McHENRY COUNTY PEACE GROUP TO LEAD PROTEST OF MINUTEMEN PROJECT MEETING
The McHENRY COUNTY PEACE GROUP has announced that it will hold a vigil near the Crystal Lake hotel where the ILLINOIS MINUTEMAN PROJECT plans to gather to oppose immigration.
The anti-immigration group plans a meeting at the HOLIDAY INN CRYSTAL LAKE on the afternoon of Saturday, August 25. That meeting will feature DANIEL BECK, an Ohio sheriff who has made a name for himself rounding up Hispanic looking “suspects” and turning those that are undocumented over to Federal authorities for deportation. Admission to the event limited to tickets sold in advance, in an apparent attempt to prevent “infiltration” by protestors or opponents.
The Minuteman Project is considered a “hate group” by the SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER, which has been monitoring KU KLUX KLAN, neo-nazi, skin head, militia, and other extremist groups for over a decade.
The Peace Group and allies will conduct a vigil from 12:30 to 4 pm at the southwest corner of Route 31 and Three Oaks Road, near the hotel.
“Although the public identifies us with our opposition to the War in Iraq, the Peace Group’s mission has always been to broadly support peace in our communities, the nation and the world,” according to Peace Group member PATRICK MURFIN, “Immigration is a divisive issue in this country. It deserves a serious discussion. The Minutemen do not promote that discussion. They promote hatred and discrimination by fanning the flames of fear. Our job as peace makers is to oppose that fear mongering.”
The Peace Group will follow up the vigil with a program on immigration in its CURRENT AMERICAN ISSUES forum series at McHENRY COUNTY COLLEGE at 7 pm September 13. SALVADOR A. CICERO, a Chicago Lawyer who specializes in civil rights, immigration and international human rights will be the principle speaker for the program, “Immigration: Myths vs. Realities in the Current Debate.” Cicero is a leader of the LEAGUE OF UNITED LATIN AMERICAN CITIZENS (LULAC) and a former MEXICAN Consul.
For more information call 815 455-3630, e-mail lib4paz@comcast.net or visit http://mcpg.org.