Pushing people to the wall.
It is sure nice to see people in this country angry enough to actually walk away from American Idol, blogs, and embarrassing local newscasts and PROTEST something. But immigrant rights organizers are misreading the American public. The reason the first wave of marches worked so well is simple. Most Americans were shocked at the size and passion of the protests. And to middle class Americans they seemed to come from no where. And they seemed to be full of good, decent people.
The second round of marches did not help the immigrant cause. Did not hurt much either.
The third round of marches, scheduled for May 1 - a Monday, is a really bad move - it is just what Dana Rohrabacher (and Karl Rove) want. Massive street protests are going to piss a lot of people off this time. The wrong people. Immigrant rights advocates do not understand the American middle class - which is the constituency they need most on their side - for all the yelling and bile from the "loud Right" there is actually a very tenuous tipping point between "Good, hard working people" and "build a damn wall" in most Americans' minds. Shutting down the streets again on a weekday will push many more otherwise sympathetic people to the "wall".
Since I am an advocate of Immigrant rights, I am hoping the May 1st marches fail.
The second round of marches did not help the immigrant cause. Did not hurt much either.
The third round of marches, scheduled for May 1 - a Monday, is a really bad move - it is just what Dana Rohrabacher (and Karl Rove) want. Massive street protests are going to piss a lot of people off this time. The wrong people. Immigrant rights advocates do not understand the American middle class - which is the constituency they need most on their side - for all the yelling and bile from the "loud Right" there is actually a very tenuous tipping point between "Good, hard working people" and "build a damn wall" in most Americans' minds. Shutting down the streets again on a weekday will push many more otherwise sympathetic people to the "wall".
Since I am an advocate of Immigrant rights, I am hoping the May 1st marches fail.
posted by J -SOM at
Thursday, April 27, 2006
PERMALINK
<< Home