Last, but not least, the video…
The most dramatic moment of the protest / counter-protest was this face-to-face confrontation between two very hot-tempered individuals:
Also, I found myself touched by this rendition of the national anthem, from the pro-amnesty side:
You know, something to balance out all those Mexican flags.
(A sidenote: I can’t say how thrilled I am with YouTube. This is the first time I’ve tried uploading to it and using it to videoblog. Quite convenient. I hope they have a plan to make money off of all of this.)
(A sidenote to the sidenote: I took all of this video with a Sony Cybershot DSCP93. Think what you will of my camera work. But the picture and sound were incredible for a device designed to do something else entirely.)
When the anti-illegal immigration guy walked up to his screaming rival I was expecting some fireworks. He was remarkably calm and reasonable, especially compared to the foaming-at-the-mouth pro-illegal demonstrator. Geez, when people disagree in Muslim countries they pull their opponents kids off of busses and shoot them; I love my country!
great videoblogging. we now live in the future!
I was at the demonstration. The anti-illegal immigration demonstrators were at least trying to make reasoned arguments. The pro-illegals were making no such effort — they simply shouted “racism” and made as much noise as possible, in an effort to shout their opponents down.
I am a native american and can sympathize with the anti-illegal immigration guy. I totally agree that all illegals who enter this country should go back home. What I would like to know is when are all the white people going back to back to europe?
I am a naturalized U.S. citizen and have lived in the U.S. for 31 years. I am sponsoring relatives in the old country - the legal way - and paying good money for legal fees and waiting as long as ten years to have my sponsorship approved. I resent illegals who do not wait in line, and I equally resent U.S. natives who encourage this abominable behavior. The pro-illegal immigration protester in the video is a misguided soul who doesn’t know what real racism is. He doesn’t realize either that many in the anti-illegal immigration movement consist of Hispanics and non-whites. Being insulted for the color of your skin and being discriminated against because of your skin color or ethnic origin, then that’s racism. Fighting to keep jobs in your country and fighting for better wages, that’s justice.
Reply to Roland: This white american will consider moving to Europe when all the Native Americans move back to Asia from whence they originally came.
Rafa, you are so sure that my ancestors came from asia? That is still up to debate. But what is not up for debate is that europeans came to an america with open borders and now want to close them to people they deem as undesirable. You show an exorbinate amount of hubris in calling yourself an “america” it’s galling.
lol–the guy who crossed the street was “reasonable”? Please.
A guy who crosses the street in order to get in someone’s face, point his finger at him, bump bellies, and shout at him is a guy picking a fight. Have none of you people ever been to a bar? Or a foot ball game? Or, um, high school? The kid in the yellow shirt gets a lot of credit for not rising to the bait, and for staying nonviolent in spite of the fact that a guy came up to him who obviously had violence on his mind.
I’m sorry, but if you’re at a protest and you cross the street so you can get right in someone’s face and start pointing and shouting at them, you got off the “calm and reasonable” train several stops ago.
Re: ‘Really’ comment
I believe in an America with open borders and nothing else. However, for
(1) security and
(2) a stable economy
LEGAL STATUS MUST BE EARNED.
By earned I mean that those who have committed harsh crimes beyond reproach should either not be allowed into America or would have to show signs of penitence for their action(s).
ALL IMMIGRANTS MUST BE DOCUMENTED.
If the government cannot keep tabs on who is in this country, then what is to stop an enemy of America from sneaking in through the southern border of the U.S.?
IMMIGRATION SHOULD BE EASIER.
Rafa should not have had to wait 10 years to sponsor some of his relatives back home. Likewise, many immigrants must wait so long before they can actually legally come into America. Therefore, in desperate financial times (if I were in their shoes), I would probably swim the Rio Grande to come here illegally. It’s can be so damn hard to come here legally, especially if I am a poor and desperate individual who cannot wait one year to come to America.
I favor a immigrant worker program because it keeps individuals documented, and it streamlines the steps to legalization, another step to complete U.S. citizenship.
Yes, there needs to be a guest-worker program so that more people may enter legally. Unfortunately, it will probably be limited to 100,000 in a compromise with the House of Representatives. The House will not allow earned legalization. So there will be 100,000 or so fewer undocumented workers, which is better than nothing. A new Congress and/or new administration may make adjustments.
Reply to Really:
I think you mistook me for someone else. I never mentioned anything about your ancestors coming from Asia!
aardvark.iblog.com
Roland —
Yes, you are right: the European settlers could certainly be considered illegal immigrants, and they did terrible harm to Native American societies.
So, um, can you explain to me why that means illegal immigration is a good thing for the people living here today?
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