Protest in Prince William County

It has been my experience that in the U.S. "white people" (the term could be debated) generally go balistic if anyone says they could be racist. Might be good for the Minute-Men/Romney types to think about what many people see when they look at the immigrant bashers.

Its like all of them are wearing white hood.


Protest in Prince William County a great start. I wish I had a picture of of Corey Stewart's effigy they were carrying around. Not that I am so reactionary but it sort of reminds me of other protests at other times and places...


Hope the protest does some good. I would still encourage people to think twice before they buy something... that's where the power lies.... people listen when they lose money.





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Latinos Join in Protest In N.Va.
Thousands Denounce Immigration Measure At Prince William Rally
By Bill Turque
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, September 3, 2007; Page B01


Carrying American flags and chanting "Si, se puede" ("Yes, we can"), several thousand Latinos rallied at the seat of Prince William County government yesterday to denounce the Board of Supervisors' plan to curb services to illegal immigrants.

Protesters from as far as Minnesota converged on the Sean T. Connaughton Community Plaza for speeches and a two-mile march, organized by Mexicans Without Borders and other immigrant advocacy groups.

...On July 10, the Prince William board thrust the county into the middle of the Northern Virginia immigration debate, adopting a resolution directing officials to determine which government services can be lawfully withheld from anyone in the country illegally.

The measure also authorizes Prince William police to ask about residency status if they have probable cause to believe that an individual is in the country illegally. Exactly what constitutes probable cause, and how legal residency would be verified, is still under review by the police.

The county's Latino community responded with a week-long economic boycott, concluding this weekend, targeting businesses deemed hostile to immigrants.

Organizers also announced plans for an Oct. 9 work stoppage in Prince William.

The message at yesterday's late-afternoon protest was that immigrants want what they said everyone else wants, to be left alone to work and raise their families.

...Protesters marched along Prince William Parkway past Prince William County Republican headquarters and a large campaign sign for board Chairman Corey A. Stewart (R-At Large), a leading advocate of the July resolution. One group carried a large plaster effigy of Stewart.

...Prince William police declined to offer an estimate of the turnout, which informal estimates placed at 5,000 to 7,000.

...It has been difficult to gauge the effectiveness of the boycott, although it seems to have had only a marginal impact on the national chain stores that are its chief targets. Latino customers continue to patronize such businesses as Wal-Mart and Giant and fast-food restaurants.

What is easier to see is that the action has both energized and split Prince William's Latino community. Mexicans Without Borders favors such economic measures as the boycott to push back, and other business leaders seek negotiations with county leaders.

The immigration issue has also driven a wedge between the region's local governments. The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors recently passed a similar, if less exact, version of the Prince William measure. It directs county officials to study which services might be legitimately denied to illegal immigrants and to explore ways to cut off business with companies that hire undocumented workers.

Fairfax County has resisted entreaties from Prince William leaders to follow their example. Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Gerald E. Connolly (D) has said that it is impractical and constitutionally questionable for local governments to undertake immigration enforcement. He said he wants the county to focus on "outcomes and behavior," rather than immigration status, by cracking down on boarding houses and other code violations that can degrade the quality of life in neighborhoods.

for complete article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/02/AR2007090201190.html
cartoon: http://time-blog.com/real_clear_politics/cole.jpg