While so many groups nationwide are promoting events for May 1st, the local members of the DayWithoutAnImmigrant Coalition decided to prepare our communities in a simpler manner.
We believe that given our geography a boycott would impact negatively only our latino and immigrant owned businesses. Furthermore, the called for strike would be without a full participation and serve to make enemies of our friends the business people and employers; we need their help not their grudge. Our goal will continue to be to pass a fair reform and we have always sought actions that would bring this to fruition; unfortunately we see no usefulness in the proposed actions.
We did amply discuss the benefits of a march, a rally, or a meeting like those we have organized at other times; since we sought the benefit to the passage of the bill before the US House, we saw no need to bring attention in such a manner. We could have had a rally to validate the worry that is felt in immigrant communities; we invited other groups to organize one and that we would help them. Thus, the following events have been organized for May 1:
in Allentown a vigil, marches in Kenneth Square and in Bridgeton NJ and in Philadelphia we will have an informational forum about immigrant rights; see the attached flyer. After that, we will see what the participants want to do to continue in the debate. The location of the forum will naturally attract South Philly residents but it is open to anyone interested.
We have also set up a way to call the local federal legislators weekly and in that way regularly seek to impact their opinion. I attach a set of cards with the instructions so that more people can do it. With all the visits to senators and congresspeople, the calls, and the post cards that we send, we believe we will continue to be on their minds. Our fight is just, it will remain constant, and we will continue to insist that reform contain the points we have set forth in our Proclamation of the 14th of February, 2006 as found at the top button at daywithoutanimmigrant.com.
