Clerics, Fasters, Unionists, and Activists prepare to address the crowd seeking to change Ed Royce’s anti-immigration vote … or at least get him to come out and discuss it … or acknowledge it … or do ANYTHING you’d expect a Representative to do …
Against what may have seemed to be enormous odds for a man made of less stern stuff, on Friday Rep. Ed Royce DID successfully complete an entire work week of avoiding meeting with activists camped outside of his field office in Brea’s Birch Street Promenade. In fact, Royce showed himself already to be in mid-season campaign form, not only rebuffing protesters who reportedly came visiting his office to request a meeting every hour that it was open, but eventually implementing a hard and fast “AND DON’T DOCUMENT WHAT I’M DOING” policy in his taxpayer funded office. (Note to staff: that doesn’t work.)
Royce’s Brea Office — ‘no photos please, we’re skittish!’ Framed copies of this work, entitled ‘Portrait of Fear, in Black, Brown, Grey, Grey, Grey, Grey, and Silver’ are available for as much as you are stupid enough to pay! (This offer void under some yet-to-be-determined conditions.)
A big hat tip to two stalwart activist North Orange County Democratic women: La Habra’s Ida MacMurray for allegedly taking this anarchistic photo within the Brea office of Rep. Ed Royce (or maybe it was just the anteroom; I really should pick up the phone and ask, but lazy Sunday, you know) and Yorba Linda’s Carol Levers for smuggling the documentation of Royce’s official fearfuliness it onto the samizdat publication called Facebook and spreading it to the public at large. Both correspondents are believed to have survived the ordeal.
This is, as you might guess, taken during the horrific and protracted siege outside on the Birch Street Promenade last week, during which eleven people viciously fasting each day — about half of them for the entire week — terrorized the Congressman by seeking to meet with him about comprehensive immigration reform. By one unverified account, they actually forced him to relocate to his second office in Rowland Heights to escape from uncontrolled public public contact.
Oh, the humanity! (Which, come to think of it, is also the point.)
For some reason, YouTube has been rejecting the uploading of my videos from Friday — but I rebooted my computer and am ready to keep trying! In the meantime, here are some still photos — mine and others — from the closing festivities. A good time was apparently had by all — upwards of 100 protesters and well-wishers and a dozen mostly very old (even from where I sit) counter-protesters — except for the Royce staffers who would occasionally come to the window and see if we were still out there, so that their boss could go someplace other than Diamond Plaza where so much of the food is, you know, foreign!
Here are some photos, roughly in chronological order; I’ll keep working on uploading the videos. May have to sacrifice a goat.
Jessica Bravo and fellow activist frighten Royce with colorful signs — one containing fearsome butterflies!
Yes, eleven people per day not only fasted, but they fasted right across from a restaurant with a big banner advertising their tacos and tequila! Imagine the self-control given that temptation! It would be like Royce refusing campaign contributions in front of the New York Stock Exchange!
Anti-immigration protesters help stamp their brand on Ed Royce’s campaign as Orange County Democratic Party Vice Chair silently thanks them for posing for his photo!
A flag, a drum, and an ‘American Dream’ sign — just TRY getting more patriotic than that!
An official Korean and Mexican drum corps created an impressive and euphonious noise!
Omigod, this kid was so cute! I have GOT to get that video uploaded!
SEIU Service Workers West broke out their finest purple for the occasion: ‘all we’re asking for is a vote!’
Fasters and Pastors — and I only WISH I’d had that caption in mind when I took the photo!
Rep. Royce not shown actual size. I think that we can safely presume that the answer is ‘no.’
Gloria Alvarado — of OCLF, DPOC, the faith community and elsewhere — speaks to activists in front of Ed Royce’s well-advertised office
You weren’t there? That is a pity — you shoulda been there! I’ll get back to work on those videos….
Is there a system in place to become citizens of USA. We used to have a system to naturalize foreigners. do we naturalize citizens anymore? if so, how many? what did they have to do to become citizens?
Plumbing.
Regulate the flow.
But, he is so damn tiny … how could they be sure he was not actually there in that crowd?