Thread: TX-A new tea party in town

By ANNA M. TINSLEY

atinsley@star-telegram.com

FORT WORTH — There’s a new tea party in town — at least for today.

More than 50 "Tea Parties Against Amnesty and Illegal Immigration" — events opposing illegal immigration and amnesty plans that may arise in Congress — will be held nationwide today, including one at noon at the Tarrant County Courthouse.

"We want to try to prevent the Obama administration from passing . . . and giving voting rights to millions of illegal aliens," said William Gheen, president of the Americans for Legal Immigration Political Action Committee, a group created to oppose illegal immigration and amnesty. "We hope to galvanize the support of Americans."

The event is directed largely at measures that U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., could soon file about an immigration overhaul or amnesty. Gutierrez has asked supporters to take part in a national conversation about immigration.

"It is time we had a workable plan making its way through Congress that recognizes the vast contributions of immigrants to this country and that honors the American dream," Gutierrez has said. "I am preparing such a plan." Opponents are holding rallies today in cities including Fort Worth and Austin, and they are planning larger events as well.

"These events are warm-ups for more rallies in the spring," Gheen said. "This will be the top issue discussed in the country by 2010."

Jane Patterson, the local organizer and treasurer with the national opposition group, said she expects the Fort Worth event to be a "low-key community get-together" where people discuss their concerns about illegal immigration.

The group’s news release about the event says "any members of racist groups like MS-13, The Brown Berets, KKK, Aztlan Separatists, Neo Nazis, National Council of La Raza, MALDEF, LULAC, or Media Matters will be removed from our protest locations by police if detected."

"If they are detected anywhere near us . . . we will attempt to have them removed," Gheen said. "Their agenda is not reflective of the American majority views.  . . .  We have full opposition to these groups and do not want them with us."

Karl Frisch, a senior fellow at Media Matters for America, said he’s concerned about the group.

"I think they are sipping something a bit stronger than tea," said Frisch, whose group is known as a liberal nonprofit media watchdog. "I really do worry about their health. I also wish them the best luck purging their audience and membership of xenophobic racists."

The group describes itself as a multiparty and multiethnic national organization created in 2004 to oppose illegal immigration and amnesty and support border security and enforcement of immigration laws.

Patterson and Rebecca Forrest, co-founder of the Immigration Reform Coalition of Texas, plan to speak at the Fort Worth rally.

"There is a huge disconnect between Washington, D.C., and the people of the United States," Gheen said. "You see that reflected in countless issues, including illegal immigration and freedom of speech.

"Our stated goal is to stop and reverse illegal immigration . . . and any form of path to citizenship for illegals."



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If you go Who: Americans for Legal Immigration PAC
What: "Tea party" rally opposing amnesty and illegal immigration

When: Noon-3 p.m. today

Where: Tarrant County Courthouse, 100 E. Weatherford St., Fort Worth

For more information: 866-703-0864 or www.alipac.us


Our stated goal is to stop and reverse . . . any form of path to citizenship for illegals."

William Gheen,
the group’s president



ANNA M. TINSLEY, 817-390-7610

http://www.star-telegram.com/238/story/1761294.html

I'm so proud of Texas and the other Tea party organizers and participants.

The rally goers got a good laugh out of Karl Frisch's statements.

Dixie

Hopefully it was a great turnout with no flags of foreign nations to be found anywhere in the vicinity.

The opposition didn't show up.

Dixie

That's a relief!

Karl Frisch, a senior fellow at Media Matters for America, said he’s concerned about the group.

"I think they are sipping something a bit stronger than tea," said Frisch, whose group is known as a liberal nonprofit media watchdog. "I really do worry about their health. I also wish them the best luck purging their audience and membership of xenophobic racists."

LOL Karl, we all know what you've been chugging! The only xenophobic racists I know of are Laraza, brown berets, kkk, etc. You know, the ones whose membership is all of people who look like them? In case you haven't noticed Karl, tea partiers come in all colors.

Protesters in Fort Worth, elsewhere speak out against possible amnesty legislation for illegal immigrants
Posted Saturday, Nov. 14, 2009

By ANDREA AHLES


FORT WORTH — Carrying signs that said, "A nation without borders is not a nation," and "Legal. Si! Illegal. No!" about three dozen North Texans attended a protest against amnesty and illegal immigration at the Tarrant County Courthouse on Saturday.

The protest, sponsored by Americans for Legal Immigration, was designed to help people understand that amnesty legislation for illegal immigrants could be filed in the next year, local organizer Jane Patterson said.

"You, and only you, can stop this amnesty with your voice and your vote," Patterson told a crowd of 34 people, encouraging them to contact their state legislators and U.S. congressional representatives to voice their opposition to any amnesty legislation. U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., may file a bill soon that would overhaul immigration laws and possibly create a temporary worker program.

More than 50 rallies against illegal immigration were held across the country Saturday including one in Austin.

The signs in Fort Worth attracted the occasional honk of support and at least one instance of someone yelling from their truck, "I’m illegal!"

Grand Prairie resident Julio Rodriguez was on his way to a tailgate party at Texas Christian University when he saw the protesters and decided to pull over on Weatherford Street to talk to some of them.

"I always like to see because mostly it stems from ignorance," said Rodriguez, an English as a second language teacher. "My viewpoint is this country is made of immigrants. The first ESL programs were for Italian and Polish immigrants."

Protester Cheryl Sperier, who spoke with Rodriguez, said the U.S. has the right to filter who comes in to the country.

"When you lose control of your borders, you lose control of your country," said Sperier, a Frisco resident.

Several protesters said they were concerned that illegal immigrants would receive taxpayer-funded healthcare under legislation being considered in Congress. They also said that an amnesty program would be unfair to legal immigrants who, in some cases, have been waiting for years to enter the U.S.

"As an immigrant myself that had to go through the ropes and learn the history of this country and apply for citizenship and become a citizen, I really resent people coming and taking jobs from fellow Americans and likewise businesses giving them those jobs," said Plano resident Q Coleman, who immigrated to the U.S. from Cuba in 1961.

http://www.star-telegram.com/local/story/1762659.html

The group’s news release about the event says "any members of racist groups like MS-13, The Brown Berets, KKK, Aztlan Separatists, Neo Nazis, National Council of La Raza, MALDEF, LULAC, or Media Matters will be removed from our protest locations by police if detected."

Is Media Matters really included in the press release along with all the brown and white supremacists? Now that's funny.

"I always like to see because mostly it stems from ignorance," said Rodriguez, an English as a second language teacher. "My viewpoint is this country is made of immigrants. The first ESL programs were for Italian and Polish immigrants."

This country is made up of LEGAL IMMIGRANTS Mr. Rodriguez! The only ignorance here is people like you who refuse to recognize that important distinction.