U.S. The sleeping giant awakens
Hey, sometimes there's good news to report.
On March 10 organizers called an Immigrant Rights rally in Chicago, expecting maybe 20,000. More than 10 times that came. On Saturday in Los Angeles, the turnout for the Immigrant Rights march was historic. The police estimate was 500,000. Univision, a Spanish-language television network, put it at over one million. I was there. Yes, it was one million.
This was by far the largest protest ever in California history. It's aimed at the noxious Sensenbrenner bill, which would make being undocumented a felony punishable by prison with no trial, make giving aid to the undocumented a felony, and build a 700 mile 12 foot wall between the US and Mexico. Ah, what a beacon of freedom the neocons want the US to be.
Organizers say if their demands are not met, there will be targeted boycotts of companies, work stoppages, and general strikes.
Oddly, US liberal blogs ignored the March 18 antiwar demonstrations, and sluggishly acknowledged the Immigrant March. Too busy referring to each others posts, I guess.
While they and US media snooze, the Latino working class is mobilizing to a degree not seen since the labor struggles of the 30's. This photo says it all, "The sleeping giant has awaken."
Even more heartening, the antiwar and immigrant rights movement are starting to join forces. My blog has lots of coverage.
this is my first post, so i
this is my first post, so i don't know where it will end up.
there is a significantly important article posted on the new york times website that will be of interest of readers to this blog.
Bush Was Set on Path to War, Memo by British Adviser Says
"Since then, The New York Times has reviewed the five-page memo in its entirety. While the president's sentiments about invading Iraq were known at the time, the previously unreported material offers an unfiltered view of two leaders on the brink of war, yet supremely confident.
The memo indicates the two leaders envisioned a quick victory and a transition to a new Iraqi government that would be complicated, but manageable. Mr. Bush predicted that it was "unlikely there would be internecine warfare between the different religious and ethnic groups." Mr. Blair agreed with that assessment.
The memo also shows that the president and the prime minister acknowledged that no unconventional weapons had been found inside Iraq. Faced with the possibility of not finding any before the planned invasion, Mr. Bush talked about several ways to provoke a confrontation, including a proposal to paint a United States surveillance plane in the colors of the United Nations in hopes of drawing fire, or assassinating Mr. Hussein."
maybe 1 million marching in
maybe 1 million marching in New York would scare the shit out of Bush and co,the murder of 3000 civilians is no little thing.
maybe 1 million marching in New York would scare the shit out of Bush and co,the murder of 3000 civilians is no little thing.
gee the link don´t
gee the link don´t work!!
http://edition.cnn.com/POLLSERVER/results/23968.exclude.html
try this
The marches were impressive
The marches were impressive and almost restored my confidence that the US can indeed muster the spirit to stage a fightback.
One thing that bothers me though. Where were the African American civil rights groups? They were most conspicuous by their absence. I have also heard some unsettling comments coming out of the African American community echoing the GOP xenophobia concerning 'ÃÂllegal' immigrants. While African Americans inndeed lose out massively in the employment market, it is important to link US reliance on cheap immigrant labour to slavery.
Have the immigrant rights advocacy organisations tried to enlist the support of African American civil rights groups? It is an issue of justice and liberty.
Given the various conflicting bills being presented in the House and the Senate, this fight is not over, it has only just started.