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Monday, May 1, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller The Tribune is live blogging today’s immigration rights march. Pretty much everybody in the “mainstream” media was caught off guard by the last march, and it appears the Trib doesn’t want that to happen again. Here’s a sample: 10:38 a.m. At a busy McDonald’s restaurant at Randolph and Dearborn Streets, a crew of about a dozen mostly Hispanic workers was bustling to serve customers lining up for breakfast and coffee. “Everything is normal,” said a worker.
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- Anon - Monday, May 1, 06 @ 11:10 am:
Some so called conservatives are hypocritical on immigration.
- Anon - Monday, May 1, 06 @ 11:10 am:
Are the Oberweiss ice cream stores closed today?
- Anon - Monday, May 1, 06 @ 11:14 am:
So does the INS/Homeland Security Department go around making lists of businesses that are closed so they can raid them for undocumented workers beginning tomorrow morning?
- Larry Horse - Monday, May 1, 06 @ 12:10 pm:
My Latin American Civilization class at the University of Chicago was cancelled today in solidarity with the protests.
The solution to the problem is simple: an EU-style common market for the entire Hemisphere with free trade, free capital movement, and free migration under a common passport. It would take the American economy and those of the entire hemisphere to heights heretofore unheardof and
- VanillaMan - Monday, May 1, 06 @ 12:11 pm:
It is called backlash. Everyone was surprised last month by the mass demonstrations. They, in turn, became the focus of the issue, not Washington. Sometimes a political success really screws things up by bad timing. That is what happened to the pro-Illegal movement. By surpassing expectations so greatly, they caused political panic; encouraging the Illegals to believe they had the momentum, (which they did), and scaring Washington into believing it too.
Lightening doesn’t strike twice. You don’t take a lucky break like last month’s demonstrations, and then declare it will happen on a specific date with this many people with a specific kind of result. You just set the expectations bar too high.
Now the media is watching. What we are seeing is that the pro-Illegal movement peaked last month. The Senate’s bill will become political fodder this summer in the US House and voters will have the last say on the matter.
Massive street demonstration have provoked a backlash. Pro-Illegal leaders already sensed this and tried to tamper down today’s expectations. Lightning doesn’t strike twice.
- Simple problem or simple minded? - Monday, May 1, 06 @ 12:16 pm:
It looks like one blogger needs to get out of the ozone in their classroom. The EU has crashed. There is nothing in Europe that is allowing millions of illegal aliens to move between countries. As a matter of fact, Europe is far stricter than the US regarding border security and illegal immigrants. These people have no rights, are given no rights, and are shipped out the moment they are found.
Try taking a business class at that school. It sounds like the Latin studies professor is out of touch with the facts.
- about face - Monday, May 1, 06 @ 12:36 pm:
great one anon 11:10, thanks for that great insight. Let’s not forget all the democrats who can’t help tripping over themselves to get to a microphone at these rallies.
- Lovie's Leather - Monday, May 1, 06 @ 12:44 pm:
What I have yet to understand is why the unions are encouraging their members to march… um… excuse me… but aren’t many union members complaining about illegal immigrants taking their jobs for lower wage. I would think unions would be outraged by illegal immigration… I guess I would be wrong. I know this though, if I were part of the union, I would want to close the border.
- Louis G. Atsaves - Monday, May 1, 06 @ 12:50 pm:
They are marching past my office building on Jackson Boulevard right now as I am typing this. They are organized, boisterous, respectful and LOUD! Like a moving party. Similar to the excited noise you would hear at a ballpark with the bases loaded and Thome or Ramierez at the plate.
Most common chants are USA! USA! USA! The coordinators are sending them down the street in waves. On Jackson Blvd. alone there must be 50,000 to 75,000 people from Wells street to as far as the eye can see. A mass of humanity from Wells street (my location) looking on west as far as the eye can see. And I cannot see the end of the parade/rally! I see more American flags downtown at my location than I saw post 9-11. Those who organized this mass rally must be commended.
Those living in the shadows or underground that came out today? Boy there are a lot of them. Everyone can talk about it all you want to but until you see their faces and who they are, it puts a whole new perspective on it.
Initially, they were on the street marching and chanting only. Now they have covered both sidewalks. A wall of humanity from building to building on both sides of the street.
The marchers reached my spot at noon. It is now 12:45 and the sea of humanity is still coming down the street with no end in sight.
Let me revise my crowd estimates. 200,000 on this street alone?
VERY IMPRESSIVE! America? American Government? State Government? City Governments? Are you listening? Are you paying attention?
Louis G. Atsaves
- Larry Horse - Monday, May 1, 06 @ 1:03 pm:
Larry Horse is an economics major and just about every professor at the Business School and the Economics department here would support such a plan as I have proposed. They may differ though on how gradually it should be implemented.
- Louis G. Atsaves - Monday, May 1, 06 @ 1:16 pm:
It is now 1:15 p.m. I still cannot see the end of this parade/rally on Jackson Boulevard. And I’m on the 10th floor! Forget my earlier crowd estimates. Now I’ll revise it to a half a million!
Louis G. Atsaves
- zatoichi - Monday, May 1, 06 @ 1:43 pm:
How is this issue any different then when the Irish, Germans, Poles, and Asians came here in huge numbers in the 1880’s-1920’s? They all had local neighborhoods where their culture thrived. Except that there were very few benefit programs and people worked hard to help themselves. My grandfather was a Polish coal miner who came to Illinois to work the mines in LaSalle-Peru. Populations were much smaller and you had to cross an ocean. Now those neighborhoods are changing as they always have.
Demonstrations (regardless of size) don’t mean squat except for TV and newspapers. What changes are going to come out of all this? If you have a job and can pay your way, go for it. There is no guarantee that everyone will be working. Solidarity? Against who? Lot of the rhetoric sounds like quotes from the Chicago Seed back in the 60’s. Economic power is one thing if it can be coordinated, expectation of a deserved free ride is another.
- Lovie's Leather - Monday, May 1, 06 @ 2:25 pm:
The only difference between then and now, Zaroichi, is my ancestors came legally. This isn’t about having Mexican’s in the United States. It is about the method in which they come. We don’t know who is coming over the border. I think we have a right to know who is coming into our country. I think that the illegals should be allowed to stay as long as they get documented within the next year, have a job, and aren’t convicted criminals. Then we need to build a wall. A lot of people say that is not economical. Well, I don’t care. We have awesome missile defense systems and so much military technology, why can’t we just build a wall? This isn’t an immigration issue, it is a national security issue. It is unfortunate that the point is lost upon you and the media
- Louis G. Atsaves - Monday, May 1, 06 @ 2:27 pm:
It is now 2;25 p.m and there is still no end in sight on Jackson Boulevard. By comparison the White Sox World Series Victory Parade (which also came down my part of Jackson Boulevard) lasted one hour.
The overwhelming numbers participating in today’s March remains most impressive, nearly 2-1/2 hours after it hit my little corner of the Loop.
Louis G. Atsaves
- The Conservative - Monday, May 1, 06 @ 2:49 pm:
What a wonderful day to shop at Wal-Mart, no pushing and shoving. Wish they would do this so called Illegal Rights tantrum more often. No what I hope the politicians see and hear after all this is “they aren’t registered voters…. we are and we wil extract a political price if their black mail is believed. We demand the borders be shut down nad illegals be made to go through the proper process befor any worker program be considered.
- Chicago girl - Monday, May 1, 06 @ 2:57 pm:
I have never, ever felt more patriotic than I did at that march today. The ability for hundreds of thousands of people to come out and express their beliefs…to express their faith in this country…to tell the world that they believe that the United States is a great place to be. It made me proud of my country, which has been harder and harder for me to feel in recent years.
As far as the suggestion to build a wall…I wish that everyone who felt that way would go off to their own little commune and build a wall and live alone and stop bothering the rest of us. Those thoughts, those people, are what make it hard for me to be patriotic most of the time.
And I don’t see anyone asking for a free ride. I see people who want to work hard and do well, who want to be legal and pay taxes and work and take care of their families. Those of us (myself included) who were born American, middle class, white, not-disabled, straight, and male (well, that last one isn’t me) have had more of a free ride than any of the undocumented people in the United States.
I applaud every single person who came out today to have their beliefs heard. And I support our country for giving all of us that right.
- Jane Addams - Monday, May 1, 06 @ 2:59 pm:
Hey Vanilla Man, the crowd is massive. The march is going to beat expectations again. Don’t go outside: you might get hit by lightning.
- The Conservative - Monday, May 1, 06 @ 3:07 pm:
Chicago girl. How can you possibly feel patriotic. This act of Illegals demonstrating for something they have not earned. This is sending a a massage that it is okay to Lie, Cheat and steal and then want to be rewarded for it.
- The Liberal - Monday, May 1, 06 @ 3:33 pm:
Hey Conservative, What did you do to “earn” your citizenship? Be born in an American hospital? Have you ever had to work hard, risk your life to support your family and have absolutely no life line you could depend on in order to survive? I wish you were made to cross through the desert and fight for you life in order to earn minimum wage and have to put up with racist fearmongers when you got here. You know what you can do with your “massage”.
- Wesley - Monday, May 1, 06 @ 3:35 pm:
Chicago Girl - if people tried to go their own commune and put a fence around it the ACLU would sue and modern day Lincoln would burn down the commune to save the Union. Building a fence is the only option left.
- The Conservative - Monday, May 1, 06 @ 3:47 pm:
So sad, I feel for you. I couldn’t care less. Your life was not in danger. If you don’t like where you where born, then change it with your own politics. If you crawl through the desert to get here, then go throught the process to get in LEGALLY. You are no better than a thief. What did I do to earn the right to live here, I served in the Viet nam war, defending your rights to demonstrat. I have worked hard raising my family, never missing an election and working hard to un elect those I dissagree with. None of what you said justifies you or anyone sneaking into this country and forging papers. If you took the time to see what America is really about it is not Lieing, cheating and stealing. Oh and I will be taking my vacation in Mexico this summer, enjoying your beaches, I am sure the money I spend while there, your Government will put to good use to to give you lots of benifits. If it dosen’t that is your fault.
- Chicago girl - Monday, May 1, 06 @ 4:14 pm:
Dang. I didn’t realize that feeling patriotic would cause so much anger.
I felt patriotic because I think that march symbolizes a lot of what is good with America, the things that The Conservative says he defended in Vietnam: The Right to Assemble, the Right to Protest, the Right to Gather and March. The belief that this country can provide a good life for immigrants. The belief that America is the best place in the world for someone to live. The belief that, in America, you can provide your children with a better life than you had.
And–I am trying not to get snippy, but it’s hard with the Mexican beach garbage spouted off by our lovely non-spell checking Conservative–but get over it. How many of us “real” Americans have ever worked for pennies so that we “real” Amerians can get tomatoes on our Taco Bell chalupa for 99 cents? How many of us have fought in a war, voluntarily? How many of us have voted in every single election? Lying, cheating, and stealing? Look at our elected officials, our business leaders, and our celebrities (both conservative and liberal)… not at the straight A hs student whose has been here since 6 weeks old but worried about being deported, or the dishwasher who works 100 hours a week to send money home to support his family.
And going back to the wall, the idea of building a wall around the United States to protect us from those scary Latinos should be laughable. If it didn’t make me so depressed and ashamed of my countrymen, I probably would.
- Gish - Monday, May 1, 06 @ 4:29 pm:
So everyone who doesn’t support illegal immigration is a bigot?
My great-grandfather immigrated from Poland (actually a province of Austro-Hungarian Empire) 100 years ago this year. He worked hard for a better life and brought his family over with the intention of becoming a citizen. His children (my grandfather included) worked hard to better himself and improve his life for his children. My father was the first to graduate college and worked hard to improve his life for his children. I have tried to continue, struggling through college because I did not see what had been done before me, for me. Now I try to work hard and improve my life for my wife and myself and hopefully any children I may have.
This isn’t about hating latinos etc. It is about the American dream which *is* legal immigration. Many of us support unrestricted legal immigration. We just don’t support illegals who couldn’t follow the same path our ancestors did. If you want to see the real tragedy of our immigration policies it is the brain drain of Asian college students who are forced home after their student visas expire.
- The Conservative - Monday, May 1, 06 @ 4:33 pm:
Chigao girl. You miss the point, I totally support Legals, I have worked very hard to bring legals into the political process. It is only those that wish to take the short cut. I could understand if it where a communist country where your life was threatened. It isn’t, it is a problem that the citizens of that country can change. They choose not to. Instead they choose to sneak into this country when there is a legal way and they would be welcomed.
- Johnny USA - Monday, May 1, 06 @ 5:45 pm:
>This is sending a a massage that it is okay to Lie, Cheat and steal and then want to be rewarded for it.
I can’t think of a better city than Chicago to hold a rally like this.
- Jaded - Monday, May 1, 06 @ 6:14 pm:
I have been to Mexico on a couple of different occasions. When I went in, I had to show photo identification and my property was subject to search (and was searched on occasion) by the Mexican Government. If I went into Mexico illegally and was caught, my guess is that I would not much enjoy my stay at a Mexican Government facility. It is Mexico’s right as a sovereign country to want to limit access and know who is coming in and out of their country. I think it is our right as well.
I did nothing to earn citizenship into this country, but somewhere along the line one of my ancestors risked everything to make the journey (except for the very small amount of Native American blood that runs through my veins from my grandmothers side of the family). I am glad they did, and I welcome others who wish to live in this great country. Just do is legally.
- Emily Booth - Monday, May 1, 06 @ 7:21 pm:
The question isn’t why aren’t we supporting illegal immigration. Why would we? Why would any country? What a ridiculous question. The question is why isn’t Mexico feeding its people? It’s not a migration from Mexico–it’s an exodus.
- red,white and blue - Monday, May 1, 06 @ 7:45 pm:
Why I abhor the terms “latino” and “hispanic”
I have to clarify a few things
regarding the recent protests by “latinos” or “hispanics” throughout the US.
First, there is no such thing as a “latino” race. There is no such thing
as an “hispanic” race. Both terms are contrived and used solely for census
purposes. There is no such country as “latinolandia” and Hispaniola is
technically half of an island in the Caribbean.
Second, I am not nor will I ever be part of “La Raza.” Nor do I agree or
support their current protests. Some of you may, and that is fine, but I do
not.
Third, and most importantly: I have never and will never, despite having
many issues with the government of the United States throughout the years,
burn a flag of the United States of America.
I am Cuban by birth, American by the grace of God. And a darned proud,
dignified, thankful and respectful American.
Fourth, while I certainly sympathize with the Mexican people for their
country’s economic and social troubles, I refuse to be lumped together as a
class or a race simply because we speak a similar language.
If Mexicans and Mexican-Americans had wanted my support, then they should
have supported the cause of a free and democratic Cuba, instead of the
majority and at times the Mexican government having sided with and
legitimizing the government of fidel castro.
Fifth, there is a difference between a Cuban living in the United States
and a Mexican living in the United States.
One is a political refugee and the other is an immigrant, respectively.
When Mexicans are being oppressed and have their basic human rights
trampeled on by their government as Cubans do, then perhaps my opinion will
change, until then, the aforementioned difference stands.
Mexicans and Mexican-Americans may very well have legitimate gripes with
the government of the US, but as La Raza, the flags they are burning and
flying up-side down below the Mexican flag do not speak for me.
I aint Mexican, I aint Latino and I aint Hispanic.
I am an American of Cuban descent. And damned proud of it.
- Papa Legba - Monday, May 1, 06 @ 7:58 pm:
1. I do have to say that everyone you happen to see marching today ARE NOT ILLEGALS. Many of the posters here act as if they all are.
2. Perhaps they should be marching for easing entry into this country. Just last night I dinner at a Persian (Iranian) restaurant. Great food, but that’s not the story. My server is from Iran. He immigrated here from Iran by claiming to be a refugee. Poof, instant entrance into the country. Do we have a double standard in this country? Seems that way.
They have a right to be a bit upset.
- GOPJay - Monday, May 1, 06 @ 8:20 pm:
I’m still struggling with this issue. Its a tough one. On the one hand, I know that many immigrants came here illegally. But that doesn’t mean very much to me any more. Illegal is simply a designation by a federal agency. For example, Cubans come here, instant political asylum because they come from a communist country. Chinese come here, they get shipped back! Most Europeans can emmigrate here, through various channels and they have no problems. Other, less fortunate people can apply for the Immigration Lottery, with similar odds to winning our Illinois Lottery. But then others, like Mexicans have NO LEGAL PROCESS for coming to America unless they’re ready to invest $1 million bucks. That’ all normative crap to me. The Greeks used to come here illegally too, until they separated from Turkey. I’m all for erecting a clear barrier of protection for our country. But the more I consider the issue, I think the Guest Worker Program President Bush is seeking is the right way to go. The illegal immigrants wouldn’t be here if American businesses didn’t want them. Clearly, we need them. Its time we owned up that they are the backbone of many of our industries.
- Red White and Who??? - Monday, May 1, 06 @ 9:25 pm:
I don’t recall seeing any flags being burnt. I think you’re confusing these protestors with the left-wing wackos who are usually behind protests.
However, these demonstrations were different. They were by and large hard-working everyday people who love the US and the opportunity it gives them and believe that the law should be changed to legalize the status of themselves or of their friends and family. You may disagree with them, but they’re not flag burners.
- Louis G. Atsaves - Tuesday, May 2, 06 @ 6:54 am:
Hello! Greece declared its independence from Turkey in 1821. The first big wave of Greek immigration to the USA began during and after WWI. Let’s keep our facts straight.
After WWII, only a handful of Greeks were allowed to legally immigrate to the USA thanks to quotas imposed. This was in spite of a bloody civil war where Greece avoided becoming communist post WWII. It took a special act of Congress to change that and open USA doors to additional Greek immigration in the 1950’s and 1960’s.
As an eyewitness to yesterday’s event, I cannot say if 20%, 50% or 75% of the marchers were legal or illegal. Many babies in strollers were present. They were born here, so they are USA citizens, even if their parents were not.
I as a Republican am not prepared to split up families where a child/children are USA citizens and the parents are illegal, so ship the parents back?
Many of the comments about grandparents arriving legally and working hard to make it in this country still apply today. My grandparents (Greek) did the same thing. They had no choice. They had no real social safety net to protect them, like welfare, other than private institutions like the Hull House.
The bottom line is that the administrations of Bush/Clinton/Bush have done a horrible job of policing our borders. Now we have a problem that needs to be solved based on those failed USA border policies.
And I don’t hear anyone screeching about erecting a wall between Canada and the USA. We all forget that many current illegals filtered down through Canada after arriving on their shores from overseas. Although smaller in numbers, if those who wish to build a “Great Wall” in the South are serious, then they need to build one for our Northern border and around Alaska as well.
Louis G. Atsaves
- Anon - Tuesday, May 2, 06 @ 3:57 pm:
Lightening struck twice.