# Immigrant boycott day May 1: Good idea? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [April 30, 2006, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrant-boycott-day-may-1-good-idea/354861 "2006-04-30T19:44:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrant-boycott-day-may-1-good-idea/354861/41 "2006-05-01T15:15:58Z")
I just found something called [http://www.johnandkenshow.com/archives/2006/04/28/the-great-american-spend-a-lot/](http://www.johnandkenshow.com/archives/2006/04/28/the-great-american-spend-a-lot/). It is a promotion/anti-boycott by The John and Ken Show, a radio show on KFIAM640. To encourage you to buy a lot of stuff they ask you to fax in your receipt. Then twice an hour (3-7PM) they will select a receipt at random and reimburse you for your purchase—up to $640 per receipt. I’ll be buying some presentation materials. I need them anyway, and maybe they’ll be for free. Plus, anything to make this stupid anti-American boycott even more useless I’m all for. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrant-boycott-day-may-1-good-idea/354861/42 "2006-05-01T15:18:37Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > Your last paragraph gets confusing when one reads the first, so then there is a way it could pass anyway? No, I meant that the boycott might change the political landscape so that the final bill that passes both Houses of Congress is heavier on the enforcement side. You won’t be made a felon for helping an illegal immigrant, but (as an example) the penalties for crossing the border illegally might be raised. There is a whole spectrum of possible ways this bill could turn out. I just don’t see how this boycott is going to influence it in the immigrant-friendly direction. A different type of rally/protest could do that, but this boycott just seems too in-your-face to have a positive effect. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrant-boycott-day-may-1-good-idea/354861/43 "2006-05-01T15:24:33Z")
> [@charizard](#): > > My basic take-away message to the United States from the boycott activists: > “You are not in control of who comes into your country - we are. If you try to pass laws about it, or enforce any existing laws, we will activate our sleeper agents (in the form of people who you previously allowed in legally) to damage your economy.” > I’m very much in favor of a much more lenient immigration/guest worker policy, but I think the boycotters have damaged themselves quite a bit in this process. Wow. Some of us call that “the Democratric process” and refer to those sleeper cells as “citizens”. The vast majority of Mexicans are here legally. Some support this, some don’t. But the majority of these protests were organized by legal US citizens that, like most citizens, have an opinion on how the US should be run and are using one of the many tools available to citizens to attept to make their country a better place. Anyway, I honestly don’t think there is much illegal immigrants can do to hurt their cause. They have been the king of scapegoats for ages, and that’s not going to change. ---
**Author:** ![charizard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charizard/32/4166_2.png) [@charizard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/charizard)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrant-boycott-day-may-1-good-idea/354861/44 "2006-05-01T15:46:38Z")
> [@even sven](#): > > Wow. Some of us call that “the Democratric process” and refer to those sleeper cells as “citizens”. This doesn’t address the \*tone \* of the boycott activists, though. If they were calling for rallies supporting their cause on Mayday, that’s the democratic process - and I, for one, would give them my support. But there’s an overwhelming tone of “We’re going to show that we now have enough people here to shut you down if you don’t do it our way”. This is what smacks of blackmail, and this is what I think will cost them in the long run. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrant-boycott-day-may-1-good-idea/354861/45 "2006-05-01T16:22:59Z")
It appears that most Americans are not too keen on this boycott, as I predicted they wouldn’t be: > [@](#): > > [Immigrants begin one-day boycott](http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060501/ts_nm/usa_immigration_dc_3) > > Recent polls suggest a majority of Americans would support legislation being debated in the Senate that would allow many illegal immigrants to join a legal guest worker program and later apply for citizenship. An NBC/Wall Street Journal survey last week found 68 percent would support this with 28 percent in opposition. > > However, the same poll found that only 17 percent of Americans thought the day-long boycott and strike would help the immigrants’ cause, while 57 percent said it would harm it. And saying that this is just immigrant citizens exercising their right to protest is pretty misleading, **even sven**. From the same article: > [@](#): > > Early reports suggested many of the estimated 11.5-12 million illegal immigrants in the country were obeying a call to stay away from work and boycott businesses… Now, these guys have the right to protest, too. But when they try to shut things down to get legislation passed, is it any wonder that lots of people are going to say: Go back to where you came from if you don’t like the laws here, or go stand in line for a green card like legal immigrants do. As I said in my pit thread, I can easily think of some much better tactics to sway legislation their way. ---
**Author:** ![Translucent\_Daydream](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/translucent_daydream/32/16170_2.png) [@Translucent\_Daydream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Translucent_Daydream)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrant-boycott-day-may-1-good-idea/354861/46 "2006-05-01T17:32:20Z")
A few days ago, there was talk on the Dallas/Ft. Worth Spanish language radio stations that the Latinos needed to “take back the states.” My thoughts on that: You let your country get all fucked up, don’t come over here and fuck up ours. One of my ex girlfriends works in a Dallas area hospital and she says that uninsured illegal immigrants cause a big burden at the hospital. It is so bad at times that they just patch them up and send them to Parkland because they can’t handle the load. I am also tired of hearing the shit about illegal immigrants take the jobs that lazy Americans won’t. I know people who would love to work some sort of job but they can’t afford to get paid what the illegals do because the actually pay taxes and stuff. I don’t care where you are from, what you are legally doing here, as long as you pay your taxes. I have to. You should too, dammit. ---
**Author:** ![Translucent\_Daydream](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/translucent_daydream/32/16170_2.png) [@Translucent\_Daydream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Translucent_Daydream)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrant-boycott-day-may-1-good-idea/354861/47 "2006-05-01T17:34:03Z")
Oh, and amnisty for a person who the first thing they did in our country was break the law??? (By illegally coming here in the first place.) Are you serious? ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrant-boycott-day-may-1-good-idea/354861/48 "2006-05-01T17:35:38Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > No, I meant that the boycott might change the political landscape so that the final bill that passes both Houses of Congress is heavier on the enforcement side. You won’t be made a felon for helping an illegal immigrant, but (as an example) the penalties for crossing the border illegally might be raised. There is a whole spectrum of possible ways this bill could turn out. I just don’t see how this boycott is going to influence it in the immigrant-friendly direction. A different type of rally/protest could do that, but this boycott just seems too in-your-face to have a positive effect. Which is why it was discouraged by many and officially dropped since last Monday at least in Arizona, I’m really disappointed in Reuters, virtually all the other reports do mention that not all organizers and leaders favor a boycott, not reporting now that the majority of the more important organizers are actively discouraging the boycott does speak volumes of the so called liberal media. But I guess everything to pull the chains to make us read or watch the news is their motto. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrant-boycott-day-may-1-good-idea/354861/49 "2006-05-01T17:45:14Z")
> [@Translucent Daydream](#): > > A few days ago, there was talk on the Dallas/Ft. Worth Spanish language radio stations that the Latinos needed to “take back the states.” > > My thoughts on that: You let your country get all fucked up, don’t come over here and fuck up ours. One of my ex girlfriends works in a Dallas area hospital and she says that uninsured illegal immigrants cause a big burden at the hospital. It is so bad at times that they just patch them up and send them to Parkland because they can’t handle the load. > > I am also tired of hearing the shit about illegal immigrants take the jobs that lazy Americans won’t. I know people who would love to work some sort of job but they can’t afford to get paid what the illegals do because the actually pay taxes and stuff. > > I don’t care where you are from, what you are legally doing here, as long as you pay your taxes. I have to. You should too, dammit. Funny thing is many already do and on April 15 they say goodbye to any return since many can not file for not having documentation, and to ask for legalization also includes the others that you describe, it amazes me that many don’t realize those people are demanding to be taxed properly, odd no? ---
**Author:** ![Translucent\_Daydream](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/translucent_daydream/32/16170_2.png) [@Translucent\_Daydream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Translucent_Daydream)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrant-boycott-day-may-1-good-idea/354861/50 "2006-05-01T17:50:28Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > Funny thing is many already do and on April 15 they say goodbye to any return since many can not file for not having documentation, and to ask for legalization also includes the others that you describe, it amazes me that many don’t realize those people are demanding to be taxed properly, odd no? No offense or anything, but I sincerely doubt that ALL of them are standing in line saying, “Hey, tax me!” I don’t see it working that way. I am assuming that they are smart enough to realize that the meager wages that many of them make wouldn’t be liveable if they had to pay out taxes, social security, medicaid… ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrant-boycott-day-may-1-good-idea/354861/51 "2006-05-01T17:55:45Z")
> [@Translucent Daydream](#): > > No offense or anything, but I sincerely doubt that ALL of them are standing in line saying, “Hey, tax me!” I don’t see it working that way. I am assuming that they are smart enough to realize that the meager wages that many of them make wouldn’t be liveable if they had to pay out taxes, social security, medicaid… Nope, they are smart enough to know that paying taxes is the price to pay to stop living in constant fear of deportation. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrant-boycott-day-may-1-good-idea/354861/52 "2006-05-01T18:03:45Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > Nope, they are smart enough to know that paying taxes is the price to pay to stop living in constant fear of deportation. Agreed. I worked as a factory supervisor for four years, and MOST of the workers there were illegal immigrants – the IRS informed us one year that 275 of our employees’ names didn’t match their SSN. That’s out of 400 or so workers. The way they did it was to claim few or no exemptions and not file a tax return. The IRS had to know what was going on…was this maybe an unspoken bribe not to blow the whistle on them? A “wink and a handshake” kind of deal? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrant-boycott-day-may-1-good-idea/354861/53 "2006-05-01T18:12:37Z")
Listening to the NPR program on this a few hours ago it was amazing how many e-mails they read that said essentially (paraphrased): “I’m a liberal Democrat, but I don’t have sympathy for people who come here illegally and then demand that we change our laws to accomodate them.” ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrant-boycott-day-may-1-good-idea/354861/54 "2006-05-01T18:21:53Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > Listening to the NPR program on this a few hours ago it was amazing how many e-mails they read that said essentially (paraphrased): “I’m a liberal Democrat, but I don’t have sympathy for people who come here illegally and then demand that we change our laws to accomodate them.” I would say to them that they are being misled, laws are being changed (or attempted to be changed) to unaccommodate illegals even more and to even unaccommodate legal and already American citizens. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrant-boycott-day-may-1-good-idea/354861/55 "2006-05-01T18:25:24Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > I would say to them that they are being misled, laws are being changed (or attempted to be changed) to unaccommodate illegals even more and to even unaccommodate legal and already American citizens. Waht? I can’t make out what your points are. Please explain. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrant-boycott-day-may-1-good-idea/354861/56 "2006-05-01T18:32:08Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > I would say to them that they are being misled, laws are being changed (or attempted to be changed) to unaccommodate illegals even more and to even unaccommodate legal and already American citizens. I don’t think so. My guess is that those folks are largely against both extremes-- what the Republicans in the House passed, and what the protesters are demanding. BTW, you keep saying this isn’t a boycott, and yet CNN is reporting about certain sectors of the economy at a virtual standstill because of people not showing up for work. Seems like a boycott to me! ---
**Author:** ![Translucent\_Daydream](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/translucent_daydream/32/16170_2.png) [@Translucent\_Daydream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Translucent_Daydream)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrant-boycott-day-may-1-good-idea/354861/57 "2006-05-01T18:36:11Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > Nope, they are smart enough to know that paying taxes is the price to pay to stop living in constant fear of deportation. Maybe where you are (Arizona?). Not here, I used to work for a dairy, and we had an illegal worker that works for the owner as well. Edwardo didn’t really worry about getting deported like he did several times, but he had an arrangement when ever he needed to go home to Mexico or if he got nicked. There was this company that brought him back over. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrant-boycott-day-may-1-good-idea/354861/58 "2006-05-01T18:46:45Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > I don’t think so. My guess is that those folks are largely against both extremes-- what the Republicans in the House passed, and what the protesters are demanding. > > BTW, you keep saying this isn’t a boycott, and yet CNN is reporting about certain sectors of the economy at a virtual standstill because of people not showing up for work. Seems like a boycott to me! You keep using that word. I do not think it means, what you think it means. 🙂 What I do now is that many work places already knew it was coming and many gave permission to them to leave or to close the businesses, I don’t think boycotters would be that polite. Besides I will ignore what the fringe is demanding and go to the store today. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrant-boycott-day-may-1-good-idea/354861/59 "2006-05-01T19:23:29Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > Funny thing is many already do and on April 15 they say goodbye to any return since many can not file for not having documentation, and to ask for legalization also includes the others that you describe, it amazes me that many don’t realize those people are demanding to be taxed properly, odd no? False, but a common UL. Illegals can and do file using a false SSN for employement and an ITIN for taxes. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrant-boycott-day-may-1-good-idea/354861/60 "2006-05-01T19:55:27Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > False, but a common UL. Illegals can and do file using a false SSN for employement and an ITIN for taxes. Sorry, but you are wrong, that happened to me but I got better 🙂 (American citizen now). In any case not all illegals do it now and it not as easy, up to the point that calling it a UL is almost a lie: [http://waysandmeans.house.gov/hearings.asp?formmode=view&id=2202](http://waysandmeans.house.gov/hearings.asp?formmode=view&id=2202) > [@](#): > > The IRS estimates that there are 9 million undocumented workers in the United States. However, only 530,000 tax returns were filled in 2001 with ITIN numbers.[5] [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrant-boycott-day-may-1-good-idea/354861.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrant-boycott-day-may-1-good-idea/354861.md?page=4)