Posted on 05/01/2006 3:31:35 PM PDT by SmithL
TODAY'S MARCHES in the Bay Area and around the nation on behalf of immigrant rights have commendable goals. But it is also possible that the protests will backfire, and end up hurting the people they are intended to help.
On this page, we have repeatedly called for greater rights for illegal immigrants -- including granting them driver's licenses, and strongly calling for an earned legalization program leading to citizenship.
Yet today's call for a national work stoppage seems to be premature, one embraced without fully preparing for its possible negative consequences.
Some have described the remarkable mobilization of immigrants in recent weeks as a "new civil rights movement.'' But if this is a movement, it still lacks clear leadership. More critically, there is tremendous disagreement over what tactics to use to advance the cause.
Labor groups traditionally supportive of immigrant rights have been far from unified on whether to support today's protests, as have a range of immigrant-advocacy groups around the country.
Unfortunately, the protests seems to have sprung out of a cauldron of passions stirred up by inaction and hostility in Washington, rather than based on agreement that this was the right tactic to embrace.
Many immigrants will participate in today's march because they feel their futures are at stake. But there is also the chance that many employers will summarily fire workers who decided to march instead of going to work.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Fire them..and don't re-hire them....
This invasion has got to stop
Protests did backfire. People on the fence, pun intended, like myself, have soldified our positions against any rights for these people as a direct consequence of their arrogance and disrespect.
This has gotten my non-political hubby spitting mad.
And many will boycott businesses that were closed today.
It is becoming clear to me, that this "protest" or "boycott" or whatever it is, was not at all well thought out. If the organizers really faced the facts regarding the lack of substance to their "demands", their lack of legal standing regarding what they want to extort and bluff their way towards, they would realize that the worst thing they can do is make any kind of public showing. The blatant arrogance and fraudulent rationale behind their movement" was bound to elicit a citizen's backlash, as we are beginning to see now.
Their best bet would have been to remain "invisible" and pretend not to be here, while millions more of their invading countrymen flooded across the border at night. The foolish dreams of "Reconquista" have inflated their own view of their power and indispensability within the US economy, without understanding just what the results of their ill-advised hubris would be. But, it is too late now.
If ever there was a reason to keep the powder dry....
Ben, good day to you.
I've seen wild-eyed libs on various message boards, people who loath Bush, going crazy about this.
Very simple, the GOP can win on this issue. America is united against amnesty and I think some moderates would break right on this issue.
I'm concerned with the violence of the people not protesting.
ah...never mind
My non-political hubby's ready to go make citizen's arrests! I showed him the picture of the Mexican flag over Old Glory and that did it for him. These protests are showing average Americans who these illegals and their sympathizers really are.
Nobody is advocating amnesty.
The country is clearly divided on providing a path to citizenship for those already here.
GOP can maintain power on this issue.
Focus on 2 things: border security + employer enforcement and rounds up of the worst of the worst (M13, pedophiles, etc).
Leave the challenging stuff (what to do with the ones here already who aren't a problem) until after the election.
Partner with immigrant groups, blacks, and others with a vested interest in fairness and not Marxism, the beast behind this problem.
And my boycott will last a he!! of a lot longer than theirs.
Need to support illegal immigration? Fine, go ahead and close. Need me to support your business? Too bad, ain't gonna happen.
Ted Kennedy. The protestors. Since that is what the protestors are asking for, and since the CA dems, NY AG, NJ AG and others support the protest/boycott, isn't it reasonable to conclude they support the point behind it?
I don't agree, sorry. I think the country is pretty clear about not wanting them here.
okay I'm singing ku-ba-ya, we are the world, we are the children
Did anyone check the last one?
The polls that I've read are not conclusive on that. They indicate that Americans want the border closed, but that's the only thing they agree on.
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