“Don’t hate me for not trading humanity for patriotism,” one student’s picket sign read out of the dozens more signs that were displayed during the protests on Tuesday, against guest speaker Jim Gilchrist, the president of the Minutemen Project.
The protest was sparked by Gilchrist being allowed to be a guest speaker on the behalf of the Conservative Student Union to express his growing concern regarding the issue of illegal immigrants entering the country.
Gilchrist based most of his speech on the ideal behind the First Amendment and said his goal was "To bring national awareness to the immigration issue."
The Beach Auditorium was where the debate between Gilchrist and the founder of the Border Angels Organization, Enrique Morenos, was going to take place. However, what was supposed to be a rather neutral discussion between the two, turned into a passionate display of student resilience as a majority of the audience who disagreed with Gilchrist walked out with Morenos.
“As I was looking at the students, I knew the students feelings were saying that they don’t want to have Gilchrist here,” said Morenos. “About 80 percent of the people in the auditorium walked out with me.”
In response to the mass student exodus, Gilchrist simply said, “We won!”
Overhearing the negative comments by Gilchrist’s opponents as they left the auditorium, the president of the Conservative Student Union, Jason Aula, retaliated back by yelling, “Liberal scum!”
"They're not liberal scum, they're unknowledgeable,” said Gilchrist after Aula’s outburst. Gilchrist continued with his speech. Under Campus Police authority, no one else was allowed into the auditorium after the student walkout.
Outside the auditorium, protester and Attorney General of the ASI, Christopher Chavez, rallied the crowd by asking them, “Is this not a beautiful day for democracy?” The crowd answered him with cheers as Chavez continued; “I too, am the product of immigrants just like the rest of us in this country.”
Chavez even compared the demonstrators to early American revolutionists stating, “Sometimes we do need to rebel! We need to revolt! We here, are doing the right thing!”
“We need to realize that we all need to recognize that we are all human beings,” said Miguel Guzman, a protestor and social activist who is no stranger to Minutemen protests after being arrested four times at other rallies against the Minutemen Project.
Donned with a piece of white paper reading “Philippines” in black ink, Linda Espana-Maram, a professor of Asian-American studies said, “My father and mother came as immigrants from the Philippines to this country. They came into this country according to a 1965 U.S. legislature. This country needed people like my father and mother for labor.”
“My father created the glue that holds your shoes together!” shouted Espana-Maram to the rally-goers. Many of the protesters applauded Espana-Maram’s example of how this country needs immigrants.
“I am trying to make an example of how immigrants not just from the Philippines, but also from other countries, contribute to this country’s development, from health care to technology, you name it,” continued Espana-Maram.
Amongst the barrage of protests, fellow Minuteman and a representative of the Save Our State Organization, Wes Watson rebutted, “America is our nation. America is our house. In our house, we make our own rules. While, your neighbors have their own houses and make their own rules no matter how right or wrong they are. You can’t just let your neighbors take over the house and make the rules for you in your own house.”
Watson, being a firm Conservative, disapproved with many of President Bush’s illegal immigration tactics stating, “In order to have fair immigration policy, we need to sit down as a country and decide how many immigrants, from how many countries, can enter our country without affecting the country’s dwindling resources. Simply, President Bush is not doing just that. Not at all.”
“The Minutemen are demonstrating to Bush at a one time event, to basically secure our borders and stop illegal immigration,” added Watson.
While pounding on his drum to conjure up some more rally reactions, student, Michael Lozana, a 19-year-old Sociology major stated, “Gilchrist has no respect for others, and I have no respect for him. Without immigrants this country is nothing.”
Jim Gilchrist’s speech at the Beach Auditorium and the student protests all ended at 2 p.m.
