johnson-Castro did persuade him to walk with him down to the next block before the Popsicle entrepreneur got back to work.

Though Johnson-Castro said he had the support of many border politicians, none showed up to support him as he started out.

But that doesn't mean they want the fence.

"The fence ain't gonna work. It's a silly, silly idea," said Laredo Mayor Raul G. Salinas, a veteran FBI agent. "At the time we're knocking down walls all around the world, and we're building new ones? Why don't we just close the (international) bridges?"

Trek being filmed

The walk along the border is being filmed by Jesse Salmeron, a 28-year-old Houstonian who directed a documentary called Undocumented, an account of the pro-immigration protests that took place earlier this year.

Salmeron said he came illegally to Houston from El Salvador as a child.

"There is kind of a lull in the immigration movement right now, so when I read the story in the Houston Chronicle, I packed my bags and came down here," the filmmaker said.

By the end of the day, Johnson-Castro had canceled plans to sleep outdoors in a tent after getting an offer of lodging from a South Texas immigration clinic.

He said the "word is really getting out in Laredo" as more and more cars honked at his small group, moving south toward Zapata.

"We're doing good as long as I keep moving," he said.

james.pinkerton@chron.com

LAREDO - "We're heading out," said Jay J. Johnson-Castro, speaking to nobody in particular.

Hmmm......strange name. I wonder if he was ever married to Fidel Castro? If so, perhaps he decided to keep his maiden name by hypenating his last name?

The BERLIN WALL separated families because they did NOT want them to LEAVE! They kept them IN.........not out.

The lovely part is that our ILLEGALS can leave anytime and take ALL THEIR FAMILIES with them. Adios familias

Another idiot who has no clue when it comes to history.

The BERLIN WALL separated families because they did NOT want them to LEAVE! They kept them IN.........not out.

The lovely part is that our ILLEGALS can leave anytime and take ALL THEIR FAMILIES with them. Adios familias

Another idiot who has no clue when it comes to history.

He's just repeating President Fox's bland rhetoric. Some of these pro-illegal immigrant advocates seem to have very few original thoughts and ideas of their own (that happens when you have an empty argument). They frequently tend to mimic their perceived leaders in speech, thought, and action. You ever watch Star Trek The Next Generation, if so, remember the Borg Collective?

Originally Posted by MW

The BERLIN WALL separated families because they did NOT want them to LEAVE! They kept them IN.........not out.

The lovely part is that our ILLEGALS can leave anytime and take ALL THEIR FAMILIES with them. Adios familias

Another idiot who has no clue when it comes to history.

He's just repeating President Fox's bland rhetoric. Some of these pro-illegal immigrant advocates seem to have very few original thoughts and ideas of their own (that happens when you have an empty argument). They frequently tend to mimic their perceived leaders in speech, thought, and action. You ever watch Star Trek The Next Generation, if so, remember the Borg Collective?

No on the Star Trek stuff, lol. Not my style {can't ya tell

Yes, empty arguments.

BTW, watch now.......new buzz word is KKK. Racism didn't quite hit the mark so they're adding this one for effect Guess these geniuses think it'll be a double whammy

hmm.... Wouldn't it be "sad" if while walking the border he got mugged by his illegal alien friends trying to sneak across the border. Bet he'd help build the fence then! LOL

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