Latino Groups Assail Prop. 187 Boycott : Protest: Leaders criticize action against Disney and RJR Nabisco announced the day before. They urge citizenship drives instead.

Six Latino and labor organizations voiced opposition Friday to a planned boycott of Walt Disney Co. and RJR Nabisco over their financial support of Gov. Pete Wilson and other pro-Proposition 187 candidates

The groups convened at the main entrance to Disneyland, where they announced that they would devote their energies to promoting citizenship among Latinos rather than attacking corporate giants.

Although the groups were vehemently opposed to Proposition 187, which won by nearly a 3-2 margin at the polls, they said a boycott could cause more harm.

“This boycott is not about justice,” said Michael Potts, a representative of the Orange County Building Trades Council. “It’s just a case of blind rage that will pit working people against working people.”

Angela Keefe, president of the union that represents some Disneyland and Disneyland Hotel employees, said: “All (the boycott) will do is force our members--50% of whom are immigrant workers--to stay home with no wages and benefits.”

A day earlier, activists from other grass-roots immigrants rights groups met at the same site to unveil boycott plans.

“We are asking people not to heed the call made by small, insignificant groups and individuals that don’t have the broad-based support of the Latino community,” said Nativo V. Lopez, co-national director of Hermandad Mexicana Nacional, one of the groups opposed to the boycott.

“In seeking to respond to Proposition 187, organizations have to focus their attention on launching citizenship projects . . . to encourage Latinos to come forward and adopt the United States as their permanent home,” he said.

Boycott leaders said the latest developments would not alter their plans to stop buying Nabisco products or spending money at Disney films and businesses. The immigration rights groups plan to demonstrate today outside Disneyland’s main gate.

“We can’t support companies that support Pete Wilson, who is the No. 1 enemy of the Latino community,” said Fabian Nunez of La Alianza, a community advocacy group in Pomona. “The purpose of our boycott is to send messages to businesses that Latino immigrants, through their spending power, won’t support politicians who support racist policies.”

Other groups announcing opposition to the boycott Friday were the League of United Latin American Citizens of California, the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Union Local 681, Orange County Central Labor Council and Los Amigos of Orange County.

Proposition 187 would deny public education, social services and non-emergency health care to illegal immigrants. A federal court judge has temporarily blocked its implementation.