Thread: Protest by Brown Berets meets Shriver's visit to Watsonville

http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/archiv ... 1local.htm

July 22, 2006


Protest meets Shriver's visit to Watsonville
By Emily Saarman
Sentinel Correspondent
WATSONVILLE — Hundreds of people welcomed first lady Maria Shriver during a visit to the City Plaza on Friday before a rowdy group of protesters drove her out.

Shriver came to encourage low-income families to use food stamps to buy healthy fruits and vegetables. But about a dozen Watsonville Brown Berets shouted "You're not welcome here" and "racist."

After touring the City Plaza and farmers market, Shriver slipped away from the crowd more than an hour earlier than planned.

Some in the crowd shook their heads as the protesters changed the tenor of the visit from celebratory to angry.

"I'm embarrassed for Watsonville," said Lourdes Chuta, a 67-year-old Watsonville resident.

Her friend, Pat Hargadon, 69, was more circumspect.

"She brought the community out here, both the good and the bad," Hargadon said with a shrug of her shoulders.

Mayor Antonio Rivas tried unsuccessfully to quiet the protesters.

"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," Rivas said. The Brown Berets, he said, "deliberately interfered with Shriver's ability to talk with the public."

Rivas followed Shriver to the airport to apologize. A few hours later he sent out a statement apologizing for the Brown Berets' behavior and expressing disappointment that many of Shriver's supporters were unable to thank her for her efforts.

Despite the upset, Tiffany Moffatt, a communications director from the Governor's Office, said she considered the visit a success.

"The goal of the day was to focus on education," Moffatt said. "We accomplished our objective today."

At least new 25 families signed up for food stamps at the market, Lee Mercer of Second Harvest Food Bank said, adding, "We usually do that many in a month, so that's incredible."

Assemblyman John Laird, D-Santa Cruz, who said he attended the event to encourage eligible families to sign up for food stamps, supports a bill that will simplify the application process and eliminate an office visit that he says is "a real barrier" to those who can't take time off work.

"I think the visit was a success," Laird said.

"By Santa Cruz standards, the protest was nothing."

Shriver began with a tour of more than 80 educational booths set up in the City Plaza. The booths displayed pamphlets about nutrition, health care and services for the elderly and disabled. She shook hands with booth workers and asked about their programs.

"She was really easy to talk to, and she seemed interested in senior services," said Lois Nieuwstad of Senior Network Services.

Shriver signed autographs and posed for pictures with people.

Thomas Avila, 5, had wanted to meet the first lady but his visit with her was cut short by protesters' yells.

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

Shriver left a few minutes later as tensions escalated in the face of an increasingly angry protest.

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

"We were trying to make Maria Shriver feel unwelcome in Watsonville," said protester Ramiro Medrano, a 27-year-old member of the Brown Berets. "What we need is not the promotion of food stamps. We don't want a welfare state, we want better wages and jobs."

But others welcomed the opportunity to use food stamps to buy farmers market produce.

Carmelita Carranto of Second Harvest Food Bank helped hand out more than $200 worth of food stamp tokens Friday — twice the usual number.

Organizer Kalantari estimated as many as 3,000 people were drawn the plaza during the afternoon. People jammed the market, and vendors, who brought extra produce expecting a larger than normal crowd, said they weren't disappointed.

"I think the protesters alienated a lot of people, which is really unfortunate," said Nancy Gammons, the market's director. "Otherwise it's been a great day, lots of people here, lots of new faces, and a very festive atmosphere."

Contact Emily Saarman at esaarman@santacruzsentinel.com.

I wonder where her girlie man husband Arnold Schwarzenegger was when this happened?

At least new 25 families signed up for food stamps at the market, Lee Mercer of Second Harvest Food Bank said, adding, "We usually do that many in a month, so that's incredible."

Would those be illegal immigrant families?

At least new 25 families signed up for food stamps at the market, Lee Mercer of Second Harvest Food Bank said, adding, "We usually do that many in a month, so that's incredible."


Would those be illegal immigrant families?

In which case it would be incredulous.

Yes, I am betting Maria got a real education from the brown berets, tis is good, Ihope they continue to go around calling people racist, let the elite see how they really are!