Some serious accusations were flying last week after federal officials raided a strip mall in Little Village. Some came from the feds themselves, who charged 22 people with being part of a sophisticated business that supplied fake IDs to as many as 15,000 people a year. Twelve of them were arrested in the raid, including the alleged ringleader, who the feds say ordered the murder of a rival in Mexico and was planning to murder another.
The other accusations came from the Hispanic community, which said the military-style raid was unnecessary and was timed by the federal government to intimidate them in advance of Tuesday's May Day march for immigration rights.
At a time when the immigration debate remains unresolved, it was perhaps inevitable the raid would be perceived differently in the Hispanic community. We can understand how the feds' tactics looked needlessly heavy-handed. But it's hard to second-guess the level of force that was used. As with any similar raid, it was probably better to use a level that turned out to be unnecessarily high than risk using a level that could turn out to be foolishly low. And can even the most ardent immigrant rights supporter argue the feds should ignore such serious offenses as murder and fraud?
As to whether the raid was an effort to stifle Tuesday's protest, we find that hard to believe. First and most obviously, the raid is serving to stir up interest in the march, not stifle it. And to believe it you'd have to believe that a federal government deeply split on immigration could unite on a strategy of intimidation. A more likely explanation is that the feds were simply doing their job.
Above article posted in the Chicago Sun-times 4/30/2007. This is not necessarily the opinion of thirtysomethingmovement.
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4 comments:
Over the past few weeks Black people have been seeing a lot of attention. we've got the Don Imus fiasco, the hoopla about Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton and the terrible situation involving the guy who killed his ex-girlfriend's children after molesting them. However, I would like to bring our attention to another topic and that is the recent Immigration Rally in Downtown Chicago.
I think Black people can learn something extremely important from our Mexican Brothers. What is that? UNITY? You remember that from Queen Latifah, right? UNITY! This rally shows what can be accomplished when people stick together. Black people are the most taken advantage groups of people on the planet. We are raped, manipulated, bartered, fooled, tricked, lied to, etc., etc., etc. The main reason this is done to us is because we do NOT stick together and our conviction is weak. I have mentioned several times before that most groups of people realize that when they offend us, all they have to do is wait us out and the heat will blow over. I am not sure if it is because our people are tired of fighting (400 some odd years sort of takes its toll on a people, ya' know?) or what but what I do know is if we want change and respect we have to stick together and get POWER. Without power we have nothing.
We talk about Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton being everywhere the lime light is and only fighting causes that further their agendas but I HAVE TO SUBMIT TO YOU they both have some semblance of power because whenever they speak things get changed! Who else can do that for us? I haven't seen them. Where are YOU when your people need you?
The Immigration rally yielded over 150,000 people. Yeah, you read it right, 150,000! When is the last time you saw 150,000 Black people come together to do ANYTHING? I can't remember! Yet they have and because of that they will undoubtedly get what they want.
SO what's my point? Well, I guess that depends on where you as an individual stand. I know for me it means there is power in numbers and if we are to make change we have to stick together.
Cortland Campbell
I don't know if anyone has been keeping tabs on the President's new immigration plan but it looks like he and his Republican cronies are going to allow immigrants to remain in the country. I'm all for people securing our American Dream but not like this.
I think it is a dangerous thing to reward people for breaking the rules. The immigrants have basically forced their will on the country and because they have done it through sheer numbers they have forced us to listen to them and give them what they want.
The President plans to give amnnesty but with a $5000 fine. ALL of the immigrants I've seen have said they don't think this is fair because they can't afford it. What about us not being able to afford to keep paying for them being here illegially (crime, health care, non-taxes, educating their children, etc, etc, etc.) At some point this country has to stop trying to appease EVERYBODY WHO DOESN'T LIKE HOW WE DO THINGS HERE!!!
UOI
Chicago, Illinois
I hear a lot about people wanting to criticize the new immigration bill issued by the President. I listen to individuals in my local pizza place on the North Shore and in nearby coffee houses call our country the United States of Mexico with disdain in their voices. I hear black people say that Mexicans are taking jobs away from them and are lowering their standards of living. I hear Republicans say it's good and Democrats say it's bad. What I do NOT hear a lot is people saying we need help in this country. I don't hear criticism of our foreign policy and how our country's arrogance has completly changed the way the world views and works with us. I do NOT see how Republicans can be so fiercly loyal to Bush and his policies and not question them with the same vigor as they do the Democrats.
We talk about how the Muslims are brainwashed in the Madrces to hate America and Isreal but I think we are brainwashed also if we think the path this President has led us down is good for America.
Don't get me wrong, I think people like Sadar, Saddam, Bin Laden and most other extreme thinkers are dangerous and should be dealt with. However, I think if we are calling ourselves intellegent and civilized people we have to deal with our problems as such. Convincing people to blow themselves up and to cause distruction is NO WAY to get others to listen to you. In fact, it only alienates you. But if there is profit in allowing people to blow themselves up in the name of Religion or GOD there is a guarentee it will continue as long as the common people insist on endorcing its philosophy.
GOD speed!
Harold Jaminski
Wicker Park
Well said.
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