Funny thing, I can't tell the "race" of these invaders.
Posted on 05/08/2005 9:27:10 AM PDT by suspects
When opponents of the “Real ID” legislation announced a rally for illegal immigrants and their allies in Montgomery County, MD, there was one immigration-related group I was absolutely certain would not show up: The Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the people responsible for actually enforcing our immigration laws. Casa de Maryland and others claimed 5,000 people would gather on Saturday to protest the “Real ID” Act working its way through Congress, and many of these people would be illegal immigrants themselves, we were told. If I were looking for immigration criminals, it’s exactly where I would be.
That’s why I’ll never be appointed head of the ICE.
I decided that I should show up anyway. Why shouldn’t one American who thinks we should have the same border controls other nations (including Mexico) have show up and support the concepts of secure borders and national security? I figured somebody ought to make that point, even in a liberal enclave like Montgomery County.
And that’s how it came to pass that I arrived at Richard Montgomery High School on Saturday dressed like this:
I was just trying to make a point. And in case you think I was attempting to impersonate a federal official, it should be noted that a) the INS is no longer in business, having been replaced by the ICE; and b), the letters actually stand for “I Need border Security!” (Unfortunately I didn’t have enough room on the shirt, so I had to leave off the “B”)
The illegals and their allies were gathered to protest tightened ID requirements for driver’s licenses. The shouted “No license, no justice, no peace,” and insisted that the only people who wanted legitimate IDs to be, well, legitimate, were racists and bigots—which they frequently abbreviated to “Republicans.”
Because they have such a bad attitude about IDs in general, it came as quite a surprise when I was barred from the anti-Real ID rally because of insufficient identification.
Around 3:20pm, I approached the gate in my “INS” t-shirt and was promptly stopped by a man presenting himself as a security person. He told me that the public rally—which I learned about from the pages of the Washington Post—was an “invitation-only event.” I showed him my ABC Radio ID and asked again to be admitted. He and several large people, none of whom had displayed any badges or ID, blocked my way and still refused to let me enter. The continued to examine my ABC Radio ID. When I tried to see the one ID on display, the man who appeared to be in charge covered it with his hands.
I kept pressing: “With whom am I speaking? Who are you?” One of the thuggish looking men replied, “Do YOU have any ID.”
“Sure,” I replied, and showed my ABC Radio ID again.
“Other than that?” he asked.
“Are you saying you’re not going to accept my ID? Are you saying you need tighter IDS at this event?
The continued to question my press credentials.
“This is my ID,” I insisted. “This is my media ID. So you’re not going to let me in because I don’t have a good enough ID, is that what you’re saying? An AMERICAN CITIZEN can’t get in here because he doesn’t have the right ID, is that what you’re saying?”
They continued to block my way and refused to show any ID. Two people claimed to be “Montgomery County Public School security officers,” but one again showed no identification. So I announced “This is a public event, I’m working media, I’m going in.” I started walking through the gate.
That’s when they jumped me.
Five or more people started shoving, grabbing and pulling me, moving to block my way as I tried to walk into a public high school venue. Several times someone knocked at the tape recorder I had in my hand, recording this event, and at some point they must have turned it off. I continued to walk forward as best I could, my arms held straight down, working my way between the bodies blocking my path. That’s when they began to seriously grab and shove me. They knocked me entirely away from the gate, pulling and pushing me backwards. Then someone shouted for the police. “Finally,” I thought, “they’ll get these goons off me!”
And that’s when the cops jumped me.
Three from behind—one on each arm and one around the neck and shoulders—and one in front. At least one of the thugs who jumped me started accusing me of assault. Once again, I haven’t pushed, shoved or hit anyone. I was just trying to walk into the gates of a high school sports field for a public rally. OK, so maybe they didn’t like my shirt, but it wasn’t any more offensive than their shouts of “anti-immigrant Republican abuse!” coming from the podium inside.
The cops grabbed my tape recorder, my ABC Radio ID and detained me. Ignoring my questions about why I was being held but the people who illegally prevented me from entering the rally weren’t, the police escorted me back to my car and demanded more ID. Then they kept me there for approximately 15 minutes. They never detained any of the people who jumped me.
By sheer coincidence, columnist and blogger Michelle Malkin happened to be covering the pro-illegal immigration rally too. She and her husband saw what was happening and approached my police guards. She started asking questions and the Montgomery County Police suggested she find somewhere else to be. She did, however, get a photo of me being escorted by the cops.
After several phone calls and conversations, the police official in charge made a very disturbing comment: “Look, we can’t stop you from going in there in that shirt,” he said. “But if you do, I can’t guarantee your safety. And when people in there start jumping on you, I’ve got to send my officers in to get you out and that puts them in danger.”
In other words, he was confident that the people at the rally would kick my a…er, would react with violence. I wasn’t worried about it, but the officer seemed all but certain of it.
So we came to an agreement: I would turn my shirt inside out in deference to the concerns of the police.
I walked in the front gates—right past the entirely unmolested, unidentified group of thugs who jumped me—and down to the poorly attended rally.
That’s when I discovered I was being followed.
Several activists followed me through the crowd, some speaking in Spanish to the people around me. I said nothing. I just went toward the front to hear the speakers. And who is the emcee of the event? Why, it’s the guy who stopped me at the gate to begin with! It’s Juan Carlos Ruiz—he’s just some stooge with Casa de Maryland. He wasn’t a cop or security guard of any kind.
He was ranting away about “No License—No Peace” and how Maryland better not start actually checking to make sure the IDs presented at the motor vehicle offices are real, so I took a good look at the crowd. Very small. Casa de Maryland predicted 5,000 people, but it was closer to 300. I started to take a crowd shot, and that’s when I was jumped AGAIN!
The gang that had been following me circled me with their protest signs to stop me from taking photographs. They called in English and Spanish to the people around us to create a “sign wall” around me. It was hilarious. It was like that TV commercial with the woman who has some credit card and is surrounded by Secret Service. Every time I moved, they moved with me, trying to block the lens of my camera, all the while calling me a “racist,” a “bigot” and a bunch of stuff in Spanish that didn’t sound very nice.
There's much more to tell, and we'll be talking about it on my radio show at 9am Monday on 630 WMAL in Washington, DC. Listen over the web at www.michaelgraham.com
It was a public event. The whole point is that one person was being barred from attendance and forced to present ID. Does it matter what ID they were asking for? Why should anyone have to provide any ID at all? None of the illegals were asked to present their IDs?
And how do you know what ABC ID was presented? Were you there?
"No Maryland cop can be that dumb, can they????"
Yes. Yes, they can.
The world is upside down. If you ask that your government enforce its immigration laws and defend the border from an invasion of millions of criminals a year, the FOQNAs call you a racist. It's really pathetic.
Funny thing, I can't tell the "race" of these invaders.
JMO, some are creying out loud. Look at the anger by some on FR of Cinco De Mayo. A holiday that is basically the springtime St. Patrick's Day, where American owned chain Mexican restaurants have Corona's half off and the blonde buxom waitress, named Barb, makes more than her usual tips for the day. Oh the horror.
Who cares what they call us; they are mindless twits anyway. About 2 year ago, I was hammering the FR7 and they pulled the race card on me. They gave up when I told them I was married to a LEGAL hispanic, and my American business partner's name is Arturo Prieto Flores.......
R O T F L M A O
Any holiday that signifies the defeating of the French should be a holiday for all of us on the Freep.
By gum, I gotta agree with that!
If we put out commercials on what illegal immigration is and isn't, I think we can get our message through.
Also, if we show the dangers of illegal immigration (Terrorism and unchecked disease and criminal elements) to the average American, we might change the American populace's mind.
"Personally, I don't think our message is getting through to the American populace. An average American thinks an illegal immigrant is just somebody who's not a naturalized citizen, so they think we're against all immigration instead of just unctrolled immigration. "
Yes, and we have ALL of the national media to thank for covering the truth up.
Let me restate it then. An ABCNEWS ID confers no more "privileges" upon a person than a Burger King ID does. It will only allow those privileges that have been negotiated with those providing security. If you want to get into Burger King Corporate HQ, your Burger King ID will confer privileges on you that your ABCNEWS ID will not. An ABCNEWS ID is not a free pass.
Time for MD to start thinking about which elected officials will go and which will stay.
I think we should all calm down & trust the President's political instincts on this issue.
Why won't you answer the question? If it was a public event, wny are you supporting the illegal immigrant allies who demanded an ID from someone they apparently didn't like? What's this crap about what ID was being presented? Did you see the ID? Was it a press credential, an employment ID, a business card? You said the guy could get fired over it. Did you see it? Do you know what you're talking about?
Where are our nasty attorneys. Sue the bastards!!! Call the FBI this is a civil rights violation.
Are you missing the irony that Michael was trying to display?
The point wasn't that he had a "press pass". The point was that at a rally against Ids, he was kept out because they said he didn't have enough Id.
Then it went from ironic to scary as they beat him up. And apparently with the blessing of the organizer, who is involved with Casa De Maryland, which is a big not-for-profit (meaning only that they get tax breaks, government grants, while paying their leaders good salaries) which is taking over the illegal immigrant concession in the tri-county area. They lobby hard for day-labor centers.
The guy mentioned (Ruis?) shows up regularly in news stories, portrayed as a rational, peaceful man wanting only to make things better for the downtrodden of the world.
And there he was, somehow looking complicit in the "downtrodding" of an American Citizen who showed up at a public event.
I remember when police would arrest people for assault and battery. Even in Maryland. It sounds like the police wouldn't even take a report.
Illegal immigration is big business, and it is entrenched. Look at the Casa De Maryland web site, at their budget which is growing by huge amounts. Look at how much federal, state, and local money they get for providing services. Then look how their leaders act in public. A popular radio commentator gets beaten up at a public rally.
" I think we should all calm down & trust the President's political instincts on this issue."
Sure.....we've heard about politicians with "plans." Hell, I believe Kerry might have a plan also. Bush has had 5 years to approach the illegal alien problem, but yet has sat on his arse and allowed the flow to go unchecked. What's ironic is that when he was governor he thought the problem needed addressing without delay. He even went as far as to bill the Feds for doing the Feds work relating to illegal aliens. Why oh why has it become a non-issue? Could it possibly that he doesn't want to upset those that financed his presidental campaign? Who owns George W. Bush? It sure as hell isn't the voters!!
The Cops WERE doing there job in case you didn't notice. They warned this guy that he could possibly get hurt if he went back into that event and it was also a strong possibility that a few cops would HAVE to get hurt as well when they had to go back in and save him from the crowd.
I see this differently than you because I'm married to a cop. I'd be pretty damn upset at this guy if my husband had to go in and save him from that crowd and turn around and get hurt himself.
No, I mean the mess in that crowd. They were all worked up and this guy knew it. He could have given two craps about the cops who would have probably gotten hurt saving his butt once he had been warned. I thought this guy was selfish.
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