Beto to lead March for Truth in El Paso Monday Evening and upstage trump’s fear-mongering rally

Beto O’Rourke is set to lead the “March for Truth” march in El Paso on Monday to counter trump’s fear-mongering rally that day. The protesters will march past the Trump rally site and culminate in a celebration of community across the street at around 7 p.m. local time, about the same time trump plans to take the stage. Beta is expected to address the community and might even play with some of the local bands.

March for Truth is being sponsored by several nonprofit groups — including Border Network for Human Rights and Women’s March El Paso — as well as more than 60 local musicians (including Fixed Idea, Radio La Chusma, Sinbuenos, mariachis). Protesters are encouraged to wear white and to bring a positive poster. Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-Tex.), who won O’Rourke’s former congressional seat, will also speak at the event.

The eyes of the country are on El Paso. And we're going to tell our story. Join us Monday evening. https://t.co/0MevA1oUKJ

— Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) February 9, 2019

The facebook link for the event is in the tweet below –

— EL PASO CALLING —

Come one, come all!

A bold, confident, ambitious message for the country from the U.S. – Mexico border.

*** JOIN US ***

Monday 5pm at Bowie High School — 801 S San Marcial St. in El Paso, TX, USA. https://t.co/giyL6u3EVL

— Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) February 9, 2019

From the graphics department –

pic.twitter.com/NGd1v5lKG7

— Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) February 9, 2019

Here is a map highlighting the event locations –

President Trump will be at El Paso to rally for a border wall, while Democrat Beto O'Rourke will leads a protest march outside. https://t.co/grndB87Y4o

— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) February 9, 2019

Beto O'Rourke is set to counter President Trump's visit to El Paso, Texas, on Monday by joining a one-mile march past Trump's rally and giving a speech across the street at about the same time the President plans to take the stage https://t.co/RLXZbDi5dn pic.twitter.com/WML9smaZ6G

— CNN (@CNN) February 9, 2019

Beto’s Column

Beto wrote a detailed column at medium.com/… where he outlines his sensible thoughts on immigration, provides detailed insights into the history of immigration on the southern border, how U.S. policy has made things worse sometimes with the best of intentions, and his recommendations on how to improve the situation. Here in an abbreviated outline of his recommendations –

1. Extend citizenship to the more than one million Dreamers in this country.
2. Give permanent legal protection and a path to citizenship to their parents, the original Dreamers.
3. Bring millions more out of the shadows and on a path to citizenship.
4. Make us safer and more secure. Significantly reduce illegal drug trafficking and stop human trafficking by investing in infrastructure, technology and personnel at our ports of entry.
5. Increase the visa caps so that we match our opportunities and needs (for work, for education, for investment, for innovation, for family reunification) to the number of people we allow into this country.
6. Fully accept our opportunity and responsibility under our asylum laws to welcome those whose own governments can no longer protect them — including women fleeing abusive relationships.
7. Address visa overstays (which accounts for the majority of undocumented immigration) through better tracking of and notification to visa holders.
8. Make Latin America and specifically Central America a top foreign policy priority — stop relegating it to second-tier status — invest the time, talent and resources to assist in the development of the domestic institutions that will allow these countries to thrive.
9. End the global war on drugs.
10. Speak with respect and dignity when referring to our fellow human beings who happen to be immigrants and asylum seekers, who in so many cases are doing exactly what we would do if presented with the same threats and opportunities. No more “invasions”, “animals”, “rapists and criminals”, “floods”, “crisis” — dehumanizing rhetoric leads to dehumanizing policies. We cannot sacrifice our humanity in the name of security — or we risk losing both.

If immigrants are good for the country, the border is secure and walls end lives instead of saving them, then why does the president try to scare us about immigrants and the border and take our land to build a wall we don’t need? https://t.co/zxgmDlf26D

— Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) February 9, 2019

Monday we will welcome the President to one of the safest cities in the United States. Safe not because of walls, and not in spite of the fact that we are a city of immigrants. Safe because we are a city of immigrants and because we treat each other with dignity and respect. A city that has the opportunity to lead on the most important issues before us, out of experience, out of compassion and out of a fierce determination to see this country live its ideals and rise to its full potential.

Beto draws heavily from this report –

We’ve conflated the war on terror, the war on drugs, with immigration. This has led to mass deportations & militarization at a time of record safety on the U.S. border. False fear is cynically stoked to harm those who pose no threat to this country. https://t.co/pyzVtfja6R

— Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) February 6, 2019

In related news …

Earlier this week, even acting AG Whitaker, when cornered, could not supports trump’s assertions about El Paso being an unsafe city.

After three attempts, Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-TX) gets acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker to acknowledge that Trump’s State of the Union claims about crime falling in El Paso because of a border wall were not based on any FBI data or facts. pic.twitter.com/gmYYeKLDuc

— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) February 8, 2019

Also, trump baby is also making travel plans to El Paso. Not sure if it is is a useful idea and whether it may turn out to be counter-productive.

"Baby Blimp" to meet Trump in El Paso after GoFundMe raises thousands https://t.co/TVGt06TiSp pic.twitter.com/xerlhYyZNx

— The Hill (@thehill) February 8, 2019

Epilogue

What do you think? Is a counter-protest like this near trump rallies a good idea? Will it help divert the media’s attention away from trump and towards progressive rallies, ideas and personalities? Should we do this at every trump rally? Should other Democrat leaders take turns doing this? Will it help local Democratic leaders? Will it help keep local progressive organizations energized?

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