Thread: Quick reports needed

Our people in Phoenix say the illegals were a complete no show there.

Dallas was attended by a few hundred at the most!

W

Originally Posted by ALIPAC

Our people in Phoenix say the illegals were a complete no show there.

Dallas was attended by a few hundred at the most!

W

the people of PHX are scared of Sheriff Joe

Major theme at Austin march was, Si Se Puede (yes we can) and Citizenship Yes, Deportation No. A few Mexican flags, lots of American flags. I wasn't impressed at all. Same ol' same ol'. However, I was angry and had to hold my tongue as I watched this spectacle against the American people!

Dallas only had 50-100 and the march stated late because they waited around for people to arrive. Oh if you take out the food vendors and the press, then the numbers looked even worse for them. Fox4 confirms 50-100.

They actually had several counter protersters.

News Video:
www.myfoxdfw.com

Dixie

Didn't observe a single counter protester in Austin. Truthfully, people watching seemed to be pretty blase' about the whole thing. I suppose that might be a good sign. I did sense though that they were changing their tactics. They were very openly trying to register people to vote. Also I noticed that they were trying to put a softer touch on their message. Lots of family oriented signs, sob story kind of stuff. I wasn't sobbing though.

Originally Posted by Dixie

Dallas only had 50-100 and the march stated late because they waited around for people to arrive. Oh if you take out the food vendors and the press, then the numbers looked even worse for them. Fox4 confirms 50-100.

They actually had several counter protersters.

News Video:
www.myfoxdfw.com

Dixie

I am looking, have not seen local news yet. I am having some irritating glitches today, not sure if it is my computer or website, but have not been able to actually do what I want to get articles (GGRRRRR....the pot roast took 4, yes 4 hours to cook and not even that well, computer is being an anarchist, kids fighting....head hurts.......).

So....I will keep looking and meanwhile take some really strong stuff to get rid of the pounding and be back less cranky.

http://blog.oregonlive.com/breakingnews ... hroug.html

Portland march estimates were about 500. Seems that as with most places there was less involvement. It states in this article most in Salem took on the issue of the increased scrutiny by the Oregon DMV with licensing.

Low turnout at LA rally. Excerpt:

Organizers of three permitted marches in Los Angeles said they would draw up to 100,000 people, but participation was far lower. Police Lt. Lee Sands estimated the crowd peaked at 8,500 after reaching its destination near City Hall.

Juan Jose Gutierrez, director of Latino Movement USA, blamed the low turnout on recent immigration raids frightening many away. He also said others didn't want a day off work in a weak economy or to bring children to an event that ended in violence last year.

http://www.pe.com/ap_news/California/CA ... 597C.shtml

Just a few quotes from some latest reports:

Chicago: 3,000 to 4,500 "Last year, 80,000 to 95,000"

Detroit: Hundreds "turnout has fallen since 2006"

Fresno: expected 5000 but listed no final estimate

Los Angeles: "surprisingly small crowd"

Milwaukee: 30,000 "significantly smaller than last year"

Riverside: "Tomato pickers Two- to three-dozen"

Tuscon: "Hundreds who favor- Hundreds of others- about 1,000 rallied total."
....
TOMATO PICKERS??

Thousands rally in May Day effort for immigration reform

AP Photo
Immigrants and activists carry flags in downtown Chicago during an immigration reform march and rally on Thursday, May 1, 2008.

AP Photo
Thomas Ramirez, dressed as a Mexican Chichimeca tribesman, blows on a sea shell during an immigration march and protest in Chicago, Thursday, May 1, 2008.

AP Photo
Immigrants and activists carry flags in downtown Chicago during an immigration reform march and rally on Thursday, May 1. 2008.

AP Photo
Miquita Ibarra, 78, of Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood, has an American flag draped over her head as she participates in an immigration reform march and rally in downtown Chicago, Thursday, May 1, 2008.

AP Photo
Fatima Tapia, 6, left, and Joed Sosa, 5, both of Manassas, Va., holds signs in Spanish that say, "Don't separate our families," and "We are not criminals," during an immigrant rights rally in front of the Capitol in Washington on Thursday, May 1, 2008.

AP Photo
Susana Gutierrez holds a Mexican and American flag during an immigration march and protest in Detroit Thursday, May 1, 2008. Immigration activists and civil rights leaders geared up for rallies and marches in cities nationwide, hoping to revive an immigration reform debate grown surprisingly stagnant in this presidential election year.

AP Photo
Protesters gather with a quilt made of the flags from many nations in Union Park before the start of an immigration march and protest in Chicago, Thursday, May 1, 2008.
By SOPHIA TAREEN - Associated Press Writer
Edition Date: 05/01/08


CHICAGO — Thousands of chanting, flag-waving immigrants and activists rallied in cities across the country Thursday, attempting to reinvigorate calls for immigration reform in a presidential election year in which the economy has taken center stage.
From Washington to Miami to Los Angeles, immigrant rights activists demanded citizenship opportunities for the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the U.S. and an end to raids and deportations.

"We come here to fight for legalization. We're people. We have rights," said Eric Molina, an undocumented factory worker who immigrated to Zion, Ill., from Mexico.

Molina, his sister and his 13-year-old daughter Erika, a U.S. citizen, were among about 15,000 people who rallied in Chicago in one of the largest demonstrations of the day.

Turnout has fallen sharply since the first nationwide rallies in 2006, when more than 1 million people - at least 400,000 in Chicago alone - clogged streets and brought downtown traffic to a standstill. Activists say this year's efforts are focused less on protests and more on voter registration and setting an agenda for the next president.

Some said participation likely was lower because many immigrants increasingly fear deportation.

Margot Veranes, a volunteer organizer in Tucson, Ariz., - where 12,000 took to the streets last year but early estimates Thursday put the crowd at about 500 - blamed the turnout on aggressive enforcement by Border Patrol and police.

"People have been stopped and deported in the last week. This is a community living in fear," said Veranes, a researcher for the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades. "You never know when you're going to be stopped by Border Patrol and now the police."

But she said that's also why people were marching.

"We're marching to end the raids and the deportations, but we're also marching for health care and education and good jobs," she said.

In Washington, immigrant rights groups and social justice organizations were demanding that Prince William County, in northern Virginia, rescind its anti-illegal immigration measure. They also called for an end to raids and deportations and for establishment of worker centers in Washington, Maryland and Virginia.

Activists also asked the Republican and Democratic national committees to have their presidential candidates enact immigration reform.

A crowd of about 1,000 gathered on the steps of the Oregon Capitol in Salem to call for changes in immigration and workplace laws within the first 100 days of the next congressional session. Many demanded that Oregon reverse a decision, imposed by the Legislature in February, to require proof of legal residence to get a driver's license.

Hugo Orozzo, 17-year-old high school senior, was among hundreds who marched through the streets of southwest Detroit. He was born in the U.S., but his father was born in Mexico and some other family members are originally from Mexico.

"It is going to help my family and friends," Orozzo said of the effort. He carried a preprinted sign that read: "Stop raids and deportations that separate families!" in both English and Spanish.

And in Milwaukee, factory worker Miguel Tesillos, 29, was among hundreds who lined sidewalks waiting for the march to begin.

"Our people, we pay taxes, we pay the same as a citizen," said Tesillos, who has a Green Card. "Maybe the new president can see this point, and do something for us."

But activists say they know it will be a challenge to push their issues to the political forefront.

Immigration reform did not resonate with voters in primary elections who overwhelmingly listed the economy as their top concern. Immigration legislation has stalled and been defeated in the Senate, and presidential candidates have not extensively addressed the issues.

Democratic presidential rivals Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton supported a 2006 bill, sponsored by Republican candidate John McCain, that offered illegal immigrants legal status on conditions such as learning English. All three also have supported a border fence.

In Chicago, 17-year-old Celeste Rodarte marched with a group of her friends from the city's West Side. She said her parents came to the United States more than 20 years ago and became citizens last year.

"I know a lot of people who don't have papers and I want to help them out," Rodarte said.

Seventh-grader Vicente Campos of Milwaukee was granted an excused absence from school to attend the march. He said he was concerned by stories of immigration officials separating parents and children.

"Immigrants come here to support their families in Mexico," said Campos, 13. "They're not all here to do crimes."

http://www.idahostatesman.com/apusnews/ ... 67697.html