(Yesterday, I said I would probably be blogging pretty lightly or not at all today because of work demands. I ended up leaving for work around 8:30 yesterday morning, returning home at 11:30 last night, and I have to leave again at 7:15. But it occurred to me that my absence could be construed as endoring the one-day boycott in support of illegal aliens, and I could not let that happen.)
On the weekends, I tend to listen to NPR on the radio. Regular radio is usually pretty dull, and on the weekends Public Radio is a bit more relaxed, casual, and fun. That’s when they play Car Talk, and on Weekend Edition Sunday they have Will Shortz and the weekly puzzle, so I lend them my ear.
Yesterday, though, as well as this morning, the news is filled with sob stories about the one-day strike in support of illegal aliens. They are bringing us tales of businesses saying they will sacrifice a day’s revenue and shut down. Workers are fearing losing their jobs if they take the day off. There are rumors flying that ICE (Immigration Control and Enforcement) will be holding massive roundups of suspected illegal aliens, and some folks want ICE to issue assurances that no such thing will happen. (To their credit, ICE has so far refused to issue any such promises.)
What’s behind all this? I have a strong suspicion it can be summed up in Mad TV’s old joke dating service, “Lowered Expectations.”
Public Manipulation 101: Make a grand announcement of a huge public rally. Then have some of your people attempt to call it off. Have others start issuing grave warnings of just how horrible it will be if everyone you expect to protest actually does it. As the date of the event draws closer and closer, ratchet up the tales of how “torn” many people are about whether they dare to participate or not, until the whole issue of whether enough people will have the courage of their convictions to risk so much to attend.
Then, when the day comes, you’re guaranteed that you can declare victory. Regardless of how many show up, of how much of an effect you have, you can count all those hordes of folks who would have shown up, if they simply had not had to worry about losing their jobs, being arrested, or both.
Or, as I said back on April 13,
…I strongly suspect that as May 1 looms closer and closer, the organizers will find some excuse to cancel it publicly — while at the same time quietly encouraging it to go forward. That way, they can point to any inconveniences as “the price of having even a few rogue strikes,” hinting that that is the mere tip of the iceberg as to what could have happened had they actually gone on ahead.
How do I find it so easy to predict their actions? It’s simple. I just ask myself “how could I best achieve my goals with a minimum of effort, if I were not encumbered by conscience, ethics, scruples, integrity, or fear of the media exposing my scheme?” When I think of it that way, it’s usually pretty obvious.
So, even though I’m running on about four hours sleep, I’m NOT going to skip on blogging today. I’m going to haul my exhausted butt down to work, and I’ll put in as close to a full day as I can. Because I am NOT on strike, dammit.
Then I’ll come home and lapse into a coma.
I would comment on this artice, but I’m taking the day off commenting in support of the protest.
Perhaps this is all an elaborate ploy on the part of Immigration to arrest all of the illegals at the rally! (It brings to mind a trap set by the cable company some years back, where they offered a free t-shirt to those watching a PPV wrestling event – the free offer was only seen by those using illegal cable boxes).
And, I must also say, I am VERY angry about the possibility of all of the illegals simply being granted legal status. My grandparents had to stew on Ellis Island for three days during the delousing and renaming festivities – then spend about eight years in night school learning the language and enough information to pass the Citizenship test. They worked their tails off and did not have free health insurance, lemme tell ya. I currently work with many LEGAL immigrants who also work incredibly hard to learn our language and customs as well as pass that Citizenship test – and for the record, most Americans would fail it miserably.
There’s the ‘Waiting in the Wings’ thing to consider too.
If you want to avoid supporting illegal immigration today:
First, go out and spend as much money as you can at the stores that are open. We can easily make up the difference for these slackers and show that the economy will easily respond to their truancy.
Second, take note of the stores closed today. Don’t shop there tomorrow, the next day, or ever again. Show them how we feel about having a gun held to our heads.
I think their infrastructure and those that support their illegal life in the U.S. SHOULD support the ‘protest’. No trash pickup today. No wastewater treatment. No hospital, police, or fire services. No more can you take services without paying for them.
Finally, on Cinco De Mayo, drink Irish whiskey.
I’ve had my fill of illegal immigrant sob-stories and the like. I can’t wait to watch this whole affair backfie on the participants. It’s unbelievable that these idiots feel they have a right to come to this country illegally and then protest against the very laws they seek to abide by through attaining citizenship. It’s sickening. The very thought that these criminals are needed to support our economy is ridiculous.
This outrageous display of stupidity can only solidify Americans disdain for illegal immigrantion. Which hopefully means some changes in Congress come this November.
I think I just heard on Fox News that Perdue Chicken, and Gallo Wine was closing today… Does anyone know if that’s true? Maybe we should generate a list of companies who are participating in today’s Illegal Alien Party… We can show them our appreciation by not buying their products anymore. One thing I know for sure, we need to start making as much and more noise as these protesters, and we need to do it NOW!
The Phoenix rally was cancelled yesterday, but Yahoo! ran with a picture from a midnight vigil instead. I guess the Arizona illegals didn’t want to disrupt anything or lose their jobs, so they rallied when no one would see it.
Wasn’t the whole point of the strike supposed to be to show how indispensable illegals are? The excuse that they aren’t taking part because they’re afraid of being fired seems just a tiny bit off-message.
I have to run around town today in an attempt to GET a new job. If any protesters get in my way, well, lets hope they can hop out of the way as fast as they jumped the fence at Nogales.
No matter how many or how few people turn out to support this foolishness, the organizers and their supporters in the halls of government and the MSM will declare it a victory. Anti-protest sentiment will be portrayed as anti-Hispanic racism.
Just remember in November…
What really makes me mad is how many business’s are closing for the day to show their support.
My wife and I were planning a vacation to Cancun next year, not anymore. We’ll find somewhere else to spend out time and money.
Follow up:
I just called Perdue Chicken, and they confirmed that they are closing some of their companies in support of today’s protests. Here is their customer relations number if anyone wishes to voice their opinion.
1-800-4-PERDUE® (1-800-473-7383)
Do not be suprised if after today, we will see a huge angry backlash by American citizens to all things illegel aliens.
Haw Haw. So many people seem up in arms about the lawbreakers who do so much of the heavy lifting in this country, but gosh darn I don’t anything from the right wing defenders of freedom about W’s recent declaration that he can ignore any laws he wants to, if he decides that he simply does’t like them. But then, he is “the decider” after all. Unlike those who “decide” to be free.
One person breaks the law and it’s a crime. If many break the law and it’s an insurrection. If 11 million break the law they make politicians pander to them.
If they are this audacious without being citizens…
Dimmapaddy
let the illegals of Your ilk stay home so We can see just how much heavy lifting they really do?somehow I bet Your affraid to see the sad reality that there would be a positive effect, that is why You and Your ilk will slither out of obligation to pander to the politicians.Dimmy.
Seems to me that ICE should be visiting several Perdue facilities this week. Perdue and Gallo have publicly admitted that they hire illegals.Should they be allowed to break the law?What will be done concerning this?
Maybe a boycott and a raiding of their illegal supporting premises would be a good start..
That’s the ticket! Why don’t those of who are against the immmigration protests stage your own protest – say a Monday a couple of weeks from now. You can protest/boycott Gallo and Purdue and any others. Then a comparion can be made and the world will see just how many people support each side.
Not afraid of a friendly little competition, are you guys? This huge backlash some of you are predicting will be easy to capitalize on.
Yeah, show the world just how many Americans agree with you! I can’t wait to see the results!
There most likely wont be a big backlash because most of the illegals could not get a day pass from their local penetentiary to participate.
This is not friendly competition,it is illegal competition!
I will not need to protest as I will simply not buy from the illegal supporters when they are identified.
I vote for a day without Mak44.
Sorry Lee, most of the Americans disgusted with the illegal criminal aliens will be too busy working and abiding by the laws of this country to protest.
We are the same people that show our resolve at the ballot box, that’s when the real protest will be.
Why don’t those of who are against the immmigration protests stage your own protest
I’m sure you meant “illegal” immigration protests. Don’t conflate the two, they are completely different. Legal immigrants are not protesting today.
Oh of course, I did suggest a Monday, didn’t I? Well then let’s make it on the weekend instead.
Now what’s your excuse?
My excuse is that there is no need to protest on a weekend, we (or at least I will be) will do our protesting the way it’s supposed to be done, on election day.
No candidate for office will get my vote if they are in any for amnesty for illegal immigrants.
They are championing illegal activities, I need no excuse,for I am not engaged in illegal activities!
Well, Lee, let’s consider this a moment.
When was the last time you had a protest against murder? And how big are those “take back the night” marches? Guess the conclusion would be that folks view murder as A-OK?
That not what you meant? Well, do you think you have a Million Moms actually showing up to ban guns? Or do you think you have more people exercising their Second Amendment Rights?
Try this one on for size: Do you think there are more folks who support gay marriage or more folks opposed? What do repeated referenda suggest?
Somehow, the Left demands that majority rule when they think they’re in the majority—and then demand that minority rule when they don’t have the majority.
OMG WHAT SHOULD I DO?
DRINK FRENCH WINE OR LET MEXICANS PICK GRAPES IN CALIFORNIA?
CLOSE 100,000 SMALL BUSINESSES OR LET THEM SCURRY ACROSS? AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!
Bhoosiwh! GreenGiant’s head explodes trying to figuew out where to spend his conservative money.
“I will not need to protest as I will simply not buy from the illegal supporters when they are identified.”
Do you purchase produce grown in the United States? How about beef, chicken or fish? Do you eat those?
Ever gone to a restaurant? Ever hired a gardener? What about your house? Do you live in one? Did you purchase it?
I love how you claim you will boycott this and boycott that “once they are identified” but you are too lazy to follow the courage of your convictions and find out which businesses you should boycott on your own.
What’s wrong with people who ALREADY live in this country getting citizenship? You can take all your sob stories of Ellis Island and whatever and shove them up your ass. You didn’t make those sacrifices, that was not your ass doing the hard work to become a citizen.
The only reason you are a citizen is because your Dad **ck*d your Mom here ok. These people work hard and they deserve more than to be treated as a permanent, undocumented underclass. They are already here.
The fact that after YEARS and YEARS of abuse and being ignored by politicians and asses like you that they finally have said ENOUGH and are demanding political rights and consideration is worthy of respect, not condemnation.
So take your elitist, whiney, republivictim, aristocratic attitude and stick it up your ass. The marches are happening. The people of this country can recognize injustice, and what we have done to illegal immigrants for the last 20 years is what injustice looks like.
Found out that counter-protest I was suggesting is already underway.
Wow, 200, that’s impressive *yawn*
Injustice to the illegal immigrants for the past 20 years? Is that why they’re still flocking to cross the border?
What kind of mentality do you have to have to flock to a country who seeks to cause you injustice?
Let us know when you lefties acquire some logic.
Yup. And since I’ll bet there are no giant puppets, that just goes to show that the whole thing’s a miserable failure!
‘Cuz it’s all about protests, man.
“The people, united, can never be defeated!”
Ah, brings back memories. Like when the protests stopped Reagan from being reelected, or deploying nukes to Europe. Like how all those protests put George McGovern into office.
And who can forget the role of protestors and giant puppets in bringing down the Berlin Wall and ending the threat of Communism (hearkening back to when protestors stopped the rise of Fascism and toppled Franco).
“Injustice to the illegal immigrants for the past 20 years? Is that why they’re still flocking to cross the border? “
Is that your best shot bitch? Can you read? Oh I see, your question is rhetorical, you don’t expect an answer because it’s a straw man. People are flocking across the border to take advantage of the massive economic opportunities provided to them in this country by people like yourself. You are a consumer right? You buy products made in the United States? You eat food grown here, you live here in a house built here. You Enjoy the benefits of our society. Those benefits are partially provided by immigrants, illegal or otherwise. So yeah, we do this because this a great nation.
The injustice, which even my arch-nemisis REAGAN recognized, is that you allow this, you allow their contributions to our economic security, but pretend that because they are “illegal” immigrants, that it is OK to deny them things like HEALTHCARE (via the companies they work for) or a MINIMUM WAGE or any number of other things that we guarantee to citizens. You even get all up in arms about them having FREE SPEECH, which is all these protests are, an expression of the basic rights our constitution guarantees all people. You construe it as an affront.
I fail to see how having an underclass of people who can be threatened and blackmailed (due to the status of their documentation) into doing work for wages that while high by Mexican standards are really low by United States standards benefits us as a society. You seem to think that the status quo is just dandy. Why?
Warghul,
They are criminals, plain and simple. They knew that when they crossed the border illegally. They are entitled to nothing! They should get nothing but an all expense paid trip back to where they came from, be it Mexico, Brazil, Ireland, you name it.
which is all these protests are, an expression of the basic rights our constitution guarantees all people.
Wrong, wrong, wrong. The Constitution has nothing to do with non-American citizens. Your arguments are ridiculous and have no place in a society bound by law.
To think that just because they have been here a certain amount of time grants them the rights of a legal citizen is ridiculous. I don’t care if they are contributing to the economy, it doesn’t mean a legal citizen couldn’t take their place and do the same damn thing.
“To think that just because they have been here a certain amount of time grants them the rights of a legal citizen is ridiculous. I don’t care if they are contributing to the economy, it doesn’t mean a legal citizen couldn’t take their place and do the same damn thing.”
Sounds like a darn good pro-slaverly arguement. Jackass.
UP:
Yup. I mean, the Minutemen who go on raiding expeditions to Tijuana, Tampico, and Tegucigalpa, bringing back entire coffles of immigrants. That’s what’s happening, right?
Or is there perhaps a difference between those who choose to come here and those who were taken by force from their homelands across the sea?
Who’s the Jackass here?
Legal immigrants are not protesting today.
Posted by: J.R. at May 1, 2006 12:44 PM
That is bullshit. There are plenty of legal immigrants and gringos out there.
Nope. It’s not Minutemen. It’s poverty, corruption, rebel wars, drug wars, lack of infrastructre, joblessness, and lack of medical care that drives them to this country.
People need money as much as they need air. So, long as our southern neighbors are 3rd world poverty-ridden ratholes, they will continue to come.
Relegating people to permanent 2nd class citizens because they CHOSE? to escape terrible conditions is immoral.
Jeez, so much time has passed since Dhammapaddy made this observation, should I let it slide? Guess not .
Any laws he wants to. Yea. Right.
The President, Democrat or Republican, has constitutional authority to make legal decisions under Executive Privledge [I know that’s a bad word following the Nixon Administration, when a Republican utters it]. Unlike those who “decide” to violate the law, not to be free.
I think both sides of this argument have already agreed that with 11 million undocumented workers in the country it is impractical to “send them back”. It is certainly even more impractical to jail them. They need to be assimilated – “made legal”, maybe even punished monetarily perhaps?
Why not make them legal, and make them pay $XXXX,00 per year that they were in this country ilegally.
No wait – were being practical here – let’s get back to the hate speech again – that’s why you guys are here, right?
From warghul
Reagan signed on to the amnesty plan for 3 million illegals in 1986 with the promise that there would be no further amnesty and that the borders would be closed. In the end, this 3 million program swelled to 7 million, and they are still being processed 20 years later. Our legislatative branch, both sides, failed to follow through with the latter. Democrats see new voters, Republicans see cheap labor for business. This shortsightedness has stressed public services and led to a demand by those here illegally [no way around that] to demand their ‘civil rights’. What an insult.
illeagl aliens? EARTH FOR EARTHLINGS! I am what some(with limited imagination and vocabulary) might be considered a moonbat(but my grandparents immigrated from the moon legally in 1886). However,; even I draw the line in our ever changing boarders. I don’t want no stinkin’ alien here on earth outside of proper channels. I saw both Men in Black One and Two. I know the real dangers. I am with(for a change) those posters wanting something done about illegal aliens.
Think about the freaking germs.
Hmmm, I wonder if all of this arguing is causing an increase in the number of illegals entering the U.S. from Mexico, as they try to get in before the border is finally secured.
I read where the cost of gaining passage into the U.S. from Mexico is around $1200-$1300 per person. Wow – do the math! This is a big business.
Hey, Drew E., Illegal alien is the legal term. Immigration and Nationalization Act of 1952 states,
Sorry, MIB humor withstanding, ‘illegal alien’ is the proper term, even if opponents want to make it the equivalent of the ‘N’ word.
Jay Tea covers this quite well in Part II of this post.
That’s the ticket! Why don’t those of who are against the immmigration protests stage your own protest – say a Monday a couple of weeks from now. You can protest/boycott Gallo and Purdue and any others. Then a comparion can be made and the world will see just how many people support each side.
That just may happen. If I recall correctly, many people started boycotting France’s industry (travel, wines, etc) due to their complicity with Saddam, and the country took a huge hit in slumping sales and tourist dollars.
Be careful what you wish for…
Hmmm, I wonder if all of this arguing is causing an increase in the number of illegals entering the U.S. from Mexico, as they try to get in before the border is finally secured.
…or to get a piece of the proposed blanket amnesty.
Funny, you should bring that up, though:
Bush Proposal May be Behind Illegal Immigration Spike
http://www.kpho.com/Global/story.asp?S=1719502&nav=menu135_2_1
“SASABE, Mexico (AP) — After a four-year decline, illegal immigration from Mexico is spiking as several thousand migrants a day rush across the border. Hopes of getting work visas under a program proposed by President Bush and of avoiding tighter security coming in June appear to be driving the dash.
The U.S. border patrol told The Associated Press that detentions — which it uses to judge illegal migration rates — jumped 25 percent to 535,000 in the six months ending March 31 compared to a year ago.
Near Sasabe, a town bordering the Arizona desert that’s the busiest illegal border crossing area, an average 2,000 people arrive daily.”
I read where the cost of gaining passage into the U.S. from Mexico is around $1200-$1300 per person. Wow – do the math! This is a big business.
Yep, smugglers make lots of money to run illegals over the border, often dumping them off in the middle of nowhere, or leaving them locked inside a cargo case…they don’t care, once the money is in their hands.
They aren’t too picky who they smuggle over. Mexicans, Chinese, Middle-Easterners…as long as you have mucho dinero…
“They are criminals, plain and simple…They should get nothing but an all expense paid trip back to where they came from.”
Oh what a great plan! Wow, why didn’t I think of that. Let’s destroy our Housing, Agricultural, Meat Processing and service industries. Then let’s shell out (and waste) an additional $500 BILLION dollars to send 11-15 million people back over an imaginary line, while simultaneously destroying the economies of Mexico, El Salvador, Costa Rico, and Guatemala. That will surely stem the tide of immigration over our borders and solve all our problems.
“Wrong, wrong, wrong. The Constitution has nothing to do with non-American citizens. Your arguments are ridiculous and have no place in a society bound by law.”
That’s not what Dear Leader Bush says. He believes in freedom for all people. That’s why we invaded Iraq isn’t it? To bring them freedom? “Operation Iraqi Freedom”…Free speech is included right? Don’t you believe that all people should get free speech and freedom of religion, etc? That it should be a basic human right? Or are you saying that only certain people get freedom and everyone else just gets to not have that.
If my arguments are “ridiculous” then yours are equally so and have no place in a society governed and bound by REALITY. Which, sorry to say, despite what the Neo-Cons believe, you cannot simply disregard.