Publish to Newswire
Add an EventFrom the Open-Publishing Calendar
From the Open-Publishing Newswire
Indybay Feature
IMMIGRANT RIGHTS GROUPS DEMAND JUSTICE
This is the story (and pictures) of an immigrant rights march in Fresno which was held on July 10, 2003
IMMIGRANT RIGHTS GROUPS DEMAND JUSTICE
By Mike Rhodes
Over 100 immigrant rights activists and their supporters marched through downtown Fresno on July 10, 2003 demanding justice. The march, part of a statewide tour organized by Centro Azteca de Informacion, promoted several issues. A central theme in the march was the need for undocumented workers to have a drivers license. Speakers at the rally said that Immigrant workers need to have the ability to obtain a drivers licence so they learn the driving rules of this country and to prevent the exploitation that takes place when they are dependent upon farm labor contractors for all of their transportation needs.
One aspect of the march and rally that surprised some local participants was the call to recall California Governor Gray Davis. Largely seen as a Republican effort, the recall of Davis is not supported uniformly by the broad progressive movement. But, the effort to oust Davis was a central theme at the event. Peter Camejo, the Green Party candidate for Governor in the last election, was on hand and appears prepared to run again if the recall effort succeeds. Camejo said that “at this time the Democrats are not planning on running a candidate.” If there are 4 or 5 Republicans on the ballot they will split the conservative vote leaving everyone else to vote for the only left of center candidate on the ballot - Camejo. What a fascinating prospect!
Speakers at the rally demanded drivers licences for immigrants, legalization for undocumented workers, and an end to racial profiling of police who target immigrants - often times impounding their cars and then charging extortion like rates for their return. Governor Davis was a frequent target and listeners were reminded that he had pledged to support a drivers license bill for immigrants and then reversed his position vetoing SB60 written and sponsored by Senator Gil Cedillo. Cedillo, who spoke at the rally in front of Fresno City Hall, called on Governor Davis to honor the hard work and dignity of immigrant workers by supporting their call for “Legalization and Drivers Licences for All.”
The predominately Latino/immigrant participants in the march were joined by local Green Party activists. The event was largely organized by Centro Azteca with local support from a group in Parlier called Proyecto de Union Cominitaria. They can be reached by calling Angelina Solano (559) 213-3306 or Pastor Durate at (559) 459-0744. Their email is unioncomunitaria [at] hotmail.com
###
By Mike Rhodes
Over 100 immigrant rights activists and their supporters marched through downtown Fresno on July 10, 2003 demanding justice. The march, part of a statewide tour organized by Centro Azteca de Informacion, promoted several issues. A central theme in the march was the need for undocumented workers to have a drivers license. Speakers at the rally said that Immigrant workers need to have the ability to obtain a drivers licence so they learn the driving rules of this country and to prevent the exploitation that takes place when they are dependent upon farm labor contractors for all of their transportation needs.
One aspect of the march and rally that surprised some local participants was the call to recall California Governor Gray Davis. Largely seen as a Republican effort, the recall of Davis is not supported uniformly by the broad progressive movement. But, the effort to oust Davis was a central theme at the event. Peter Camejo, the Green Party candidate for Governor in the last election, was on hand and appears prepared to run again if the recall effort succeeds. Camejo said that “at this time the Democrats are not planning on running a candidate.” If there are 4 or 5 Republicans on the ballot they will split the conservative vote leaving everyone else to vote for the only left of center candidate on the ballot - Camejo. What a fascinating prospect!
Speakers at the rally demanded drivers licences for immigrants, legalization for undocumented workers, and an end to racial profiling of police who target immigrants - often times impounding their cars and then charging extortion like rates for their return. Governor Davis was a frequent target and listeners were reminded that he had pledged to support a drivers license bill for immigrants and then reversed his position vetoing SB60 written and sponsored by Senator Gil Cedillo. Cedillo, who spoke at the rally in front of Fresno City Hall, called on Governor Davis to honor the hard work and dignity of immigrant workers by supporting their call for “Legalization and Drivers Licences for All.”
The predominately Latino/immigrant participants in the march were joined by local Green Party activists. The event was largely organized by Centro Azteca with local support from a group in Parlier called Proyecto de Union Cominitaria. They can be reached by calling Angelina Solano (559) 213-3306 or Pastor Durate at (559) 459-0744. Their email is unioncomunitaria [at] hotmail.com
###
For more information:
http://www.fresnoalliance.com/home
Add Your Comments
Comments
(Hide Comments)
You have no right to a driver's license in this state. If you want one, go back to Jalisco and get it there. Then, should you wish to immigrate to this country, go apply at the US consulate and wait until your number is called. Don't break our laws. You have no right to demand anything.
If american companies stoped using and abusing immigrants in sweatshops, farming,childcare and the food service in this country it would there would be less of an incentive to "break our laws". But, they would not. These companies depend on workers they can pay next to nothing. Many people in this country don't work long hours for pay below minium wage. But those who risk their lives everyday to cross the Mexican/U.S. boarder look for these opportunities to create a better life for themselves and their families. It is a way out of poverty. A level of poverty that many americans will never know and can't understand or visualize. american companies know this and take advantage of this fact. So, don't get pissed at the people who cross boarders, overstay or violate immigration laws they only want the economic and political freedom we have by birth in this country. Get pisses at the companies that abuse these people and hope and pray that more will cross the boarder.
Many people in this country don't work long hours for pay below minium wage.
show us which companies??? (proof??)
show us which companies??? (proof??)
PLEASE COME OUT OF THE DARK!
After doing a simple search on msn.com and yahoo.com (just to see what information was available outside of the public library)
I have found several sites and stories about labor abuses of undocumented workers. Entire industries can only exists and continue to exits at their high profit levels by exploiting undocumented workers. This information is not a secret.
It is not a whisper behind closed doors.
Many people like you want “proof”. If you can sit at your computer and post messages on this site then you can find all the proof you need on the internet, in the comfort and safety of your own home.
Here are a few sites to get you started:
Sweatshop Abuses in America
http://www.sweatshops.org
http://www.sweatshop-retail.org/NRF%20website/history.htm
http://workers.labor.net.au/92/c_historicalfeature_sweat.html
http://americanhistory.si.edu/sweatshops/
http://americanhistory.si.edu/sweatshops/ffchain/ffchain.htm
http://www.sweatshops-retail.org/NRF%20Website/history.htm
http://www.wealth4freedom.com/truth/10/slavery.htm
http://www.sweatshops.org/educate/victories.html#11
Restaurant employee Abuses
http://www.nfg.org/reports/83paperchase.htm
http://echo.colum.edu/back/winspr02/features3.html
http://www.dti.gov.uk/illegal/illegals-report.pdf
Article on the governments anti-immigrant policies after 9/11
http://www.dollarsandsense.org/archives/2003/0103bacon.html
Domestic Workers Rights and Abuses
http://www.hrw.org/press/2001/06/usdom-0614.htm
http://www.hrw.org/reports/2001/usadom/
http://www.themilitant.com/2002/6614/661466.html
Migrant farm workers
http://www.unitedfarmworkers.com/
(Please read about the life of Cesar Chavez, he was a wonderful and compassionate man who fought for the rights of workers from all ethnic backgrounds with nonviolence)
Hope this sets you on the right path my brother.
The truth is out there, you just have to open your eyes and look.
Peace to you!
After doing a simple search on msn.com and yahoo.com (just to see what information was available outside of the public library)
I have found several sites and stories about labor abuses of undocumented workers. Entire industries can only exists and continue to exits at their high profit levels by exploiting undocumented workers. This information is not a secret.
It is not a whisper behind closed doors.
Many people like you want “proof”. If you can sit at your computer and post messages on this site then you can find all the proof you need on the internet, in the comfort and safety of your own home.
Here are a few sites to get you started:
Sweatshop Abuses in America
http://www.sweatshops.org
http://www.sweatshop-retail.org/NRF%20website/history.htm
http://workers.labor.net.au/92/c_historicalfeature_sweat.html
http://americanhistory.si.edu/sweatshops/
http://americanhistory.si.edu/sweatshops/ffchain/ffchain.htm
http://www.sweatshops-retail.org/NRF%20Website/history.htm
http://www.wealth4freedom.com/truth/10/slavery.htm
http://www.sweatshops.org/educate/victories.html#11
Restaurant employee Abuses
http://www.nfg.org/reports/83paperchase.htm
http://echo.colum.edu/back/winspr02/features3.html
http://www.dti.gov.uk/illegal/illegals-report.pdf
Article on the governments anti-immigrant policies after 9/11
http://www.dollarsandsense.org/archives/2003/0103bacon.html
Domestic Workers Rights and Abuses
http://www.hrw.org/press/2001/06/usdom-0614.htm
http://www.hrw.org/reports/2001/usadom/
http://www.themilitant.com/2002/6614/661466.html
Migrant farm workers
http://www.unitedfarmworkers.com/
(Please read about the life of Cesar Chavez, he was a wonderful and compassionate man who fought for the rights of workers from all ethnic backgrounds with nonviolence)
Hope this sets you on the right path my brother.
The truth is out there, you just have to open your eyes and look.
Peace to you!
dear bayman .....
first of all you need to see it from our point of view to even be telling us immigrants to go back where we came from. for some of us the shots were called before we could even make a decicion for ourselves. in my case i was 3 when my parenst brought me to this country as an illegal immigrant. u think i want to be here????? how do u think it feels to be living in what you citizens call "the land of the free" when we have no rights???? it is not a land of the free for us. every day we struggle and we do the best we can. i don't necessarily like being here the way i live but there is no better place. alrhough sometimes i get so frustrated that i cant go to college and i cant work here, but what else would i be doing? if my parents had never brought me here then i would not be even close to educated. a couple of months ago i got pulled over by a highway patrol out on the highway and you have no idea how humiliating it is to tell a "citizen" you are an illegal immigrant that the reason why dont have a licence is because your parents made a mistake and now u are paying for it. i dont like doing that. and im sure you would not like it either. so please before telling any immigrant , because not all of us come from mexico, to go back to their country why dont you talk to them before you start to judge. oviously you are a close minded person and you dont care about issues so do us all a favor and dont talk unless u know first hand what we go through everyday.
first of all you need to see it from our point of view to even be telling us immigrants to go back where we came from. for some of us the shots were called before we could even make a decicion for ourselves. in my case i was 3 when my parenst brought me to this country as an illegal immigrant. u think i want to be here????? how do u think it feels to be living in what you citizens call "the land of the free" when we have no rights???? it is not a land of the free for us. every day we struggle and we do the best we can. i don't necessarily like being here the way i live but there is no better place. alrhough sometimes i get so frustrated that i cant go to college and i cant work here, but what else would i be doing? if my parents had never brought me here then i would not be even close to educated. a couple of months ago i got pulled over by a highway patrol out on the highway and you have no idea how humiliating it is to tell a "citizen" you are an illegal immigrant that the reason why dont have a licence is because your parents made a mistake and now u are paying for it. i dont like doing that. and im sure you would not like it either. so please before telling any immigrant , because not all of us come from mexico, to go back to their country why dont you talk to them before you start to judge. oviously you are a close minded person and you dont care about issues so do us all a favor and dont talk unless u know first hand what we go through everyday.
You have the full power to return to your homeland and do as you want. Nobody is forcing you to stay here - you say you don't want to remain - YOU said it not me.
You are typing on a computer and accessing the internet here in the USA and COMPLAINING.
No license... no drive. You are not a citizen and you do not have the rights of one. Yo may not have had the choice at age 3. But you have the choice now. This is not "closed minded thought", it is reality in a real world.
You are typing on a computer and accessing the internet here in the USA and COMPLAINING.
No license... no drive. You are not a citizen and you do not have the rights of one. Yo may not have had the choice at age 3. But you have the choice now. This is not "closed minded thought", it is reality in a real world.
Mexicans are trying to take back what they lost after the mexican american war by migration and procreation. I tell you this every single true citizen and american company will leave this god forsaken state and it will be a desert once again.
I just want to tell you "citizen", thank you for your good heart for all those immigrants!! good bless you!!
"Mexicans are trying to take back what they lost after the mexican american war by migration and procreation. I tell you this every single true citizen and american company will leave this god forsaken state and it will be a desert once again."
That has to be one of the stupidest comments i have ever read. Take what back? California? Thats our reason for migrating here? Dipshit. We come for a better life, we come for our families, we come to better ourselves and the people around us, we come to flee from the suffering. Excuse friggin me and my people for trying to do the best for our familes. Excuse me for trying to make a better living and working my ass off so my family can life a long, healthy, happy, life. And by the way, there is no such thing as a true citizen Jacko, because everyone here is an immigrant. Unless your native american, dont bitch.
That has to be one of the stupidest comments i have ever read. Take what back? California? Thats our reason for migrating here? Dipshit. We come for a better life, we come for our families, we come to better ourselves and the people around us, we come to flee from the suffering. Excuse friggin me and my people for trying to do the best for our familes. Excuse me for trying to make a better living and working my ass off so my family can life a long, healthy, happy, life. And by the way, there is no such thing as a true citizen Jacko, because everyone here is an immigrant. Unless your native american, dont bitch.
This is a misleading headline. These people are not marching for immigration rights, they are marching for illegal immigration rights.
Don't ever confuse immigration with law breaking. Lumping honest immigrants with illegals does a disservice to the millions who followed the laws of the country they wanted to move to and entered legally. The others are breaking the law.
Don't ever confuse immigration with law breaking. Lumping honest immigrants with illegals does a disservice to the millions who followed the laws of the country they wanted to move to and entered legally. The others are breaking the law.
Supporting drivers licenses for illegal aliens means supporting big business. Big business likes illegals because they are cheap. They want to make it easy for them to get to their low paid jobs. And they don't mind selling them cars and gas.
People who support, back or help illegal immigrants are nieve, stupidly helping big business and big farming exploit these poor workers.
Big business doesn't fear the illegals - they know that California will never break away and join Mexico. They fear the elimination of illegals. They fear a guest worker program that US unions can operate with.
As long as their are illegals in the US Big Business is happy. The best and most humane thing people can do is a 'tough love' program towards the illegals. Stop them and force Big business' hand. With illegals available they will never change. Without illegals they hve to.
People who support, back or help illegal immigrants are nieve, stupidly helping big business and big farming exploit these poor workers.
Big business doesn't fear the illegals - they know that California will never break away and join Mexico. They fear the elimination of illegals. They fear a guest worker program that US unions can operate with.
As long as their are illegals in the US Big Business is happy. The best and most humane thing people can do is a 'tough love' program towards the illegals. Stop them and force Big business' hand. With illegals available they will never change. Without illegals they hve to.
This is the most obsured thing I have ever heard. These illegal immigrants shouldn't even be here working, so why do they need drivers license to get back and fourth to work. This just only promotes other illegal immigrants to come to our state and take work away from honest decent working people who needs it. Honestly why would any big companys pay a hard working citizen of the United States when they can pay for half of what it would cost to an illegal. Lets start smelling the coffe people and wake up. They can't read or write engligh what makes you think that they will learn the correct way to drive. And when they cause accidents on the road do you honestly think that they will equip themselves with insurance. How can an illegal immigrant drive and work in a place that they aren't allowed to be in, in the first place. This make me angry and embarrsed that such a law was allowed to be singed in the first place. Governor Gray Davis you need to go. Your priorties are not in order. You are doing anything you can to try to get more votes to stay in office, and trying to get more money by allowing more unsafe people drive to pay for taxes, dmv fees and etc. Just get out of office!!!!
who ever wrote about the stupid plan is stupid themselves. They don't know that we are doing them a favor. If it wasn't for us they wouldn't have nobody to do the cheap labor and the stupid amount of money that they pay us. It is people like the author of the stupid plan who make our society so currupt. This person's ansestors and probably herself are immigrants. They don't know tha Tanks Giving is selebrated because of the immigrants who migrated to the U.S.
We are 100% volunteer and depend on your participation to sustain our efforts!
Donate
$55.00 donated
in the past month
Get Involved
If you'd like to help with maintaining or developing the website, contact us.
Publish
Publish your stories and upcoming events on Indybay.
Topics
More
Search Indybay's Archives
Advanced Search
►
▼
IMC Network