"In the Pittsburgh area, Latin Americans make up 8.8 percent of the foreign-born population." (From a Post-Gazette article) That's 8.8 % of 3%. That means about 6,300 of our population are foreign born Latinos if my math is correct.
While other cites saw tens (or even hundreds of thousands) march for immigration reform on Monday, no one even has come up with a guesstimate of how many undocumented workers reside in this area.
Pittsburgh's own march this week attracted slightly more that 100 people according to the Post-Gazette (Dayvoe past it and thought it was more like 300) From the coverage I saw on WTAE (no pictures in the P-G) many of the marchers were sympathizers rather than people with their own immigration worries.
The march was organized by Pittsburgh Friends of Immigrants for Immigrants Rights. And, yes, they have a blog. It wasn't their first march, nor do I doubt that it will be their last. You can hear past statements from the group on Rustbelt Radio at Pittsburgh IndyMedia.
Since I can't find any pictures from Pittsburgh's march, I'll recommend some that Albert took in Philadelphia. They're beautiful. And, courtesy of Atrios, you can read Howard Dean's statement on the marches here and more from La Queen Sucia (including this: "One in ten U.S. soldiers who have DIED in Iraq have been immigrants. Five percent of those serving in our military are illegal immigrants.")
I'll leave you now with something from Leviticus...well...from Subdivided We Stand's "I Read Leviticus So You Don't Have To":
"When an alien resides with you in your land, do not molest him. You shall treat the alien who resides with you no differently than the natives born among you. Have the same love for him as for yourselves, for you too were once aliens..."UPDATE: Ooops! My bad! There are pictures of the march over at Pittsburgh IndyMedia -- I just missed them. Here's two:
You can see many more at Pittsburgh Independent Media Center
12 comments:
i don't think that's one of the passages that some bible quoters like to pick.
i think it's a good one tho, but then, i'm a liberal.
here are pictures http://pittsburgh.indymedia.org/news/2006/04/23484.php
thanks, good photos.
Cool! I'll update my post.
And what part of "illegal immigrants" don't those protesters understand? Amazing. Funny, considering liberals like to claim that Bush is breaking the law by doing illegal wire taps, but they support illegal immigrants. Talk about a double standard here, folks.
Did you ever notice how lying idiots tend to refer to those that they want to indoctrinate as 'folks'??
I listened to 104.7 Hate radio for a few days and was amazed at the number of liar who refer to their audience as 'folks'.
Creepy.......don't call people 'folks' unless you are an asshole.
Oh, and since he's cyber-stalking every liberal Pittsburgh blog he might show up at some events. Check out this site so you know what he looks like:
http://www.tepper.cmu.edu/cgroup/staff.htm
Not real attractive, but that is just my opinion folks.
Maybe a double standard, but if so, it's hardly limited to those of us on the left. After all, who hires these illegal immigrants? Big agriculture, construction, and the hospitality industry are businesses that come to mind. By hiring them, they're breaking the law as well. And considering that many of these groups are more Republican than Democrat vis-a-vis their membership roles and in how they spread their PAC money around (I think it was roughly 60/40 favoring the Republicans in '02. I imagin commo cause has a rundown of these groups' '04 contributions.) I'd say that it's more than just "the liberals" who are breaking the law. Migrant workers work for less than home-grown laborers. Lower prices for a good or service tend to drive up the demand for said good or service. This is basic classical economics at work. So here, the right has a problem. The desire for free markets is clashing with the desire to limit the flow of people who haven't gone through official, legal channels.
This internal contradiction raises a few interesting questions. First, are we as Americans beholden to the rule of law at all times? Businesses hiring illegals seem to think not. On a larger scale, there are times in American history where people have broken laws becuase they believe such laws are wrong. Civil disobedience tactics during the civil rights usually meant the willful breaking of laws that were considered unjust (e.g. racially segregated seating on buses). Some anti-abortion activists argue that while it may be illegal for them to damage a Planned Parenthood clinic that any law allowing the continued existence of such an establishment, an establishment that provides abortion services is committing an act so heinous that the destruction of such an organization's property is wholly justifiable and is in fact a moral imperative that overrides any laws on the books.
In short, you've two trends in American society going against your argument. The first is the law of supply and demand. We Yanks are nothing if not capitalistic. Secondly, saying that something is wrong (e.g. illegal imiigration) becuase it is against the law doesn't necessarily stand up as a valid point in the eyes of many Americans.
If you doubt me, then ask yourself this, why did the House Republican leadership, that is, those who control the House's legsislative agenda, decide to downgrade the act of illegally immigrating into this country from a felony to a misdemeanor? Why then did they insist on legislation that says such an act is more akin to driving over the speed limit than to, oh, say, pre-meditated murder? After all, these aren't liberals here, but Republican politicians. Perhaps they don't meet your definition of a what a conservative is, but they aren't Nancy Pelosi, either. Or are they practicing a sort of double standard as well?
Gee Anonymous, I am touched. You accuse ME of cyber stalking, and yet you have the balls to sit there and search me out on the net and post a link which contains my picture, all the while you hide behind your anonymous name. There's hypocricy at it's greatest. You're nothing more than the model liberal, Anonymous, not to mention, a model idiot.
Five percent of those serving in our military are illegal immigrants
illegal immigrants cannot enlist to U.S. Army. Only legal residents and citizens.
Shawn,
A well put comment. I myself am absolutely pissed over the fact that the Republicans have buckled. Also, Democrat, Republican, I don't care what political party you are, I am very much against those businesses (again, Republican/conservatives, or Democrats, I could care less what political party they are) who hire illegals, it's just not good.
All that being said, after all these years of illegals entering this country, we're all talking about fixing the barn door after the horses have been long gone. All of us have been asleep at the switch for years and now it's all of the sudden an issue. How do we track down all of these illegals? Good question. I wish I had an answer. You have any suggestions?
The one thing I seriously do not understand is some groups think it's right for tax payer money to go toward illegals in terms of healthcare, education, etc. I just don't see how that's right considering most if not all illegals do not pay taxes themselves.
MP,
While the undocumented may not legally join the us military, they are in the military:
Marines: Looking for a Few Good Aliens?
Recruiter on trial for selling IDs to enlist illegals
This week, a general court martial is to begin at Parris Island, South Carolina, for a U.S. Marine recruiter accused of selling and delivering counterfeit documents to illegal aliens in order for them to join the service.
Airman 1st Class Charged With Identity Theft
The Austin American-Statesman reported last week that Liliana Plata, known to the Air Force as Cristina Alaniz, surrendered to authorities in Valdosta, Ga. on Tuesday and was released on bail the same day. She is charged with fraudulent use or possession of identifying information. A hearing set for next month will decide the punishment she faces of two years behind bars, a dishonorable discharge from the Air Force, and deportation to Mexico.
Furthermore, many are working on US military bases:
Illegal immigrants arrested on military bases
Scores of illegal aliens seized, raising security questions
RALEIGH, N.C. - Scores of illegal immigrants working as cooks, laborers, janitors, even foreign-language instructors have been seized at military bases around the country in the past year, raising concerns in some quarters about security and troop safety.
Moreover, they are required by the Selective Service System to register:
NON-CITIZENS
Some non-citizens are required to register. Others are not. Noncitizens who are not required to register with Selective Service include men who are in the U.S. on student or visitor visas, and men who are part of a diplomatic or trade mission and their families. Almost all other male noncitizens are required to register, including illegal aliens, legal permanent residents, and refugees. The general rule is that if a male noncitizen takes up residency in the U.S. before his 26th birthday, he must register with Selective Service. For a more detailed list of which non-citizens must register, see Who Must Register - Chart .
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