Huge Los Angeles march against nativism and racism and marches in other cities, as well
As this is posted, you may notice numerous photos at the top of the page from Sunday's demonstrations against nativist legislation. Here are a few news links:
Some excerpts on "the flip", as they say in Blogostan. LA Times:
Spirited but peaceful marchers — ordinary immigrants alongside labor, religious and civil rights groups — stretched more than 20 blocks along Spring Street, Broadway and Main Street to City Hall, tooting kazoos, waving American flags and chanting, "Sí se puede!" (Yes we can!).
Attendance at the demonstration far surpassed the number of people who protested against the Vietnam War and Proposition 187, a 1994 state initiative that sought to deny public benefits to undocumented migrants but was struck down by the courts. Police said there were no arrests or injuries except for a few cases of exhaustion.
At a time when Congress prepares to crack down further on illegal immigration and self-appointed militias patrol the U.S. border to stem the flow, Saturday's rally represented a massive response, part of what immigration advocates are calling an unprecedented effort to mobilize immigrants and their supporters nationwide.
I love how the Times considered it news that the marchers were "spirited but peaceful". The presumption seems to be that a bunch of Latinos having a rally were most likely to be violent.
San Francisco Chronicle:
The Los Angeles Police Department said an estimated 500,000 people joined the peaceful demonstration, which culminated at City Hall just before noon. Organizers said they believe more than 1 million participated, showing the measure of opposition to legislation that would toughen criminal laws against illegal immigrants and the people who employ them.
"We expected to organize our people as a group and march together, but by the time I got there ... it was already impossible to find everybody and pull our people together," said Nativo Lopez, the national president of the Mexican American Political Association. "It was just spontaneous. It was wonderful. This tells you how much support we have."
The throng stretched for more than seven blocks, and at City Hall there were speeches from Lopez, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, several members of Congress and state legislators.
"I believe there were 2 million people here today, and they sent a very clear message," said state Sen. Gilbert Cedillo, D-Los Angeles. "Immigrants want to work legally, drive legally, study legally. This legislation would criminalize a major part of our population. This rally was an historic moment."
Police in Denver, meanwhile, said more than 50,000 people gathered there Saturday to oppose the legislation.
La Opinión:
La multitud, que paralizó las principales calles de la ciudad y culminó en una manifestación en el Ayuntamiento, expresó su rechazo hacia la propuesta de ley HR4437, que será debatida la próxima semana en el Senado.
Líderes políticos calificaron la marcha sin precedentes como un llamado de atención hacia Washington, para que responda a la voz de millones que exigen "dignidad y respeto".
Sacramento Bee:
Chants of "Sí, se puede" (Yes, we can) and "Aquí estamos y no nos vamos" (We're here and we're not leaving) reverberated through downtown Sacramento as thousands rallied Saturday for better wages and the right to organize and against efforts to toughen immigration laws.
The rally, held since 2000 to honor the late labor leader Cesar Chavez, usually draws several hundred people. This year, organizers said more than 5,000 took to the streets, voicing frustrations at recent federal proposals to curb illegal immigration.
Protesters blasted a bill the House of Representatives passed in December that would require employers to check the immigration status of all workers against a federal database. The legislation, scheduled for debate in the Senate this week, also would make it a felony to work in the United States without the proper paperwork. ...
The protesters said immigrants are the backbone of the U.S. economy, often laboring in dirty, dangerous conditions doing jobs many U.S.-born residents won't. Trying to keep them out of the country would have disastrous social and economic consequences, they said.
"Drive to Salinas. You'll see these are the people who are putting our food on the table," said Zeke Perez, a 53-year-old construction worker from El Dorado Hills who arrived at the rally after a morning shift.
Protesters also focused on workers' rights and what they called the "Wal-Mart-ization" of the workplace - a proliferation of low-wage, nonunion jobs with few benefits. They used the ongoing union drive at Sacramento's Blue Diamond Growers as a rallying cry.
Denver Post:
An estimated 50,000 people marched in front of the state Capitol on Saturday and packed Civic Center, waving Mexican flags and signs urging Congress to defeat a bill that would make illegal immigration a federal felony.
With prompting from speakers using microphones, the crowd chanted "Sí, se puede," or "Yes, we can," a saying popularized by César Chávez, the late human-rights activist and farm labor leader.
"It's just incredible," yelled rally participant Polly Baca, a former state legislator, as a large Mexican band played music at "The Time Is Now Rally."
"You can see that a day without these people working would be devastating for Colorado's economy," she said.
Farm, construction and hotel workers from Pueblo to Fort Collins drove to Denver for the mass demonstration, which police and organizers estimated at 50,000 people.
Many walked 20 blocks to Civic Center, pushing baby strollers and waving large red, white and green Mexican flags. Passing motorists honked their horns.
