Posted on 04/07/2006 12:40:50 PM PDT by Borax Queen
PHOENIX — Fearing traffic jams and concerned about their personal safety, legislative leaders have decided to shut down their Monday session early to let legislators and staff flee the Capitol before 100,000 marchers show up.
The decision to adjourn by noon came as lawmakers engaged in a war of words over the merits of the march, one of several around the nation pushing for Congress to enact immigration legislation that provides people here illegally a path to citizenship — and whether the event is a slap at this country.
Sen. Barbara Leff, R-Paradise Valley, said the march amounts to 100,000 people "admitting that they're here illegally … bragging that they're breaking the laws of this country."
Rep. Pam Gorman, R-Anthem, questioned whether federal authorities have been notified.
"At what point do we consider an invasion is going on when government is shut down due to foreign marching on our soil?" she asked.
House Speaker Jim Weiers said the decision to adjourn by noon Monday came after a closed-door briefing with officials from Phoenix police, the state Department of Public Safety and other agencies charged with providing security.
"We were told that they can't guarantee anything," Weiers said. "Why would I take the risk?" Weiers also accused a top state administrative official of encouraging state employees to take the day off to participate in the march.
Sen. Jorge Garcia, D-Tucson, reacted angrily to the accusation that marchers will all be people who entered this country illegally. Garcia said he will be in the march with his granddaughter to march for human rights — and against the kind of discrimination that Hispanics face.
"It's difficult to recognize and to accept the humiliation just because someone has brown skin, listens to Mexican music or speaks Spanish or reads a Spanish newspaper is illegal," he said.
Sen. Linda Aguirre, D-Phoenix, acknowledged some percentage of the marchers will be illegal immigrants. But she said they essentially were invited into this country by employers looking for inexpensive labor and offering them jobs.
"Give them a chance," she said. "They want to be citizens of our state, of our country. They want to contribute legally."
Sen. Linda Gray, R-Glendale, said she believes discrimination is wrong and all people should be treated equally. But Gray said that is predicated on every person "becoming in every facet an American."
Quoting from a 1907 speech by President Theodore Roosevelt, Gray said there can be no divided allegiance. "We have room but for one flag and that's the American flag," Gray said. "We have room but for one language here and that's the English language."
Weiers was particularly unhappy with Bill Bell, head of the state Department of Administration. He issued a memo to all agency directors telling them to urge employees to carpool, telecommute and use alternate work schedules.
The memo also spelled out that employees who want to participate in the march "may do so using annual leave with their supervisor's approval."
Weiers acknowledged that simply repeats what already is state personnel policy. But he said that "when put in writing, it is encouraging it," if for no other reason than that it makes reference to a specific event on a specific day.
Lawmakers were divided about the decision to come into session but only for a short time.
"I think we should shut government down and blame the people that are creating the problem where nobody's going to be able to do their work, no one's going to be able to get to their places of business, nobody's going to be able to go home and get their children." said Leff.
But Sen. Thayer Verschoor, R-Gilbert, said he is glad the Legislature will be in session at least part of the day.
"We absolutely should be here to show that we're not going to close down business," he said, saying shutting down government is probably part of the purpose of having people march to the Capitol.
Because this is OUR country and OUR state! Put snipers on the rooftop of the capitol building, double the armed guard, and lock the doors. Anyone stupid enough to try anything deserves what they get.
Courage under fire? Disgusting cowards, both parties.
"Sen. Linda Aguirre, D-Phoenix, acknowledged some percentage of the marchers will be illegal immigrants. But she said they essentially were invited into this country by employers looking for inexpensive labor and offering them jobs."
You can rationalize anything I guess.
Invasion Ping.
Good grief, now they have legislators actuall running from them in fear. What about all the folks that can't get away?
"At what point do we consider an invasion is going on when government is shut down due to foreign marching on our soil?" she asked.
Dunno, ask your governor why she hasn't called out the Guard.
Exactly!! Where are we supposed to go?
The immigration question once raised is tough to put to bed.
It's difficult to recognize and to accept the humiliation just because someone has brown skin, listens to Mexican music or speaks Spanish or reads a Spanish newspaper is illegal," he said.
Then protest AGAINST the illegal immigrants, you maroon. Don't join in WITH them.
"But she said they essentially were invited into this country by employers looking for inexpensive labor and offering them jobs."
Let's ask to see the invitation, at the border.
Sorry if I missed anyone or if you get a double ping.
They're just taking the inconvenience the American legislators won't take.
Where are we supposed to go?
To your nearest gun store.
So, Babs, did you bother calling in ICE to bring handcuffs and a couple hundred buses?
"Rep. Pam Gorman, R-Anthem, questioned whether federal authorities have been notified.
"At what point do we consider an invasion is going on when government is shut down due to foreign marching on our soil?" she asked. "
Oh no the Bushbots are going to get her. Ol Bush says we should just trust him - he will take care of everything. Lets just keep voting these RINOs in, like Bush and McCain, cant you see that they know what they are doing. Its all coming up roses - illegal mexicans calling for the death of whites while the Bush clan call us vigilantes.
Yes we elected a real hero in Bush - he has almost enough mexicans here now to enact his open border plans with our without are approval.
Lets keep voting the RINOs in. sarcasm
"Rep. Pam Gorman, R-Anthem,... "At what point do we consider an invasion is going on when government is shut down due to foreign marching on our soil?" she asked. "
Good question
They should have taken away any permit to demonstrate, they aren't citizens. Send IRS agents there to collect back taxes, make a example of showing federal muscle, get ICE out there to arrest them for their acts of defiance! 100,000 are way to many people especially non-Americans! For showing disrespect and defiance they should never be allowed to be American citizens!
"Where are we supposed to go?
To your nearest gun store."
Yeah then you can go to prison where you'll be outnumbered there too. Lets get real - no one is going to do crap except hide and ask forgiveness from these racist mexican groups. Bush is probably going to sit back watch the reports and say see I told you stupid Americans we need to do what Mexico wants us to do.
Im sure we'll here more calls from the RINO wing of the GOP to cave and give in we wouldnt want to upset them would we?
I am being real. In my great state we are permitted to defend ourselves. Tresspassers and would be home invaders can be shot BEFORE entry is gained.
UNBELIEVABLE!!! We give illegal aliens like her ample opportunity even though they disrespected our sovereignty; she gets an education but gets an "F" in civic appreciation for that opportunity. She wants MORE, yes MORE!!!
I wanted to yell at the screen that nothing prevents her from returning to Mexico, visiting a consular's office, filing papers, and waiting in line to become an American citizen.
Thanks for the post . . . Penny
I'm with you on this, S.
Girlie man alert
What can you really say to stuff like this? I'd guess that a lot of others also fear for their personal safety, except for the marchers.
Is this all it takes to put an end to the growth of government and new useless laws and regulations?
Let's have DAILY protest marches at the capitol!
You're welcome :) I didn't catch that interview, but I sure have been wanting to throw things at my computer and tv screen over the last week!
One of the things that goads me the most is how we have to pay out-of-state tuition, yet illegal aliens don't in some states, and the Senate was trying to give them even more. I had to wait a year (or maybe two) to either establish residency or get a research assistantship when I moved to AZ for school!
Yellow bellied sap suckers!
That's right.
And check for extra ammo.
Texas does give in-state tuition. I heard on some radio show--maybe David Gold from the Dallas area--that the immigration marches have stirred up desires to force the Legislature to repeal its loopy (and costly) bill. Best again . . . Penny
Were I in AZ, I hold a FReep outside of Cindy's house (McCain's) residence.
Illegal aliens do not have a right to peacefully assemble.
If they carry a Mexican flag, they are not a citizen of the US.
Let them gather.
Close of the streets with DPS officers and vehicles.
Load them into police vans and transport them to tent city (a new one that Arpaio would be glad to have his inmates build : )
Have the West Valley Food Bank provide free food and water (an over abundance actually) They can even have a Koran and prayer rug, oh wait...
Then let them out, a family at a time, IF they can prove they are in AZ legally AND their finger prints/DNA don't come back matching a crime suspects.
Joe could have them all processed out in a few days.
Then we should have 50-80K less illegals to worry out.
I like your observations and the deductions they lead to.
That's a good question. The Governor was requested to call out the National Guard and have them in standby in case something went wrong and Phoenix PD was unable to handle that large a crowd. She refused, with no reason given.
This is anticipated to be the largest march that has ever occurred in Phoenix, so people are understandably unsure about what might happen. If you don't have a lot of experience with this kind of event then you may not be know enough to plan for every contingency. I hope no one gets hurt, but I think shutting down the legislature early is a wise move to prevent that possibility.
Holy crap. It's called courage. It's called principle.
I think he's trying to avoid any lawsuits. Maybe he should show some guts, though, and try to call in the National Guard or something.
"Weiers said the decision to adjourn by noon Monday came after a closed-door briefing with officials from Phoenix police, the state Department of Public Safety and other agencies charged with providing security."
"We were told that they can't guarantee anything," Weiers said."
Just love the way the media makes this out as if it were some type of holiday event or something. Everyone has to work around this crap. If Americans demonstrated this way would the city act like it was practically sponsoring it?
Now that the Senate has tabled the immigration issue, for now anyway, what do you want to bet that every march and demonstration around the country is going to be laced with violence? I figure they*re going to try to scare the spineless wimps in our government. They figure they can make them cave in and give them what they want. Btw, thanks for the ping! :o)
yw :)
I haven't heard or read anythng about them at all. If any rioting were to take place here in L.A., I expect the police to cut and run like they did when the Rodney King riots broke out.
What would J. Edgar Hoover have done?
Put on his best dress?
"We need a civilian militia."
Yes we do. I've been writing letters to the editor on that very subject, and leaving copies off at the county sheriff's office and local police departments.
I've approached elected officials about supporting a home based local militia. The governor and all the Republican state legislators have copies of my letters either in their files or they have put them into their circular files a long time ago.
Our political betters think I'm crazy.
I tell them that they, individually and collectively, are crazy if they think a home grown local militia doesn't form to protect the law abiding amongst us.
I realized long ago that the left and all their support is not interested in listening to the conservative plea. Their intransigent anger is shutting down dialogue. No dialogue means no communication until people start to "talk to the other side by hand."
The immigration question is more polarizing than the War On Terror where I live.
We're going to smell powder in our streets before long.
"Rep. Pam Gorman, R-Anthem,... "At what point do we consider an invasion is going on when government is shut down due to foreign marching on our soil?" she asked. "
These "protestors" have found out that they can do whatever they want and NO ONE will stop them. I wonder what their next step will be?
This is cowardice in it's purest form. I think this is the first time in U.S. history a state government fleed from a planned protest of unarmed forgein invaders.
Ping.
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