Melissa Khat and Sergio Gutierrez (Courtesy photo)Graduate: 'This experience has been emotionally intense'
07/29/2010
By Vanessa Miller
Daily Camera Staff Writer
Growing up in Denver with Cambodian parents who came to the United States in 1979 to escape the violence in their home nation, University of Colorado senior Melissa Khat said she has a deep appreciation for the nation's immigration roots.
That's why on Thursday -- the day Arizona's controversial immigration law took effect -- Khat, 22, and several of her Boulder-based friends were on the streets in Tucson to "stand in solidarity" with others who feel the law goes too far and promotes racial profiling.
On Wednesday evening, after opponents celebrated a judge's order blocking much of the state's immigration law, Khat and her group joined dozens of protesters in the small town of Guadalupe, just south of Phoenix.
"A good number of community members blocked the main intersection into the community and stood there for an hour," Khat said.
The demonstration was peaceful, she said.
"Any peaceful action that we can take to get our voices heard will make a big difference," Khat said.
The judge's temporary injunction of the law Wednesday delayed some of its most contentious parts, including a section requiring officers to check a person's immigration status while enforcing other laws and parts requiring immigrants to carry their papers. Provisions of the law that are less controversial were allowed to take effect Thursday.
The state asked an appeals court to lift the judge's order Thursday as Arizona communities such as Tucson and Phoenix filled with protesters, including dozens who were arrested after confronting officers in riot gear.
Protests that Khat and her friends took part in Thursday were nonviolent shows of solidarity, she said. Some people held signs that read "I am not a document" and "We reject racism," and other people waved flags while walking through the streets and blocking intersections.
Temperatures soared to more than 100 degrees in parts of Arizona, but Khat said the heat was bearable because of the cause they were supporting.
"It's so worth the weather -- being here, standing among these people and being part of history," she said. "It's a motivating and inspirational experience for me."
Khat, who's studying international affairs at CU, said she's passionate about immigration issues because her parents were refugees.
"They have plenty of stories of struggling to be in the United States," she said, adding that the Arizona law adds even more pressure on immigrants trying to fit in and build a life. "It's racism, and clearly it's not something we can tolerate in the 21st century."
CU graduate Sergio Gutierrez, 23, who joined Khat in their drive from Boulder to Arizona this week, said he was compelled to protest out of disgust for provisions in the new law. Being among all types of people united in one cause has been refreshing, he said.
"It's nice to see everyone come together like this," he said. "This experience has been emotionally intense and symbolic for everyone, particularly for those people who are willing to get arrested."
He and Khat, who spent upwards of six hours in the Arizona sun Thursday, plan to hit the streets again today. Gutierrez said they will be "cop watching," which they have been trained to do.
"We will be watching the police and monitoring their behavior and their professionalism to make sure everyone is being treated appropriately," he said.
That's why on Thursday -- the day Arizona's controversial immigration law took effect -- Khat, 22, and several of her Boulder-based friends were on the streets in Tucson to "stand in solidarity" with others who feel the law goes too far and promotes racial profiling.
On Wednesday evening, after opponents celebrated a judge's order blocking much of the state's immigration law, Khat and her group joined dozens of protesters in the small town of Guadalupe, just south of Phoenix.
"A good number of community members blocked the main intersection into the community and stood there for an hour," Khat said.
The demonstration was peaceful, she said.
"Any peaceful action that we can take to get our voices heard will make a big difference," Khat said.
The judge's temporary injunction of the law Wednesday delayed some of its most contentious parts, including a section requiring officers to check a person's immigration status while enforcing other laws and parts requiring immigrants to carry their papers. Provisions of the law that are less controversial were allowed to take effect Thursday.
The state asked an appeals court to lift the judge's order Thursday as Arizona communities such as Tucson and Phoenix filled with protesters, including dozens who were arrested after confronting officers in riot gear.
Protests that Khat and her friends took part in Thursday were nonviolent shows of solidarity, she said. Some people held signs that read "I am not a document" and "We reject racism," and other people waved flags while walking through the streets and blocking intersections.
Temperatures soared to more than 100 degrees in parts of Arizona, but Khat said the heat was bearable because of the cause they were supporting.
"It's so worth the weather -- being here, standing among these people and being part of history," she said. "It's a motivating and inspirational experience for me."
Khat, who's studying international affairs at CU, said she's passionate about immigration issues because her parents were refugees.
"They have plenty of stories of struggling to be in the United States," she said, adding that the Arizona law adds even more pressure on immigrants trying to fit in and build a life. "It's racism, and clearly it's not something we can tolerate in the 21st century."
CU graduate Sergio Gutierrez, 23, who joined Khat in their drive from Boulder to Arizona this week, said he was compelled to protest out of disgust for provisions in the new law. Being among all types of people united in one cause has been refreshing, he said.
"It's nice to see everyone come together like this," he said. "This experience has been emotionally intense and symbolic for everyone, particularly for those people who are willing to get arrested."
He and Khat, who spent upwards of six hours in the Arizona sun Thursday, plan to hit the streets again today. Gutierrez said they will be "cop watching," which they have been trained to do.
"We will be watching the police and monitoring their behavior and their professionalism to make sure everyone is being treated appropriately," he said.
17 comments:
I'm not being racist or anything, but I support the Arizona law of immigration. We welcome anyone to come in the country but please come here legally! If they stop me for proof, go ahead, i cooperate because I am legal and nothing to hide. As long you are here in the USA with valid documents, you shouldn't be scare and this is not a racist act because they are doing their job to eliminate illegals. Just like Cambodia, most jobs would be filled with Cambodian if there are no illegal Vietnamese take over.
This is one misguided young lady.
She is supporting those breaking the law by entering the U.S. border illegally.
Everyone wants to come to the U.S. including many Cambodians. But because Cambodia is on the other side of the globe they have for the most part enter the U.S. through proper channel.
Mexican immigrants has been trampling across the border illegally for decades. That's because it is convenient for them. They will continue to do so if proper measure is not taken.
This is not about racism. It is about respecting the law and order.
Mexican immigrants should enter the U.S. the proper way just like all other immigrants from around the world.
When you come into someone's house by the backdoor without the invitation , you are breaking the law and have no right to do anything . If you want respect , you have to come by the frontdoor with the law. Illegal is breaking the law , breaking the law is criminal . Khat doesn't know anything about the Immigration law . She could be stupid or naive in this case.
Khat's sing reads :"Respect the Dignity of all People"
The only situation I see that apply is when the country the immigrants are leaving is at war and those people are fleeing for their lives. Like many Cambodians did during the Vietnam invasion. Even then Cambodians end up going to the U.S. had to be processed by U.S. immigration officials.
There is no war, except drug wars, in Mexico. No excuse whatsoever for them to break immigration law.
This young lady Khat have no business holding that sign. She needs to go home.
Repect the law first and the dignity will be second.
WHY SHE CARES!!!
SPANK HER BUTT!!
GET A REAL JOB!!
I do not have any problem with immigration or immigrants in general because I am myself an immigrant. But I do have issues with ILLEGAL immigration/immigrants. If you want your fair share and your right to be treated equally like the citizens of this country, be LEGAL. The Mexican/hispanic illegals think they are entitled to everything the American or the US residents have. It drives me mad when I see banners such as "WE HAVE RIGHTS". What right do you have when you broke the law by illegally sneaking into the USA in the first place? Go back to your home country and wait in line like everyone else!!
Every country has it's own law. I believe that Mexico would be harder to open it's own heart for illegal immagrants. And for those who protest againts Arizona immagrant crack down should do this first" open your own door and let strangers come into your own house, and let them do anything they want for one week", see how do you feel.
Get a life, woman!
This Cambodian bitch has no clue of what she's doing.You just can't support illegal immigrant in this country.
I am not for illegal immigration either, but if the law states that immigration issues is the provision of the federal government, it is ILLEGAL for the State of Arizona to take it upon themself to impose this law. If Arizona can make up their own law about immigration so can the other 49 states.
Houston, Texas
THAT'S HER BOYFRIEND!!!
SHE SPEAKS SPANK-LISH!!
SHE'S OUT OF CONTROL!!!
NOT FOLLOWING HER ROOT!
ILLEGAL IS CRIMINAL!!!!
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!!!!!
If people came here illegally they should deported back, because they took jobs away with $3- $4-$5 dollars an hours...fucked up everybody in this country! i supported Govt. of Arizona...good moved, seal our border gate and deported all illegally immigrants!!!!
11:47PM, when was the last time that you see black man, white man or even an asian dude working in the heat doing a labor work on the US HWY? These Mexican are willing to take these jobs because a bunch of lazy ass like you refuse to do it. Therefore, you need to stop blaming the Mexican for taking the job that you don't want. Who are you kidding...you would have cross the border illegally too if you have the opportunity to make money to support your hungry children. Yall are a bunch of hypocrite who need to clean your own ass before pointing finger at other people.
The issue here is illegal immigrant who sneaked across the border illegally and, not about picking fruit or clean toilet to feed their families back home .
There are a labor organizations who went across the border and contract people to come and work then return them back to their country when seasonal jobs are over.These illegal immigrant here for some reason think that's it is their right to stay in another country whether it's legal or not.
Miss Khat, your Cambodian parents were allowed to enter America LEGALLY, otherwise they would have deported your parents back home already. 1979-2010 = 31 years ago.
Nine years after settling in America, you were born in 1988.
You are an America citizen. However, your parents were admitted into America legally. So support the legal immigrants. America has been good to your parents and you, providing opportunities like nowhere else on this planet earth. Go to Cambodia and you will see only a few powerful families control the entire country. Young men are born to work as their personal body guards. Young girls are born to serve their sexual needs. America is never like that. Here, you work hard in school, you try to be smart and educated, you have a marketable skill, you can find jobs or a career and you can invest and you save and you establish yourself in the society. No so in Cambodia. The few rich people can actually push you off your land and kill you off. So protect America at all cost from the illegal immigrants. Say no to Illegal Immigrants. Oh by the way, in Cambodia, a brown-skinned color as you already marks you as the lower class person and your opportunity is already cut short. What are you going to do in the society when you have no education, no money, no opportunity, no jobs, etc. Only America provides you with all of those treasured things found nowhere on this earth. Even rich people of Cambodia come to America for those opportunities. So say no to ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS. I love America and protect America till the day I die.
4:41 AM GI JOE IS AMERICAN HERO...
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