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Simon's Remarks at the 2/7 screening |
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Written by Simon
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Thursday, 14 February 2008 |
My name is Simon Burrow and I am the Executive Producer of Beyond Borders and the founder of Radical Immigration.
I’d want to take a few minutes before we start the film to review our schedule this evening and to thank those who were instrumental in making this film.
After I speak for a few minutes we will watch three shorts that Dave Szamet has prepared to tell you about our sponsoring organizations tonight.
Proyecto Pastoral ,
Amnesty International
And Radical Immigration
Then we will show the film after which We will have a panel discussion about the film the making of the film and immigration.
Thanks to the brilliant film makers:
Brian Ging the Director
Dave Szamet the Producer
Seth Orozco the Director of Photography
And all of the others on the crew
Special thanks tonight to Proyecto Pastoral and Amnesty International for sponsoring this screening.
And finally I want to personally thank my wife and best friend Nurit Burrow for allowing me to spend our shared time, energy and money on this project.
I want to thank you all for coming tonight. We have two purposes for being here:
First to watch this important film about immigration. And to talk about it and its implications
Second to raise some money for the Dolores Mission Kitchen.
While Beyond Borders talks about the way the world will be in the future, and Amnesty International works to improve the world today, Proyecto Pastoral is helping the people who need help right now because this is an imperfect world.
As you leave this evening my assistants will be at the doors with boxes please give generously. I will demonstrate: This is a picture of Andrew Jackson it is in your pocket please take it out and put it in the box.
Beyond Borders makes the argument that there is an ethical right to migrate and that that right coincides with our nations interests.
2007 was a terrible year for immigration rights. The CIR (Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill) was defeated. The Dream Act was defeated. Legislation was passed to build more of the wall (what I call the Wall of Death) And then to rub salt into the wound in November when Governor Spitzer of NY tried to allow drivers licenses for everybody in NY who could drive, Hillary Clinton helped to defeat his efforts. 2007 was a terrible year for immigrant rights.
But 2008 is going to be much better. Think about this every one of the rabidly anti immigrant candidates has dropped out of the race. John McCain is leading the race for the Republican nomination and he is the most pro immigrant candidate of the Republicans. On the Democrat side both Hillary Clinton and Barak Obama will after the election season is over work to solve the divide we have over immigration.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 21 June 2010 )
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