Sending a unified message

NANTICOKE – Frank Scavo wanted the 200 or so people at Sunday’s Voice of the People USA rally in Nanticoke to make their feelings known to federal legislators, so he dialed Sen. Arlen Specter’s number.

Scavo explained in the voice recording that he had a message from the people, and he faced his cell phone at the audience.

“Close the borders,” the crowd screamed in unison before bursting into applause.

Scavo told the group that he and others aren’t against immigrants, just illegal ones. He and others said they are tired of critics painting them as racist. Scavo said he is a descendant of legal immigrants and held up their framed naturalization certificate.

“This is how it’s done. Where did we go off track?” Scavo said, blaming government leaders. “There is only one way this will ever get fixed, and that is with we the people, the voice of the people.”

The message to contact legislators and vote out officials who don’t do something about illegal immigrants was stressed repeatedly during the rally at Patriot Park.

“If you do not register to vote then you’re the moron,” said Eric Bieski, who helped to bring the rally to Nanticoke. “Honestly, it is cool to vote.”

Bieski said he was born and raised in Nanticoke and worries that its cheap housing will attract illegal immigrants, including those who are leery about staying in Hazleton. Renee Butts, the organization’s executive secretary, pumped up the crowd, asking why the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement “isn’t doing its job.”

The crowd booed when she brought up U.S. District Judge James Munley’s ruling that Hazleton’s illegal immigration ordinances violate the U.S. Constitution.

“My, what an admirable man. He is too much of a coward to stand up for any of us,” she said. “He expects us to wait for the federal government. I don’t know about you, but I am not going to hold my breath.”

Several city police officers stood at the park perimeter, but they reported no disruptions. There were no counter-protestors. There was one outburst, when a woman yelled out that people should put as much energy into fighting the city’s drug and crime problems. However, she quieted down when others in the audience told her that illegal aliens were the issue of the day.

Several T-shirts were sold to raise money for Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta’s appeal of Munley’s ruling. The T-shirts said “Illegal Stops Here. Hazleton PA.”

There were lots of American flags, and others wore T-shirts that said “Border Patrol” and “Welcome to America. Now speak English.”

Anthony Zaykoski, of Bear Creek Township, brought a sign that said, “Illegals must go. We can’t afford them.” The flip side said “Lou B is helping us. We must support him.”

Zaykoski said it’s the first time he attended a rally. He said he is tired of feeling powerless and wanted to show federal officials that lots of people want action.

Retired border patrol agent Mike Cutler said politicians have “politicized the immigration issue.”

Cutler said he testified in 15 Congressional hearings since the attacks of Sept. 11, and he rattled off statistics about illegal immigrants.

More than 25 percent of the criminals in jails across the country are identified as illegal aliens, he said. He also maintained that an illegal alien is three to four times as likely to be involved with a felony as a United States citizen.

“For our country to allow criminals to enter our nation and victimize our citizens is an outrage,” he said.