‘No’ to vigilante Minutemen
By
Gloria Verdieu
San Diego, Calif.
Published Jul 7, 2005 1:20 AM
On July 2, the
community of San Ysidro hit the streets to say NO to racist vigilante
“Minutemen” and groups like them. Organized by La Gente Unida
coalition, the proactive march drew close to 400 people. Enrique Morones of the
Border Angels said, “They [Minutemen] are not welcome here and
they’re not welcome anywhere. We say no to the militarization of the
border.”
San Ysidro is the southernmost community in San Diego. The
march assembled in San Ysidro Community Park and continued about 2.5 miles right
through this mostly Mexican/Chican@ neighborhood to Border State Park. It was
full of the positive energy of people young and old shouting “No human is
illegal,” “One race, the human race,” “Tear down the
borders,” “Viva Che, viva Chávez, viva México, viva
Zapatistas,” and “Open all borders.”
As the march went
though residential areas, people in the community came out and joined in the
chants and listened to the rally speakers.
FIST speaker Ruth
Vela
Ruth Vela of San Diego FIST—Fight Imper i alism, Stand
Together—spoke at the opening rally. Here are excerpts from her
talk:
“I want to dedicate this talk to our sisters and brothers in
New Jersey who have recently had to defend themselves against the Minutemen. But
we cannot ignore the fact that the INS, the border patrol, La Migra with their
military technology and stadium lights, with their raids, their violence,
arrogance and bigotry have been terrorizing our pueblo for far too long! We must
also realize that we are not alone in our struggles. There are borders like this
one in too many places.
“Just ask our brave compas in Palestine who
cross checkpoints every day to get to and from work, like so many do here at San
Ysidro and Otay. In the Dominican Republic, the Haitians who share the island
are the ‘illegal aliens’ being brutally deported, just like we saw
in Los Angeles last summer.
“The truth is that these stupid walls
and borders and agents of the state don’t protect us. Don’t make us
safer! In fact, the only reason they exist is because the rich need them so they
can get richer. They continue to make groups of humans beings illegal. Make them
appear less human … so that it seems okay to deny them basic human
rights.
“All over the world people are fighting, bleeding,
struggling, dying in an effort to have their basic needs met. Why, in 2005, if
we are so advanced, are we still fighting the same battles against racism? Why
are people still starving to death?
“We shouldn’t have to
fight these same battles over and over. We shouldn’t still be asking for
health care, housing, jobs and education. We as a class have the strength to
take these things. Take our power back!
“So let us march with
strength and dignity and remind the rich ruling class, that parasitic elite,
that we have a history of fightback. The same fightback that exists in
Palestine, Iraq and Haiti. That fightback that comes from the jungles of
Chiapas, the hills of Morelia, to the streets of Tijuana. That fightback that
lives and breathes here in the belly of this imperialist beast.
“Let us march as more than just a pueblo united against the
Minutemen, but as a pueblo taking steps towards uniting with the workers and
oppressed peoples of the world. Workers and oppressed peoples of the world, RISE
UP.”
Articles copyright 1995-2012 Workers World.
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