A Day Without Immigrants : Success or Failure

7:33 am By Maegan La Mala · Activism| Immigration

2 May 2006

It all depends on who you ask. Right wing pundits and their media a la Lou Dobbs say yesterday was a failure. The country didn’t shut down. Many participants and their supporters point to the fact that although the country wasn’t closed for business, many businesses were closed.

Tyson Foods Inc., the world’s largest meat producer, shuttered about a dozen of its more than 100 plants. Eight of 14 Perdue Farms chicken plants also closed for the day. The rallies shut down 29 branches of Chipotle Mexican Grill, a Denver-based fast-casual dining chain. Goya Foods, which bills itself as the nation’s largest Hispanic-owned food chain, suspended delivery everywhere except Florida in what the company called a gesture of solidarity.

Most are saying that across the country a million people took part in the rallies, marches, and strike actions. From a mainstream media that has been known to undercount protest participants in the past, it’s safe to bet the number was actually more. Locally in New York City, Fresh Direct, the upscale food delivery company suspended deliveries and many Manhattan delis were either shut down or noticiably short staffed.

So were you at the rallies? Did you strike? Pull your kid out of school? Was yesterday a success or failure?

Via / Yahoo

Tags: a day without immigrants, a day without latinos, boycott, immigration protests, impact of immigration protest, may 1 huelga, may 1 strike

5 Responses to A Day Without Immigrants : Success or Failure

Jennifer Woodard Maderazo

May 2nd, 2006 at 12:33 pm

Regardless of what happens with the law, the rallies and marches were a success because for the first time the U.S. mainstream was exposed to Latino unity in staggering numbers. Contrary to popular media predictions, the events were carried out peacefully, shutting the mouths of the bigots who claim that undocumented people are nothing but a bunch of criminals.

As for Lou Dobbs, I heard him say on Anderson Cooper yesterday that the rallies were a good thing because they shine the light on the immigration issue. Of course, he means that they shine the light on the fact that there are undocumented immigrants that he believes need to leave, but the first part of the statement is true. America saw something yesterday that it has never seen, and I think we’ll all be better for it.

Josh

May 2nd, 2006 at 2:12 pm

Jennifer,

I’m not sure what we were meant to see… that these illegals have an amazing amount of hubris? Taking to the streets in a show of solidarity at what, their criminality? That, I’d buy.

I sincerely think that this is going to end up backfiring on these folks in a big way. I truly believe that your average American citizen is growing increasingly intolerant of the chutzpah demonstrated by these people; gathering and *demanding* the same rights as native citizens, not to mention the thousands of prospective legal immigrants who they are wishing to “cut in line” ahead of in the process. The problem is, they aren’t even *in* the process, they’ve circumvented it by breaking the law, and now they want to be rewarded for it? I don’t think so.

And don’t hand me the argument of “it isn’t amnesty because they have to earn their legality”, because that one is tired. Read the definition of amnesty and get back to me – the McCain/Kennedy bill is amnesty in the purest sense of the word.

I’m a long-time supporter of Bush and the RNC, but I have told their local party people who have called asking for money that I will not give one more dime to their party until they make some cogent decisions surrounding this issue – namely: back off of the appeasement policy of amnesty and pass some real enforcement-only legislation. You’re the majority party – show some balls and get it done. Stop pandering to the illegal alien activists. These people will never be a part of the voting base, so why cow-tow to them and their corrupt president?

I’ve had it…

Jason

May 2nd, 2006 at 2:46 pm

Jennifer,

Who’s mouth did the protest shut?? I am pretty sure everyone that that was apposed to your little “protest”, which by the way drew like a 10th of the amount of the people you expected, were extremely happy without the illegal population crowding our roads, our schools and our local business. WE want to protest that you guys not only declare May 1st your day to seem like idiots, take the whole month off! Trust me, you won’t be missed. The only light that was shed about this illegal immigration issue was the fact that your whole movement is being run by Communist and Fascist type leadership who are the real bigots. Talk about racism! If you guys don’t like the white people or the country that was built by Americans then why the hell do you continue to try to come here? The US will never be like Mexico because it is filled with law abiding citizens who respect the heritage of this country and respect the vision of where we want to take it. The 12 million leeches that continue to vocalize there ridiculous claim for immediate citizenship or Amnesty will not succeed. Anyone with a brain bigger then the size of a pea can see that your request to bypass our laws and bypass all the people that are waiting in line who don’t want to be criminals by respecting our system is preposterous. Please tell me why we should do that?

cindylu

May 2nd, 2006 at 7:05 pm

I think the past month of actions has really been a success in getting Latinos to see where they stand in this country and to make sure that they are part of decisions that affect our lives. A true success won’t be seen in a day. It’ll happen when we see the overall quality of life for immigrants and Latinos improve.

David Silva

May 14th, 2006 at 3:44 am

Now that the May Day rallies/boycott have come and gone, it’s important that we, Latinos, and other immigrants not lose this momentum and further our actions through voting.

VivirLatino

A Day Without Immigrants : Success or Failure

5 Responses to A Day Without Immigrants : Success or Failure

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