The Protests Over Liliana

by Pa Rock

Last night, in the middle of the night (Arizona time), a fellow named Alexander posted a comment on the blog entry immediately preceding this one. The comment consisted of a link to a You Tube video on the controversy outside of the Simi Valley Church of Christ. The video showed two groups of protesters facing off along the street with a cadre of police separating them.

The anti-immigrant group was led by a little man with a bullhorn who kept exhorting his group to remember that "illegal" aliens have been responsible for the deaths of 25 law enforcement officers. Possibly true, I thought, but he had the bullhorn, so no one could shout him down if his facts were wrong. And then I wondered about other groups whose members may have killed law enforcement officials. Isn't it likely that some guys with badges have been gunned down by NRA members, or even PTA members? Can you really draw a conclusion that a whole group is dangerous based on the actions of an infinitely small percentage of its members? (Well, possibly in the case of the NRA!)

The little man with the bullhorn amused me. I thought of Buck Henry playing the American Nazi leader in the movie, The Blues Brothers, shortly before he came to realize just what a gay organization the American Nazi Party really was (is). (My apologies to gay organizations everywhere for dredging that up.) I did see one person of color in with the morons, but I made the assumption that he was probably a very nervous reporter.

The other protesters, the ones supporting Liliana and human rights, were shouting "Racists go home!" - a hard trick for xenophobes to accomplish since they think the whole damn country is theirs anyway!

Alexander didn't say why he sent the link, but I appreciate his response. Here it is for those who would like to view and evaluate it themselves. Several related videos are linked at the end of this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITcBt6BqjNE

Thanks for sharing that, Alexander!

Jesus Would Litter

by Pa Rock

Daniel Millis is a 29-year-old Spanish teacher who was hauled before a Federal Judge last Friday on a charge of littering. Littering! Business must be mighty slow at the Federal Courthouse!

There is, of course, more to this case than simple littering, in fact, the case is not about littering at all. It is a reactionary attempt to put one more obstacle along the footpaths of undocumented workers as they make their perilous way across the Sonoran Desert to harvest America’s crops, mow her lawns, and clean her toilets.

Daniel Millis was tried for carrying water to the thirsty. He left 22 one-gallon water jugs in the desert in an effort to save lives. (While he was leaving the water jugs, he was also picking up litter!) People who cross the Sonoran Desert on foot sometimes have the bad luck to die along the way, and Daniel Mills worked as a Good Samaritan to insure that they could survive the journey.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Commission cited Daniel for littering last February and issued a fine in the amount of $175, which he declined to pay, preferring a court trial instead. He admits that littering is a crime, but he does not believe that he is a litterbug. Indeed, it appears as though his “crime” was providing humanitarian aid.

A Federal Judge heard the case on Friday, and promptly dodged the bullet by “taking it under advisement.” A ruling will be issued sometime, maybe.

Daniel Millis volunteers for a humanitarian group called “No More Deaths.” Information about this group may be found at www.nomoredeaths.org.