Scott Ott has an amusing thought to go with the impending cessation of all U.S. economic activity May 1, illegal immigrant strike. Scrappleface is jokingly considering Justice Department plans to address “a day without illegal immigrants.”
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said he’ll encourage federal, state and local law enforcement on Monday to respond to illegal immigration rallies by observing “A Day without Miranda Rights” followed by “A Month without Habeas Corpus” and “A Year without Bail.”
Watching this – and the other rallies – develop from the front lines here in Phoenix, I am at a loss to understand why the activists are seriously considering going ahead with their rally. I had thought that the initial push to stop the rally was a sign of intelligence on their part. However, they are now clearly abandoning rationality and commiting to go ahead with their attempts to disrupt lawful commerce and negatively impact the American economy – the same economy they claim a desire to benefit from.
I am wondering therefore, if they realize that holding the rally and openly stating their desire to disrupt and damage the economy will do more harm to their cause than good.
Regardless of their intent, the first – “Si se puede” rallies demonstrated
- a general disregard for U.S. immigration law,
- that a finite and limited group within the illegal immigrant population (and their supporters) hold a general disregard and distaste for the United States, as well as a desire to see the southwest portion of the U.S. removed from American control and given over to the control of “Aztlan.”
- an expectation – on the part of illegals and their supporters – that they be allowed to push themselves in front of all other visa applicants and legal immigrants on the path to establishing legal residence in the U.S.,
- the problem with illegal immigration is much larger than many had been willing to admit
The effect that the illegal immigrant rallies had on the broader North American population, from what I have personally seen, read, and heard is best summed up in the following group of pictures, taken at a California high school during the Si se puede rallies.
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Whether the illegal immigrants and their activist community intended this outcome or not, the rallies last month ended up disturbing and angering most Americans. People were offended by the in-your-face, “you owe us” attitude exhibited by illegals who should be thankful for the opportunity they have for a better life in this country (note that this is the very same thankfulness that most legal residents of the U.S. and Canada have).
While the general population’s anger may not have come across in the largely biased main stream / drive-by media, most people saw the rallies as proof that something needs to be done IMMEDIATELY to strengthen border enforcement. Watching thousands carry Mexican flags through American streets, watching misguided high-school students celebrate the desecration of the American flag, seeing American high school / ROTC students arrested for defending the flag, hearing new-age rock re-renderings of the national anthem (see the podcast below), and reading of government funded illegal immigrant supporters threatening the families and children of those who are working to secure our borders is becoming increasingly distasteful to the silent majority of Americans. (Helping people in need is one thing but laying down and allowing people to trod on our rights,abuse our hospitality, and disrespect the country is something that Americans will not stand for.)
While the last two “Si se puede” rallies drew enormous media attention and – no doubt – generated a great deal of self congratulating among the more radical illegal immigrant activist groups, they also caused even more anger amongst those citzens and immigrants that are in the country legally. While many legal residents of the U.S. had been content to ignore the issue prior to the “Si se puede” rallies, the specter of hundreds of thousands of illegals jamming the streets and demanding to be given the same rights as legal residents and citizens has forced America to wake up to the breadth of the problem.
The result of that arousal has been a relatively swift move by citzens to demand that something be done to stop the flood of illegal immigration. Where the government refuses to do anything, or drags its heels in getting things done, citzens are moving to stem the flood themselves.
The May 1 protest – if it achieves any significant size – will, with its threats to “shut down” major American cities, cement voter and citizen resolve to stop illegal immigration once and for all.* In effect, the illegal immigration activists are moving beyond shooting themselves in the foot, as they did with the last rallies. With this latest protest, they are threatening to blow off both feet and sizable chunks of their legs.
A closing thought. Most Americans are already upset about paying $3/gallon for gas. How do you think they’ll react to a group of illegals threatening them with further economic disruption? If I were involved in this rally in any way, it would be to discourage folks from attending. Protesters are just throwing gas on a smoldering fire and I don’t think you’re going to like it when it flares up in your face.
* Interestingly, however, protest organizers have placed themselves between a rock and a hard place. If they have a successful rally and demonstrate the allegedly massive influence of illegal immigrants on the economy, they will anger the vast majority of Americans. If they don’t have a successful rally, they will show that all their threats were so much hot air and that despite their bluster, the presence of illegals really has little to no impact on the broader economy. Either way, they may have already shot themselves in the feet.
