Thread: NC Effort Faces Backlash from low turnout

I don't travel well these days but I can make calls and send e-mails.

I know its disheartening but we can not give up I feel that slowly Americans are waking up to what is really going on.I think when the amnesty attempts come next year we will be stronger then ever.

Until then I still post every where I can to get the message out as well as keep hammering every one I talk to about this issue to educate them.

We can't give up.

A few dozen people this time,next time a few hundred!

Thank You for your efforts William.

I wanted to be there more than anything, but all I could do was call. Because I live so far away, and the economy being what it is, it was not financially possible for me. Our income has dropped considerably over the past year, so I must be careful with the household funds. My husband is a mason, and construction is one of the industries heavily affected by illegals. Medically I am not able to work outside the home, so our income is limited.
I have been fighting this battle since the early 90's when I lived in AZ, and I take it very seriously, especially since this problem has had such a major impact on our livelihood. I will continue to do all that I am able to do, and if my resources grow, so will my participation.
I think financial problems had a major impact on participation by many ALIPAC members, though the media would never consider pointing that out.

If we truly want to fight the legislators in Raleigh and get changes here in North Carolina when it comes to illegal immigration we need to stop electing the same people who refuse to do anything about it. Time and time again the same people are voted in and then people wonder why nothing is done. Easley came from Hunt who started the whole mess during his visits to Mexico when he was in office. Yet when Easley proved he was pro-illegal during his first term he was voted in again. Basnight and Hackney have proven their pro-illegal stance and they too are re-elected. Although it's on a federal level, David Price has shown his true colors time and again and he too keeps being re-elected. If a dog keeps biting you stop petting it. When a politician keeps screwing you stop re-electing it. Although many of us who truly wanted to be in Raleigh Wed. couldn't make it we CAN make it to the voting booth in Nov. and vote for those who will protect our state and our citizens, and vote out of office the corrupt ones that will continue to pander to pro-illegal groups. They've had their chance now it's time to let them go.

Lets get creative here.

The next NASCAR race or opening day of the 2008 College Football Season we could declare those defacto Anti-Illegal Immigration rallies! Do a poll outside those venues on peoples views and if they are for securing the border and against illegal immigration give them a small American Flag (also publicize people bringing their own). Tell them that at the end of the Star Spangled Banner they are to stay on their feet and wave their flags for two minutes in order to show their solidarity with the anti-illegal immigration movement. Pump that out to the media and let them chew on it some.

Perhaps it is time for a day without Americans! Then the illegal aliens would not be able to get free health care or education. This would help the Politicians and businesses regain their perspective on the matter.

Lets face it right now the Politicians and Businesses do not think we will be able to forgo one ounce of comfort or make even a days worth of sacrifice in order to address this issue. And so far they are right.

We need to pick one day (a Monday so it turns into a 3 day weekend for many and at least encourages some to just go along) and spend a great deal of effort promoting it as a coalition (get others i.e NumbersUSA etc. on board) for a Day without Americans.

Of course we will then learn of businesses who threaten Americans jobs if they participate. From that batch of bad actors we can target 1 to boycott until they are ruined and forced out of business. If our movement can just latch onto one business just right we can build our influence ten fold overnight.

We face nothing we cannot overcome as long as we act......

SovereignMan

I'm so sorry to hear that turnout was low. I cannot understand how people in the vicinity within a two hour drive couldn't find the time to go to such an important event! I wish I were closer as I'd have gone. I live in SW FL. It is so important to show up for rallies as it's even worse if there is low turnout -- it diminishes the message. If only everyone attending could recruit 2 other people, it would make a huge difference. I run into all the time in getting people to come to animal rights protests -- people are busy, etc., but if we want to see the changes we all want, we have to sacrifice and make plans to be at a rally! I hope for the next rally each person attending will try and recruit at least two other people. Not that hard to do and makes a big difference.

I'm so sorry to hear that turnout was low. I cannot understand how people in the vicinity within a two hour drive couldn't find the time to go to such an important event! I wish I were closer as I'd have gone.

Rent, food, family, risk of loosing job VS a cause. EVERYONE is weighing the price and the potential PAY OFF for the life changing risks they take.

Personally, I don't know how so many working illegals, can, at the drop of a hat, turn out and not risk loosing their jobs etc. ........personally I believe they aren't all working because they wouldn't be slaving away and find time to even know what's going on.....let alone just go and have no reprocussions for attending the multitude of rallys.

We don't have churches and funded busses to take us even if we wanted to go. They do.

Look at our marches and the most are older people who have the TIME to invest into what's going on. They aren't making life altering decissions that could ruin their lives like the younger ones are. Doesn't mean they don't care........doesn't mean they don't want to be there.

Every one of their rallys are in a major latino poplulated area. They aren't flying across the country to a remote place to make their stance. Looks impressive, but it does because it's EASY. Hey want a big black turn-out.......hit Atlanta. Won't be a big turn out if it's in Yankton SD. Let's have a rally in Hartington NE......The next biggest city is 50 miles away and it won't be a 10,000 Mexican rally.

It really makes me sick that the turnout was so small, however as many others, I am on Social Security and to be honest I am not sure that my car would make it that far since I am in Indiana. I do call and send emails, even faxs when I can afford it. I forward every thing to my email address list, to the point that a couple of family members have written me off. That is okay I will not stop doing what I can do! Surely all of the petitions, emails, and faxes are helping a great deal. I would give anything to be able to do more and if there is anything else that I can do, please let me know and I will happily do it!!! I send this with great regard for you and the organization!!!

William, I'm sorry the turnout was disappointing. Please don't be discouraged. We must keep on trying. I have a few suggestions that might be considered. Try announcing a Lobbying Day about 2 months in advance, and in interim, in each message, remind people of the coming Day and to be prepared. Do not announce the event to the press/media. Just DO IT. If a large crowd shows up, then maybe somebody could phone the press. If possible have a meeting of members beforehand and discuss tactics; give people a chance to get acquainted with each other. It's intimidating for some who've never visited a legislator's office. If 2 or 3 people could visit the office together the new ones would feel more confident and perhaps more willing to participate. Thanks William for all your great work. You're filling a huge gap in the immigration reform movement by organizing ALIPAC to be a political animal, not just an "educational" one. P.S. - One thing holding people back is that these large demonstrations seem kind of third-world stuff; U.S. citizens feel they shouldn't have to get out in the streets and yell. That just isn't the American way; we prefer dealing with issues in a more civilized way, letters, office visits, the ballot box.

Welcome kellygreen!
The problem with assuming a day of reckoning comes at the ballot box is an issue of misperception. If you are generally restricted by a two party system where money and influence are the determining factors deciding which candidates appear on the ballot, then how can a reasonalbe person find themselves in a situation other than choosing between the (perceived) lesser of two evils come election day?

Reality being what it is, the sad truth is that "the squeaky wheel gets the grease", and generally intangible efforts like email and phone calls simply do not motivate additional support from the leadership or the peer group. Overtly tangible effort like public protest works as well today as it did during the Vietnam War days, and folks WILL at some point get motivated and up for the occassion regardless of cost or inconvenience. Right now the "comfort zone" has not been invaded to the extent that people are compelled to action. Pressure however is building, and you can bet the government at all levels is taking the pulse of the public and preparing for the inevitable.

William,
I am sorry to hear the turn out was low. If the notice had been sent out a little earlier I too would have tried to be there. But all is not lost. We still have this battle to fight and the low turn out I think will have a positive effect in getting every one motivated to do more.

dpnc, mentioned in their post about the illegals who work in Raleigh and and state grounds. I say take pictures to have as evidence. I know that the pics. will not prove that they are illegal but if you try to engage in conversation with these people and they can not speak english or it is broken english there's your proof. We do have to get creative in our efforts. If you have an idea post it here so we all can weigh in.

Just a couple of weeks ago I was driving through a fairly new shopping center that has a target store as the anchor and noticed a pickup truck with hispanics in the back and some standing on the ground around it. They were putting out bags of mulch to be spread in the landscaping. This is a very big shopping center so there were a lot of these men out there doing the work. I knew that there was no way these people were legal but what do you do? So I had to think about how I was going to handle it and who to call. You know that if you call the leasing office they are not going to tell you "yeah they are all illegal". I wish I had gotten some pictures of the truck that had no company name on it. But I did not think of it at the time. What I did do is call the company that built the center and was told that they had already sold the property, and they gave me the name of the people they sold it to.

I looked up the company on the internet and sent an email to the first name that came up on the page that listed who their people where. I told them that I was wanting to know who did their landscape work in that shopping center. To my surprise I got a response and the name of the landscape company that does the work. I have looked into them and found out they do a lot of business in the Atlanta area and I recognized some of the property names. I have not contacted them but I plan on doing that today. What will I say? I don't know yet. But I'm working on it and plan on following through.

I know what I am doing is not rockett science! But it will let the people that own that shopping center know that the public notices those things, and questions if the people doing the work are here legally. And if they get reported to the authorities they could be in trouble.

If any one has any suggestions about what else I can do to be more effective with this I am open to any and all.

Thanks in advance!