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January 06, 2010
EL QUIJOTE DEL GED WITH DAY LABORERS IN FARMINGVILLE
By Profesor Martin Danenberg
"El Quijote del GED"
FOR ALL COMMUNITY RESIDENTS TO READ INCLUDING STEVE LEVY
THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE RIGHTS OF ALL UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS
The right to rent apartments
The right to be paid minimum wage for work
The right to receive workman's compensation benefits
The right to sue in court
The right to get married
The right to attend public schools
The right to take the GED across the United States
The right to go to the city and state universities in New York
And there is much more.
Yes undocumented immigrants can be deported, but they have basic rights that each elected official must announce and respect in the United States.
Farmingville, New York was the site of one of the most famous attacks on immigrants in recent history and I arrived there to network with Omar Enriquez and Saul Linares to help the day laborers who were waiting in the cold. As soon as I approached in my car, the men came at me hoping that I could hire them to do work. I noticed more than twenty day laborers on three of the corner streets waiting for work, but there was no work. When Omar and Saul arrived, Omar noticed me walk over to the group, calling out my famous nickname "El Quijote." Instantly immigrants from Mexico, Nicaragua, other countries were calling out "El Quijote" and they warmed up to me fast. Omar spoke about the importance of the census and I told the men that education is the key in the 21st century and not just hard work alone. Let me tell all of you who read this. I was totally impressed with the warmth of these Hispanic men on this cold day. The picture you see represents how the day laborers felt hearing me tell them that what they were told on this occasion was "not fraud and not lies."
I wanted to be in Glen Cove years ago with the Hispanic organizations that came to New York to help the Mexican immigrants in Farmingville. Nobody helped me achieve my goals, but now I have the day laborers by my side. We want them to learn English and get their GED (English or Spanish). We also want to defuse the violence and calm down the hatred by having all elected officials tell constituents and their children that those immigrants have rights that have to be respected.
MARTIN N. DANENBERG
7 BLAZER DRIVE
ISLANDIA, NEW YORK 11749
631-348-1341
GEDHOTLINE@AOL.COM
www.ahorre.com
www.ahorre.com/ged
www.geocities.com/gedhotline
www.aspira.org
Profesor Martin Danenberg January 6, 2010 08:44 AM