While some people have expressed frustration that TV coverage was largely dominated by the health care vote yesterday, the news of the March For America is still rolling.
From the New York Times:Demonstrators filled five lengthy blocks of the Washington Mall, down the hill from the Capitol where last-minute negotiations were under way on the health care bill.
The rally brought the return to major street action by immigration activists, who turned out hundreds of thousands of protesters in marches and rallies in 2006. After an immigration overhaul measure was defeated in Congress in 2007, the pace of enforcement raids picked up and many immigrants, especially those without legal status, preferred to lay low.
Like the march’s tagline says: change takes courage. We saw the courageous actions of hundreds of thousands of people who live in fear showing up to unite as one on the National Mall. Now it’s Congress’ turn.
From the Washington Post:
Warmed by occasional bursts of sunshine, the festive crowd beat drums and waved American flags and placards reading “Change takes Courage” and “Obama Don’t Forget Your Promise!”
“We’ve been patient long enough. We’ve listened quietly. We’ve asked politely. We’ve turned the other cheek so many times our heads are spinning,” Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez (D-Ill.), who has led the push for immigration legislation within the House of Representatives, shouted, to roars of approval. “It’s time to let immigrants come out of the shadows into the light and for America to embrace them and protect them.”
This morning National Public Radio covered the march (listen here):
Thousands of people marched Sunday in Washington, hoping to persuade President Obama to live up to his campaign promise to overhaul the immigration system. But despite the festive atmosphere, many felt a deep sense of frustration.
The L.A. Times mentioned the jubilant mood of the crowd, despite the fact that suffering and sorrow were what brought us together to fight:
Although the event had a festive, almost carnival-like feel to it — young and old in T-shirts walking amid white tents and balloons while drummers and musicians played — many participants came bottled up with frustration or sorrow.
One group carried white crosses etched with names of border crossers who died in the Arizona desert. Crowds chanted in Spanish, “Obama, listen, remember your promise!” — referring to President Obama’s campaign pledge to make overhauling immigration policies a priority in his first year.
Now we must make sure that the President does in fact keep his promise, but he can’t do it alone. We must force Congress to act this year to ensure that we fix our broken immigration system.
Categories: March For America, Uncategorized, comprehensive immigration reform
Tags: immigration, immigration reform, LA Times, March For America, new york times, NPR, washington post
