Many migrant marchers have moved on

MILLIONS OF Latinos surprised the United States a year ago with a kick to the political cojones. Men, women, children and their multiethnic amigos marched through Los Angeles and dozens of other cities, proclaiming to the world that they wanted amnesty for illegal immigrants. The sleeping Latino giant finally awoke from his siesta and caught up to the previous waves of immigrants in assimilating into the United States.

Today, perhaps smaller but no-less-enthusiastic crowds will protest anew for the same cause. Anti-immigrant types are already disparaging Latinos for failing to deliver political substance and resorting again to spectacle. Rally organizers, meanwhile, claim that any reduced participation is caused by — take your pick — fear because of the recent migra raids on businesses, the lack of a boogeyman a la Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner Jr. (R-Wis.) and his infamous HR 4437, or the impossibility of replicating a once-in-a-lifetime event.

But all sides have it wrong. The reason Latinos won’t come out in full force this time around is because there’s no need. La lucha — the struggle — is almost over. Marches are as indispensable right now as Alberto R. Gonzales.

Granted, there is something invigorating about taking to the streets — and it delivers impressive visuals. And La Grand Marcha 2006 produced wonders that only the most optimistic of folks could have dreamed.

Look at Congress. Sensenbrenner’s resolution, which would have made any aid to illegal immigrants a felony, simply died. In March, Reps. Luis V. Gutierrez (D-Ill.) and Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) introduced new immigration-reform legislation that actually includes citizenship for illegal immigrants. A similar bill is expected in the Senate soon.

Liberal detractors claim such legislation doesn’t go far enough because of the hurdles — fines, back taxes, legal re-entry to the U.S. — to citizenship. Liberal detractors are idiots. The government is giving serious consideration to amnesty for illegal immigrants — something that was unthinkable a year ago.

At last May’s “Million Mexican” marches, Republicans and Democrats alike saw a sea of immigrants who were looking to become American citizens — and they quickly understood the ultimate benefit of legalization and continued immigration. The last time such an extraordinary mass gathering altered a nation’s civic soul, Martin Luther King Jr. was orating in the shadow of Lincoln.

More important, the movement energized the ultimate beneficiaries of amnesty — the children of illegal immigrants, many of them born here. Many students plan to walk out today — I know this not because I have my ear to the street but because I received a MySpace bulletin about it. (Note to students: If you don’t want administrators to discover your plans, use Friendster.) Personally, I’d rather see these kids egg the superintendent’s car than cut class if they want to make a political statement. But at least Latino youths are tackling something bigger than algebra.

Moreover, they’re seeing the connection between apathy and poverty. My brother — a typical American sophomore slacker who prefers to spend his time watching the Dodgers and “The Simpsons” than do his chemistry homework — is furious that crumbling, Latino-heavy Anaheim High School hasn’t received the improvements promised by a multimillion-dollar bond passed in 2002 by Anaheim voters. Meanwhile, the Anaheim Union High School District recently built a new performing arts center for affluent Kennedy High in La Palma. My brother is now telling his peers about this outrage. The next step will be to engage their parents, who might not own papers but aren’t afraid to rally for their legacy as immigrants: the success of their children.

But woe to a movement that can’t see the burrito for the beans. Chanting and waving flags while slowly snaking through downtown accomplishes only so much, even if previous gains using the same tactics were huge. There’s much still to be done; Latino voting numbers, in particular, are still pitiful. More important, most Americans are still skeptical of these immigrants and their self-interest. It’s nice that those Mexicans marched for themselves, think Mr. and Mrs. American, but at what point are they going to care about us? To be frank, you can expect Latino immigrants to care more about Americans when they are allowed to become Americans.

Contrary to conservatives’ myths, assimilation doesn’t happen overnight. If today’s events seem disappointing, it’s because those of last year were so monumental. The immigrants marching today may not realize it, but they are standing on the shoulders of giants.