The Village Voice: Runnin' Scared

May Day: Put Your Hands Together

posted: 3:35 PM, April 25, 2006 by Jarrett Murphy

Some folks have called for a daylong general strike by immigrants on the May 1 national day of action for immigrant rights. Others think immigrants should boycott buying things for the day. In New York City, however, the action will be confined to your lunch hour. At 12:16 p.m. on Monday (commemorating 12/16/2005, when the detested Sensenbrenner immigration bill passed the House) groups on Fifth Avenue in Brooklyn, Fordham Road in the Bronx, and locations elsewhere in the city will form human chains for 15 to 20 minutes.

"What happened on April 10 is the beginning of a powerful movement and we are determined to keep the momentum going," said Chung Wha Hong, executive director of the New York Immigration Coalition, at a City Hall press conference Tuesday, referring to the rally that, organizers claim, 300,000 people attended. May 1 is intended "to make the case that immigrants make New York stronger."

But, as Councilman John Liu noted, "the city would grind to an absolute halt economically, culturally, socially, everything if not for the efforts of immigrants and new Americans." And that is why some are calling for more dramatic action on May Day, to demonstrate what a day without immigrants would be like. So why not here? Why not grind it to a halt?

"We are not calling for a strike but we respect those who are doing otherwise," Hong said in answer to a reporter's question; she added later on that they also did not endorse the any boycott. "We need members of the media to focus on substantive issues," she insisted. "The way that we express ourselves is not important."

So, why not here? "We have already achieved the goal of highlighting the economic contribution to our city" made by immigrants, said Ana Maria Achila of the Latin American Integration Center. She added that the human chains are meant "to celebrate immigrants not just as workers, not just as consumers, but as creators of worth."

categories: On the Stump

Comments

Sorry to disturb you but do students have to go to school on May 1, 2006. People are saying dat you do because the boycott march starts at 4 o'clock so im not sure.

Posted by: Jessica at April 25, 2006 11:00 PM

no.. we don't gotta go 2 skoo... dats da main part make skoos lode money so dat dey know how important we are not only for working but that we r a bia majority in skoos too!! hope dis helps u!!!

Posted by: jessi at April 26, 2006 2:41 PM

As a teacher myself in the Bay Area, I will be taking the day to protest and be in solidarity as a black woman with ALL people of color. Don't forget - they tried to do this with us & the Fugitive Slave Act in the 1800s.

Most of our 250 students will attend the rally, as well as most of the teachers. Ask your teachers to support you by boycotting work and protesting - you're not alone!

Posted by: Ms. Shange at April 26, 2006 5:22 PM

"no.. we don't gotta go 2 skoo... dats da main part make skoos lode money so dat dey know how important we are not only for working but that we r a bia majority in skoos too!! hope dis helps u!!!"

If that's your idea of grammar, I would suggest going to school every day of the year. With grammar like that, you can't afford to miss a day!

Posted by: me at April 26, 2006 6:09 PM

From your comments above, you two can not afford to skip a day of school. I hope this helps you.

Posted by: Margie at April 27, 2006 8:35 AM

hey...

I work at a financial Institution ...do I have to go to work?

Posted by: Sonia at April 27, 2006 2:39 PM

Please take a look at a INS and local governement level backslash that is taking place. Even innocent law abiding, tax paying, Work visa possessing foriegn residents are mistargeted from what was first hand accounted.

http://www.wcpo.com/news/2006/local/04/27/ice.html

Sad...but a necessary revolt it seems.

Posted by: AP at April 28, 2006 1:14 AM

I support the May 1st event, but think it should be extended for an entire year. That will work. An entire year.

Posted by: Desk at April 28, 2006 6:19 PM

I read this and have no problem with immigrants..my wife and son are immigrants, and my grandparents were immigrants and they came here LEGALLY. Between my wife and myself we have filled out plenty of paperwork..spent countless hours so that she and our son could come to the united states LEGALLY. She pays taxes and social security..What I think is missing from this article is the word Illegal attached to immigrants. Because they are here ILLEGALLY they dont pay taxes and basically are using our system and infastructure and not paying a dime to be here in America...THEY ARE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS they have NO RIGHTS here in the United States because they ARE NOT US CITIZENS.

Posted by: Scott at April 30, 2006 3:38 PM

R E D U N D A N T- we who are generational AMERICANS know the laws. We know the difference between ILLEGALS and immigrants.
The ignorance of the leaders is even more profound. Thus, most likely--most have been in receipt of their paper citizenship via Heathen Breeders who come across US Borders just in time to drop their sperm donor exponential!
Then we have the l986 AMNESTY--still void of having been a process.
Thereafter, the CUSA Program or Citizenship USA which was orchestrated via Clinton-Gore-Reno for VOTES. What a way to obtain citizens????
All 400 fraudulent testing centers. Now you know why someone can barely state in English "I am a citizen just like you!"""
And having investigated volumes of documents etc: we know where a majority derived their paper.
What nation building---live as a criminal who could except anything any different.
RESULTS: double standards to chaos!
AMNESTY = TYRANNY
No other nation would put up with such rabbid ignorance....
The elites WIN at the expense of a nation of people of expected nothing more than they contributed...
Look what non enforcement of IMMIGRATION has bore us now..
Our family fought with Juan Seguin the General...and at the ALAMO--it is at your doorstep now.
COWARDS sit and watch--complain and repeat themselves..
ONE NATION UNDER G O D
MindinahUSA@yahoo.com

Posted by: MindinahUSA at May 4, 2006 7:56 PM