Rallying for the American Dream
National boycott of immigration bill hits home locally

 

A woman displays her allegiance to her native country and the United States.

Story and photo by Rita J. King
Nearly 1,000 people participated in an Ossining march Sunday with signs recalling America's history as an immigrant nation.

Chanting "Today we march, tomorrow we vote!" those who participated in the event assembled peacefully outside of St. Ann's Catholic Church on Elizabeth Street.

Father Edward Byrne, pastor of St. Ann's, said the rally was "extremely well done and well organized."

"They needed a staging area to start," Byrne said. "They couldn't use village property or the public schools. The process of beginning was complicated."

Byrne said a conflict arose when the start time of the rally coincided with a First Communion celebration in the church, meaning parents and children would find the parking lot full of picketers upon arrival.

"As a sign of religious sensitivity, the rally was organized so well that there was no problem at all," Byrne said, adding the transition from one mass to the next that day was the smoothest he's ever seen because everyone was so "extra courteous."

"These are people of faith," Byrne added. "They are mostly Catholic, and they love the church. We need a much more comprehensive and compassionate law to legalize the status of people who are here working hard. They contribute mightily to our economy. Many of them are being taken advantage of. They are used as slave labor."

It's a myth, he said, that so many people in the United States illegally aren't paying taxes or contributing to Social Security.

The spirited Ossining rally, which traveled to Market Square on Main Street, was a day ahead of a national march and boycott that reportedly included more than one million people from coast to coast, many of whom kept their children out of school and took an unpaid day off to make a statement about an issue that has been simmering for years.

Border disputes, rising costs of medical care and the idea that "illegals" might be snatching jobs from American citizens have contributed to increased concern.

The catalyst for the protest was House Resolution 4437, an immigration bill which would make all undocumented immigrants felons and require all employers to verify the immigrant statuses of their employees.

There are also clauses that could lead to the arrest of any American citizen who reaches out to an illegal immigrant in any way.

Village of Ossining Trustee Miguel Hernandez was impressed with the turnout as he stood in the parking lot of St. Ann's surveying the crowd.

"It's very enlightened that people in Ossining have gotten together this way to have their voices heard," he said. "The Hispanic community has been quiet here for several years, and I'm glad to see them out in the spirit of unity."

Hernandez, whose family came to the United States from Puerto Rico when he was a child, said he has never forgotten the discrimination they faced.

"We overcame it," he said. "This is just a repetition of an old American story."

One-third of Ossining's 24,000 residents, he said, are Hispanic, based on census data. The community has a site across from the Community Center where day laborers can gather and seek work.

Ossining Police Chief Joseph Burton was on hand to ensure that the day remained peaceful. While Burton didn't want to make any political comments about the event, he said local police do not interfere with the day labor site.

"We monitor it to make sure everything is okay," he said.

Cathy Balloffet of Ossining held up her sign and said, "This is a global question, and that's why I quoted John Lennon. Imagine there's no country. We're pushing people down to perpetuate the myth that there's not enough to go around. If we made it our primary focus-that there is enough for everyone-then we wouldn't need marches."

Sacred Heart of Mary Sister Irene Kelly taught at St. Ann's for 10 years.

"This is wonderful," she said. "It's fantastic. I hope they're not frightened to come out and be forceful. These people are so important, and they help the United States economy so much. Their children are already citizens, and we should do something for them, starting from the top. They stand in numbers, and this is positive action."

In the background the crowd chanted, "Si se pueda!" which means "Yes we can!" and "Cuando? Ahora!" meaning: "When? Now!"

Peruvian Aldo Abanto, 28, has lived in Ossining for 11 years and works as a nurse technician at Phelps Memorial Hospital.

"This is a great manifestation of the support for justice," he said. "The people are thirsty for justice. It's about time to overcome fears of deportation and oppression."

Not all attendees at the rally were Hispanic.

Andrew Courtney of Croton said, "While we're busy killing Arabs I thought I'd come and support my grandparents, who snuck into this country. Democracy doesn't exist unless the citizens question. It's an activist concept. You don't just sit back and yell at the television.

Right here, we're seeing participatory action."