Saturday we participated in the annual May Day Immigrants' Rights March organized by Voces De La Frontera. The first march was held in 2005 and it has continued each year since. This is the second year I've participated and Ry has been to six total. Given the recent hateful legislation passed in Arizona, this year's crowd was particularly large and fired up. I also think there were more white supporters and union supporters than in years past, which made me feel good knowing there were many others who want to speak up regarding the need for immigration reform now.
Thousands of people were peacefully assembled outside the Voces headquarters on 5th and National and opening ceremony speakers were on stage when smoke started billowing from the alley next door. Some hateful person started a couch on fire in a dumpster next to the building. I think it was meant to incite panic and fear in the marchers. There was a little bit of panic. I heard a couple of shouts of "la migra" from some march goers who were afraid immigration officials had come to do a raid. Things calmed down in a matter of a few minutes thanks to the calm of the organizers from the speaker's podium and a few police officers who were nearby that pulled the dumpster away from the building. But it was scary nonetheless. I was disgusted that someone would commit such an act of hate at a peaceful demonstration, especially on a windy spring day when fire could have easily spread or injured someone.
We marched up National Avenue from 5th Street all the way to Mitchell Park on 27th street. The news estimated 60,000 people participated, but that seems too high to me. I was impressed to see people of all ages and backgrounds marching despite age and physical impairments. There were kids in wagons, a young boy pushing his sister with a broken leg in a wheel chair, several elderly people in wheelchairs, politicians, academics, priests, nuns and many, many every day working people. We ended the march with a rally in Mitchell Park, where Ry and I only stayed briefly before we got some tamarind and lime ices and walked back.
I was proud to be there and glad I chose to participate despite the cleaning I wanted to be doing at the house. It matters every year, but especially this one. Arizona has taken away the civil rights of every day people (including citizens) who will be needlessly harassed and persecuted.
During the march I realized that we had originally been talking about taking our spring break trip to Arizona, but decided instead to go to Mexico. Though I loved my time living in Arizona and there were many people there I would have liked to see, I felt glad I did not support the state's tourist infrastructure with our money. I also saw it as an ironic twist that our money went to Mexico instead. Besides being hateful, Jan Brewer's choice to sign this bill into law is also shortsighted. Much of Arizona's state revenue comes from tourism and a town like Flagstaff depends on it. I'm interested to see what the economic fall out will be for a state that's already struggling financially. I hate to hope that the state will take a hit, because I know many people who live and work there, but I wonder what else can send such a strong message.
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