Immigrant Rally Speech by Dr. Ernesto Sagas

May 1, 2006, Manchester, New Hampshire

shared with us by his kind permission.

Eleven million. That's how many people we are talking about. Eleven million
people with human faces; with sons and daughters, with mothers and fathers,
with husbands and wives. Eleven million people who want to live decent lives ...
just like every single one of us. They want nothing more than what we 
already have:  a chance at the American dream.


Eleven million people from all over the world. Even though most of them
are Latinos, even though the majority of them nowadays happen to be 
from Mexico, this is neither a Latino nor a Mexican issue; it's a human
issue. 

What happened to the Statue of Liberty's "Give me your tired,
your poor"? Where did it go? Why are some people trying to deny the
American dream to others, and why are we letting them get away with it?
Eleven million. Eleven million strong. They may be tired, but it is
because of all the hard work that they do. They harvest your food, they
cook your meals, they built your house.
 
How many times have you seen one of them and wondered what their
lives are like? How hard do they work day after day? Are they happy?
Do they think about their families, about those that they left behind? Do 
they have dreams and aspirations? Have you ever stopped to think about
this? If you haven't, today is a good day to start doing it. Think about 
those eleven million faces; talk to them. Get to know them. You will be
surprised to see how much we all have in common.

They may be poor, but they have dreams, too. They want their children
to go to school, to get an education, to learn English, to have a better 
future. All that they're asking for is a chance. A chance to pursue the 
dream, to live with dignity. The same chance that your immigrant family
(for we are all immigrants in this land) once had.

Eleven million faces. Eleven million stories. Let's not ignore a single
one of them.

Today, I have a confession to make: I am an undocumented
immigrant. I am an "illegal alien." And so are you. And you. And you,
too. Yes, today we are all "illegal aliens." Why? Because every time
that an immigrant is persecuted, every time that an immigrant's rights
are violated, every time that an immigrant has to live in fear, we all
suffer the consequences. Our society suffers the consequences. This a
nation of immigrants; a society based on tolerance, on the acceptance 
of differences. Therein lies our strength.
 
When we let the forces of intolerance exclude others; we are excluding
ourselves too. When we look the other way when immigrants' rights are
violated; our very own rights are violated too. The power and beauty of 
democracy rests, not on the will of the majority, but on the protection it
affords to minorities.

Those who seek to exclude "others" from the American dream are doing a
disservice to this country. They are not protecting it, as they claim.
No, with their intolerance and their false patriotism they are
undermining the principles on which this country was built.

Don't let others destroy the American dream by closing the door.
The door of immigration should remain wide open. As it has done for
generations, immigration will make us a better country; and the
acceptance of differences, of diversity, of the "other," will make us a
better people. It's more than an American trait, compassion is what
makes us truly human.
 
Remember Matthew 25:  "I was hungry. You gave me food. I was thirsty.
You gave me a drink. I was a stranger. You took me in." 
And when the people asked, "How come?" the answer was simple: "I
tell you the truth. What you did for even the smallest of these people
you did for me. They are my brothers." 

Starting today, do not forget about your immigrant brothers and sisters.
They are human beings. They have rights. They are our brothers and
sisters too. They should not have to live in fear. No one should. Not in
this country that prides itself on being a beacon of freedom. Speak out.
Become a voice for the voiceless; help empower the powerless. You 
will not only be helping them, you will help us all create a better society,
a greater nation.

So, today we say:  No more fear! Look at us! We are here. We
won't hide in the shadows anymore. We want to be acknowledged, we want
to be counted, we want some respect. We are America, too.
Thank you.

Dr. Ernesto Sagas has graciously provided the text of his speech for our readers.
He is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Southern
New Hampshire University and a political commentator for CNN in
Spanish. His specialty is Latin American political affairs. He is the author of
The Dominican People: A Documentary History.

Additional Reading: 
"A Day of No Immigrants Rally."
This report by Patricia Cummings, with photos James Cummings, was published,
in part, as an op-ed article in the New Hampshire Union Leader newspaper on
May 8, 2006.
 
Latin American Art: "Voces y Visiones," a traveling exhibit from El Museo del 
Barrio, Manhattan, NYC.