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xxxxxxxxxxxxx IMMIGRANTS SAY IT LOUD Menendez, officials, labor leaders cheer 'freedom riders' at LSP rally Saturday, October 04, 2003 By Martin Espinoza Journal staff writer Protected by a small army of state Park Service rangers and state patrol officers, local and federal politicians yesterday joined high-ranking labor representatives at a rally at Liberty State Park to welcome a bus caravan of nearly 1,000 "freedom riders" who are demanding legal status and human rights for undocumented immigrants. Inspired by the Freedom Rides of the civil rights movement in the 1960s, today's freedom riders are seeking better labor protections, more visas issued from Congress that help reunite families, and an end to civil liberties violations. Under sunny skies and with the Statue of Liberty as a backdrop, thousands gathered in a green meadow of the park off Freedom Way. Throughout the three-hour rally, freedom riders arrived in contingents of dozens of people carrying banners indicating the city where they started the trip. As U.S. Rep. Robert Menendez, D-Hoboken, praised the freedom riders for bringing attention to the plight of undocumented immigrants, a contingent from Los Angeles arrived, with some carrying white crosses bearing the names of undocumented immigrants who died trying to cross the U.S.-Mexico border. This group of 140 riders received national attention after being detained in El Paso for several hours by U.S. Border Patrol officers. Maria Trejo, a Los Angeles hotel worker, was one of those detained. Trejo said that while they were detained, she and her companions refused to answer questions from Border Patrol officers. "They said they would arrest us if we didn't answer their questions," she said. "I wasn't afraid. It was just really that there was nothing we could do. We felt impotent." Trejo, who said she participated in the ride as a way of demanding her rights as a worker, is originally from northern Mexico and has been living in the United States for 25 years. She wouldn't say yesterday whether she is in the country legally. "On this ride, we're all undocumented," she said. Yesterday's rally was touted as a milestone for the American labor movement, which has had a spotted past with immigrant workers. The conflict was evident in the rivalry between the Teamsters and the United Farm Workers Union in the 1970s. The Teamsters and other unions were often accused of being racist. But many labor representatives called yesterday a new day. "Capitol Hill will never be the same," said John Sweeney, president of the AFL-CIO. "I thank the freedom riders for the terrific job they've been doing on behalf of immigrant workers and on behalf of all working families." Sweeney said the 40 million union workers in America "stand in solidarity with you and the goals of the Freedom Ride: civil and human rights for all immigrant workers; reunification of families; freedom to form and join our unions; and a clear path to full citizenship." But a group of American union workers clashed with immigrant rights activists from Morristown who were at the rally protesting a new state law that ties expiration of an immigrant's driver's license to his or her immigration status. The new law was sparked by security concerns in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. As Gov. James E. McGreevey addressed the crowd, he was nearly drowned out by the cries of dozens of demonstrators representing the Wind of the Spirit Resource Center in Morristown. They held signs declaring "We are workers, not terrorists" and "Driver's Licenses, Yes." The vocal demonstration angered 36-year-old Raymond Boccassini, a member of Laborer's Union Local 592. Boccassini said he objected to "untrained, nonunion workers" who come to the United States and resist learning English the way his Italian forefathers did. "They don't want to assimilate into American society, they don't want to join our unions and make them stronger," he said. "Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against illegal immigration. But the American way is the union." Hassan Angeles, a Wind of the Spirit demonstrator, rejected Boccassini's claims that he and others resist becoming members of American society. "Unfortunately, there are still many Americans who are racist," he said in Spanish. "When you come to the United States, you can't speak English, but every year you learn a little. I've been here four years and thank God, I speak a little bit of English." Before he left the rally, Boccassini shook hands with one of representatives of the Wind of the Spirit Resource Center. The real opposition to yesterday's rally - headed by controversial local radio talk show host Hal Turner - was confined in the north end of the park by State Police. Turner, who obtained an 11th-hour permit to hold his "anti-immigrant" rally, objected to public officials casting their support for immigrants who are in the country illegally and who take jobs from Americans. Turner, who hosts a short-wave radio show for "straight, white people," left Liberty State Park shortly before the Freedom Ride rally ended at about 3:30 p.m. He was expected to drive back to his home on Paterson Plank Road in North Bergen. There, a New Brunswick-based organization called One People's Project was expected to protest his anti-immigrant stance. However, members of One People's Project canceled their demonstration, according to Daryle Lamont Jenkins, a spokesman for the group. Some of the members were disappointed that they were not welcome to attend the Freedom Ride rally, Jenkins said. Jenkins said Freedom Ride organizers told him they didn't want to be connected to an organization that was protesting Turner. "We just wanted to show our support for the freedom riders," Jenkins said. In North Bergen, township police and Hudson County sheriff's officers blocked off a segment of Paterson Plank Road near Turner's house. North Bergen Police Capt. Dave Ricigliano said he had mobilized about 30 officers to make sure there was no confrontation between Turner and the members of One People's Project. Earlier in the week, Turner had encouraged his supporters, through his Web site, to bring guns back to his house after the Freedom Ride rally. He withdrew that request after meeting with Jenkins and the North Bergen police. The Freedom Riders are expected to rally today at a park in Queens. Union representatives said they planned to send thousands of workers to the rally at Flushing Meadows Park; church and immigrant advocacy groups also promised large numbers. Assembly Speaker Albio Sires, D-West New York, also attended yesterday's rally at Liberty State Park. Martin Espinoza can be reached at mespinoz@jjournal.com Source/Publisher: The Jersey Journal / NJ.com http://www.nj.com/news/jjournal/index.ssf?/base/news-1/1065262207139720.xml |