Photo by Luis Sinco/LATA year ago I witnessed the most magnificent, uplifting, astonishing mass demonstration in downtown Los Angeles. People, most of them immigrants (but most of us are immigrants) poured into the streets--all of the streets--singing, chanting, laughing, shouting, dancing in support of immigrants' rights, in opposition to oppressive government policies, and in wild celebration of America and themselves. It was a wonderful, wonderful day.
This year it looks like that once-in-a-lifetime convergence of publicity, word-of-mouth, spontaneity, anger and glee will be repeated on a much smaller scale. The turnout is reported to be much lower this year; kids are staying in school, workers at their jobs. Rumors of waiting immigration agents abound; maybe it is not so safe to proclaim your undocumented status in a smaller group for which the state has had a year to prepare. It's too bad, but I, for one, will never forget the Spring of 2006.
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Justice, Immigration, May 1 Demonstration
1 comment:
Wrong. Most of us are NOT immigrants. I was born in the United States as were all of my ancestors since at least the 1850's, going back to Plymouth rock on my European lines and even further on my Native American line.
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