------------------------- Via Workers World News Service Reprinted from the Oct. 31, 2002 issue of Workers World newspaper -------------------------
LOS ANGELES: INDIGNANT IMMIGRANTS MARCH FOR RIGHTS By Adrian Garcia Los Angeles Two thousand people, mostly Latino/as, descended on the streets of downtown Los Angeles Oct. 19 to demand an immediate end to attacks against undocumented workers in California and elsewhere in the United States. The crowd marched on Broadway, one of the busiest commercial streets in downtown Los Angeles. Thousands of onlookers witnessed the march. Many joined the protest as it passed en route to City Hall. "This is the first protest I have ever been to," said Gabino Alvarez, who lives in a predominately immigrant area of Los Angeles. "It is very exciting to see all these people rally around this very important cause." Other marchers expressed concerns about the police presence. "I feel scared, but I believe it is important to stand up for my rights. I am also doing this for my children," said one undocumented worker, a mother of three. Latino Movement USA and Hermandad Mexicana Nacional organized the protest in response to the Bush administration's reactionary anti-immigrant policies. Los Angeles International Airport is one target of the government's attack on immigrants' rights. The Immigration and Naturalization Service carries out almost daily raids against undocumented workers there under the veneer of "national security." In October California Gov. Gray Davis vetoed a bill that would have granted drivers' licenses to undocumented workers. Earlier Davis had promised to sign the bill. Davis claimed that issuing licenses or identification cards is a matter of national security. This has become the mantra for the attacks against working people through out the United States, from undocumented workers to Arab Americans to the West Coast dock workers of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union. The march was followed by a rally on the steps of City Hall. Speakers commented on the enthusiastic response of onlookers and the need for more people to become involved in the struggle for immigrants' rights. Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the United Farm Workers union, got applause when she equated the struggle for immigrants' rights to the hardships that farm workers endured during their attempts to unionize in the 1960s. However, her declaration of continued support for Gov. Davis was not well received by the crowd. Juan Jose Gutierrez, founder of Latino Movement USA, expressed his enthusiasm about the day's turnout and informed the people that the struggle will not end until respect, dignity and equal rights are granted to the hard- working people who are undocumented. - END - (Copyright Workers World Service: Everyone is permitted to copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but changing it is not allowed. For more information contact Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe [EMAIL PROTECTED] Support the voice of resistance http://www.workers.org/orders/donate.php) ------------------ This message is sent to you by Workers World News Service. To subscribe, E-mail to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To unsubscribe, E-mail to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To switch to the DIGEST mode, E-mail to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Send administrative queries to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
