[migrawatch-public] Golden Gate Minutemen Rally

http://www.marinij.com/marin/ci_5569114

Dueling San Rafael immigration rallies peaceful but
passionate
Carla Bova
Marin Independent Journal
Article Launched:03/31/2007 11:48:21 PM PDT
Conflicting views about enforcing immigration laws were
aired Saturday
as demonstrators pro and con held dueling rallies in
downtown San Rafael.

On one corner of the Second and Lindaro streets
intersection, about 80
people, most members of the Golden Gate Minutemen, waved
American flags
and held signs that read, "Secure Our Borders," and
"Support American
Working Poor."

"We are here to support law enforcement and more
importantly our
borders," said Minutemen spokesman Charles Birkman. "We
think our
borders are being dismantled before our eyes and think the
government
has done this by undermining funding for enforcement."

The group - which has chapters in Fremont, Redwood City
and Alameda - is
a political network opposed to immigrants entering the
United States
illegally. It is aligned with the Minuteman Civil Defense
Corps, whose
citizen members began patrolling the Arizona-Mexico border
in 2003.

Across the street, about 60 human rights activists from
groups such as
the Marin Interfaith Task Force on the Americas were more
vocal -
beating a drum, blowing whistles and chanting, "Hey hey,
ho ho,
Minutemen have got to go."

Their signs read "Immigrants Enrich Communities" and "Stop
Racism
Against Immigrants." The group planned its rally after
learning of the
Minutemen rally.

"We are standing here to show a presence in support of our
immigration
community," said activist Jim Geraghty, a 19-year resident
of the Canal
area. "We need to have a more mature conversation about
the root causes
of why people leave their countries and families to come
here to earn
money."

Both sides got honks and shouts of approval from cars
driving by.

On a third corner stood San Rafael police officers, who
were notified by
the Minutemen they were to coming to town, Sgt. Ralph Pata
said.

"They wanted to let us know because historically, the
opposing side
comes out for any issue," Pata said. "We are making sure
the traffic
flows nicely and peace is kept. They are basically
policing themselves.
Each side does not appear to be allowing themselves to mix
it up with
the other side, which is how we like it."

Agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the largest
investigative
branch of the Department of Homeland Security, arrested 65
people and
deported 23 in raids conducted on March 6 and 7 in San
Rafael and Novato.

ICE agents had warrants for some of those they arrested in
their homes
during pre-dawn hours. Others were arrested because they
could not
provide proof of citizenship.

Valerie Schwimer of Kentfield, came to denounce ICE and
its tactics but
also to pay homage to her grandmother, a Russian Jew who
came to this
country illegally more than a century ago.

"I am from illegal immigrants," Schwimer said. "It's real
to me."

Frances Steadman, an 87-year-old Corte Madera resident,
held a sign that
read "Immigrants Come to Work." She reminded the crowd of
Cesar Chavez.

"He is a beautiful example of the values immigrants have
brought to this
country," Steadman said. "We are a nation of immigrants
but there seem
to be some people who have forgotten that."

Geraghty said the heart of the issue is why immigrants
come to the U.S.

"We need to change the debate from immigration to foreign
policy,"
Geraghty said. "The causes are more related to the foreign
and economic
policies in relation to Central America, South America and
Mexico.
Immigrants come here because our taxes are subsidizing our
macro-agricultural corn growers that flood markets with
cheap corn and
ruin their local economy."

On the other side of the street, Birkman said the
Minutemen agree the
matter has to do with economics.

"Our leaders are moving us on a path toward political and
economic
integration with Canada and Mexico," Birkman said.
"Amnesty policies, I
believe, will be the end of the blue collar worker in this
country in
terms of their ability to make a living."

Mike Davis of Windsor, who stood with the Minutemen, said
there are many
consequences of what he called the immigration invasion.

"Thirty percent of prisoners in California prisons are
illegal aliens,"
Davis said. "Over 90 hospitals in California have declared
bankruptcy
having to treat illegal aliens."

Minutemen member Tim Peterson of San Anselmo said the
matter is an
economic issue, not a racial one.

"We spend $9 billion a year in California on education and
healthcare
for illegals. This is Mexico's problem. Mexico is laughing
all the way
to the bank," Peterson said. "We cannot have another 30
million Mexicans
come here at American taxpayers' expense.

"We are trying to stand up for America's working poor.
What is wrong
with that?"
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