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 News from Around the Americas | April 2006 
Groups Call for ‘A Day Without an Immigrant’
 Selene Rivera - Eastern Group Publications
| | Organizers are asking the public to stay home from work, keep their kids out of school and to refrain from shopping or purchasing anything on May 1st - International Workers' Day. |
Los Angeles - Activists with the March 25th Coalition, organizers of the massive immigration rights protest which took place in Los Angeles two weeks ago, are now calling for an economic boycott to take place next month.
Organizers are asking the public to stay home from work, keep their kids out of school and to refrain from shopping or purchasing anything on May 1st - International Workers' Day.
“It will be a day without immigrants,” said Javier Rodriguez, one of the main organizers of both the protest rally and the proposed boycott.
“The arguments against [the immigrant community] claim we abuse the economy of this country… And if this is in fact the case, then that day we will see a resurgence of the economy,” said Rodriguez.
This “Great American Boycott 2006,” as it has been named by organizers, is designed to put pressure on Congress to respond favorably to the just immigration laws currently being debated, and to demonstrate the economic strength of the immigrant community.
Organizers of the May 1st economic stoppage, say the boycott will demonstrate the profound positive impact immigrants have on the U.S. economy.
And that is why “people are ready for the boycott… to use their power as consumers and to send a message to the Senate and the Minutemen, and whatever other anti-immigrant group, that we will no longer tolerate their attacks,' said Jesse Diaz, another of the main organizers of the March 25th march and the protest movement being waged in Southern California against the measure authored by Rep. James Sensenbrenner, H.R. 4437.
Diaz said activists in Washington D.C., Louisiana, Georgia and other parts of the country are united behind the boycott and will be asking the public to support the cause and to protest in front of the offices of legislators and businesses supporting punitive legislation.
Juan Jose Gutierrez, director of Latino Movement USA (in English) said the boycott is not limited to just Latinos in the U.S., but also those in other countries.
Gutierrez called on people living on other countries to not buy American products and to not cross the U.S.- Mexico border on May 1st to make purchases.
The boycott coalition, which also includes Hermandad Mexicana, CHIRLA, Amigos de [Friends of] Orange, and MECHA, among others, broadcast the boycott during the nation wide demonstrations that took place on April 10. |
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