Photos from the protest

[pinstripermike]

I decided to finally pop my activism cherry. I went to the Immigration Bill Protest. Broadway was completely filled all the way from City Hall to Canal Street, which is about 20 or so blocks. I don't know hoe many people were there but it must have been over 100,000

Comments

[rs_joe]

I agree. That bill was totally unenforceable and made no sense at all. It was going to reward those who have been able to hide from the system for more than 5 years, but penalize those that hadn't been here for 5 years.

And what records were they going to use for this???

The only ones to benefit from illegal workers is business and the walmart mentality driven consumer. Cheap labor, no fica tax, no osha, no accountability, low low prices. More profit from the sweat of undocumented workers.

[pinstripermike]

Absolutely agreed.
While I don't support illegal immigration in itself, the fact that they are being taken advantage of is a little bit too capitalist for me. It seems to be the governments prerogative to focus on illegal immigrants while the American Poor suffers under an extremely unlivable minimum wage. If the mantra that "illegals do jobs that normal Americans will not" continues, the reason is because of the low wage. The reform needs to come in the form of forcing corporations to pay higher wages, therefore attracting American workers. Also, I think that people within this country right now who are illegal should be deported but, within that process, helped and pointed in the right direction to becoming legal. The INS should not build a wall (Berlin Wall anyone?), they should instead reach out and help bolster the American economy along with our international image by helping to turn illegals into legal citizens.

Vote for me

[rs_joe]

I agree with everything but the unlivable minimum wage thing. Maybe I'm living in some odd Rentl'er county hick bubble, but the only people I know that make the mimimum wage are teenagers and walmart greeters. If you have a month's experience doing anything you and are somewhat reliable you will make more than the minimum wage. Provided that you are legal.

You know me Mike. I'm the laziest person you will ever know. And I have always made more than the minimum wage.

[pinstripermike]

you are the laziest person I know, outside of myself, and I have always made above minimum wage as well. But we have also lived in NYS all of our lives. New York is one of the most progressive states in the Union, therefore, employers are inclined to pay higher than minimum wage. I'm sure in relatively poorer states and urban areas, minimum wage just isn't enough to live on. By the way, I didn't mean that to sound condescending because you're obviously aware of all these factors as well, I'm just throwing it all out there.

[_welaughindoors]

so I go to the city & you come home...