Dobbs: Radicals Running Immigrant Movement

Monday, May 1, 2006 9:06 p.m. EDT
Dobbs: Radicals Running Immigrant Movement

A leftist anti-war group has seized control of the immigrant movement
that staged mass protests across the U.S. on Monday, says CNN's Lou
Dobbs.

Praising the Washington Post for being the only newspaper that has
reported that the radical leftist group ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War and
End Racism) was an active promoter of Monday's national boycott, Dobbs
noted that the movement chose May 1, the traditional International
Worker's day sanctified by the Soviet Union and Marxist movements
throughout the year to stage their protest.

Speaking on his CNN show Monday, Dobbs said that "Some illegal
immigration and open borders activists in the Hispanic community are
deeply concerned about the involvement of the left-wing radical group
[ANSWER]. But others, like Juan Jose Gutierrez, whom I've interviewed a
number of times over the past several months, manages to be both
director of Latino Movement USA and a representative of ANSWER.

"As Gutierrez told us on my show, 'The time has come ... where we need
to stand up and make a statement. We need to do what the American
people did when they pulled away from the British crown. And I am sure
that back in those days many people were concerned that was radical
action.'

"Just how significant is the impact of leftists within the illegal
immigration movement?" Dobbs asked, explaining that "It is no accident
that they chose May 1 as their day of demonstration and boycott. It is
the worldwide day of commemorative demonstrations by various socialist,
communist and even anarchic organizations."

Radicalism, Dobbs continued "is not confined to Gutierrez and Latino
Movement USA, explaining that Ernesto Nevarez of the L.A. Port
Collective is promising to shut down the Port of Los Angeles today:
'[Transportation and commerce] will come to a grinding halt. ...They
are going to put a wall along the border with Mexico. We're going to
put a wall between us and the ocean. And those containers ain't going
to move.'"

Dobbs is not alone in citing ANSWER's involvement in today's protest.
On their web site, the Los Angeles ANSWER group spelled out their
backing, proclaiming "On May 1, stand up for immigrant rights. Join
immigrants and supporters to make May 1 a national 'day without an
immigrant.' We will settle for nothing less than full amnesty and
legalization for the millions of undocumented workers presently in the
United States. Let's show the government, corporations and
politicians that a powerful, united peoples' movement has the power
to win Civil Rights, workers' rights and make history. No Work! No
School! No Business as usual!

"The ANSWER Coalition, along with other pro-immigrant organizations,
has been working hard to build May 1 and the overall immigrant right
struggle. We've passed out over 150,000 flyers for May 1, gathered
thousands of petition signatures demanding amnesty for all immigrants
and held public street meetings all over Los Angeles to promote the
movement. Join the struggle for full equality and justice today!"

Said Dobbs: "No matter which flag demonstrators and protesters carry
today, their leadership is showing its true colors to all who will
see."