BARRETT AT HEAD OF IMMIGRANT RALLY

On Thursday, March 23rd 2006, when I saw the Sixth Street Viaduct filled with a marching band of humanity, my first thought was, "oh boy, the Republicans won't like this."
My reasoning was that the over 10,000 Latinos and their supporters who marched from the south side to Zeidler Union Square downtown represented a voting bloc that republicans covet, but which democrats might rightly call their own -- if only they voted!
The mass rally, in support of immigrant rights and immigrant reform, had all the earmarks of earlier public demonstrations that had marked earlier generations. In fact, with the excellent organization of Voces de la Frontera, Wisconsin Peace Action and the League of United Latin American Citizens, not to mention the very professional conduct of the Milwaukee Police Department, the march may portend an era to come in which the public en masse regains an interest in politics by taking it to the streets.
Of course, certain elements in the media realm had a different take on the proceedings. Channel 58 news called the event a "Massive Protest," belying a prejudice and inexact choice of words that is hardly commendatory from a major news organization.
(Oh, strike the above comment -- it is unjust to apply the journalistic standards of a major news organization to Channel 58 local news.)
The Bill of Rights gives us a right to peacably assemble. Simply because we do so does not mean the gathering is a "protest." The word "massive" itself has connotations of something gone awry, which was certainly not the case. [There were no arrests made, according to police. Furthermore, within two hours of the end of the event, there was no sign of any litter whatsoever at Zeidler Union Square.]
I had a wonderful view of the event as it transpired from my offices high above the Marquette Interchange, and I grabbed a camera to record the activities.
Leading the parade, and included in the photograph I have attempted to attach to this document, was Mayor Tom Barrett, the guy on the right. He was accompanied by Rep. Pedro Colon (seen with papers), and Rep. Josh Zepnick, (seen in profile). [If the photograph does not appear, it is not for want of trying on my part.]
Now -- if only a fraction of the marchers registered to vote, got their friends to do so also, manned telephone banks on election day -- and voted, would this cause problems for Republicans?
This is a matter for time to tell. About 44 per cent of the Latino vote went to Bush in the last election, a far better showing than from the 1960 - 1972 election cycles when massive protests were the norm and Democratic presidential candidates averaged 84 per cent of the vote.
--Michael Horne