Where I Stand — Mike O’Callaghan: Riders aren’t a threat

Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2003 | 8:23 a.m.

I WONDER WHY the security guards at the Monte Carlo became upset recently when Culinary Workers of Local 226 handed out information on the hotel property? The fliers contained information about the local role in the upcoming national Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride. Believe me, the fliers contained nothing subversive, anti-American or anti-employer.

Upon hearing about the Workers Freedom Ride, I took two hours last Wednesday to sit in on one of their meetings. What I found were several people from different organizations and clergy planning for the 8 a.m. Sept. 24 departure for the trip, which will eventually take them to Washington, D.C., and New York City. Sure wish I had the time to go with them.

What was refreshing was the attitude of the planners and the different nations that were the original homes of the workers planning to go. The local workers going on the ride came here from Africa, Philippines, Ecuador, Mexico, Japan, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Honduras, Argentina, Nicaragua, Chile and Thailand. Sure looks like a good representation of the people who have become an important part of our community.

So what message will the bus riders carry across the nation, where they will meet with other Freedom Riders?

No violence or subversive activities. Sounds like the American way of presenting their views.

Let's hope the results of the riders will make unnecessary some of the stories we have heard in recent years. The people at the meeting gave me the following real life example to consider:

"Jose was a kitchen worker at the Rio Hotel, here in Las Vegas. In every way Jose was the picture of the American dream. He is married and has five lovely children. He worked hard, paid his taxes, and owned his own home.

"In the 1980's Jose tried to acquire citizenship through the amnesty program, but was victimized by his lawyer's incompetence and he was denied permanent resident status. He appealed the ruling.

"His work card was set to expire, and against the advice of his new lawyer, he went to the Immigration and Naturalization Service office to get a new card.

"At the INS office, where he had gone to do the right thing, to follow the rules, he was detained and quickly deported. He was allowed, when he was detained, to call his wife but not his lawyer.

"His co-workers at the Rio have helped Jose's wife, Olga, sell their home here in Las Vegas. Olga and their five children, who are all American born, have joined Jose in Mexico."

There are some good arguments against the use of a death sentence by our justice system. I don't agree with most of them and still question the wisdom of eliminating the death penalty for all capital murder convictions. What should be the punishment for a prisoner who is serving a life sentence and kills a fellow inmate or a prison guard? The reasonable answer certainly isn't another life sentence.

KVBC-TV 3 news has a bright new face and voice. Kori Chambers arrived here from Springfield, Mass., about four months ago. I first saw him on weekend news and told some friends. All of them now agree that he gives viewers the news in a clear and no-nonsense manner. He is one of the rare new announcers who arrived and took time to learn the correct pronunciation of names and places familiar to Nevadans.