Look what La Raza's up to, well we beat them to it.

[Jeanfromfillmore]

This is one week after our rally. Our next one will be in the Valley.



Valley activists plan rally in push for immigration rights
By Tony Castro, Staff Writer
With renewed debate over immigration reform expected in Congress next year, the San Fernando Valley could become a hotbed of activity as activists plan a massive rally and outreach efforts to draw attention to the cause.
Those supporters said their decision to bring the immigration reform issue into the heart of the Valley reflects a growing impatience with the pace of immigration change among immigrant advocates, labor and religious groups and a coalition of Democratic lawmakers.
"Our community, the greater community of the San Fernando Valley, has over a million immigrants all told," said businessman and immigration activist Robert Gittelson. "It is truly, truly a tragedy that probably several hundred thousand of our neighbors and our friends and our co-workers here are undocumented.
"If you think of the United States as a melting pot, we're at ground zero right here in the San Fernando Valley."
Gittelson is among the Valley-based immigration reform advocates who last week announced they are organizing an unprecedented immigration rights rally late next month. They hope thousands of people will march from the Van Nuys Civic Center to Church on the Way on Sherman Way.
The Valley rally scheduled for Jan. 23, they said, will be in support of recently introduced legislation that would open a path to legal status for millions of illegal immigrants nationwide.
Such legislation has been hotly opposed by Republican congressional representatives, and conservative groups like the Minuteman Project, which formed several years ago to monitor illegal border crossings.
Citizens' rights first
U.S. Rep. Elton Gallegly, R-Thousand Oaks, said with unemployment at a 26-year high and many Americans losing their homes, his first responsibility is for the welfare of legal citizens and residents.
"Congress must concentrate on ensuring (that) every person with a legal right to work in the United States has the opportunity for a job and does not have to compete against illegal immigrants to provide for their families," said Gallegly, whose office was the target of an interfaith rally calling for immigration reform earlier this month, in a written statement.
"We must put American families first."
Reform advocates say extending the pro-reform movement to the Valley was also part of a strategy to boost their ranks and present a more diversified face in the national debate.
"This movement is not so dissimilar from the African-American civil rights movements of the '60s and '70s and even today," said labor activist David Frelow of the Laborers Pacific Southwest Regional Organizing Coalition.
Invoking civil rights icons
"Let's not forget those immigrants have helped build this great nation and those who will continue to make this a great nation."
Frelow and others invoked the memories of United Farm Workers founder Cesar Chavez and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., saying they hope that next month's immigration rally will take on the symbolism of right over might associated with historic marches led by Chavez and King.
"All of us have received some measure of grace from God, and we need to extend that grace of God to others," said the Rev. James A. Tolle, senior pastor of Church on the Way in Van Nuys. "And what better group of people than to extend it to the immigrants that are here in the United States.
"We're wanting to take the principles of Jesus Christ and apply them to our fellow human beings. We're to love our neighbors as ourself."
Advocates urge action
Immigration advocates had hoped Congress would pass reform legislation in 2009, but the issue was pushed to the back burner by the health care debate and other White House priorities, even though President Barack Obama had promised to undertake immigration reform within the first 100 days of his administration.
"Now there is only a brief window, and it's got to get done," said labor and immigrants rights activist Julio Marroquin. "It's got to get done sometime between January and June because then you get into the midterm (congressional) elections."
Some Democrats have voiced concerns that putting the controversial immigration issue at the forefront in an important midterm election year could present political challenges for Democratic congressional candidates and, ultimately, support of the president's agenda in Congress.
But immigrant rights activists say two years without significant progress on immigration reform risks demoralizing Latino voters who helped Democrats win control of Congress in 2006 and the White House in 2008.
"There will never be a perfect time to pass immigration reform, just as there was never the perfect time to pass health care reform," said Juan Jose Gutierrez, director of the immigration reform group Movimiento Latino USA.
The immigration bill introduced last week by U.S. Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez, D-Illinois, is regarded by even supporters as just the first outline of reform legislation expected to take fuller shape when Congress returns from the holidays.
Under the Gutierrez bill, to gain legal status and possibly citizenship, illegal immigrants who are already here would have to prove they had been working, pay a $500 fine, learn English and undergo a criminal background check, among other provisions.
But many Republicans find such a path to citizenship unpalatable.
"The notion of granting amnesty, awarding illegal behavior is something that concerns me greatly," said Rep. David Dreier, R-San Dimas.
http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_14035779?source=rss

[ilbegone]

Reform advocates say extending the pro-reform movement to the Valley was also part of a strategy to boost their ranks and present a more diversified face in the national debate.

"This movement is not so dissimilar from the African-American civil rights movements of the '60s and '70s and even today," said labor activist David Frelow of the Laborers Pacific Southwest Regional Organizing Coalition.

It is very different.

The Black civil rights movement (which was hijacked by racist brown nationalism) had to do with American citizens who had been here for many generations - it was not a vehicle for the legitimization of the relatively recent, illegally arrived from south of the border.

[PochoPatriot]

Originally Posted by Jeanfromfillmore

This is one week after our rally. Our next one will be in the Valley.



Valley activists plan rally in push for immigration rights
By Tony Castro, Staff Writer
With renewed debate over immigration reform expected in Congress next year, the San Fernando Valley could become a hotbed of activity as activists plan a massive rally and outreach efforts to draw attention to the cause.
Those supporters said their decision to bring the immigration reform issue into the heart of the Valley reflects a growing impatience with the pace of immigration change among immigrant advocates, labor and religious groups and a coalition of Democratic lawmakers.
"Our community, the greater community of the San Fernando Valley, has over a million immigrants all told," said businessman and immigration activist Robert Gittelson. "It is truly, truly a tragedy that probably several hundred thousand of our neighbors and our friends and our co-workers here are undocumented.
"If you think of the United States as a melting pot, we're at ground zero right here in the San Fernando Valley."
Gittelson is among the Valley-based immigration reform advocates who last week announced they are organizing an unprecedented immigration rights rally late next month. They hope thousands of people will march from the Van Nuys Civic Center to Church on the Way on Sherman Way.
The Valley rally scheduled for Jan. 23, they said, will be in support of recently introduced legislation that would open a path to legal status for millions of illegal immigrants nationwide.
Such legislation has been hotly opposed by Republican congressional representatives, and conservative groups like the Minuteman Project, which formed several years ago to monitor illegal border crossings.
Citizens' rights first
U.S. Rep. Elton Gallegly, R-Thousand Oaks, said with unemployment at a 26-year high and many Americans losing their homes, his first responsibility is for the welfare of legal citizens and residents.
"Congress must concentrate on ensuring (that) every person with a legal right to work in the United States has the opportunity for a job and does not have to compete against illegal immigrants to provide for their families," said Gallegly, whose office was the target of an interfaith rally calling for immigration reform earlier this month, in a written statement.
"We must put American families first."
Reform advocates say extending the pro-reform movement to the Valley was also part of a strategy to boost their ranks and present a more diversified face in the national debate.
"This movement is not so dissimilar from the African-American civil rights movements of the '60s and '70s and even today," said labor activist David Frelow of the Laborers Pacific Southwest Regional Organizing Coalition.
Invoking civil rights icons
"Let's not forget those immigrants have helped build this great nation and those who will continue to make this a great nation."
Frelow and others invoked the memories of United Farm Workers founder Cesar Chavez and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., saying they hope that next month's immigration rally will take on the symbolism of right over might associated with historic marches led by Chavez and King.
"All of us have received some measure of grace from God, and we need to extend that grace of God to others," said the Rev. James A. Tolle, senior pastor of Church on the Way in Van Nuys. "And what better group of people than to extend it to the immigrants that are here in the United States.
"We're wanting to take the principles of Jesus Christ and apply them to our fellow human beings. We're to love our neighbors as ourself."
Advocates urge action
Immigration advocates had hoped Congress would pass reform legislation in 2009, but the issue was pushed to the back burner by the health care debate and other White House priorities, even though President Barack Obama had promised to undertake immigration reform within the first 100 days of his administration.
"Now there is only a brief window, and it's got to get done," said labor and immigrants rights activist Julio Marroquin. "It's got to get done sometime between January and June because then you get into the midterm (congressional) elections."
Some Democrats have voiced concerns that putting the controversial immigration issue at the forefront in an important midterm election year could present political challenges for Democratic congressional candidates and, ultimately, support of the president's agenda in Congress.
But immigrant rights activists say two years without significant progress on immigration reform risks demoralizing Latino voters who helped Democrats win control of Congress in 2006 and the White House in 2008.
"There will never be a perfect time to pass immigration reform, just as there was never the perfect time to pass health care reform," said Juan Jose Gutierrez, director of the immigration reform group Movimiento Latino USA.
The immigration bill introduced last week by U.S. Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez, D-Illinois, is regarded by even supporters as just the first outline of reform legislation expected to take fuller shape when Congress returns from the holidays.
Under the Gutierrez bill, to gain legal status and possibly citizenship, illegal immigrants who are already here would have to prove they had been working, pay a $500 fine, learn English and undergo a criminal background check, among other provisions.
But many Republicans find such a path to citizenship unpalatable.
"The notion of granting amnesty, awarding illegal behavior is something that concerns me greatly," said Rep. David Dreier, R-San Dimas.
http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_14035779?source=rss

My question is how can we get these politicians that TALK the talk to actually show up to one of our rallies?

[ilbegone]

Originally Posted by PochoPatriot

My question is how can we get these politicians that TALK the talk to actually show up to one of our rallies?

It's too politically dangerous for them to show up at a rally, no matter what they say.

U.S. Rep. Elton Gallegly, R-Thousand Oaks, said with unemployment at a 26-year high and many Americans losing their homes, his first responsibility is for the welfare of legal citizens and residents. [Political position of strength]

"Congress must concentrate on ensuring (that) every person with a legal right to work in the United States has the opportunity for a job and does not have to compete against illegal immigrants to provide for their families," said Gallegly, whose office was the target of an interfaith rally calling for immigration reform earlier this month, in a written statement. [Voters not to be alienated (no pun intended), Republican Party Catch 22]

"We must put American families first."

"Now there is only a brief window, and it's got to get done," said labor and immigrants rights activist Julio Marroquin. "It's got to get done sometime between January and June because then you get into the midterm (congressional) elections."

Some Democrats have voiced concerns that putting the controversial immigration issue at the forefront in an important midterm election year could present political challenges for Democratic congressional candidates and, ultimately, support of the president's agenda in Congress. [Political position of weakness]

But immigrant rights activists say two years without significant progress on immigration reform risks demoralizing Latino voters who helped Democrats win control of Congress in 2006 and the White House in 2008. [Democrat Party Catch 22]

Illegal immigration is a subject which can burn both Republicans and Democrats with their constituencies.

The ducks all have to be in a row and everyone on board either way, or political careers will be over.