Bush says opposes national immigration boycott

[Flabbergasted]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/28/AR2006042801156.html


Reuters
Friday, April 28, 2006; 1:50 PM


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush said on Friday he opposes a national boycott planned by pro-immigration activists on Monday that could include millions of participants.

Organizers have timed the action for May Day and have strong support from big labor and the Roman Catholic church. They vow that America's major cities will grind to a halt and its economy will stagger as Latinos walk off their jobs and skip school.

"You know, I'm not a supporter of boycotts. I am a supporter of comprehensive immigration," Bush told a Rose Garden news conference, referring to efforts to reach an immigration deal with the U.S. Congress.

[IndianaGreen]

1. What a better way to celebrate May Day, International Workers Day!

I think I will call in sick to work on Monday!

[leftstreet]

4. It's ironic that an International Workers Day orginated in Chicago.

The Haymarket Riots. Born out of international solidarity and protests of the events in Chicago. In the late 1880s Grover Cleveland made the "US" Labor Day the first Monday in September. They didn't want American workers using May Day to commemorate the worker riots, or identifying with international workers. So we "picnic" and relax in September, rather than taking to the streets to stand with global labor in May.

Through much of the 1870's and 1880's Chicago was a leading center of labor activism and radical thought. Early in 1886 labor unions were beginning a movement for an eight-hour day. Union activists called a one day general strike in Chicago. On May 1 many Chicago workers struck for shorter hours. An active group of radicals and anarchists became involved in the campaign. Two days later a shooting and one death occurred during a riot at the McCormick Reaper plant when police tangled with the strikers.


On May 4 events reached a tragic climax at Haymarket Square, an open market near Des Plaines Ave. and Randolph St., where a protest meeting was called to denounce the events of the preceding day at the McCormick Works. Speakers exhorted the crowd from a wagon which was used for a makeshift stage.


Commemoration of the Haymarket tragedy has, at times, been as contentious as the event itself. Worldwide appeals for clemency for the condemned Haymarket martyrs led to the establishment of May 1st as an International Workers' Day. Though May Day has been commemorated as a labor holiday in many countries, it was never adopted in the United States.

http://www.chipublib.org/004chicago/timeline/haymarket.html

[IndianaGreen]

5. The Haymarket marchers were fighting for the 8-hour workday

Many of the things we take for granted today were paid in blood spilled on American soil by American workers.

[Canuckistanian]

2. Hey, Chimpy! You don't get a say in this!

Thay're really boycotting YOU, ya dumb bastid! You and all your corporate pals.

So STFU!!

[NMDemDist2]

3. Breaking.... water still wet

I'da been shocked if he said anything else...

what a moran