From Deseret News archives:
Bikers rally against illegals
Their state-to-state 'warning' tour will hit Utah Saturday
"The illegals are coming every night. Wake up," said Howard Wooldridge of Fort Worth, Texas, coordinator of the "21st Century Paul Revere Ride of 2006."
The five motorcyclists are scheduled to roll into Salt Lake on Saturday for a noon rally at the State Capitol with local activists against illegal immigration.
"The nation, in the past years, has been suffering under the unarmed invasion," Wooldridge said. "Like Paul Revere we are travelling the country, spreading the word this is bad policy for native-born Americans. We need to seal the border."
However, in Utah, Latino activists questioned the riders' use of patriotic icons in their rally against illegal immigration.
"I think it's shameful," said Michael Clara, spokesman for the Utah Hispanic/Latino Legislative Task Force. "I'm a very patriotic person. It cheapens our history when people try to cloak themselves in patriotism and make it look like there's this invasion going on. There's no invasion."
Meanwhile, Tony Yapias of Proyecto Latino de Utah said the ride sounds like just another means of creating fear and dividing communities.
"Enough of the fear, enough intolerance," Yapias said. "This really needs to be focused on as how to proceed as a society."
The five riders left Denver May 29. They're scheduled to hold rallies at 48 state capitals and at a few other locations before arriving at Washington, D.C., on Aug. 12.
They're opposed to a recently passed Senate bill that would put millions of illegal immigrants on an eventual path to citizenship. They're calling for support for a House enforcement bill. The two measures must be resolved in a conference committee.
"People believe in the rule of law," Wooldridge said. "We believe strongly that if we scream loudly enough, Congress will change their minds about amnesty and guest workers and finally put up a barrier to stop people from coming in physically."
E-mail: dbulkeley@desnews.com
