October 21, 2025: No Human is Illegal

Opollo and Barbara first gave a shoutout to those who were part of the No Kings Rally here in Savannah, and to those in other cities, large and small, estimated to total 7 million.  People are waking up, feeling the pain, looking for a better way forward.  Holding this coalition together and growing its numbers could be the start.  Many of the signs and speakers addressed the inhumane way undocumented migrants are being treated and this is the focus of today's show.

We talked about migrants--the monarch butterflies making their way to Michoacan, MX; Canadian geese finding warmer water for wintering; and humans--leaving their homes, their communities, their culture for the unknown for many reasons--better opportunities, education, to join other family, and most significant today--to avoid violence and in their home countries.  We talked about how so much of that violence is brought to Latin American countries by the USA in the form of SOA/WHINSEC, NGOs, and the CIA to overthrown leaders, particularly those with socialist or communist leanings, to get land for growing and the precious metals and oil under the land.

From 1954, when the USA engineered a coup in Guatemala to take down Arbenz to install a president who will give the USA access to their land and its treasures to today, when the drums of regime change are beating in Venezuela.  

There is now a new word in our vocabulary--remigrate.  The USA is offering sums of money to undocumented migrants to self deport and return to their country of origin.  Wouldn't it be more humane to offer pathways to citizenship to those who grow and harvest our food, provide essential services to so many of the businesses here, are members of our communities?

Opollo gave an update on Yamacraw Village.  Thanks to so many of you for submitting comments to the City in response to the environmental review, a necessary step toward demolition.  And to Eric Curl/Savannah Agenda for the great story about Yamacraw in its 10/20 edition.  The incredible support for the Residents Council is so crucial to convincing the City and HAS to meet the tenants' requests to rebuild affordable housing on the site and welcome existing residents back upon completion.  The community is welcomed to a training on Tuesday, October 28 at 7:30 via zoom.  Please register at yvresidentcouncil@gmail.com.  You can also take a walking tour beginning at First Bryant Church on Sunday, November 2, time TBA.

Tune in next week to a lively debate:  to vote or not vote.