Vol. 72/No. 36      September 15, 2008

He and his classmates were among many marchers here who welcomed the chance to meet Róger Calero, the Socialist Workers Party candidate for U.S. president.

“My aunt works for the city and one of her coworkers was fired for trying to organize unions,” Gonzales told the SWP candidate. “The unions need to be supporting this,” Calero responded. “The fight for immediate legalization of all undocumented workers is a life-or-death question for the working class.”

About 2,000 people joined the march and rally, which took place at two parks near the Democratic convention. It was called by a coalition of organizations that work in defense of immigrant rights. The main banner and printed placards for the march read, “We are America—Immigrant rights are human rights.”

Many of the marchers came from Denver, as well as other parts of Colorado. A contingent of 50 immigrant rights activists, students, and workers came by van from the Los Angeles area. Some marchers had taken part in various other protests here this week directed at the Democratic convention.

The massive immigration raid earlier this week in Laurel, Mississippi, was on the minds of many. It got little mention from the stage, however, apart from a moment of silence for those who have died crossing the U.S.-Mexico border and for the 595 workers arrested in Laurel.

One woman marched with a sign that read, “Postville, Iowa—Presente.” She now lives in Denver, but grew up near Postville, which was the site of another large raid at the Agriprocessors meatpacking plant in May.

“It’s not a coincidence a lot of these raids have taken place at meatpacking plants,” Calero told her. “That’s where we are beginning to see resistance by workers, many of them immigrants, to the conditions the bosses have imposed over the last 20 years.”

“I’m glad you said that, because I was wondering why these things are happening,” she said.

Cesar Huanca, a Peruvian-born construction worker, said he was among 20 or 30 workers who came from the Centro Humanitario day laborer center. “Others were scared to come because of the police,” he said. There has been a massive presence of federal and local cops, at the protests outside the Democratic convention.

Calero was interviewed by a number of reporters, including from the Univision television network and from the Rocky Mountain News.

Three people subscribed to the Militant at the march, 28 got single copies, and six picked up the pamphlet Is Socialist Revolution in the U.S. Possible?
 
 
Related articles:
SWP approved to be on ballot in Minnesota
McCain, Obama contend for commander in chief
SWP senate candidate demands: Stop the raids!  
 
 
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