Mind you, these are people not considered American, called illegal, blamed for crime, and sometimes considered as being the ruination of our nation.
So, when I walked into tonight's rally -- protest, if you will -- on the steps of the Capitol, the tone seemed at odds -- was at odds with that common perception. Signs greeted me saying, "We are all Americans," and, "Immigrant Rights are Human Rights."
Those messages hardly square with those I've heard from those who want the undocumented worker sent packing. "How outrageous, to call yourselves Americans!" they would have shouted back, if opponents of the undocumented had been there to shout back. "And, as for your rights, you have no rights precisely because of that, because you are not American citizens."
"We can fight for immigrant rights and social justice for all," said a speaker. Shortly later, a singer -- don't think it was Woodie Guthrie, but you never know -- and his guitar broke into, "This land is my land. This land is your land. From California, to the New York Islands. . . . This land was made for you and me."
A person holding an American flag leaned it towards the singer, and towards each of the speakers as they took their turn.
"This land is my land"? "Made for" the undocumented immigrant? Had the voices opposing the undocumented have been there, they would have shouted back, "What do you mean, this is your land? This is not your land at all. You don't walk into another person's country illegally, and call it your own."
Somewhere up the steps of the Capitol, was a banner that would have replied to that. "When Did Your Family Immigrate? 1800? 1920? 1940? Lucky You." The message being, We all are here as a result of immigration. Why is it those who descended from the earlier immigrants want to shut the door on the later immigrants?
"We will not accept ICE raids in the middle of the night that take parents away from their children," said a speaker. And the crowd chanted, "Shame on Sandstrom, Shame on Sandstrom," Stephen Sandstrom being the legislator proposing the bill most opposed by the pro-immigration people.
I, too, am a pro-immigration person, otherwise I wouldn't have been at the rally. But, I don't share in thinking Sandstrom shameful. He is doing but what he thinks best.
"Who would Jesus deport," read a sign. "Fund Education, Not Deportation," read another. And, "Don't Let Utah Become Arizona," yet another.
"What happens in Arizona, stays in Arizona," said a speaker. Then the speaker, Archie Archuletta, referred to the Capitol as he added, "Someone in this building is accusing us of being criminals."
And, the notion that undocumented folks are "aliens"? Archuletta didn't like that either. "Do you think they believe we are all cousins of E.T.?," Archuletta asked. "Illegal aliens? Forget it! We are all human beings!"
I much agree with that sentiment. "Aliens" is not a good way of referring to these people. And, yet, the word "alien" is written right into our laws. American law designates these people as "aliens." Talk show hosts quickly lose their jobs if they use derogatory terms on most minorities. But the undocumented are referred to as "aliens" in the U.S. legal code. They are referred to as "illegals," a term not given to murderers, nor rapists nor others who commit our really serious crimes. When I attended a debate on immigration Friday, some who oppose the undocumented immigrant thought it deceptive "wordsmithing" that other terms should be used other than just calling them "illegals."
Well, the first protest I've ever been at (to my memory), is now over. But more of these rallies will follow. How heated they will be, I do not know. As I walked away, a speaker spoke of fighting against "laws peddling hatred."
I do fear there will be hatred on both sides.
"Utah is ground zero for this battle. We must stop it (stop legislation against the immigrant)," the speaker said.
Utah, indeed, is seeped in the controversy, both sides wanting justice. On one side, is the side I agree with. Here's hoping we each can make our points, which will include valid accusations, without being intolerant of the other, without making invalid accusations.
So, when I walked into tonight's rally -- protest, if you will -- on the steps of the Capitol, the tone seemed at odds -- was at odds with that common perception. Signs greeted me saying, "We are all Americans," and, "Immigrant Rights are Human Rights."
Those messages hardly square with those I've heard from those who want the undocumented worker sent packing. "How outrageous, to call yourselves Americans!" they would have shouted back, if opponents of the undocumented had been there to shout back. "And, as for your rights, you have no rights precisely because of that, because you are not American citizens."
"We can fight for immigrant rights and social justice for all," said a speaker. Shortly later, a singer -- don't think it was Woodie Guthrie, but you never know -- and his guitar broke into, "This land is my land. This land is your land. From California, to the New York Islands. . . . This land was made for you and me."
A person holding an American flag leaned it towards the singer, and towards each of the speakers as they took their turn.
"This land is my land"? "Made for" the undocumented immigrant? Had the voices opposing the undocumented have been there, they would have shouted back, "What do you mean, this is your land? This is not your land at all. You don't walk into another person's country illegally, and call it your own."
Somewhere up the steps of the Capitol, was a banner that would have replied to that. "When Did Your Family Immigrate? 1800? 1920? 1940? Lucky You." The message being, We all are here as a result of immigration. Why is it those who descended from the earlier immigrants want to shut the door on the later immigrants?
"We will not accept ICE raids in the middle of the night that take parents away from their children," said a speaker. And the crowd chanted, "Shame on Sandstrom, Shame on Sandstrom," Stephen Sandstrom being the legislator proposing the bill most opposed by the pro-immigration people.
I, too, am a pro-immigration person, otherwise I wouldn't have been at the rally. But, I don't share in thinking Sandstrom shameful. He is doing but what he thinks best.
"Who would Jesus deport," read a sign. "Fund Education, Not Deportation," read another. And, "Don't Let Utah Become Arizona," yet another.
"What happens in Arizona, stays in Arizona," said a speaker. Then the speaker, Archie Archuletta, referred to the Capitol as he added, "Someone in this building is accusing us of being criminals."
And, the notion that undocumented folks are "aliens"? Archuletta didn't like that either. "Do you think they believe we are all cousins of E.T.?," Archuletta asked. "Illegal aliens? Forget it! We are all human beings!"
I much agree with that sentiment. "Aliens" is not a good way of referring to these people. And, yet, the word "alien" is written right into our laws. American law designates these people as "aliens." Talk show hosts quickly lose their jobs if they use derogatory terms on most minorities. But the undocumented are referred to as "aliens" in the U.S. legal code. They are referred to as "illegals," a term not given to murderers, nor rapists nor others who commit our really serious crimes. When I attended a debate on immigration Friday, some who oppose the undocumented immigrant thought it deceptive "wordsmithing" that other terms should be used other than just calling them "illegals."
Well, the first protest I've ever been at (to my memory), is now over. But more of these rallies will follow. How heated they will be, I do not know. As I walked away, a speaker spoke of fighting against "laws peddling hatred."
I do fear there will be hatred on both sides.
"Utah is ground zero for this battle. We must stop it (stop legislation against the immigrant)," the speaker said.
Utah, indeed, is seeped in the controversy, both sides wanting justice. On one side, is the side I agree with. Here's hoping we each can make our points, which will include valid accusations, without being intolerant of the other, without making invalid accusations.
No comments:
Post a Comment