Today at 1:05PM, Latino military veterans, business leaders, and DREAM students concluded a peaceful protest outside of Mark Kirk's Chicago campaign office and headed inside the office to deliver a letter to the Congressman's staff.
But as they opened the door, a Kirk staffer violently slammed the door, locked it and rushed back into the office. On his way in, the staffer dismissed the group with a middle finger salute. The group included prominent Latino businessman and founder of Our Nation's Promise Juan Ochoa, who is also a Marine Corps Desert Storm Veteran.
Mr. Ochoa remarked:
"So this is how the Kirk campaign feels about Latinos and veterans; this is how they feel about people who might disagree with them." Earlier in the press conference, Mr. Ochoa had this to say about Kirk and the DREAM Act: "Kirk is playing politics with the military. First he overstates his military record, and now he is hurting the military even more by opposing the bi-partisan DREAM Act."
Ernesto Alvarez was another speaker at the event. Mr. Alvarez is a 20 year-old high school honors graduate who has applied to - and been rejected by - every branch of the military becuase of his status.
"Almost as long as I have been here, my dream has been to serve in the greatest armed forces in the world. Congressman Kirk, please let me serve my country like you have."
Today's demonstration was part of an on-going campaign by Illinois Immigrant Action called "Who is the Real Kirk?" The campaign has consisted of 437,167 calls to Illinois immigrant voters, production of a hilarious sock puppet Latino GOTV video, and this week's series of actions led by Mexican-Americans, Veterans, Students, Interfaith Leaders, and Evangelicals. Including an action tomorrow at 4:30 undocumented students and allies will gather at the office.
Lawrence Benito opened the event by listing Congressman Kirk's record on immigration: "The Real Kirk voted for Sensenbrenner... The Real Kirk says that contraceptives for Mexican women is a long-term solution to illegal immigration... The Real Kirk says he is 'okay with discrimination against young Arab males..." ... The Real Kirk says NO to the DREAM Act."
Apparently, the Real Kirk also slams the door on military veterans.