Thread: Protests mark Fox's visit

http://newsnet.byu.edu/story.cfm/59841

Protestors clad in American flags and holding homemade signs shouted, "secure our borders" and "enforce the law," as Mexican president Vicente Fox visited the state capitol complex Wednesday (May 24, 2006) to address the legislature. Illegal immigration was the hot issue for an estimated group of 50 to 70 people gathered on the lawn.

Elise Grant, a Centerfield resident and member of the Utah Minuteman project, said she had the guts to stand up and say something about illegal immigration.

"My grandchildren are Americans and they aren't going to want to grow up in the land of Spanish and dictatorship," she said.

Some members of the Minuteman project called for more U.S. government action to secure the nation and talked about their experiences guarding the American side of the border.

"We were vigilantes, we had Kentucky Fried Chicken on one side and A&W root beer on the other," said Wally, a minuteman from Salt Lake City who declined to tell his last name. "We had binoculars and we called to Border Patrol to report our station and what we were witnessing."

Wally said he was protesting because private citizens alone cannot solve the border crisis and the government needs to be more involved.

Ryan Love, a protestor from Riverton, spent an hour and a half creating each of his two posters that depicted President Fox as an actual fox.

"It's a slap in the face that Gov. Huntsman would dare to welcome President Fox to our state and pretend everyone is enthralled with his visit," he said. "I wanted to make sure Gov. Huntsman knew he didn't speak for me."

Laurie Lisonbee of Orem attended the protest with members of her family from four different generations. Illegal immigration, she said, was hurting schools and hospitals throughout America.

"The immediate solution is for Congress to pass legislation to secure our borders," she said. "The Mexican government should let us decide what we should do with our borders."

As Fox crossed the capitol complex grounds to shouts of protest, a lone supporter called out.

"Hooray for President Fox, hooray for Governor Huntsman," shouted Jody from Sandy who didn't reveal her last name.

Jody came when she heard there were no other supporters.

"If we don't talk, we don't solve problems," she said.

However, the protestors eclipsed her show of support.

Greg Zenger, a real estate agent from Holladay, said part of the problem is immigrants are not becoming Americans.

"Go into a grocery store and they are speaking Spanish - they aren't trying to learn English," he said.

Another person attributed the problem more to the government than the immigrants themselves. Areli Thomas, from the Salt Lake area, came from Mexico nine years ago and became an American citizen about a year and a half ago.

"I don't agree with the Mexican government encouraging people to come to America illegally," she said. "Mexicans need to demand things from their government. When you can get free food stamps, get free medical care and get free education [in America], guess what you are going to do."

I'm so glad Fox did not come to this country and miss seeingt some P.O.ed Americans.

Dixie