EDIT: link to pictures
www.chicagotribune.com/news/custom/photos/chi-rally060310-photogallery,1,1618075.photogallery?coll=chi-news-hed

I work down in the Chicago Loop (downtown financial district) and nothing is moving...tens of thousands of illegals have taken over the streets, protesting, yelling, screaming, waving signs, traffic is NOT moving, streets are MOBBED...


http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/custom/newsroom/chi-060310rally,1,4306052.story?coll=chi-news-hed
Ethnic groups rally for immigrant rights
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By Oscar Avila and Antonio Olivo
Tribune staff reporters

March 10, 2006, 2:35 PM CST

A mass of flag-waving humanity jammed downtown Chicago this afternoon as tens of thousands of protesters rallied at Federal Plaza to demand more humane immigration laws.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich, Mayor Richard Daley and other political figures crowded onto the stage to speak to the crowd.

Noting Chicago was built by new arrivals to this country who simply wanted a share of the American Dream, Daley said, "We are not going to make criminals out of (immigrants). That is not what America has ever stood for."

U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.), a Hispanic, drew cheers as he recognized Irish, Polish, Chinese and African-American rally participants.

"I have never been prouder to march, to show my commitment to a cause, than I have been today," Gutierrez said. "We have brought together the true fabric of what Chicago is, of what our country is."

Even as the rally began, about 2 p.m., people continued streaming into the Loop, the line of march extending as far west as the United Center.

Earlier, businesses, restaurants and schools across the region emptied out, and busloads of immigrants from Mexico, Poland and Ireland converged on the protest's assembly point in Union Park, at Ashland Avenue and Washington Boulevard on the city's West Side.

At the park, the participants—representatives of many ethnic groups in addition to the Hispanic community, the event's main organizer—immediately broke into mini-rallies, some speakers grabbing megaphones and rallying participants from baseball bleachers.

The marchers stepped off shortly after noon for a two-mile march to Federal Plaza, 230 S. Dearborn St. Chicago police were expecting from 75,000 to 100,000 people to attend the rally, police spokeswoman Kristina Schuler said.

They moved amid a sea of flags, including those for Guatemala, Ecuador, Ireland and especially Mexico. But U.S. flags were the most numerous.

Marchers such as Jose Soberanis tried to make the case that the cause of illegal immigrants fits with basic American values. Soberanis, 21, led a group waving U.S. flags and a drawing of Martin Luther King that he created with his 11-year-old sister, Cecilia.

"As the saying goes, 'I have a dream.' Well, we have dreams, too," Soberanis said. "African-Americans were looking for social acceptance. That is what we want, too."

Whole shifts of workers left their jobs to underscore the importance of immigrant workers. One server in a Downers Grove Italian restaurant came in his tie and apron, draped with a U.S. flag.

A Chicago factory worker, Amada Ochoa, 44, said she felt a swell of pride when about 150 employees walked out the doors around noon at their West Side plating company.

"We felt a feeling of unity," she said. "It shows our work is important."

Alex Garcia and about 10 co-workers from a Joliet commercial sign company rode a Metra train to Chicago's Union Station and then walked about 12 blocks to Union Park, then re-traced their steps as they headed back to the Loop.

Garcia, whose company installs signs for McDonald's, Burger King and other fast-food restaurants in the Chicago area, said, "Most people don't realize how much work we do, but it's part of their daily lives. We are putting up all the buildings and cooking all the food. Today, they'll understand."

Anticipating the big turnout, critics of illegal immigration held a preemptive news conference this morning in Grant Park. They predicted the rally would backfire on its organizers, stoking the anger of other Chicagoans that illegal immigrants were arrogant enough to demand increased rights.

Opinion polls find most Americans favor stricter immigration enforcement, the critics said.

Sandra Gunn, government relations field associate for the Washington-based Federation for American Immigration Reform, said she hoped politicians would ignore the "display of arrogance and intimidation" from protesters who she said flout immigration laws. "It is our voices that they must heed," Gunn said.

Carmen Mercer, vice president of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, a national volunteer group opposed to illegal immigration, said the marchers were undercutting the interests of legal immigrants who play by the rules. She also said the threat of terrorism makes immigration enforcement more critical.

"We don't want another 9-11," said Mercer, a legal immigrant from Germany. "That is why we are demanding that our government secure our borders."

Today's events come at a critical time in the immigration debate. Congress is weighing competing proposals over how to treat the nation's 11 million undocumented immigrants.

Rally organizers said they oppose H.R. 4437, a bill approved in the U.S. House of Representatives that would drastically strengthen immigration enforcement, including the construction of a wall along the Mexican border.

Instead, they back a competing bill that would provide legal status for most undocumented immigrants and make it easier for legal immigrants to bring in relatives. That legislation, sponsored by U.S. Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Edward Kennedy (D-Mass), also would expand temporary work visas.

Much of the turnout and energy for today's rally was coming from the local Mexican-American community, the area's largest immigrant group. But the Mexican groups were bolstered by immigrants from Ireland, Poland, China and Ecuador.

The wide-ranging organizing committee also included the Nation of Islam, Service Employees International Union Local 73, evangelical churches and the Puerto Rican Cultural Center.

Tapping into immigrant growth in the suburbs, organizers rented about 200 buses for immigrants boarding near taquerias and churches in such far-flung towns such as Blue Island and Aurora.

A subplot of the day's events, organizers said, was the Chicago economy's reliance on immigrant labor. Organizers encouraged participants to leave work, with some calling for a "general strike" today to underscore the workload shouldered by immigrants, including those without legal status.

Around the area, business owners weighed whether to give the march their blessing or to resist the employee exodus. Several Mexican box boys in a Montclare grocery store said they saw the march as a chance to affirm their dignity. But their boss Gus Labrakis, a Greek immigrant, was annoyed about how their participation might impact his business.

"I don't think this is a good idea," Labrakis said. "They're inviting even more hate against them. The real problem is at the border. If they keep coming by the millions, where will this lead?"

Antonio Reyes, a box boy at Labrakis' market who arrived from Mexico City in 2000, said the march is an important way for non-immigrants to understand how the proposed laws will affect hard working families.

"We didn't come to this country to rob, but to work and support our families," said Reyes, a father of two U.S.-born children.

WGN-Ch. 9 contributed to this story.

[email protected], [email protected]
Copyright © 2006, Chicago Tribune

Why protest in Chicago? That makes no sense.

Send in the INS

Oh wait, that will never happen.

A Chicago factory worker, Amada Ochoa, 44, said she felt a swell of pride when about 150 employees walked out the doors around noon at their West Side plating company. "We felt a feeling of unity," she said. "It shows our work is important."

Which important work is that, the one you just walked out of?


The funny part would be if their company had new illegals in place to replace the ones that walked out.

Sure, open the borders. Won't those illegal Mexicans be pissed when all their jobs are taken by illegal Chinese who work for $3 a day?

The Bible ,
Chapter ARFCOM ,
Chapter 1:2

And GOD said unto the surviving Americans ,
Let there be belt feds ...
and it was good.    

tag

Quoted: Why protest in Chicago? That makes no sense.

It makes a little. There are only like 24 states with IJs and the only one in Illinois is in Chicago. Add to that the overwhelming immigrant population and it makes a little sense.

www.usdoj.gov/eoir/sibpages/ICadr.htm

the po-po should set their nite sticks to "thump"  and solve this little problem

Quoted: The Bible , Chapter ARFCOM , Chapter 1:2 And GOD said unto the surviving Americans , Let there be belt feds ... and it was good.

Quoted: The Bible , Chapter ARFCOM , Chapter 1:2 And GOD said unto the surviving Americans , Let there be belt feds ... and it was good.

LOL!

Good one.

Quoted: Quoted: The Bible , Chapter ARFCOM , Chapter 1:2 And GOD said unto the surviving Americans , Let there be belt feds ... and it was good.

If only a giant galactic boulder fell out of the sky over Chitcago.

Well shit, so long as they are all in one place, why ain't they rounding them up?  

Who wants to head out there and yell "La Meeeeeeeeeeeegra!!" over a bullhorn a few times?

Call in the A10's

Quoted: Well shit, so long as they are all in one place, why ain't they rounding them up?   Who wants to head out there and yell "La Meeeeeeeeeeeegra!!" over a bullhorn a few times?

sounds like a play date

Quoted: the po-po should set their nite sticks to "thump"  and solve this little problem

I think you're thinking of some other five letter word starting with T.

We are getting this close to mob rule in this country.  

Once asked by an anxious woman outside of the Constitutional Convention, "Mr. Franklin, what kind of government have you given us?," he replied: “A Republic, madam, if you can keep it.”

I'm sorry, but we've lost it.  It's on paper, it exists in the hearts and minds of many people but we've become the obvious minority.

The fact that more people can name members of The Simpson's family than any of the rights in the First Amendment should be ample proof of that.  

Quoted: Why protest in Chicago? That makes no sense.

You think they all stop in TX?

Newflash....they're not crossing the border because they love TX.

Quoted: Quoted: the po-po should set their nite sticks to "thump"  and solve this little problem I think you're thinking of some other five letter word starting with T.

ya mean the word describing the sould we speak not of at arfcom?

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: the po-po should set their nite sticks to "thump"  and solve this little problem I think you're thinking of some other five letter word starting with T. ya mean the word describing the sould we speak not at arfcom?

... and five letters?

Quoted: Why protest in Chicago? That makes no sense.

They know the citzenry is disarmed there. Less chance of getting shot.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: the po-po should set their nite sticks to "thump"  and solve this little problem I think you're thinking of some other five letter word starting with T. ya mean the word describing the sould we speak not at arfcom? ... and five letters?

T-A-N-G-O

The pictures on the site don't do the sheer SIZE of the march justice...has to be several hundred thousand marching. The streets are MOBBED...nothing moving. I'd love to see some aerial shots of this "protest".

Quoted: Quoted: the po-po should set their nite sticks to "thump"  and solve this little problem I think you're thinking of some other five four letter word starting with T.

fixed it for ya

ETA I have less of a problem with them waiving American flags and wanting to become Americans than I do with the aztlan/lulac/maldef racists that we seem to get here in the southwest.

Quoted: Why protest in Chicago? That makes no sense.

Gov. Elvis and Dirty Little Richie are up for re-election.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: the po-po should set their nite sticks to "thump"  and solve this little problem I think you're thinking of some other five letter word starting with T. ya mean the word describing the sould we speak not at arfcom? ... and five letters?

uhhhh .... it's the alternate spelling ... yeah.

Sounds like I got out of the Loop from work just in time.

They are forcing me to become a racist.

I don't get it. What's "inhumane" about our immigration laws?

I had a bunch of workers leave to go to this march today with little notice.

The wierd thing is they are all legal Mexican immigrants. Supposedly they are pissed that if they are riding in the car with their illegal friend or relative they could get busted.

Oddly all of my other workers who are Puerto Rican, Guatamalian, Serbian, ect. are here working and could basically give a crap about the march.

Quoted: I don't get it. What's "inhumane" about our immigration laws?

not having mines on the border. It's inhumane for little Jimmy that just lost his paper route to 38 year old Jorge

ETA: I can spell, I swear....

I don't see anything about it on CNN or Fox's website.  Weird.

The answer

Quoted: I don't get it. What's "inhumane" about our immigration laws?

Exactly.

I don't care if they make up 13% of the workforce or whatever the percentage is. They think they are entitled to everything. If they won't come here legally, fuck them and send them home.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: the po-po should set their nite sticks to "thump"  and solve this little problem I think you're thinking of some other five letter word starting with T. ya mean the word describing the sould we speak not at arfcom? ... and five letters? uhhhh .... it's the alternate spelling ... yeah.

ahh i was thinking of the sound a mag light makes when used apon the cranium

Quoted: www.sixtiescity.com/SciFilm/Images/SF166.jpg The answer

I like the way this man thinks.

if they would do "the jobs americans won't" then they would be at work not fucking protesting

Quoted: Quoted: Why protest in Chicago? That makes no sense. Gov. Elvis and Dirty Little Richie are up for re-election.

ding ding ding

chitcago libtards are frantic that dumbovich might not be reelected.  they gotta energize their voting blocs.

Quoted: The answer

why can't people differentiate between real immigrants, and illegal boarder-jumpers?

www.sixtiescity.com/SciFilm/Images/SF166.jpg

Yes God dammit YEEEEESSSSSSSSS

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: the po-po should set their nite sticks to "thump"  and solve this little problem I think you're thinking of some other five letter word starting with T. ya mean the word describing the sould we speak not at arfcom? ... and five letters? uhhhh .... it's the alternate spelling ... yeah. ahh i was thinking of the sound a mag light makes when used apon the cranium

I think everybody is on the same page, but you and red beard thought it had 5 letters, which is why SJS said that.

These guys had the right idea..............



Head 'em UP! Move 'em OUT!

Do we have any Chicagoland ARFCOMmers who can set off a suitcase nuke on short notice?  

If so, PM me.

Quoted: EDIT: link to pictures www.chicagotribune.com/news/custom/photos/chi-rally060310-photogallery,1,1618075.photogallery?coll=chi-news-hed I work down in the Chicago Loop (downtown financial district) and nothing is moving...tens of thousands of illegals have taken over the streets, protesting, yelling, screaming, waving signs, traffic is NOT moving, streets are MOBBED... http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/custom/newsroom/chi-060310rally,1,4306052.story?coll=chi-news-hed Ethnic groups rally for immigrant rights Advertisement     By Oscar Avila and Antonio Olivo Tribune staff reporters March 10, 2006, 2:35 PM CST A mass of flag-waving humanity jammed downtown Chicago this afternoon as tens of thousands of protesters rallied at Federal Plaza to demand more humane immigration laws. Gov. Rod Blagojevich, Mayor Richard Daley and other political figures crowded onto the stage to speak to the crowd. Noting Chicago was built by new arrivals to this country who simply wanted a share of the American Dream, Daley said, "We are not going to make criminals out of (immigrants). That is not what America has ever stood for." U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.), a Hispanic, drew cheers as he recognized Irish, Polish, Chinese and African-American rally participants. "I have never been prouder to march, to show my commitment to a cause, than I have been today," Gutierrez said. "We have brought together the true fabric of what Chicago is, of what our country is." Even as the rally began, about 2 p.m., people continued streaming into the Loop, the line of march extending as far west as the United Center. Earlier, businesses, restaurants and schools across the region emptied out, and busloads of immigrants from Mexico, Poland and Ireland converged on the protest's assembly point in Union Park, at Ashland Avenue and Washington Boulevard on the city's West Side. At the park, the participants—representatives of many ethnic groups in addition to the Hispanic community, the event's main organizer—immediately broke into mini-rallies, some speakers grabbing megaphones and rallying participants from baseball bleachers. The marchers stepped off shortly after noon for a two-mile march to Federal Plaza, 230 S. Dearborn St. Chicago police were expecting from 75,000 to 100,000 people to attend the rally, police spokeswoman Kristina Schuler said. They moved amid a sea of flags, including those for Guatemala, Ecuador, Ireland and especially Mexico. But U.S. flags were the most numerous. Marchers such as Jose Soberanis tried to make the case that the cause of illegal immigrants fits with basic American values. Soberanis, 21, led a group waving U.S. flags and a drawing of Martin Luther King that he created with his 11-year-old sister, Cecilia. "As the saying goes, 'I have a dream.' Well, we have dreams, too," Soberanis said. "African-Americans were looking for social acceptance. That is what we want, too." Whole shifts of workers left their jobs to underscore the importance of immigrant workers. One server in a Downers Grove Italian restaurant came in his tie and apron, draped with a U.S. flag. A Chicago factory worker, Amada Ochoa, 44, said she felt a swell of pride when about 150 employees walked out the doors around noon at their West Side plating company. "We felt a feeling of unity," she said. "It shows our work is important." Alex Garcia and about 10 co-workers from a Joliet commercial sign company rode a Metra train to Chicago's Union Station and then walked about 12 blocks to Union Park, then re-traced their steps as they headed back to the Loop. Garcia, whose company installs signs for McDonald's, Burger King and other fast-food restaurants in the Chicago area, said, "Most people don't realize how much work we do, but it's part of their daily lives. We are putting up all the buildings and cooking all the food. Today, they'll understand." Anticipating the big turnout, critics of illegal immigration held a preemptive news conference this morning in Grant Park. They predicted the rally would backfire on its organizers, stoking the anger of other Chicagoans that illegal immigrants were arrogant enough to demand increased rights. Opinion polls find most Americans favor stricter immigration enforcement, the critics said. Sandra Gunn, government relations field associate for the Washington-based Federation for American Immigration Reform, said she hoped politicians would ignore the "display of arrogance and intimidation" from protesters who she said flout immigration laws. "It is our voices that they must heed," Gunn said. Carmen Mercer, vice president of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, a national volunteer group opposed to illegal immigration, said the marchers were undercutting the interests of legal immigrants who play by the rules. She also said the threat of terrorism makes immigration enforcement more critical. "We don't want another 9-11," said Mercer, a legal immigrant from Germany. "That is why we are demanding that our government secure our borders." Today's events come at a critical time in the immigration debate. Congress is weighing competing proposals over how to treat the nation's 11 million undocumented immigrants. Rally organizers said they oppose H.R. 4437, a bill approved in the U.S. House of Representatives that would drastically strengthen immigration enforcement, including the construction of a wall along the Mexican border. Instead, they back a competing bill that would provide legal status for most undocumented immigrants and make it easier for legal immigrants to bring in relatives. That legislation, sponsored by U.S. Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Edward Kennedy (D-Mass), also would expand temporary work visas. Much of the turnout and energy for today's rally was coming from the local Mexican-American community, the area's largest immigrant group. But the Mexican groups were bolstered by immigrants from Ireland, Poland, China and Ecuador. The wide-ranging organizing committee also included the Nation of Islam, Service Employees International Union Local 73, evangelical churches and the Puerto Rican Cultural Center. Tapping into immigrant growth in the suburbs, organizers rented about 200 buses for immigrants boarding near taquerias and churches in such far-flung towns such as Blue Island and Aurora. A subplot of the day's events, organizers said, was the Chicago economy's reliance on immigrant labor. Organizers encouraged participants to leave work, with some calling for a "general strike" today to underscore the workload shouldered by immigrants, including those without legal status. Around the area, business owners weighed whether to give the march their blessing or to resist the employee exodus. Several Mexican box boys in a Montclare grocery store said they saw the march as a chance to affirm their dignity. But their boss Gus Labrakis, a Greek immigrant, was annoyed about how their participation might impact his business. "I don't think this is a good idea," Labrakis said. "They're inviting even more hate against them. The real problem is at the border. If they keep coming by the millions, where will this lead?" Antonio Reyes, a box boy at Labrakis' market who arrived from Mexico City in 2000, said the march is an important way for non-immigrants to understand how the proposed laws will affect hard working families. "We didn't come to this country to rob, but to work and support our families," said Reyes, a father of two U.S.-born children. WGN-Ch. 9 contributed to this story. [email protected], [email protected] Copyright © 2006, Chicago Tribune

Hmmm.

Chicago...reap what you sow.




Sad thing is, this "marching for illegals" is going to start happening ALL over this country.


Let's see...

Commie governor, commie mayor, nation of islam supporting the breaking of US laws, illegals that broke our laws, politicians that don't do anything about it......next thing you'll see is Jessie Jackson standing up there saying how great the commie Ceazer Chavez was.


This country =


And you can blame ALL politicians for this one. Uncontrolled greed and stupidity will sink this country.

Quoted: Why protest in Chicago? That makes no sense.

When I moved out here I was surprised by how many Mexicans lived here.  Huge concentration in the city and good amount in the burbs.   Some towns are all Mexicans.  Plus side is we got some real good mexican food and deep dish pizza.

Quoted: I had a bunch of workers leave to go to this march today with little notice. The wierd thing is they are all legal Mexican immigrants. Supposedly they are pissed that if they are riding in the car with their illegal friend or relative they could get busted.

I hope that you are going to do the right thing and fire them.

Why would Polish demonstrate? Are the mostly illegal too?

Quoted: Quoted: Why protest in Chicago? That makes no sense. You think they all stop in TX? Newflash....they're not crossing the border because they love TX.

What?! The hell you say!

Actually, I didn't think it made any sense as the states with the most impact on boarder regulation are the states that are actually on the boarder.