Vol. 73/No. 10 March 16, 2009
People have tried to use divide and conquer against us, but this fight is for all of us, just like Rosa Parks refusal to give up her seat on the bus was a fight for all of us, Guy Djoken, president of the Frederick, Maryland, chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), told the crowd. And if we stay together, we will win. Djoken is originally from the West African country of Cameroon.
Many participants held signs that read, Drivers licenses for safety. This refers to the bill now before the Maryland General Assembly that would require applicants for state drivers licenses to prove they are legal U.S. residents. Maryland is one of four states that doesnt require such proof, mandated under the federal Real ID law passed by the U.S. Congress in 2005 as a step toward a national identity card.
Were working with Casa to fight for in-state tuition, explained Mabila Reyes, 23, a University of Maryland student who attended the rally with several others from her campus. Students who cannot prove permanent immigration status in Maryland are charged out-of-state tuition, even if they graduated from high school in the state.
Speakers at the rally also opposed other legislation targeting immigrant workers, including proposals to deny public benefits to all non-citizens, prohibit local communities from passing sanctuary protections, and require businesses to use the national E-Verify database to prove eligibility to work.
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Attack on immigrants is threat to all workers
UK strikes: blow to unity of working class
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