Boycott quiet but effective

Many Hispanics, Latinos stay home Monday, but most businesses operate as usual.

BY MARK KREUZWIESER
BLUFFTON TODAY

If there is one word to best describe Monday’s boycott of work, school and shopping by the Hispanic and Latino community, it has to be “quiet.”

Though several business people did find themselves short-staffed, they said preparation and discussions with workers headed off any major disruptions.

“Most companies and subcontractors we work with reported they had talked to their employees earlier and preparations had been made,” said Joe Brasington, general manager for Dennis Sexton Home Builders.

“Some of our foundation, stucco and landscaping subcontractors were slowed a little by employees not working, but I don’t think it is too much of a problem,” Brazington said. “It being one day, I don’t think there is going to be too many headaches.”

He said most businesses “have good working relationships with their employees.”

The nationwide protest was organized after Congress approved House Bill 4437, which criminalizes undocumented workers and penalizes those who help them. Many Hispanics believe the bill is discriminatory.

Beaufort County public schools reported that Hispanic student absences on Monday were significantly higher than average with the district’s 28 schools collectively reporting 1,157 Hispanic student absences.

Hispanic students account for 15 percent of the district’s student population, officials said.

Bluffton schools reported 495 of the 1,128 Hispanic students absent on Monday, or nearly 44 percent; Hilton Head reported 457 of 947 Hispanic students absent, or about 48 percent absent; Beaufort    reported 51 of 274 absent, or about 18.5 percent; and Battery Creek reported 49 of 227 absent, or about 21.5 percent.

The figures are unconfirmed because they do not account for absences which may still be considered excused, school officials said.

Students without a valid reason for being out of school will be considered unexcused, the officials said.

“With one week to go until PACT testing, any absence is unfortunate,” said Superintendent Edna Crews.

Brooke Dumler-Snow of developer Dumler and Associates said a number of painters and drywallers not reporting to work sites “set us back a day on some projects.

“Some employees worked on Saturday or Sunday or will work another day so they could take off” Monday, she said. “I think most everyone talked it over before Monday.”

Tripp Ritchie with the Town of Hilton Head Island said his crews in the field reported no problems with a lack of workers.

At the Latin American Council of South Carolina, where dozens of Hispanics and Latinos try to meet up with employers, director Luis Bell said Monday was quiet.

“I would say we are down about 50 percent from the workers who usually come in on Monday,” he said.

Bell agreed that many workers — especially those with full-time jobs — made arrangements with employers to work another day so they could take off Monday.

Bluffton Piggly Wiggly managers reported little impact on shopping, and Jill Golden with the Hilton Head Hospitality Association and Charlie Clark, Hilton Head-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce, both reported no complaints from their members.

Gov. Mark Sanford’s spokesman Joel Sawyer said in a statement to Bluffton Today on Friday that “The First Amendment grants U.S. citizens the right to protest peacefully. The governor believes that legal immigration is part of what makes this country great, but we do not believe that people should be rewarded for illegal behavior, including illegal immigration.”

And, U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson’s spokeswoman, Emily Lawrimore, said on Friday that “If illegal aliens think that it’s wise to try to intimidate Congress and the American people, they should reconsider their strategy. America is a nation of laws and Congressman Wilson believes that we should not cater to the demands of people who have illegally entered our country.”

The Coalition for New South Carolinians is not supporting the boycott, said coalition director Irma Santana.

The coalition rallied more than 3,000 people for a march on the Statehouse earlier this month to call for immigration reform, but the group thought a boycott would strain relationships with local businesses, Santana said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.