Tuesday, May 02, 2006

Marching for Liberty and Justice For All

May Day, 2006 enjoyed the largest display of Chicago-area lobbying for federal legislation in the last few decades.

An absolute wave of people -- mostly Latino -- took over Jackson Boulevard for more than a mile.

Why did these people gather? To lobby for federal legislation.

Yesterday would make Norman Rockwell proud. Yesterday was more civic and more patriotic than Independence Day.

My favorite symbol of the march was a Latino man with a weary face and a proud smile floating above the rolling wages of people. He was walking on his construction stilts for the three-mile march, clearly a drywaller or similar contractor, wearing his work clothes and a yellow hard hat painted with a red-white-and-blue bald eagle, holding a hand-written sign that read "We trust USA to give us justice for all" -- joining hundreds of thousands of other people who looked like they came straight from their jobs to join together and ask Congress to live up to our nation's highest ideals.

Yesterday was a proud day for Chicago and the country.

We have Representative Sensenbrenner to thank for much of it, because without HR 4437, the punitive bill passed by the House a few months ago that would criminalize the undocumented and those who support them, this movement for justice and a push for a smarter, more progressive immigration policy would never have been born.

The parade was absolutely full of Mexican people and American flags.

I hope that Congress will follow Illinois' lead by implementing pro-immigrant policies that will benefit all of us.

[cross-posted at djwinfo.blogspot.com]

13 comments:

Bill Baar 2:59 PM  

Seems to me, if you want free movement of labor accross borders, you strengthen CAFTA.

That's what the European Union was all about.

Why wouldn't an American Union make as much sense?

And... if 40% of Mexians live below a poverty level (a quote from telemundo this am) why in the world isn't SEIU organizing in Mexico?

Labor used to be International.

fedup dem 3:44 PM  

Unlike Illinois, Wisconsin will hold its Primary Election during the second week of September. The filing deadline there isn't until July 11. So perhaps after seeing these marches Congressman Sensenbrenner may just have the sense (pardon the pun) to retire.

If not, voters can work for his Democratic opponent, Bryan Kennedy (remember that district is in the suburbs of Milwaukee, less than a two-hour drive from the Chicago area).

Anonymous,  4:14 PM  

You should look into the 10th ward 1999 race where HDO got ILLEGAL ALIENS to ILLEGALLY vote.
I am pro-immigration, and sympathetic to even illegal immigrants BUT promoting VOTING by illegal aliens is WRONG and illegal. How come the HDO drug dealers and illegal alien vote coordinators and Hired Trucks beneficiaries are NOT IN JAIL!!!!!

Bill Baar 4:16 PM  

DJW,
What blows me away with the Democrats on this issue is it seem to be ok with them to make a Mexian or Central American run the gauntlet to get north for a job, but it's a huge problem to export a job to them in Mexico / Central America...

Until the Democrats can get a sensible policy together... it's just hard to buy off on the the social justice angle here...

Where's the justice in having people come here illegally at great risk, allow business to mock the law; and yet scream when we free trade and allow jobs to go where they can be best done?

This makes no sense and not particularly just.

Anonymous,  4:17 PM  

HDO is an embarassment to Hispanics.

Deport HDO

Dan Johnson 10:27 PM  

I agree that it makes a lot of sense to create a North American Union. And I think the Dems are closer than the GOPers in formulating a positive approach to immigration. Or maybe it's a tie. But why pick on the Dems, Bill? Are the Republicans really putting forward a more hopeful vision? I definitely agree that labor should be continental and a North American Union with North American labor standards would help make that happen. Wouldn't it be great if prosecutors like Patrick Fitzgerald could investigate Mexican corruption? What a fantastic way to improve the quality of lives of Mexicans....

Bill Baar 6:25 AM  

DJW,
Watch, by 2008, the Democrats will be the new America First party. A party committed to building walls, protectionism, and minding our own very narrowly construed self-interests.

Pat Buchanen will bring his neo isolationist chunk from the right into it... as will Greens....

If you're an internationalist, who thinks America's fate is linked with the rest of the world and that we're committed to lead by viture of our vast economic and military power... then there will be no place for you in the new Democratic party.

Anonymous,  11:38 AM  

If there's some award for wrong prediction of the year, Bill's above post would be in the running.

Bill Baar 3:26 PM  

It's a prediction for two years...

...save it... a crack up for Dems is coming.

No one should think it a good thing.

Anonymous,  3:48 PM  

Bill, wanna bet $1,000 on that?

monelson6 11:04 PM  

Hold the phone... please help me understand the following:

"HR 4437, the punitive bill passed by the House a few months ago that would criminalize the undocumented "

Aren't the "undocumented" actually individuals in the United States without permisssion of the US? Logic tells me that they then entered the US without permission or what more commonly is called breaking the law or criminals.

So the law won't "criminalize the undocumented " for two reasons - first the law does not criminalize people, people choose not to follow the law and be criminal, and second they already are criminalized by thier own acts of illegally entering this country.

Change the law, but don't tell me this was a great day because it celebrated how easy it is top violate our laws.

monelson6 11:07 PM  

If not an American Union, let's just annex Mexico. Illegal immigration problem solved, cost us less probably and economic access to cheaper labor.

Bill Baar 10:22 AM  

Billiam,

A few beers for sure.

Monelson,

Statehood for Mexico? I'd put it on the table as I would PR, Northern Ireland, or the West Bank.

Bush suggested a NAFTA like agreement to Turkey if Europe denied them the EU.

There is a Commonwealth solution to some of these problems.

I'd consider it.

Someone will call it neo imperialist.... I just find it odd people bitterly opposed to CAFTA and NAFTA look at immigration as a social justice issue and take such opposite positions on what ultimately are the same things...

...and for which the Just response is free movement of goods, capital, and labor without restriction.

I don't think Democrats have sorted out the implications of that.

If you believe in American exceptionalism and leadership..it's obvious.

  © Blogger template The Professional Template by Ourblogtemplates.com 2008

Back to TOP