After getting my arse in gear and setting my GPS to Batavia I was on my way. I really didn’t know what to expect from this event. It was organized by the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights and Katty, as part of her new job, had arranged for the media to show up. Upon arrival, I was surprised to see just a group of about 40 people gathered around. As I was getting my bearings (mind you, I still wasn’t feeling 100%) I realized that I was in the Minuteman group who were making their stand against the immigrants. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the Minuteman – I will refer you to their “about us” webpage as well as this incredible radio spot that I heard on NPR. (real-audio only, sorry!) They were against this:
Join hundreds of youth and students, along with religious and community leaders as we call on our Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert to support Immigration Reform and the DREAM Act (would allow the children of undocumented immigrants – brought to this country by their parents and by no fault of their own – a chance to attend college).
The idea was that each student carry a cross representing one of the 463 immigrants who died crossing the border in 2005. They were to lay the crosses at Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert’s office in Batavia. All while chanting “We are Americans, Diplomas not Deaths”. It was more moving that I could have possibly imagined.
