Willie J.R. Fleming
“I support those who support us. Speaking of immigrants, as long as it’s a fair and balanced structure setup in the system that says we grant immunity to those who criticize this country, then that same immunity should go to people who have committed similar acts. They should be granted immunity too. If Hispanics can be granted immunity, then the same should apply to Haitians, Nigerians and those of African descent.”
Bennett Johnson
“The matter of immigration has been confused because the right wing in this nation has a pragmatic or economic objective, and a moralistic objective. The economic objective is clear. The manufacturers, large farm owners and other businesses that need low-skilled workers want to exploit the immigrants by hiring them at minimum wage or below to work for these businesses. They are the latest group of workers to be exploited. The first group were the Native Americans, then indentured white servants, and the African slaves. Then it were the Irish, the Eastern Europeans and the Jews, and finally, the peonage system in Southern agriculture that used the black and white tenant farmers. The Mexican and Hispanic immigrants are the latest group in this chain of exploitation of labor. The Bush Administration has its base in Texas. It is as follows that Bush would be supportive of legislation that would find a way to bring in these low-skilled workers to work for the minimum wage or below. An examination is needed of the quotas imposed upon Africans, Asians and Caribbeans. Any revision of the immigration laws should include all of these other nationalities. The inscription on the Statue of Liberty reads: “Give me your tired, your poor, you huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” The United States government should pardon Ms. Elvira Arellano based on the need to keep a family together. This would show that the Bush Administration supports ‘family values’ .”
D. D. Quinn
“As far as the woman held up in the church; to try to keep from being deported back to Mexico is really a farce. She is not a citizen of this country. Just because you have a baby born in this country don’t make him automatically a citizen – it couldn’t be. Rules need to be changed. Orders need to be made. One thing I was upset about was when Mayor Daley gave a note strapped to the door of the church. Now, if he can give that kind of statement in a note to put on that church, he can give a statement to Jon Burge and his torture crew. And to compare herself to Rosa Parks – you don’t wear that title. As a matter-of-fact, one of the ladies said to me, as I was returning from a speaking engagement, “you know what D.D., you are another Rosa Parks.” I said, “No I am not because I hold that lady up high.” If I was back in Rosa Parks’ day they would have hung me by a tree. I really feel this lady (Elvira Arellano) needs to pack her bags, take her little boy and go home to her country. When Haitians came here – I remember a few years ago – they sent them back. How is it those other immigrants can come here and get a job? She got a job, she’s working in somebody else’s name, somebody else’s social security. Her butt needs to go to Mexico. If you’re going to treat her like that, they need to come up with something for blacks who built this country.”
The Rev. Dr. B. Herbert Martin Sr.
“You know, there is a provision in our national law -I can’t remember exactly where it is- that is titled the ‘Sanctuary Law’. That law, in essence, says that if someone fleeing the civil law can make into the church or into the sanctuary, then the civil law has to stop, cease and desist. They cannot arrest that person until either the clergy or that individual surrenders. As long as that individual is in the confines of the church sanctuary, it is granted to that person. And this incident with the Hispanic woman Elvira over in ‘Slim Coleman’s’ church in Humboldt Park; she is evoking the sanctuary provisions of that law. I would like to see us all reenact that law for all immigrants.”
Sali V. Casanova
“There should not be a policy of deporting brown and black people while immigrants of European descent are not only ‘allowed,’ but encouraged to join the mainstream here. People of color were here before the first immigrants arrived on the Nina, Pinta, Santa Maria and Mayflower, and, my African ancestors built this country. The U.S. needs to get to the point where immigration, deportation and other major issues are not decided based on race.”
