Thread: San Bernardino Rally: 300 attend - pro & anti illegal

Speaker at rally in San Bernardino links war, need for immigration reform


10:00 PM PDT on Saturday, March 17, 2007

By CHRIS RICHARD
The Press-Enterprise

A march and rally that sought to link antiwar activism and a call for comprehensive immigration reform drew about 300 demonstrators to downtown San Bernardino on Saturday.

(photo) David Bauman / The Press-Enterprise
Hundreds march down Mount Vernon Avenue near Fifth Street on Saturday en route to San Bernardino City Hall. Saturday's event kicked off with a rally at La Placita Park on the city's Westside.
Organizers said the seemingly divergent issues do have a link -- the need for blacks and Latinos to unite to resist discrimination and exploitation that victimizes them both.

Speaking to a crowd that police estimated at 300 outside San Bernardino City Hall, lead organizer Armando Navarro hailed his listeners as "the opening of a new movement."

Navarro, who spoke in both Spanish and English, called on blacks and Latinos to collaborate on issues ranging from the war in Iraq to inner-city tensions.

"(Blacks) are not your enemies," he said in Spanish. "They are your brothers."

"Don't fall into the trap of those in power to divide us," he added in English

In an interview, Navarro called the military's intensive recruiting in minority neighborhoods a mark of race-based exploitation.

But counter-protestors who gathered across the street from City Hall called talk of racism a smokescreen.

"It's the only defense they have," said Vince Klortho, a member of the Minutemen immigration-control organization who traveled from his home near San Diego to confront the demonstrators.

"This has nothing to do with racism. It has to do with respecting our nation's immigration law," he said.

Several counter-protestors carried placards drawing a similar distinction.

"Legal immigrants made America great," one read. "Illegal foreign invaders are destroying the USA."

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(photo) San Bernardino police officers form a line to separate a group of counterprotesters from the hundreds of demonstrators who turned out Saturday.
Debra Bedoy, an organizer for the fiercely anti-illegal-immigration organization Save Our State, questioned Navarro's motives.

"I think Armando is trying to use anything he can to motivate people to march in the streets," she said.

Opposing activists occasionally shouted insults at one another, but did not challenge a police cordon. Police Lt. Steve Klettenberg said there were no arrests.

Speaking at a microphone about 75 yards away from the counter-protestors, Rep. Joe Baca Sr., D-Rialto, pointed out that 10 people from his Congressional district have died in the war.

"At what cost are we losing a war and why are we there in the first place?" he asked.

Saturday's event began with a rally at La Placita Park on San Bernardino's Westside. Demonstrators, escorted by police, marched down Mount Vernon Avenue to Fifth Street, east on Fifth to D Street and south to City Hall.

Before the march, Navarro had predicted attendance could reach 2,000. Police assigned 60 officers to the event, including an equestrian team and the department's Special Weapons team. Klettenberg did not have an estimate Saturday on how much the deployment cost.

At press conferences before the march, Navarro said organizers picked March 17 to coincide with other actions across the country marking the fourth anniversary of the opening of the Iraq war.

Navarro had said the San Bernardino demonstration would seek to draw a multi-ethnic crowd from throughout Southern California. On Saturday, marchers did include contingents from other cities.

But only two local black leaders participated: Reginald Beamon, president of the San Bernardino-Highland chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and Alex Avila, cultural director at Central City Lutheran Mission.

"We need more black people in this struggle," Avila told the largely Latino crowd. "When they attack you, they attack us, too."

Beamon, who did not make a speech, said he supports immigration reform, including amnesty for illegal immigrants.

"But that doesn't mean I can come up with 50 other people who feel the same way to come out on a Saturday," he said.

Beamon added that the organizers might have received more support if they had disclosed their plans for a demonstration earlier. Navarro held his first press conference at the beginning of the month.

Finally, Beamon said, he would have liked to see specific proposals on issues of local concern, such as schoolyard strife between black and Latino children.

Reach Chris Richard at 909-806-3076 or crichard@PE.com

http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stor ... 070bc.html

Organizers said the seemingly divergent issues do have a link -- the need for blacks and Latinos to unite to resist discrimination and exploitation that victimizes them both.

Looks like the criminal alien advocates are "people" users. They are attempting to bring the very people that illegal immigrations hurts the most (African-Americans) into their ranks. Furthermore, they are also attempting to bolster their ranks by aligning their cause with the anti-war effort. Shame on these people for clouding the issue in their quest to gain support!

No matter how much their leaders talk, black Americans aren't willing to look past the ethnic cleansing happening in LA. Good for them.

These people are the ones trying to make this a racial issue.

This is about Black, White , Brown, citizens and legal residents, against Black, White, Brown illegal aliens, if you think the Black American citizens are to stupid to see the difference you are not giving them enough credit.

They also know illegals are taking their jobs and creating cheaper wagers as well as any other citizen of these United States of America. We are not a stupid people, thats why we are not a 3rd world country, and ALL citizens of this Nation worked together to build it, regardless of race!!!

http://www.sbsun.com/

http://www.sbsun.com/news/ci_5464260

I had a late start, so from where I live I took a shortcut. I passed the crowd on Mt Vernon but then I was stopped on Arrowhead 4 blocks away so I walked down to the rally and waited on court st, across the street from SOS, The MinuteMen and our new member "Buddy".
There were`nt even half as many illegals as Armando expected. Most of them were bused from different cities because the ones in this area are afraid of being deported.
I think they all have a recording in their head, "racist, and we`re just here for a better life"

This was more of a smoke screen. Armando just wanted publicty. He and Joe Baca could`nt care less about the war.

Amnesty on minds of marchers in SB
By Charlotte Hsu, Staff Writer
Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
Article Launched:03/17/2007 11:31:35 PM PDT

SAN BERNARDINO - A cross-section of Southern California crowded downtown on Saturday, with amnesty advocates and anti-illegal immigration activists braving the noon heat to rally for their views.

Police estimated that 300 people lined the steps of City Hall to fight for legalization of undocumented immigrants, while 50 to 100 demonstrators chanted anti-illegal immigration slogans across the street.
The events remained peaceful despite back-and-forth yelling and accusations of racism flying from both sides.

Beneath the raucous exterior were personal stories of hardship and sacrifice.

There was Raymundo Cazares, 27, a car wash worker who bused in from Coachella Valley to support undocumented people like himself. He couldn't return to Sonora, Mexico, for his father's funeral because he didn't want to risk crossing the border again.

"I came here to work, seeking a better life. ... There's more opportunities here than in Mexico," he said in Spanish.

Present, too, was Richard Thatcher, 53, of Huntington Beach, a roofer of 38 years who said he's seen pay in his industry decline because illegal immigrants are willing to drudge long hours for less money.

Besides fighting for amnesty, members of the larger rally were asking for an end to both the Iraq war and violence on local streets.

Armando Navarro, a coordinator for the National Alliance for Human Rights campaign, a sponsor of the pro-amnesty gathering, estimated at least 1,000 attended the assembly.

He said he hoped San Bernardino's event would help kick-start a nationwide season of demonstrations for immigration reform and withdrawal from Iraq.

The goal is to ramp up enough energy to turn out droves of supporters in Washington, D.C., in early May, Navarro said. He added that he is networked with organizers in places such as Chicago and Los Angeles who are working toward the same objective.

Speakers at the pro-amnesty event included Navarro and Rep. Joe Baca, D-Rialto.

The rally was preceded by a march that took demonstrators to City Hall from La Placita Park off Mount Vernon Avenue.

As the line of activists snaked through the city, San Bernardino was out to greet them. Patrons and workers at auto shops, restaurants and other establishments stood outside, some giving their blessings, others shaking their heads.

Drivers on the 215 Freeway honked in support as the human train crossed the 5th Street bridge waving signs that read "Ning n ser humano es ilegal" - no human being is illegal.

"Qu queremos?" leaders asked. "What do we want?"

"Justicia!" marchers replied. "Justice."

"When do we want it?" leaders asked.

"Now!"

Minutes earlier, Jay Nu ez, who grew up in the area and co-owns Los Faroles restaurant on 5th Street, roasted under the sun in a blue apron, snapping photos of the marchers. He is of Latino descent and said his grandfather came to the U.S. legally.

Of illegal immigrants, he said, "They have no respect for our state."

The dichotomy of views was on display as the activists converged on City Hall, where they were welcomed by opposition protestors.

"Ignore the idiots," one march leader commanded through a megaphone.

Cazares traversed the Arizona desert on his way here about seven years ago.

http://www.dailybulletin.com/news/ci_5464347