Activists Still Fasting for Immigrant Rights in L.A.

by Dave Bennion · 2008-11-03 19:30:00 UTC
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United Farm Workers Vice President Diana Tellefson has a message up at DKos today:

Today I proudly join the hunger strike for immigration reform. On October 15th, nearly 100 people began one of the largest hunger strikes in American history to call on Latinos, immigrants, and people of conscience to rise out of our fear and vote for change.

12 young people have been fasting continuously on water for 20 days. They are determined to encourage 1 million people to sign the pledge to vote and take action for immigrant rights. The fasters and supporters who have joined in the fast chain have been staying at a tent city in Los Angeles' historic Olvera Street.  On Wednesday, they'll march to LA's federal building calling on the new administration to take decisive action on immigration reform and will end their fast.

20 days is a long freakin' time to go without food.  That is a level of commitment I have to respect.

Some background to this hunger strike here.

Let's assume there are three main interest groups working to persuade an ambivalent public to support their goals for immigration reform.  First is the pro-migrant movement.  Second, the business community.  Third, the restrictionist movement.

The belief of the L.A. fasters in the goals of the pro-migrant movement is stronger than the tepid support of the business community for comprehensive reform or the dedication of the well-funded but ultimately shallow restrictionist movement to keeping white America in a perpetual state of paranoia.

How many Minutemen are fasting for 20 days to move public opinion in their direction?  How many factory owners or members of Chambers of Commerce?  If there are any, I haven't heard about them.

But these activists can't do it on their own.  From an email I received from the RISE Movement recently:

The Fast and encampment have cost well over $20,000. Medical monitoring and equipment for fasters, port-o-potties, printing, extension chords and duct tape, sanitation supplies, website infrastructure, minimal expenses for full-time organizers, wheel-chairs for fasters - even with an ethic of simplicity and a commitment to efficiency, there are so many things that have been essential to this historic campaign. Even with doctors volunteering to help monitor fasters, blood tests alone have cost over $2500. We are a grassroots, volunteer-driven operation, funded by the donations of supporters like you. Currently, we have raised less than 25% of the costs of the Fast and encampment. We need your help urgently. Please donate today and ask your friends and family to do the same.

I just donated a bit more to RISE to help cover some of those expenses and push the movement forward, and I encourage my readers to do the same.  (Since migrants put food on my table in more ways than one, I figure the least I can do is give a little back.)

Dave Bennion
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