Illegal alien rally in Washington D.C.
(Free use)
WASHINGTON - Hundreds of immigrant workers and their supporters rolled into the nationâs capital Wednesday, bringing their "freedom ride" for better treatment to the halls of Congress.
They came on 18 buses from Seattle, San Francisco, Miami, Minneapolis and six other cities - with nearly 900 participants representing about 50 countries.
Any with Venezuelan papers?
Inspired by the original freedom riders of the 1960s, who boarded buses to protest segregation, the immigrant riders used their bus tour to gain support for legalization of ILLEGAL undocumented workers, better working conditions and reforms to hasten the reunification of families.
"This is to show that there are bad laws hurting good people," said Dave Glaser, national director of the Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride.
Sorry but âgood peopleâ dont break federal laws -- these are CRIMINALS and should be depoted.
The immigrants stopped in about 100 cities and towns on their way to Washington, where they were greeted on a cool, fall afternoon with red-white-and-blue balloons, signs reading "Justice for all" and lots of food - hot dogs, hamburgers, popcorn and snow cones.
Organizers said they received mostly warm receptions along the way to Washington - a sharp contrast to the original freedom riders, who were met with angry mobs and mass arrests.
Araceli Zarate arrived on the bus from Minneapolis, and had tears streaming down her face as she talked about how she hasnât seen two of her children - who are still in Mexico - for six years.
Then go back to Mexico!
"We work hard and all we want is to do is to find a future for our children," she said.
Then do things Legally. There *is* a legal process.
Muradieu Joseph, an immigrant who fled Haiti in 1991 and came on the bus from Boston, said heâs living the American dream now with a job, a car and a place to live.
"Immigrants are not coming to bother anybody, theyâre coming to help build this country and make the nation greater," Joseph said.
The Federation for American Immigration Reform, which seeks to sharply reduce immigration, said the new freedom ride "created a whole new category of outrageousness."
Linking their freedom ride to the 1960s "is an insult to the intellect of the American public," said David Ray, a spokesman for the federation. "First, illegal aliens thumb their noses at our immigration laws and then they try to paint themselves as victims."
I agree.
Organizers declined to say how many participants were undocumented workers.
Wait.. if they can take this freedom ride all over the country... are they âworkersâ?
The immigrants plan to lobby Congress on Thursday before getting back on their buses and heading to a rally planned for Saturday in New York.
I would like to point out that I am not against immigrants -- I married one (a legal immigrant)! I am just against ILLEGAL immigrants (and their supporters) who break our federal laws and pose a legitimate danger to our nation. There *is* a legal process for people to immigrate to the United States and there are thousands of people waiting their turn (some for years) to immigrate legally. These assholes are attempting to cut in line.
Posted by: CrazyFool 2003-10-01 |