Gee, couldn't they have protested in their hearts?

Business owners interviewed by the Times are of two distinct perspectives on this past Monday's rallies against various anti-immigrant bills at the local and federal levels.

In at least one instance, nearly 200 fired workers in Wisconsin were reinstated, demonstration leaders said, after the leaders met with employers, discussed the significance of the protests and threatened to identify the companies publicly.

"I have no problem with the demonstration, but this is a business," said Charley Bohley, an owner of Rodes restaurant and fishmarket in Bonita Springs, who fired the 10 workers there after posting a note warning employees that they could not miss work for a rally on Monday. "Couldn't they have protested in the morning before work? Couldn't they have protested in their hearts?"

I bet they didn't think of that...

HR 4437, sponsored by Rep James Sensenbrenner (R-WI):

HR 4437: Any person or organization that “assists” an individual without documentation “to reside or to remain” in the U.S. without regard to the individual's legal status would be liable for criminal penalties and five years in prison. This could include church personnel who provide shelter or other basic needs assistance to an undocumented individual.

The Department of Homeland Security would be required to erect up to 700 miles of fencing along the Southwest border. State and local law enforcement are authorized to enforce federal immigration laws. State and local governments that refuse to participate would be subject to loss of federal funding. The diversity lottery program, which allows 50,000 immigrants each year from countries around the world to permanently reside in the U.S., is eliminated.

In Georgia, SB-529, sponsored by Chip Rogers (R-who cares), is sitting on Perdue's desk. The bill's sponsors want us to focus on the increased penalties it would impose on coyotes and human traffickers, but the real meat of it lies in prohibiting access to health services and education for undocumented people above the age of 18.

Read what GALEO director Jerry Gonzalez has to say about it, then call the gov up and let him know what you think. Governor Perdue's Office Phone: 404- 656-1776.

I know from personal experience what it does to a high school senior to find out that he can't go on to college with his peers, no matter how hard he's struggled with a small-minded and often racist education system just to make it to graduation, and I don't believe it's the message we want young people to hear. Regardless of how you feel about the parents' decision to emigrate (isn't immigration control all about saying, "I got mine, now screw you" - if we're really being honest?) young children have no say in the matter, and to severely restrict their life opportunities to make a stupid point is just that -- stupid. In what world is pushing kids away from education a positive policy decision?

Restricting education to combat illegal immigration is like using a machete to give a haircut. Dangerous.