by Chris Nava, VP for Political Action

Outside the gates of the Rancho Bernardo Country Club a group of over 150 gathered to  conduct a press conference and follow-up rally to protest the appearance of Arizona Sheriff Arpaio.  The rally, a collaborative effort on the part of many human rights organizations from the Latino community and other political groups, as well as the Unitarian-Universalist Church from Vista,  served a powerful message to Sheriff Arpaio that he and his brand of hate and illegal tactics is not welcome.

UPDATE: Read Logan Jenkins’ column in The San Diego Union-Tribune.
See video from KNSD-TV 7/39.
See video from a Phoenix TV station.
Read coverage in North County Times.
Read coverage in The San Diego Union-Tribune.

Colorful signs, banners, the yellow t-shirts  bearing a message of love and peace stood in contrast to a very small group of  Arizona’s  SB 1070 supporters who seem to have been hastily called to stand as a symbol of support for Arpaio. But, while what visually describes the group of protesters is part of the scene, what could not be seen but sensed was the more important feeling that those present were looking at this as a fight for human dignity and human rights, and that they were in the fight to stay. I was standing next to some women who went to Arizona recently, and who had determined ahead of time that they would be arrested for civil disobedience. And so it was for them.  They spoke of the hated Arpaio who came to the jail cells to confront them and how they refused to talk to him, but instead burst in to the civil rights song, “we shall overcome.”

According to activists who have history with Sheriff Arpaio, the Sheriff loves publicity, and they were pretty sure he would come out to engage the crowd, or better to gain another platform for his message.  He did not disappoint.  He came out and was quickly denied access to a microphone. Instead, Arpaio walked along the short stretch of lined protestors and seemingly enjoyed pointing to the signs.  We bid him farewell as we burst into our song “We Shall Overcome”.

This event was slightly reminiscent of the civil rights movement of the 60’s.The fight for immigration reform resounds with many of us who were involved in the struggle for civil rights at that time.

Today’s struggle to deal with immigration reform bears some fundamental similarities:  it is more than just civil rights under the law.  It is about fundamental issues of racial discrimination, human rights, respect and dignity. As in the movement of the 60’s, we are beginning to see forms of protest and/or civil disobedience including boycotts.

That struggle for civil rights ended with the signing of the civil rights act in1964. It is in the best interest of our country that today’s struggle for fair and comprehensive immigrations reform  results in bringing about  strong legislation that seriously addresses the complexities of the problem and that in the end mends the terrible divisions that are tearing our country apart.