‘BRIDGES NOT WALLS’

Community members rally in East Goshen to support immigrants

EAST GOSHEN >> In response to President Donald Trump’s Friday declaration of a national emergency at the Mexican border, MoveOn met both locally and nationally to protest.

About 140 demonstrators braved cold temperatures, Monday, at East Goshen Township Park, to hear a half-dozen speakers discuss immigration, as part of the “Bridges not Walls” rally. The hastily organized rally went off without a hitch.

Rev. Dan Schatz, Minister of the Unitarian Congregation West Chester, finished the rally with a song and prayer.

He sang a self-penned composition, “Where is my stolen child tonight?”

“Where is my boy tonight ... for I love him, he knows,” goes the song that Schatz sang a capella.

Christi Marshall helped organize and said the event was one of more than 250 held nationally, and within 47 states.

“We’re here to not only praise but to celebrate all of us,” Marshall said “America is an immigrant country.”

Nancy Velazquez, former commissioner for the Governor’s Council for Latino Affairs, said that documented and undocumented immigrants pick the crops that we don’t want to bend over for.

She talked about separating parents from their children.

“How would you feel toward a country that tears you away from mom and dad?” Velazquez said. “There is no way we can erase the resentment.

“This country was built on the backs of immigrants.”

Abu Rahman, an immigrant from Bangladesh and a Muslim, talked about applying for a job in Manhattan.

He told the manager he was looking for a job. There was no application needed, Rahman said that his new employer understood.

“When do you want to start?” he was almost immediately asked.

Rahman then talked about Trump’s Muslim ban.

“Was it the right decision I made 45 years ago?” he recently asked himself. “You cannot ban a religion.

“Once you start this ban it’s dangerous.”

West Chester Mayor Dianne Herrin told the ralliers that America is now facing a state of emergency that differs from Trump’s claims.

“Somebody has to have some sense, “Herrin said. “You do this by love.”

Democratic candidate for County Commissioner Ginny Kerslake took the mic.

“No to walls, yes to bridges,” Kerslake said.

Rev. Peter Friedrichs, of Unitarian Universalist Church Delaware County, said the immigrants hope to live safely.

“There is no invasion, there is no emergency, it’s a humanitarian crisis, this is not fake news,” he said.

PETE BANNAN - MEDIANEWS GROUP Abu Rahman of Newtown Square, an immigrant from Bangladesh more than 45 years ago, speaks at the national day of protest against the border emergency that President Donald Trump enacted Friday. The event was held in the Veterans Memorial Pavilion at East Goshen Township Park on Monday.

PETE BANNAN - MEDIANEWS GROUP Chester County attendees at the national day of protest against the border emergency that President Donald Trump enacted Friday. The event was held in the Veterans Memorial Pavilion at East Goshen Township Park on Monday.

PETE BANNAN - MEDIANEWS GROUP Doug Heyman of Paoli attends the national day of protest against the border emergency that President Donald Trump enacted Friday. The event was held in the Veterans Memorial Pavilion at East Goshen Township Park on Monday.

PETE BANNAN - MEDIANEWS GROUP Frederick Stluka and Brita Van Rossum of Malven attend the national day of protest against the border emergency that President Donald Trump enacted Friday. The event was held in the Veterans Memorial Pavilion at East Goshen Township Park on Monday.

PETE BANNAN - MEDIANEWS GROUP Rev. Dan Schatz is minister of the Unitarian Congregation of West Chester. He speaks at the national day of protest against the border emergency that President Donald Trump enacted Friday.