¡Si Se Puede!

Between 3,000 and 7,000 people (depending on if you ask the news papers or the parks department) converged on the Statehouse in Ohio yesterday to protest the ugliness of anti-immigrant sentiment that is sweeping Ohio and the nation, and in particular, to protest HB 4437, which would make it a felony to 1: be a person in this country illegally, or 2: to aid in any way shape or form someone who is in this country illegally (that could include giving someone a ride home from church without asking for their papers first!) I've written about this in past posts and am so glad to see backlash against this kind of hatred be so strong.

The Catholic Church has come out strongly against this bill, and has even preached from the pulpit that people of faith should give aid and comfort to all, even if it means breaking the federal law. Roger Mahoney, the cardinal Archbishop of Los Angeles said in a recent New York Times Op-Ed, "Called by God to Help":

This situation affects the dignity of millions of our fellow human beings and makes immigration, ultimately, a moral and ethical issue. That is why the church is compelled to take a stand against harmful legislation and to work toward positive change.

It is my hope that our elected officials will understand this and enact immigration reform that respects our common humanity and reflects the values — fairness, compassion and opportunity — upon which our nation, a nation of immigrants, was built.

Elenamary has a good post with an awesome picture of her mom at the rally.Though it wasn't the same as LA, New York, Phoenix, Atlanta, where hundreds of thousands walked out of school and work, and took to the streets in protest, for Ohio, even 3,000 people is pretty amazing, and 7,000 almost unheard of. We tend to be a state of folks who sit in front of the t.v. and don't get off of our butts to stand up for anything.

Here is the Columbus Dispatch article on the rally

Fighting to live the American dream
Monday, March 27, 2006
Misti Crane
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Photo by Tom Dodge
Noelia Ontiveros, with her face painted the colors of Mexico, takes part in a rally on the Statehouse lawn protesting proposals aimed at putting tighter controls on illegal immigrants, including making it harder for them to live and work in the United States


Two boys no taller than their mothers’ waists jousted on the Statehouse lawn yesterday afternoon. One brandished an American flag; the other, the flag of Mexico. Their play battle went unnoticed by the sea of cheering, chanting, praying, poster-board-waving grownups around them. Signs floated atop a crowd that grew into the thousands: "This country was built on immigration." "Human beings are not illegal." "Jesus would be a felon." Spanish-speaking voices united in booming chants: "United people will never be defeated! " "Bush! Listen! We are in a fight! " And again and again, from the workers, from those still learning their ABCs and from those too old to work any longer, the farm workers’ motto: "Si se puede!" (Yes we can!)
The crowd, drawn from across the state, joined nationwide protests against a proposal to build fences between Mexico and the United States; make it more difficult for undocumented immigrants to live and work here; and punish those who hire or otherwise help them.

In Columbus, speakers reminded the largely immigrant gathering of its contribution to the economy — to restaurants, construction crews and farms and into a social security system from which they can’t collect.

They encouraged them to fight against anti-immigration efforts and for labor rights.

"Don’t let ’em give you this garbage that you need to go back where you came from, because we are home," said Baldemar Velasquez, president of the Toledo-based Farm Labor Organizing Committee.

"We are not strangers. We are not immigrants. We were born on this continent and this continent belongs to us."

Wilberto Pacheco, a Cincinnati janitor, said he has been disrespected and exploited by employers but learned that working together can make a difference.

"Our job is to go to our communities and convince people that this is a moment of hope and not of sadness, of pride and not fear," he said in Spanish.

Mayor Michael B. Coleman praised diversity and slammed the federal legislation, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives and will be debated in the Senate this week.

"They are dividing us under an umbrella called reform," he said.

"I call this a sledgehammer against all Americans."

The protesters roared in waves as an interpreter translated Coleman’s words, delivered in English, into Spanish.

"Hispanics aren’t like terrorists," said 12-year-old Steven Escobedo, attending his first rally.

"We get treated bad sometimes. My parents get treated bad," the Columbus boy said.

Lucy and Nacho Serna left the rally happy to have shown their American-born daughters the power of joining thousands of voices. The Delaware couple moved to the United States 15 years ago. He works in construction, she at McDonald’s.

Never before had the girls seen so many Latinos gathered in one place.

Janie, 9, and Kimberly, 4, dragged signs beside them: "We are not criminals" and "My parents taxes are criminals too."

Cindy, 2, held her mother’s hand.

"It’s important that they know when people get together they are strong. That’s what we do in Mexico when nobody listens to us," Mr. Serna said.

Behind them, a man thrust a crutch high over his head. Tied to it, the green, white and red flag of Mexico flew.

mcrane@dispatch.com