Question..How do you get 500,000 Marchers

[Bonnie]

How DJs Put 500,000 Marchers in Motion
By Teresa Watanabe and Hector Becerra, Times Staff Writers
March 28, 2006

He's one of the hottest Spanish-language radio personalities in the nation. So when Los Angeles deejay Eddie Sotelo joined hands with his radio rivals to urge listeners to turn out for a pro-immigrant rally in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday, organizers hoped for a big turnout.

But many said Monday that they were stunned by how many responded to the call to march against federal legislation that would crack down on undocumented immigrants and penalize those who assist them.

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As a result, what was initially expected to draw fewer than 20,000 ballooned into a massive march that police estimated at 500,000 and said was one of the largest demonstrations in Los Angeles' history. The march topped a wave of protests drawing hundreds of thousands of participants in cities around the nation, which organizers said influenced the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee's approval Monday of legislation that includes legalization for undocumented immigrants.

Rally supporters, including immigrant-rights activists, churches, and labor and community groups, agreed that the active advocacy of the region's top Spanish-language radio personalities was critical in drawing the enormous crowds, who marched more than 20 blocks along Spring and Main streets and Broadway to City Hall, wearing white "peace" shirts and waving American and Mexican flags.

The promoters included such on-air celebrities as KHJ's Humberto Luna, KBUE's Ricardo "El Mandril" (The Baboon) Sanchez, Renan "El Cucuy" (The Boogeyman) Almendarez Coello — whose often risque show has cast him as a sort of Latino version of Howard Stern — and Sotelo, better known to listeners as "El Piolin," or Tweety Bird. Coello's and Sotelo's morning talk shows are among the highest-rated programs in any language in Los Angeles.

"They were the key to getting so many people out," said Mike Garcia, president of Local 1877 of the Service Employees International Union. "If you listened to Spanish-language media, they were just pumping, pumping, pumping this up."

For his part, Sotelo said he decided to promote the cause — by calling a summit of his rival deejays to encourage them to do the same — after rally organizers told him about the ramifications of the legislation passed by the U.S. House of Representatives last December. The bill, by Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner Jr. (R-Wis.), would make undocumented immigrants and those who assist them felons and erect a 700-mile fence along the U.S.-Mexican border.

"I told God that if he gave me an opportunity as a radio announcer, I was going to help my people," said Sotelo, who himself illegally crossed the border in the trunk of a car in 1986 and gained legal status a decade later. "I think we have to make sure the message went through to Washington, to let them know we're not criminals."

The idea for the march first sprouted in February in the oldest church in Los Angeles: Our Lady Queen of Angels, which has historically served as a sanctuary for undocumented migrants.

The church near Olvera Street has become one of the city's organizing hubs against the House bill, playing a leading role in promoting the Roman Catholic Church's national "Justice for Immigrants" campaign. Cardinal Roger M. Mahony last December appointed a committee to promote the national campaign throughout the 5-million-member Los Angeles Archdiocese.

The coalition of religious, community and civil rights activists meeting at the church had begun planning several small-scale events: news conferences, a petition drive and protest marches to Republican and Democratic party offices.

But when two visitors joined the group in January, the vision suddenly expanded.

Jesse Diaz, a doctoral candidate in sociology at UC Riverside, had worked with day laborers in Pomona and organized marches against Proposition 187, the 1994 state initiative that cut public benefits to undocumented immigrants but was struck down in federal court. Javier Rodriguez, a journalist, had also worked with immigrants and organized black-Latino political alliances.

The two men called for something dramatic: a massive protest march.

"It was time," Diaz said. "The Sensenbrenner bill had passed. We have 10 [million] to 12 million undocumented immigrants in this country, but their voice can't be heard at the ballot box. We felt a march would be a way for them to speak out."

The coalition was initially wary, he said. The group had little money or organization. At the time, none of the big labor or civil rights organizations had yet signed on, such as the service employees union or the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles. At the table, aside from the Catholic priests and some Spanish-language journalists, were such groups as the Central American Resource Center, Hermandad Mexicana Latinoamericana, the Pomona Day Labor Center and the Southern California Human Rights Network.

But Diaz and Rodriguez kept pushing. On March 2, the group held a news conference at the church to announce the march and call for political and Spanish-language media to get involved.

On March 13, the group got extensive coverage from KMEX-TV Channel 34, including promos, leading up to a "media breakfast" the next day. Later that day, Rodriguez and other leaders spoke to a producer on Sotelo's program. The day after that, they were on "Piolin Por La Mañana" for four hours, Rodriguez said.

"That was it, man!" Rodriguez said. "They gave us four hours and we went at it. We talked about the need for people to come out."

The next day, Rodriguez and other leaders went on the air with Sanchez of KBUE-FM (105.5) "Que Buena." During that show, Rodriguez said, he proposed that the deejays join together for the cause.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-march28mar28,0,3303231.story?coll=la-home-headlines


Imagine if the majority of this country would actually protest things that upset them and what that could accomplish??

 

[dilloduck]

How DJs Put 500,000 Marchers in Motion
By Teresa Watanabe and Hector Becerra, Times Staff Writers
March 28, 2006





http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-march28mar28,0,3303231.story?coll=la-home-headlines


Imagine if the majority of this country would actually protest things that upset them and what that could accomplish??

If a majority of people protested by saying ,

"I told God that if he gave me an opportunity as a radio announcer, I was going to help my people," said Sotelo, who himself illegally crossed the border in the trunk of a car in 1986 and gained legal status a decade later. "I think we have to make sure the message went through to Washington, to let them know we're not criminals."

they would be labeled bigots and busted for having a "hate march".

 

[Bonnie]

If a majority of people protested by saying ,

"I told God that if he gave me an opportunity as a radio announcer, I was going to help my people," said Sotelo, who himself illegally crossed the border in the trunk of a car in 1986 and gained legal status a decade later. "I think we have to make sure the message went through to Washington, to let them know we're not criminals."

they would be labeled bigots and busted for having a "hate march".

Maybe so, but if even a couple of million people marched on the capitol protesting lax immigration policies or against partial birth abortion, I think washington would have to listen. I dont' agree with the protesters in France BUT they did protest in solidarity in huge numbers and essentially shut the country down. I can guarantee you the French government was listening.

 

[dilloduck]

Maybe so, but if even a couple of million people marched on the capitol protesting lax immigration policies or against partial birth abortion, I think washington would have to listen. I dont' agree with the protesters in France BUT they did protest in solidarity in huge numbers and essentially shut the country down. I can guarantee you the French government was listening.

When was the last time you saw conservatives get together and march about anything and why do you think they don't ?

 

[Bonnie]

When was the last time you saw conservatives get together and march about anything and why do you think they don't ?

I have seen many at pro-life rallies in washington upwards of 400 thousand but you would never know it based on MSM reporting.

But for other issues they do not, and I find that troubling. Why is another matter..They probably don't because they are too busy working and don't get paid like lefties to march whenever the wind blows. They are busy raising families and maybe they don't keep up as much about these things as they should. Maybe they are just numb to what's going on and feel helpless?

Grass-roots groups working together are our only hope of getting something going. I think the old "Ill voice my opinion at the ballot box" is moot especially after the fact.

 

[dilloduck]

I have seen many at pro-life rallies in washington upwards of 400 thousand but you would never know it based on MSM reporting.

But for other issues they do not, and I find that troubling. Why is another matter..They probably don't because they are too busy working and don't get paid like lefties to march whenever the wind blows. They are busy raising families and maybe they don't keep up as much about these things as they should. Maybe they are just numb to what's going on and feel helpless?

Grass-roots groups working together are our only hope of getting something going. I think the old "Ill voice my opinion at the ballot box" is moot especially after the fact.

I have this feeling that is just simple denial. Conservatives feel bullet-proof it appears. Third party candidates and Libertarians ? Where are they?

 

[007]

Well I'll tell ya, an ANTI-illegal immigrant protest/march is just what we need. I'm not a protestor. I've never protested anything in my life. I look at protestors as some sort of trashy liberal D+ student that's willing to protest whatever that has a party at the end of it.

However, if a radio DJ in the Reno area called for a ANTI-illegal immigrant protest/march, to show support FOR the tougher laws, by God one way or another I'd be there. Problem is, the "MAJORITY" never seems to do this. We just let this militant, vocal, MINORITY run rough shod right over the top of us. For the life of me Bon, I don't why that is either. It pisses me off.

 

[Annie]

Silly Willy cited this thread as one that he saw as conservatives on protests. Since there's really not that many posts, thought it interesting that the discussion basically came down to, 'conservatives' don't protest, however they might on the issues like ILLEGAL immigration.

Well during the Bush administration, conservatives let their representatives know that they disagreed with the policies on illegals, Dubai Ports, etc. The representatives and administration responded.

Now with the massive spending that began with TARP and remains growing they've made their points. No response. There were some 'tea parties', large in numbers but not always participants. They were 'discounted.' The number of protests and activism is growing, the response of the DNC has been videos that make an accusation of 'mobs' and such. So, now they are going to 'hit hard,' says the White House. We'll see how that works out.

 

[Soaring]

How DJs Put 500,000 Marchers in Motion
By Teresa Watanabe and Hector Becerra, Times Staff Writers
March 28, 2006





California | Local - Los Angeles Times


Imagine if the majority of this country would actually protest things that upset them and what that could accomplish??

If a majority of people protested by saying ,

"I told God that if he gave me an opportunity as a radio announcer, I was going to help my people," said Sotelo, who himself illegally crossed the border in the trunk of a car in 1986 and gained legal status a decade later. "I think we have to make sure the message went through to Washington, to let them know we're not criminals."

they would be labeled bigots and busted for having a "hate march".

"My People?" Do you mean illegal immigrants? You bigoted bastard.

 

[Old Rocks]

Maybe so, but if even a couple of million people marched on the capitol protesting lax immigration policies or against partial birth abortion, I think washington would have to listen. I dont' agree with the protesters in France BUT they did protest in solidarity in huge numbers and essentially shut the country down. I can guarantee you the French government was listening.

When was the last time you saw conservatives get together and march about anything and why do you think they don't ?

Too damned lazy.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

Maybe so, but if even a couple of million people marched on the capitol protesting lax immigration policies or against partial birth abortion, I think washington would have to listen. I dont' agree with the protesters in France BUT they did protest in solidarity in huge numbers and essentially shut the country down. I can guarantee you the French government was listening.

When was the last time you saw conservatives get together and march about anything and why do you think they don't ?

4/19/1775

Battles of Lexington and Concord - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Because, when they finally do take action, the people that provoked the action are never happy about it