Thread: Immigrant group taking a long walk

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CAMPAIGN 2006
Immigrant group taking a long walk
4-day march to end at Hastert's office

By Sara Olkon, Tribune staff reporter. Tribune staff reporters Oscar Avila and Darnell Little and freelance reporter Rhianna Wisniewski contributed to this report
Published August 31, 2006

In a show of how far immigrants have moved to fulfill the American dream, scores of immigrant advocates will skip their barbecues and lakefront picnics this weekend to join in a 44.9-mile walk from Chinatown to the home office of House Speaker Dennis Hastert in Batavia.

The four-day journey ends with Hastert because of his leadership on the issue of beefing up border security. March organizers hope to show the Republican congressman that he should be more mindful of immigrants' interests.

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Batavia "is the target because Speaker Hastert presided over passage of one of the most odious pieces of legislation ever passed by Congress," said James Thindwa, director of Chicago Jobs for Justice, in reference to a U.S. House bill that would make illegal immigration a felony.

Organizers also are holding a town hall meeting Tuesday morning at a Batavia church.

Gauging how the march will play as protesters move from Hispanic strongholds such as Cicero to Hastert's significantly less-diverse district remains to be seen. Historically a Republican stronghold, the 14th Congressional District begins in the western-most part of DuPage County and encompasses long stretches of farmland extending toward the Iowa border.

But like much of the state, the area is changing. In 1990, Hispanics made up about 9 percent of the district, according to U.S. census figures. By 2005, that number had jumped to 22 percent.

The shift will transform the political landscape, immigration advocates predict.

On Wednesday, the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights released a report that showed a 38 percent jump over the last five years in the number of naturalized citizens--eligible voters--who have moved to Chicago's suburbs. DuPage County had the most dramatic surge, with an increase close to 50 percent.

"Both Republicans and Democrats [who are immigrants] favor a path to citizenship," said Rob Paral, a research fellow at the Institute for Latino Studies at the University of Notre Dame.

The march, which begins Friday, will be peppered with rallies in Chicago's Chinatown and Little Villageneighborhoods as well as Cicero, Melrose Park, Villa Park, West Chicago and Batavia. Supporters can join marchers along the route or go the entire distance.

St. Frances of Rome Catholic Church in Cicero, the Islamic Foundation in Villa Park and St. Mary Catholic Church in West Chicago are providing overnight accommodations and meals. Local businesses have donated food.

The event has spawned feeder marches from cities and towns not covered by the route. So far, walks have sprung up from Joliet to Aurora, Aurora to Batavia and Elgin to Batavia, said Kristin Kumpf, a suburban organizer for the coalition.

"I really do expect this to be a turning point for people in the suburbs," she said. "It gives people an opportunity to see that the issue isn't going away--families are being separated every day. We need immigration reform passed now."

Turnout is anybody's guess. In March, 100,000 people converged in the Loop to protest the House bill. A second pro-immigration rally downtown in May attracted nearly 500,000, but a July demonstration produced as few as 10,000 participants.

Nilda Flores-Gonzalez, a professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago who studied the May rally, said the suburban route would attract people who could not take work off or who didn't have a way to reach the other events.

"We are not expecting people to march for four days," Flores-Gonzalez said. "People will join in segments."

Jesus Sanchez, for one, is planning on walking the Joliet feeder march all the way to Batavia. A co-owner of the La Quinta de los Reyes restaurant in Aurora, Sanchez said he knows of at least 50 other business owners and their families who plan to do the same. His employees are welcome to participate, he said, even if it means closing his restaurant.

"Our business is supported by illegal immigrants, so we have to support them," Sanchez said.

Kevin Mathews, a technology consultant from Aurora and a member of Fellowship of the Patriots, a veterans rights group, couldn't disagree more.

"Anyone who supports illegal aliens is in full violation of federal law," said Mathews, who plans to travel to Batavia to act as a counter-protester. "Anyone who is supporting them should be fined and jailed



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I hope by some miracle that I.C.E. will be observing,filming,and taking notes of all the pro-illegal amnesty crowds as they march and demand their "rights". Every time illegal enablers march it helps to show middle America the true scope of the invasion.

So please,all illegals,enablers,and assorted friends,please march,chant,and demostrate your obvious hate for our laws and keep on demanding your "rights" and don't forget to bring your "Europeans go back home" signs.Let the signs be bright so that the cameras can pick them up easier.

As you march to Rep.Hastert's office he will surely see the pro-illegals and their enablers and will see the problem firsthand that the U.S. is facing by your invasion of our country and the ignoring of our immigration laws.No lawbreakers should ever be awarded with citizenship for their crimes.On the contrary,all criminals should be barred from ever becoming legal citizens of this country.

The four-day journey ends with Hastert because of his leadership on the issue of beefing up border security. March organizers hope to show the Republican congressman that he should be more mindful of immigrants' interests.

There is the "I" word again.......notice they left off the word "illegal?" and also aliens???? This is the way propaganda works, repeat the same outrageous lies often enough, loud enough, and stupid people stop questioning it, they simply accept it.

We must be contantly mindful of the subconscious programming being done by the other side (which, of course, includes most of the media)

Remember the Sat. Night Live skit with the subliminal guy? I think it was Phil Hartman?

There is the "I" word again.......notice they left off the word "illegal?" and also aliens????

Welcome vigilantegal. You're new here, but I see you know the score.

I was thinking of taking up a collection to help buy them more Mexican flags to assist in aggrevating US citizens EVEN MORE about the subject.

At least, I can help with trip planning:

1. Starting in CHICAGO, IL on S LUMBER ST - go 0.1 mi
2. Turn Left on S HALSTED ST - go 0.3 mi
3. Turn Right on S CANALPORT AVE - go 0.1 mi
4. Bear Right onto I-55 SOUTH toward ST LOUIS - go 42.6 mi
5. Take exit #250A onto I-80 EAST toward TOLEDO - go 25.2 mi
6. Take exit #151A onto I-57 SOUTH toward MEMPHIS - go 366.9 mi
7. Take exit #1A onto I-55 SOUTH toward MEMPHIS - go 131.2 mi
8. Take exit #8 onto I-40 WEST toward LITTLE ROCK - go 117.8 mi
9. Take exit #159 onto I-440 WEST toward TEXARKANA - go 10.0 mi
10. Take Left exit #138B/I-530 SOUTH/US-167 SOUTH/US-65 SOUTH onto I-30 WEST - go 304.4 mi
11. Take exit #56C onto I-635 SOUTH - go 9.5 mi
12. Merge onto I-20 WEST - go 11.8 mi
13. Take exit #467B onto I-35E SOUTH toward WACO - go 47.6 mi
14. Take the I-35 SOUTH Left exit - go 371.2 mi
15. Take ramp onto SANTA URSULA AVE[US-83] - go 0.3 mi
16. Turn Right on FARRAGUT ST - go 0.2 mi
17. Turn Right on CONVENT AVE[I-35-BUS] - go 0.1 mi
18. Turn Right to follow I-35-BUS NORTH - go < 0.1 mi
19. Arrive at the center of LAREDO, TX
:
Then, cross border and... Viola! You are 'Home'

(Directions courtesy of Yahoo (c) maps...)

[15. Take ramp onto SANTA URSULA AVE[US-83] - go 0.3 mi
16. Turn Right on FARRAGUT ST - go 0.2 mi
17. Turn Right on CONVENT AVE[I-35-BUS] - go 0.1 mi
18. Turn Right to follow I-35-BUS NORTH - go < 0.1 mi
19. Arrive at the center of LAREDO, TX
:
Then, cross border and... Viola! You are 'Home'

(Directions courtesy of Yahoo (c) maps...)[/quote]

Thank God for humor, or we will go nuts!!!Hey, that is my state! Thanks for the welcome, I am a moldie oldie, in the thick of things. Just have not posted but I think I will do more from now on. Seems like a good group. Plus I like seeing the goons come out too.

In a show of how far immigrants have moved to fulfill the American dream,

Hmm...don't they mean "...have moved to STEAL the American Dream"? Because that's what they're doing. They didn't help BUILD the American dream, but they sure are cutting in the front of the line to live it.

They have no right. Period.

vigilantegal:

Hi There!

Hey, that is my state!

Yeah, sorry to include TX - but the shortest route from Chicago to Mexico came back with the route I posted - oh well. No disrepect toward your fine state intended.

I am a moldie oldie, in the thick of things. Just have not posted but I think I will do more from now on. Seems like a good group.

Welcome aboard! Yes, it is a good group. And yes, please do post and let me also include the fundraising plug as well (it is fund drive time! - got to help W (William) to keep this thing going....).

Plus I like seeing the goons come out too.

About goons...ah, we get some but one thing I've noticed here is that because there are some many different people, with a huge variety in background(s), that they are soundly rebuffed - every time. If they are really abusive and out of control, they are shut out in short order.
(eg. the rules are enforced .. does that ring a bell?)

Vigalentegal, welcome. I love the Texas coast mostly because of those red fish and sea trout. I have a coffee cup with your Crockett quote. Wouldn't he be rolling over in his grave if he could see what wimps we are today in our inaction against this invasion.

Batavia "is the target because Speaker Hastert presided over passage of one of the most odious pieces of legislation ever passed by Congress," said James Thindwa, director of Chicago Jobs for Justice, in reference to a U.S. House bill that would make illegal immigration a felony.

I hope this really pisses Rep. Hastert. Personally, if I was him, I'd view this action/march as a threat to this nations sovereignty and our laws. The march represents nothing more than an advocacy for lawlessness. Since when has this country ever found law breakers making demands acceptable? I hope our supporters in the House stand their ground and refuse to submit to threats and coercion.

The only thing unfortunate about this march is the fact that we probably won't get to see anymore Mexican flags. This group of marchers will be well indocrinated, but we can always hope a few young wildcards (radical youths) defie their elders and show their butts.