President Trump recently referred to protesters who objected to the confirmation of Judge Brett Kavanagh to the Supreme Court as an “angry left-wing mob”. Although the word “mob” can be defined as any group or collection of persons or things it is not customarily used that way and surely that is not the meaning that Trump intended to convey. The protesters were generally well organized. Being well organized is contrary to the definition of disorderly. Although the protests were often loud, being loud does not mean riotous. Does confronting a senator in an elevator and speaking loudly to get his attention constitute a riot? Does surrounding a table at a restaurant and speaking directly at a public official constitute a riot? Is the exercise of free speech now linked to the definition of mob? No, it isn’t the use of speech, it is the actual words that are used in the speech that offend the authority of those who are currently in power. Were the protesters “bent on or engaged in lawless violence”? No, interrupting a hearing by shouting loudly is not violent, disruptive yes, but not lawless or violent. Protesters at the Kavanagh hearings threatened to figurativelyyank the silver spoon from the mouth of a man who had never been held accountable for his actions. When the only way to garner attention to this travesty of social justice is to be loud and “uncivil” then well organized groups of people will be loud and uncivil to the “genteel” authorities who would seek to abridge their rights to be heard. Those in power would like to shut down the voices of anyone who threatens the maintenance of their power and one way to do that is to label the dissenting voices as a mob. The righteous indignation that they express when they can no longer ignore the voices and the faces of those who are right in front of them is both phony and despicable. Lynch
The United States government (law enforcement) has a long history of ignoring crowds engaged in lawless violence. After World War II literally thousands of African American GIs were killed by angry mobswho resented the presence of these soldiers who had the audacity to expect they would be treated, not as war heroes, but as full members of American society. In the 21stcentury it isn’t hard to find examples of mob violence especially when it is directed at racial minorities or immigrants. Those in power seek to shut down free speech when it directs attention towards injustice and inhumane treatment of those whose voices have been snuffed out. The Immigrant Justice League exists to speak against moral atrocities directed towards those who have been victims of what appears to be an increasingly totalitarian regime. We will not be labeled as a mob. We will not be silenced. By Sallie Hunt Co-Founder Immigrant Justice League
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“THE ONLY THING NECESSARY FOR THE TRIUMPH OF EVIL IS FOR GOOD MEN TO DO NOTHING.” Edmund Burke
Greetings Fellow Resisters! The Immigrant Justice League is a group of North County, San Diego community members who, like so many of you, are horrified by the news that immigrant and refugee children are being brutally taken from their parents and emotionally and physically abused. As patriots of this great nation, we cannot remain silent as the most vulnerable among us are being treated worse than animals. Children in cages, highly credible reports of unlawful injections of psychotropic drugs, rapes, humiliations and now at least one death is something that we as a nation must refuse to tolerate. To learn more about documented mistreatment of immigrant/refugee children please see the link below: https://action.aclu.org/petition/cbp-stop-abusing-children Today over 500 children have not been united with their parents. Of that number, only a few can expect to see their mothers and fathers again. The Immigrant Justice League came together to find a way to materially support these suffering children and their families whose only “crime” is that they are seeking shelter from extreme violence and oppression. The situation in Mexico and Central America has been fueled by decades of misguided U.S. foreign policy. Now, as they try to escape a horrific reality that the U.S. has helped to create, we are not just shutting the door, we are locking them up and taking away their children. Here is a summary of the ways we have intervened in Latin American politics: https://medium.com/s/story/timeline-us-intervention-central-america-a9bea9ebc148 Sitting at home alone seething over inhumane immigration policies is not enough. We wanted to take action, and create a community space for us to find ways to support and assist our immigrant/refugee brothers and sisters. We can and must live up to our stated U.S. American imperative that anyone who lands on our shores has the right to be protected under the mandate of 14thConstitutional Amendment and that “Liberty, Justice and the Pursuit of Happiness” is a human right. Our purpose is two fold: 1) Create a supportive Beloved Community of people who want to do something to stop this horror. 2) Raise money and find ways to support Casa Cornelia, the only non-profit law center that is authorized to represent these children in the San Diego region. We have been busy. Over the summer we kicked off our T-Shirt fundraising campaign. You can purchase one on this website for $20! All proceeds for this campaign and others will be given directly to Casa Cornelia Law Center. We are also working on putting on 2 local concerts. Some of our members are working with Child Protective Services and are creating and compiling reports on abused and mistreated children. Documenting abuse and tracking children who have been violated will be key to reuniting children and parents and will serve as a means to enact justice on those responsible for these crimes. Other members are currently serving as advocates for some of the children who now find themselves released, but may be in need of mental health services, food, shelter and legal support and advice. Currently, some members are working on Cultural Proficiency training and development programs for healthcare, law enforcement and other service agencies. Our next project will be bringing immigrant/refugee families together for intimate neighborhood dinners where they will be able to get to know members of the larger community. We will provide information and trainings about relevant services and actions and build stronger more vibrant neighborhoods where all children can thrive. Here is an article from the Los Angeles Times that provides a general overview of our project: www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-race-dinner-20180422-story.html# If you would like to join us, please contact us at: immigrantjusticeleague@gmail.com. Thank you for your support! Together we can make the United States of America a stronger, more compassionate nation committed to justice for ALL. Fredi Avalos Co-Founder Immigrant Justice League The Immigrant Justice League supports just, fair, and humane treatment of all immigrants to the United States, especially children and families. The Immigrant Justice League stands in opposition to authorities and agencies which take unfair, unjust and inhumane actions against immigrants and asylum seekers who are seeking a better life within the United States and will confront such authorities and agencies.
The Immigrant Justice League supports individuals and agencies who assist immigrants and asylum-seekers who are treated unfairly by the U S government. This support includes, but is not limited to, raising funds needed to assist those immigrants and asylum-seekers. |
AuthorThe Immigrant Justice League stands in opposition to authorities and agencies which take unfair, unjust and inhumane actions against immigrants and asylum seekers who are seeking a better life within the United States and will confront such authorities and agencies. Archives |