I hope that every American, regardless of where he lives, will stop and examine his conscience about this and other related incidents. This Nation was founded by men of many nations and backgrounds. It was founded on the principle that all men are created equal, and that the rights of every man are diminished when the rights of one man are threatened. All of us ought to have the right to be treated as he would wish to be treated, as one would wish his children to be treated, but this is not the case.

I know the proponents of this law say that the majority approves of this law, but the majority is not always right. Would women or non-whites have the vote if we listen to the majority of the day, would the non-whites have equal rights (and equal access to churches, housing, restaurants, hotels, retail stores, schools, colleges and yes water fountains) if we listen to the majority of the day? We all know the answer, a resounding, NO!

Today we are committed to a worldwide struggle to promote and protect the rights of all who wish to be free. In a time of domestic crisis men of good will and generosity should be able to unite regardless of party or politics and do what is right, not what is just popular with the majority. Some men comprehend discrimination by never have experiencing it in their lives, but the majority will only understand after it happens to them.

I am a 57 year old Puerto Rican American USAF Vet. I would like to remind my fellow Puerto Ricans that supporting immigration law enforcement is not a betrayal to our own hispanic heritage.

Our own Puerto Rican Heritage is unique and unlike any other hispanic group, contrary to what others would want you to believe. We have a unique love for America and throughout the years have put our lives on the line to defend what America stands for.

Don't believe that we share the same causes as do Cubans or Mexicans or other hispanic groups. Yes, we share the same language and maybe some Spanish or Catholic church customs but that's about it. Puerto Ricans, probably more than any other group feel empathy for these groups, but more than that, we also feel the American way of life is under threat by the mass immigration into this, our country. We have learned to love the American way and believe that it is what has made this country great.

Puerto Ricans also have learned the importance the rule of the law and believe no one is above the written laws of this country. We wish that everybody could fit into this country by the millions but realize that it's unrealistic and unfair to the American culture to allow literally millions of law breaking people into this country every year to eventually demand they be given citizenship.

We also realize that the truth is every country is out for itself. To deny this is plain stupid. Mexico has it's own agenda to get the most it can from this situation just as Cuba and other Latin American countries. If things were left to these countries, Ameica would be just another Latin American country. Keep that in mind.

The Puerto Rican reality is quite different as we are born US citizens and can come and go at free will and can even vote in local and national elections if we choose to live on the mainland.

So if someone or a group approaches you with a cause or reason contrary to keeping this country culturally and uniquely American, step back and think carefully what you are about to do and what this country has done for your own unique Puerto Rican heritage. Tell that person or group that your not like them, you are a unique Puerto Rican who has a unique experience with the American culture and would not like that to change.

And if after stating that you are Puerto Rican a Cuban says we're of the same (Cubans say that to Puerto Ricans all the time)... Say no we're not. Our experiences are totally different and the results are totally different. You got your independence from Spain only to throw it away to your corrupt politicians like so many Latin American countries.

Puerto Rico never obtained it's independence from Spain, instead, it was passed on to the U.S. by treaty, ruled by governors apointed by Washington D.C. from 1898 until the establishment of the Commonwealth in the 1950's. And our corrupt politicians have been kept under check by Federal Law since. Which would you have prefered?

And please don't give me that garbage about our founding fathers and about how all men are created equal... take it back to your country and start a grass roots movement and put it to use THERE. We've already got what we need HERE... and it's working just fine, no thanks to you or people like you.

The cause might be good, but the event was rinky dink and poorly executed. I would guess that the ones that put this together were out of state and clueless about the weather. I can't imagine Arizonan's doing something as bad -- in fact anyone from AZ would be smart enough not to do it in June or at that worthless people unfriendly park.

The people who are championing the so-called "rights" of ILLEGAL ALIENS all seem so naive, gullible, and wet-behind-the-ears! WHAT IS IT ABOUT "ILLEGAL" THAT THEY DO NOT COMPREHEND? wHAT MAKES THEM THINK THAT THE UNITED STATES SHOULD "ADOPT" EVERY HARDSHIP CASE ON THE PLANET?

GROW UP!!

Haha, I see the detractors are showing their faces trying to bash the rally. You know you're doing something right when people come out and try to minimize your efforts.

Who in their right mind wants to open our borders to a bunch of ne'er-do-wells who cannot even figure out how to uplift themselves in their own country? Mexico and Central America and South America are HISTORICALLY a bunch of POVERTY STRICKEN PEOPLE WHO CAN'T FIGURE OUT HOW TO STOP HAVING MORE KIDS THAN THEY CAN FEED, and until they FIGURE THIS OUT, they will ALWAYS be in poverty--not just economically, but emotionally and spiritually as well. They will always be reaching toward a PATERNALISTIC GOVERNMENT with their hands out, like hungry children. The CATHOLIC CHURCH is partly (or maybe greatly) responsible for the passive, helpless attitude of these people that keeps them oppressed with little hope of future improvement. (Interestingly, too, it is the Catholic Church in the West and South who is trying to drum up support for AMNESTY and SANCTUARY for thees "refugees"--And what are they refugees from? Their own lack of imagination and initiative!)

We do not need more HUMAN DREGS inside our borders, sucking our systems dry. Sorry, but that is REALITY. We cannot afford to take on the entire world's POVERTY AND/OR STUPIDITY.

JUST SAY "HELL NO, CLOSE THE BORDERS & SEND THEM BACK!"

“All Men are created equal”! The founders had it right, when attempting to form a perfect union and they also knew that they were not there yet but knew we one day would get there. Lincoln moved us forward as did JFK and LBJ. This Nation was founded by men of many nations and backgrounds. It was founded on the principle that all men are created equal, and that the rights of every man are diminished when the rights of one man are threatened.

It is my contention that this AZ law is not constitutional and will fail when challenged (unless, of course, they keep adding more amendments), pretty funny for this so called perfect law, that many internet blogs claim it was copied “Word for Word” from the Federal law, which I frankly do not believe, if it was then no amendments would have been made, right?, of course.

As for the undocumented workers, as was attributed to Ronald Reagan “It’s the Economy, Stupid”. When the economy is good we say let’s all celebrate “Cinco de Mayo, my brothers” but when the economy is down “it’s all your fault, you damn immigrant”. This too will pass. The real problem is the narcos/drug and people smuggler that’s what the focus should be on.

Don’t you find it funny that no one ever voted for Brewer for Governor, it’s all about politics and getting elected, do not be fooled. Busy Brewer has passed S.B. 1070, no permit conceal weapons law, the famous Birthers law, banning Ethic studies law, (could she be behind the Mural in Prescott, Arizona) and if history is a lesson she should look up Arizona’s House Bill 2779 from two years ago (which failed when legally challenged) and the craziest one the boycotted Martin Luther King Day, not wanting another holiday, how crazy is that. I believe there is an undercurrent to their enactment of new laws, they real love following a distinct pattern. Poor Brewer, last week, she first she said her Dad had died in Germany fighting the Nazi in World War II (war ended 1945) and we find out her father was never in Germany and died in California in 1955 (watch the spin doctors go into overdrive) and then she went to Washington and came back empty as always, poor dear.

The event was historic! The gracious sponsors
were from out of State but they came and did the
job others won't do. People from other States
braved the heat to come and support Arizona's Law.

Please know -that we in Arizona are most grateful for your generosity of heart and the sacrifices
you all made to be here. We love your patriotism, and will never forget your support for Arizonans.

May God bless and protect you all!

Sincerely,

Anna Gaines, American Citizens United

@ Benito - you said "the rights of every man are diminished when the rights of one man are threatened. All of us ought to have the right to be treated as he would wish to be treated." .......This is the Golden Rule and IT WORKS BOTH WAYS.

Tell us why only U.S. citizens and LEGAL residents should be the ones to obey this creed....

As for Gov. Brewer's father - she did not say he "died in Germany". She said he died fighting the Nazi regime in Germany (the Nazis of Germany) .....Sloppy choice of words on her part as he died as the result of chemical contamination working at a munitions plant in the U.S., but it was directly related to the war effort.

I wish I had been able to attend the rally!

The Tea Bag Party are just “haters not debaters” or as others have dubbed them “screamers not dreamers”, with their failed attempts at stopping Healthcare reform, they say they respect the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence but they do not mind passing laws, through weak Governors (no one voted for this crazy) who only cares about getting elected Governor, on the backs of undocumented workers, that will not pass Constitution muster.

Brewer signed into law;

1. S.B. 1070,
2. No permit conceal weapons law,
3. The famous Birthers law,
4. Banning Ethic studies law,

5. Could she be behind the Mural in Prescott, Arizona, ordered to be whiten,
6. On deck to pass, no citizenship to babies born to undocumented workers,

7. If she can read she should look up Arizona’s House Bill 2779 from two years ago (which was un-constitution and failed when legally challenged),
8. The boycotted Martin Luther King Day, what idiots don’t want another holiday? Yes, you guessed it Arizona.

Well Arizona, you can boycott new holidays and keep passing crazy laws and the rest of us will continue to challenged them in a court of law and continue to add cities to our Boycott of your state.

I real cannot believe anything that comes out of Brewer’s mouth, in an interview she first said her father had died in Germany fighting the Nazi in World War II (war ended 1945) but of course we find out the truth that father was never in Germany and died in California in 1955. But we are suppose to believe everything else she says, right!

As for the Tea Bag Party, their phony patriotism is sickening; they are just racists going by another name. We all know you are just itching to put a sheet on their head? Let’s face it the Republicans had eight years to deal with health care, immigration, energy (remember Cheney’s secret meetings with oil companies where loosening regulation and oversight were sealed), climate change and financial oversight and governance and they failed. It appears that the Republican Party is only good at starting wars (two in eight years, with fat contracts to friends of Cheney/Bush) but not at winning wars as seen by the continuing line of body bags that keep coming home. The Republicans party will continue turned inward to their old fashion obstructionist party (and their Confederacy appreciation roots) because they continue to allow a small portions (but very loud portion) of their party of “birthers, baggers and blowhards” to rule their party. I will admit that this fringe is very good at playing “Follow the Leader” by listening to their dullard leaders, Beck, Hedgecock, Hannity, O’Reilly, Rush, Savage, Sarah Bailin, Orly Taitz, Victoria Jackson, Michele Bachmann and the rest of the Blowhards and acting as ill programmed robots (they have already acted against doctors that perform abortions).

The Birthers and the Tea Bag party crowd think they can scare, intimidate and force others to go along with them by comments like “This time we came unarmed”, let me tell you something not all ex-military join the fringe militia crazies who don’t pay taxes and run around with face paint in the parks playing commando, the majority are mature and understand that the world is more complicated and grey than the black and white that these simpleton make it out to be and that my friend is the point. The world is complicated and people like Hamilton, Lincoln, and Roosevelt believed that we should use government a little to increase social mobility, now it’s about dancing around the claim of government is the problem. The sainted Reagan passed the biggest tax increase in American history and as a result federal employment increased, but facts are lost when mired in mysticism and superstition. For a party that gave us Abraham Lincoln, it is tragic that the ranks are filled with too many empty suits and the crazy Birthers who have not learned that the way our courts work is that you get a competent lawyer, verifiable facts and present them to a judge, if the facts are real and not half baked internet lies, then, and only then, do you proceed to trial. The Birthers seem to be having a problem with their so called “Internet facts”. Let’s face it no one will take the Birthers seriously until they win a case, but until then, you will continue to appear dumb, crazy or racist, or maybe all three. I heard that Orly Taitz now wants to investigate the “Republican 2009 Summer of Love” list: Assemblyman, Michael D. Duvall (CA), Senator John Ensign (NV), Senator Paul Stanley (TN), Governor Mark Stanford (SC), Board of Ed Chair, and Kristin Maguire AKA Bridget Keeney (SC), she wants to re-establish a family values party, that is like saying that the Catholic Church cares about the welling being of children in their care, too late for that. Yee Haw!

I have posted a full reply to "Montana" at: Is Arizona Racist? Are the Tea Parties Inciting Violence?