Kathleen Antrim
Monday, May 2, 2005

Story Continues Below

  Described by Hedgecock as a tsunami of pubic opinion, over 400 listeners paid their own way across the country to convene on The Hill to have their voices heard. The message: Secure the borders of the United States, stop illegal immigration, and do not pass President Bush's guest worker program, which many believe is an amnesty program for an estimated 20 million illegal aliens cloaked in semantics.

Eighteen radio talk show hosts, including Melanie Morgan of KSFO; Roger Hedgecock of KOGO; John and Ken of KFI in Los Angeles; Mark Williams of KFBK in Sacramento; Jane Silk, Blanquita Cullum and Allan Nathan of Radio America; Dominick Brascia of Fox News Radio in Beaumont, Texas; Phil Valentine of WTN in Nashville; Buzz Patterson of Right Talk; Michael Smerconish of The Big Talker in Philadelphia; Bruce Jacobs of KFYI in Phoenix; Dan Rivers of WKBN of Youngstown, Ohio; and Lars Larson of KXL in Portland, Oregon, broadcast live from the Holiday Inn on Capitol Hill for three days.

Move America Forward, a non-partisan organization to support the troops and fight the anti-America crowd, provided a strong organizational presence. Siobhan Guiney, executive director of Move America Forward, coordinated all of the congressional interviews on radio row, with such House members as Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo.; Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa; and Rep. Phil Gingrey, R-Ga.

Taking a leadership roll on the issues of illegal immigration, securing our borders and national security, Sen. George Allen, R-Va., made several trips to radio row in order to broadcast his message across the country. He stressed the importance of securing our borders for national security and of stopping illegal immigration, which is draining state coffers.

Allen explained that when the government doesn't do its job, then it's left for citizens to do the work, which is what Allen felt was happening down on the border. He said it was the obligation of the government to provide secure borders and enforce our laws against illegal immigration – not ignore the fundamental responsibilities for which our government was formed and leave protection of our borders to the people.

Coming from states far and wide, the citizen lobbyists comprised a diverse group ranging in age from 15 to 70-plus. The senior class from Escondido Charter School in Escondido, California, came with Coach Snyder to lobby on Capitol Hill. These teens have seen up close and personal the damage to their educational institutions wrought by illegal immigration.

"Mad overcrowding in the schools" was the response of one student when asked about the impact of illegal immigration on their schools. These teens also spoke of anchor babies (children born to illegals in the United States), of hospital emergency rooms closing due to the financial strain of treating illegals, and national security.

"Tell the president," Erin Minnick, student at Escondido Charter School, said, "to enforce policy, secure our borders and let the Border Patrol do their jobs."

Out of the mouths of babes comes the plain truth. To them it seems simple: Just enforce the laws. And they're right.

Within two days of the citizens lobbying effort hitting The Hill to meet with congressional representatives, Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., announced that the Democrats didn't have the votes to fight the Real ID Act, a measure that will deny driver's licenses to illegal immigrants, so Democrats are throwing in the towel. Chalk one up for the good guys.

Melanie Morgan, Roger Hedgecock and company built the framework for a huge lobbying effort to stop illegal immigration. Their listeners came, they learned, they persisted in meeting after meeting with Congress, and they made a difference.

Granted the problems of illegal immigration are far from being solved, but this grassroots tsunami of popular opinion is washing over Congress and the country.

Kathleen Antrim is a weekly columnist for the San Francisco Examiner, a special commentator for NewsMax Magazine, and author of the political thriller "Capital Offense." She appears Mondays at 12 noon Pacific time on Battle Line with Alan Nathan, www.radioamerica.org, and on alternating Mondays at 8 a.m. Pacific time on KSFO, 560 AM, on The Lee Rodgers and Melanie Morgan Show. For more information log on to: www.kathleenantrim.com

Editor's note:
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Illegal immigration threatens our security and tears at the fiber of America – Click Here!
Social Security crisis is just the beginning – all pension systems are in danger! Read More Here