Those within wingnuttia have utterly failed to understand the power WE hold. The immigration debate has awaken the sleeping giant and WE are forcefully speaking out against the racist nativism that has divided this nation. This debate has also brought out the monster in some.

This form of nativism has slowly infected the US like a cancer. It is has pitted Americans against each other. And why not, this is not new, this type of baiting has worked in the past, and therefore, is being used again.

America has a long history when it comes to mass deportation. In fact, American capitalism has used Mexican workers as a reserve army of labor since the conquest of the Southwest.

History has shown the Mexican labor pool is heavily utilized during times of economic boom and repatriation during economic downturns. To American capitalist the border does not exist when it comes to exploitation.

Hispanics are not the only group, history also has shown that both the Irish and the Chinese have also been persecuted by American nativist.

Today, we have politicians such as Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-WI) and Sen. Tom Tancredo (R-CO) who have built their careers on race-baiting. They criminalize the undocumented by calling them illegal and dehumanize them by calling them aliens. They have prayed upon the fears of white narcissistic Americans. They have fed them a false assumption that WE Mexicans have our hand in their pockets and stealing the food from their child's mouth.

So why are American nativist all riled up? Could it possibly be that THEY can't stand to see those who THEY think THEY have "conquered" make a life for OURSELVES? Do THEY expect US to be at THEIR beck and call? To cut THEIR grass, mop THEIR floors, cook THEIR tacos and just say "Si, senor" every time? Expect OUR XICANAS to open their legs at the command of aggressive, racist men? Why do THEY get paranoid when THEY hear Spanish? Are THEY afraid that the "conquered" are plotting against their oppressors? Is this the reasoning behind the draconian laws to force US to speak English so THEY can hear exactly what the details of OUR revolutionary plans?

Albert Memmi, once said, "After having been rejected for so long by the colonizer, the day has come when it is the colonized who must refuse the colonizer." The day has come and on May 1st the day of "El Gran Boicot" will be the gringo nativist’s wake up call. The sleeping giant has awakened and WE will not be silenced, anymore!

This angst towards us is about FEAR, there is no denying they are trying the old "DIVIDE & CONQUER" within our community and the African American community. Gringo nativist are trying to cause a DIVIDE by making false claims that the national African-American leadership is "out of touch" with its own constituency. But make no mistake this current anti-immigration movement reeks of racism. Who are they trying to fool. They have seem to have forgotten their past crimes against humanity - slavery, whippings, lynching, black-white water fountains, burning crosses and so on. It's time for them wake up, African Americans know when they are being sold a bill of goods. As one African American said

What it comes down to is that blacks refuse to be economic gladiators, fighting against brown folks for the financial benefit of an overwhelmingly white business and political class of spectators. Instead, we'd rather see an inclusive policy that focuses more on raising and ENFORCING the minimum wage,and protecting ALL workers' rights, thereby limiting the incentive for employers to undercut American job-seekers.

Now the nativist are trying to pit our community against each other. I will admit there have been times when I feel that it is useless and hopeless because many of our own who do not support the cause. They have poisoned the mind of a few by making this issue a us vs them - native vs foriegn.

Spring resident Martinez, 39 [and born in the U.S.], said that "when people think of Mexicans, they don't think of people like me." They think of the immigrant and the laborer, not someone who went to college and listens to pop radio, he said...when Houston students walked out of classes...he was embarrassed by their defiance of the law, and said they in no way represented him....This is not their country. What gives me the right to go to Mexico and demand those things that they're demanding?

I refuse to give in to the propaganda and I will raise my fist and stand up for my roots as a Xicano - A WARRIOR FOREVER con MUCHO CORAZON.

I have seen behind the FACADE, the pretty flowers, the manicured lawns, and the massive wealth. My eyes are opened to the truth to the ills of this country - the corruption, the hatred, the violence, the racism, the ignorance, and the greed BEHIND this pretty facade. I am on to THEIR trick on how I should be GRATEFUL to live here, or how GOOD I should feel about licking the masters' boots as the chalice of independence was held before me, while at the same time it was just out of reach. I seen THEM roll up into my community with their tricked-up Hummers forcing my Brethren and Sistern to fight in THEIR wars of exploitation and profit and killing people they don't even know to steal THEIR land and their resources!

Please consider this if you are still undecided, if you hate...ignorance...prejudice...bigotry...racism - then I ask you to join us.

If you hate...oppression...shackles...chains...exploitation - then I ask you to join us.

If you hate...lynching...burning crosses - then I ask you to join us.

And if you hate...injustice...inequality...segregation...isolationism - then please join us on May 1, 2006!

The choice is YOURS on May 1- NOT go to work! NOT buy a thing! and NOT go to school!

The choice is YOURS on May 1- to a stand that YOU are no longer going to tolerate the unfair attacks by gringo nativists - blinded by their ignorance, hate, bigotry and racism.

The choice is YOURS on May 1- to send a message to every jackbooted neo-nazi nativists - WE ARE STRONG...UNITED...ORGANIZED!

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ACLU Petition: Torture is Un-American - The ACLU will be send this petition to Condoleezza Rice.

As an American, I will not stand for torture. The universal prohibition against torture must be upheld, and enforced, today.

Sign the petition.

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Duke at Migra Matters reported about an internet video game that has been passing through the internets. But this is not just any ole computer game, there is a little more to it.

Lastly we have the story of a flash-based video game that's spreading through internet via e-mail called "Border Patrol". The object of the game is to kill as many "wetbacks" as possible as they scramble across the US border. The targets included: 'Mexican Nationalist,' 'Drug Smuggler,' and 'Breeder' (pregnant woman with two small children).

It was reported on NBC San Diego that the site is being run a neo-Nazi site called "The Insurgent" who is run by jackbooted fascist Tom Metzger.

The game is part of a Web site called "The Insurgent." Information on the Web site says that it is based in Temecula, Calif., just north of the San Diego-Riverside county line. The site claims that Tom Metzger, the head of White Aryan Resistance, is responsible for the content.

"Border Patrol" is just one of five games on the Web site that targets people because of their race.

So who is Tom Metzger? Metzger, is a former television repairman from Fallbrook, California, may be America's most notorious hatemonger. His nearly 30-year career in the radical right has included affiliation with the John Birch Society in the 1960s, the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) in the 1970s, which was led by David Duke at that time. Metzger became the Grand Dragon for the State of California. Metzger was also a minister in the Christian Identity movement. Metzger continues to cultivate his flying monkey squad through his web site, Resist.com and his monthly newspaper, White Aryan Resistance (WAR).

After a fight with David Duke, Metzger broke away from KKK to form the California Knights of the Ku Klux Klan. But this is were the story gets really interesting. In 1980, this jackbooted racist won the ended up winning the Democratic Party nomination for the US House of Reps in a San Diego-area district, but before the primary Metzger was a registered Repthug, but changed party.

In 1980, Metzger won the Democratic Party nomination for the U.S. House of Representatives in a San Diego-area district with over 40,000 votes. Metzger had changed his party registration from Republican to Democrat earlier in the year. The Democrats disavowed Metzger's candidacy, instead endorsing incumbent four-term Republican Clair Burgener. Metzger lost by over 200,000 votes in November to a several-term incumbent in a heavily Republican district.

As to why he registered as a Dem, who knows, it was never said, however, it is pretty interesting the well known anti-immigration politician Pete Wilson, who severed as CA’s US Senator and Governor, was Mayor of San Diego (1971-1983) during the time all of this happened. Wilson’s US Senator (1983-1991) election was at the same time Burgener decided no to run for re-election and Metzger decided to run also for the US Senate in 1982. winning almost 76,000 votes (and 2.8% of the vote) in the Democratic Party Primary. Nah...must be the tin foil is on too tight. Or maybe...in John Wester's Taxqueña, story about three migrants who run the border and into the KKK, Wester does provide an interesting take on Metzger's little stint as a Democrat.

The brotherhood in this case is the Ku Klux Klan. In 1980, the Republican incumbant, Claire Burghner, was running unopposed in his San Diego congressional district. The Democrats didn't want to waste their money running against him as they had in the past. On the last day one could file to run in the primaries, Tom Metzger, one time Grand Dragon of the KKK and head of a group of racists called WAR, White Aryan Resistance, filed to run in the Democratic primary. The Democrats hastily threw in a candidate to run against Metzger, but Metzger had the jump on them and won. He ran against Burghner in November.

Metzger lost, of course, but for the few months leading up to the November election, he sat on the Democratic Central Committee, which was mandated by the Democratic Party's policy. From this bully pulpit, Metzger advocated patrolling the Mexican border by upstanding patriots, to stop Mexican migrants looking for work from crossing illegally, The Ku Klux Klan answered the call.

That summer, 1980, there was a small article buried in the back pages of the San Diego Union stating that in the course of the last year, 50 bodies of murdered Mexicans had been found in the hills, mountains and deserts of San Diego county.

In 1995, in Mother Jones, California Schemer: What You Need to Know About Pete Wilson, Dale Maharidge writes how Pete Wilson changed from liberal to a conservative:

When Wilson was elected mayor of San Diego in 1971, he protected wetlands and fought developers. More significantly, he forced the city and its contractors to hire minorities.
...
Robbins and Kearse agree on the moment Wilson changed: in 1972, when the Republican National Convention, set for San Diego, was abruptly switched to Miami. There were several reasons, among them the fear of anti-war protests.

Wilson took the decision personally, says Susie Davenport, also one of Wilson's first minority hires. "He was angry. He figured that the liberal Pete that we knew was no longer going to make it to where he wanted to go. Minorities simply could no longer help him accomplish his goals. All of a sudden we could do nothing right. Everything changed."

It is interesting that Metzger and Wilson have the same view with it comes to immigration. When Pete Wilson was governor, riding on the success of the racist Prop 187, the initiative that sought to deny education and other services to illegal immigrants and later struck down in 1994, Wilson decided to run Willie Horton-like attack ads depicting a bunch of wily Mexicans invading the Mexico-California border. In other words, he decided to scare Californians to death by spreading propaganda about some Mexican invasion. The same scare tactics being used today.

But the most interesting is Metzger's renewal interest in CA politics when Arnold Schwarzenegger ventured into the governor's recall election. Schwarzenegger who ran his campaign modeled after Wilson, one would think some like Metzger would endorse Schwarzenegger. Not so. During the recall election, Pete Wilson, who happened to be chairman of the Schwarzenegger campaign, Metzger decided endorse California Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante, the second statewide Hispanic officeholder in California’s history as an American state.

A self-described racist has endorsed California Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante in the California recall election, praising the candidate for being what he calls "a separatist," based on Bustamante's past association with a racist Hispanic organization.

The unusual endorsement by Tom Metzger, former Grand Wizard of the California Ku Klux Klan and director of the White Aryan Resistance, was accompanied by a call for all like-minded Californians to vote for Bustamante in the Oct. 7 election.

The so called racist organization is Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan, more widely known as MEChA, aan organization Bustamante was active in while he was a student at Fresno State College in the 1970s. It was because of this type propaganda about this organization, Bustamante lost the election. Before the election Bustamante did have the lead and it did look like he would have won, other may differ, but according to the Feminist Daily News Wire, on September 10, 2003, Bustamente was ahead by 5 points.

A significant gender gap favors California's current lieutenant governor over leading Republican challenger Arnold Schwarzenegger in the upcoming recall election in California. Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante, a Democrat, is ahead in a recent statewide poll by 5 points, but among women voters he is ahead of Schwarzenegger by 13 points. The recent withdrawal of Republican Peter Ueberroth did not impact the standing of the leading candidates in the California gubernatorial recall election, according to a Field Poll released today. Bustamante is also ahead of Schwarzenegger in most racial/ethnic categories, most significantly leading by 39 points among African-American voters.

But it was at that time in September, - one month before the election, and a political manuever right out of Karl Rove's playbook - information about Bustamante's involvment in MECha spread like a California wild fire. It doesn't help when you have a head of a white supremacy group being quoted saying:

"Since we feel just the opposite [of MEChA], that Southern California must be reserved for the Euro-American people, then at least we're getting the main issue out on the table," said Metzger.
...
By endorsing Bustamante and drawing more attention to MEChA's stated agenda, Metzger said it would force Californians to confront the issue of illegal immigration. "The immigration thing has to be brought to a head, and I feel that the best way to do that is endorse the worst, in the sense of he is a racist and he knows what I'm talking about," agued Metzger.

Too many coincidences between Metzger and Wilson, but then again, it could be that tin foil is on too tight.

So it is not surprising to find out Metzger is behind this game. And whether or not Metzger and Wilson have been secretly working together playing opposites of each other, that is for history to decided.

Latina Lista said it best regarding Metzger and his vile game:

During these times, this game and other "Border" games that have been circulating on college campuses expose the ugly side of human nature.

I know that the people who promote those games say they are trying to make a point about the state of immigration affairs but the point is lost when people are stripped of their dignity and their value as humans.

Just because someone is illegal or undocumented does not make them less human or deserving to fight for their survival.

Update: A 16-year-old Hispanic boy was beaten, sodomized and left for dead by two neonazis who said they believed he had tried to kiss a 12-year-old girl at a party. But prosecutor will not charge them with a hate-crime. It was first reported it was a white girl, but now the reports have changed that it was a Hispanic girl. Something is fishy. Details of the brutal crime can be read here.

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As children we were told how so grateful we lived in a country America and those who were born in Texas, there was something special about being a Texan - it had meaning. But now, America is one step closer to becoming the land of the American Gulag and Texas will be bestowed a new title "Supreme Prison Capital of World."

This week Texas' Williamson County's T. Don Hutto Correctional Center becomes the second facility in the country to house immigrant families. The facility will house "immigrants not from Mexico, but caught in Texas."

T. Don Hutto Correctional Center is a maximum security correctional facility, in Taylor, Texas and is owned and operated by the nation's largest private prison company, Corrections Corporation of America (CCA). The same company that gave former House Majority Leader and soon to be former House Rep Tom DeLay a $100,000 check at a fundraiser for his children's charity, the DeLay Foundation for Kids.

According to the Houston Chronicle:

Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said noncriminal immigration detainees would be held at the Taylor facility. But the agency wouldn't confirm if those included families awaiting deportation, and a spokesman for Corrections Corporation of America declined comment.

"No decisions have been made at this time," said ICE spokeswoman Ernestine Fobbs.

However according CCA's website, an agreement was already reached with the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) back in December.

Corrections Corporation of America Announces Agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement for CCA Texas Facility
December 2, 2005
Corrections Corporation of America, the nation's largest provider of corrections management services to government agencies, announced today that it has reached an agreement with United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to manage up to 600 detainees at CCA's T. Don Hutto Correctional Center in Taylor, Texas.

CCA management expects to begin accepting ICE detainees on February 1, 2006. Although the contract does not provide for a guaranteed occupancy, the Company expects the facility to be substantially occupied before the end of the second quarter of 2006. The Company intends to provide guidance for 2006 in its fourth quarter earnings release and conference call expected to occur in February 2006.

The Chronicle also reports that separate sleeping quarters will be provided for men and women which will include playpens, cribs and classroom space.

CCA is not the only one make a profit, the Chronicle also noted that the County will also profit for being part of the American Gulag system.

Williamson County will work as an intermediary in billing transactions between Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Corrections Corporation of America. The county would earn $1 per day for each inmate, or about $200,000 each year, if the facility is at capacity, said Rick Zinsmeyer, county director of adult probation.

CCA is just another cog of the huge private prison industry that is profiting from the destruction of human lives. Like a festering tumor it just keeps growing and growing, reaching out to victimize both the incarcerated and the incarcerators.

According to ICE, the average detention is about one month, although some are kept for several years, like Salah Dafali. In September 2003, a jury found CCA guilty of both assault and battery against Salah Dafali, a Palestinian who was housed at a 300 bed facility housing primarily asylum seekers. According to Mark Dow, author of American Gulag: Inside U.S. Immigration Prisons, the suit alleged that CCA

operated the Elizabeth [NJ] facility under a policy or practice that authorized CCA staff to use abusive practices to control and discipline the refugees detained at the Elizabeth facility. ... INS detained him in Elizabeth, refusing to deport him, as he requested. CCA officers allegedly threatened to send Dafali to a county jail to be sexually assaulted by other inmates. They also sexually threatened him themselves. Dafali met INS detainees who had been held at Elizabeth for two and three years, so he believed it when officers threatened to keep him there for fifteen. He finally cut his wrists and began having "tantrums," according to Brogna. Dafali also began a hunger strike. He was forced into four-point restraints. While he was restrained, the CCA chief of security allegedly hit him in the face. The water to Dafali’s isolation cell was cut off, according to CCA’s own records. A former employee of TransCor America—CCA's subsidiary prisoner transportation company—testified that he saw "a bootprint" on Dafali's face shortly after Dafali was "tagged up" or assaulted; CCA records called the wound "self-inflicted." A CCA videotape of the assault on Dafali ends abruptly. A CCA official testified that the battery had run out. Aboyade, who had been in a nearby cell, testified that the security chief ordered the camera off of Dafali, who was begging officers to stop. A CCA shift supervisor took Polaroids of the injured Dafali; court documents note that CCA failed to produce these in the course of litigation and provided no explanation. (Polaroids of Dafali taken by an INS official were in evidence, however.) "They beat me on the 28th," Dafali told me; "they transferred me on the 29th." He was detained for a total of forty-one months and remains subject to detention and deportation at the agency's discretion.

The Hutto Correctional Center is not the only facility that CCA has with ICE, CCA also several Processing and Detention Centers in TX. Those own by CCA are:

• Eden Detention Center - a male Medium-security facility with 1,287 beds located in Eden TX;
• Laredo Processing Center - a 350 bed facility located in the eastern outskirts of Laredo, TX;
• Houston Contract Detention Facility - a male Medium-security with 411 beds

Many detainees are not just housed at facilities run by Corrections Corporation of America, they are housed also at facilities run by GEO Group, formerly Wackenhut. According to a February article in the Dallas Morning News, Texas "has at least 7,000 recently built or proposed private prison beds for housing immigrant detainees for ICE or the U.S. Marshals."

Currently three companies, Corrections Corporation of America, The Geo Group, and Cornell, are competing for the rights to run the nation's "super jail" that is planned to be built in Laredo. The new 2,800 bed detention center would be considered the largest privately owned prison. The facility will house nonviolent immigrants. This facility will make Laredo, TX the "Huntsville" of South Texas.

As the Senate gears up to bring up the immigration issue again and the Department of Homeland Security's recent round-ups, it is not hard to spot the private prison profiteers because they are the ones currently with dollar signs in their eyes as the invasion thousands of undocumented immigrants being dumped into their torture chambers depriving them of all that makes a person human.



(Hat Tip to Stace Medellin at Dos Centavos for bringing this our attention.)

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Welcome La Nueva Raza Unida readers!

One of methods used by those in wingnuttia is race-baiting when ever they start fearing there is a power struggle between minorities and non-minorities. This is not new. In the early 90s, those in wingnuttia where whining how all the engineering jobs where going to foreigners.

"AEA Action On Immigration Reform" covered AEA’S activity to seek the revision of the Immigration Reform Act of 1990 and reduce the number of visas available to foreign engineers and to reduce the number of foreign engineering students allowed to remain in the United States after they completed their education....What about the U.S. taxpayer who funds our college empire only to see their sons and daughters going without jobs. We know the college engineering degree production exceeds the demand for our young graduates. Parents of our college graduates say their tax dollars subsidized foreign students' education while they and their children go unemployed.

But then in the mid-90s, once it started working, that gave them an opening to start spreading fear, or as it was called, the white male backlash. One part of this attack was to plant the seed called La Reconquista - the idea that Mexicans are invading America to reclaim it for Mexico.

Although it started out as conspiracy theory among the white supremacists, their fears can be traced back to 1917 when Zimmermann Telegram was decoded by the British.

Zimmermann's message included proposals for a German alliance with Mexico, while Germany would still try to maintain a state of neutrality with the United States. If this policy were to fail, the note suggested, the Mexican government should make common cause with Germany, try to persuade the Japanese government to join the new alliance, and attack the U.S.. Germany, for its part, would provide financial assistance and the restoration of former territories of Texas (which had achieved independence in 1836), New Mexico and Arizona (which had been ceded in the US-Mexico war of 1846–1848), to Mexico.

Some say it was this telegram that brought the U.S. into World War I. But it was in that telegram, the word reconquer was used.

In the event of this not succeeding, we make Mexico a proposal or alliance on the following basis: make war together, make peace together, generous financial support and an understanding on our part that Mexico is to reconquer the lost territory in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.

After the discovery of the telegram, race relations between Hispanics and Whites have been soured, especially in the Southwest, thus, creating a situation that has lasted for decades.

The argument being used now, is now combined with the founding documents of the Chicano movement, "El Plan Espiritual de Aztlan."

In the spirit of a new people that is conscious not only of its proud historical heritage but also of the brutal "gringo" invasion of our territories, we, the Chicano inhabitants and civilizers of the northern land of Aztlan from whence came our forefathers, reclaiming the land of their birth and consecrating the determination of our people of the sun, declare that the call of our blood is our power, our responsibility, and our inevitable destiny....With our heart in our hands and our hands in the soil, we declare the independence of our mestizo nation.

El Plan is a manifesto that appeals to nationalism as a way to achieve a self-awareness and self-esteem. El Plan never asked for the return of lost territories back to Mexico. So what is "Aztlán"?

The concept of Aztlán was originated by the poet Alurista in the year 1969 at the conference organized by Corky Gonzales in Denver. In an interview, Alurista said:

"People call California, Arizona, Nueva Mexico and Colorado Aztlán, but really, Aztlán is wherever we are. We don't recognize borders. It's more a matter of cultural/political identity. When I say this is our land, I don't mean that we own it. Who owns anything?"

Aztlán was a spiritual concept which was meant to unite all Chican@s. Hispanics through out the US are really divided because within the Southwest, Hispanics in each State has own history of discrimination and oppression. Tejanos, in Texas see themselves very differently from those in New Mexico, Arizona and California because Mexico lost Texas first and this occurred way before the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo. Nuevo Mexicanos, in New Mexico also see themselves different from those in Arizona and Californianos and vise versa even though those states were established from the Treaty. Before the Chicano Movement there was no concept that united them. In other words, "Aztlán," is spiritual concept that we are a people that have a homeland.

It was not until recently that Glenn Spencer, of the American Patrol, started spewing this conspiracy theory that the mainstream media started picking it up:

The so-called reconquista, an alleged plot to turn several American states into a Mexican state or some kind of puppet government controlled by Mexico, has been a top concern for Spencer for years. Back in 1999, he put it like this: "The consul general says Mexico is reconquering California. A Mexican intellectual suggests that anyone who doesn't like Mexicans should leave California. What else do you need to hear? RECONQUISTA IS REAL... . EVERY ILLEGAL ALIEN IN OUR NATION MUST BE DEPORTED IMMEDIATELY. ... IF WE CAN BOMB THE TV STATION IN BELGRADE [in the former Yugoslavia] WE CAN SHUT DOWN [U.S. Spanish-language stations] TELEMUNDO AND UNIVISION."

Spencer got involved in the anti-immigration movement in 1992, when he formed Voice of Citizens Together, also known as American Patrol, in California. In 2002, saying the battle was lost in that state, he moved to the "front lines" of the Arizona border, where he formed American Border Patrol. He was one of the first to call for border citizens' patrols and pioneered the use of surveillance technology.

Now you have people like Michelle Malkin and Lou Dobbs feeding their audience nothing but fear. Why? Because people become very irrational when they are fearful. When that happens they defer to authority because they're eager to be safe.

This is nothing more but a racist appeal from the far right. The sad thing, they are winning because they have been able to convince mainstream Americans that the Mexican flags they see on TV from the marches are signs of the invasion. Even Alex Jones has been spew the same bullshit without any real research. And some how people see this as being legitimate. It is time to end this propaganda now!

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Michelle Malkin's blog she has acknowledged that the left side of the blogosphere were not pleased for crossing the line by posting phone numbers and address of those who do not share her views. The day she posted her "forewarned is forearmed" post, she begins her whine about the hate email she has received.

THE MOONBATS STRIKE BACK

By Michelle Malkin - April 17, 2006 08:17 PM

The anti-troops brigade at UC Santa Cruz has now called in the left-wing blogosphere's kings of hate to attack me. For what? For linking to a Students Against War press release bragging about booting military recruiters off campus and for re-posting publicly available contact info for the SAW press machine.

The unhinged lefty bloggers who did and said nothing to condemn the violent tactics of the UC Santa Cruz thugs are treating me like I'm the terrorist. I'm not going to bother linking. You can find their trash easily enough on any search engine. While they whine about the death threats that SAW organizers allegedly received, you should see the filth and threats against my family that their minions are sending. Here's an uncensored sample (and by the way, the disclaimer on my contact page makes clear, "All e-mail is subject to print, including your name.

It is interesting how she has decided to spin this as though she is the victim. Yet, she was the one who decided to initiate the whole incident.

One thing people like Malkin enjoy doing is play with people's emotions by using key words for those who read her blogs. Such as using the word "illegal" instead of "undocumented." In this post, she has used several key words and phrases to win the hearts of her loyalist who did think she did cross the line, like Don Surber and TexasFred.

By using phrases like "left-wing blogosphere's kings of hate" she is hoping her loyalist will forgive her sins and see her as a victim of "hate," such a victim of a "hate crime." Immediately after that paragraph, she publishes the most vile email she received. The problem with this fallacy, she has no proof that the emails she received were all from left leaning individuals.

Although it is encouraged for those on the left to take the moral high road and not to sink down to her level, she, however, continues to point out, she has yet been reached by the students to take down their information. As if, these students are willing to take her bait to call her up asking her to take down their information. Of course she is wanting them to call, because if they do, they will have an ear full from the shrill queen herself.

It does seem she is able to dish it out, but when it happens to her, she was forced to post this message:

I AM NOT AFRAID OF YOU, April 19, 2006 08:53 PM
You know who you all are.

And if you think I'm going to stop blogging/writing/making a living because you've plastered my family's private home address, phone numbers, and photos and maps of my neighborhood all over the Internet to further your manufactured outrage and pathetic coddling of a bunch of lying, anti-troops punks at UC Santa Cruz...

...you better think again.

Sorry, Malkin that was not the message, but if you did, that would be an added bonus. Stop play ignorant, you know what it is all about. Admit to your sins. Granted that the freedom of speech allows to voice opinions, but, it doesn't allow for endangering others peoples lives. STOP PUBLISHING OTHERS PEOPLES PERSONAL INFORMATION!

She should be reminded what she wrote a couple of days ago:

You are responsible for your individual actions. Other individuals are responsible for theirs. Grow up and take responsibility.

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There is something about minorities and Pro-Americana. Sometimes when trying to impress their masters, they tend to over do it. Michelle Malkin is no exception. A refresher, Malkin is the daughter of Filipino immigrants who she claims are "rock-ribbed Reagan Republicans." I point this out, because it was not to long ago, she wrote:

We are not a "nation of immigrants." This is both a factual error and a warm-and-fuzzy non sequitur. Eighty-five percent of the residents currently in the United States were born here.

It does make you wonder what she really thinks of her parents. By her claim, she is happy to count herself among the special 85%, but her parents they belong to the non-special people. She was born in 1970, so that would mean she is two years older than me that would have to mean her parents Dr. Apolo and Rafaela Maglalang benefited from the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, the same policy which allowed her parents to come to the US.

it was not until the 1965 Hart-Cellar Immigration Act that the structure of Asian American enclaves changed radically. With the influx of new immigrants from China, the Philippines, Korea, India/South Asia, and Viet Nam, almost overnight new ethnic enclaves became established and quickly grew in size, almost exponentially.

Immigrant bashing is not her only favorite enjoyment, she does like to use her flamethrower at college students, too.

Not just any college student, anti-war college students. In fact, she doesn't mind the occasional outing of student telephone numbers allowing her loyalist to make death threats. From Crooks and Liars:

Here's a video from FOX & Friends with Cody James, a student at the university who wanted to see the recruiters and says the protesters were not violent.

Whatever your beliefs are regarding military recruiting at colleges, Michelle Malkin crosses the line of decency by printing the telephone numbers of the students that formed the protest. They have been receiving death threats non-stop. An emailer wrote me and said:

"The protest was reported on by Hannity and O'Reilly. Michelle Malkin put actual students' phone numbers on her blog and they've been getting death threats nonstop."

In her update to the post Michelle writes:

"SAW has removed the contact information from its press release and is now lying about the fact that it made the info publicly available on the Internet. I am leaving it up. If you are contacting them, I do not condone death threats or foul language. As for SAW, my message is this: You are responsible for your individual actions. Other individuals are responsible for theirs. Grow up and take responsibility."

Obviously the death threats are emanating from her blog and she knows it. Malkin understands the nature of the fear and outrage she causes. Will she take responsibility when somebody gets hurt? Here's another example of the fear-mongering she causes. Read Cathy Young's Boston Globe column.

She sure does enjoy her American freedom of speech doesn't she? Just never thought, advocating death threats was part of it. And with her anti-immigration stand, I wonder if she is also willing to publish the addresses and phone numbers of undocumented immigrants so her VDARE white supremacy loyalist can exercise their free speech.

I bring this up, because in her most recent post on her blog, she writes about the up-coming May 1, 2006 "Day Without An Immigrant" Boycott where she has already posted the e-mail addresses of those who are involved in this boycott. But it is this eerie message that is the most troubling.

Forewarned is forearmed.

I wonder who really is the moonbat here.

Hat tip to Rev. Mykeru

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With all those school children walking out from their schools in protest of the draconing immigration laws, some California school principals decided to take action into their own hands.

Last week, Artesia High School Principal Sergio Garcia decided to grease the fence at around the campus of to keep kids from attending immigration marches.

"I just don't think it's appropriate," parent Sylvia Gooden told the ABC Unified School District board during a meeting Tuesday. She said many students' hands and clothing were coated with the wheel-bearing grease.

Their excuse for taking this measure, district deputy superintendent said it wasn't to keep the the students from going to marches it was because they heard of a rumors of outsiders showing up.

The grease was applied earlier in March to identify people climbing fences to enter school grounds. An Artesia High School student was shot to death in Lakewood on March 11 and there were rumors outsiders might show up to cause trouble, district deputy superintendent Mary Sieu said.

That is mild compared to this atrocity, Worthington Elementary School Principal Angie Marquez imposed a lockdown that would not allow the children from going to the bathroom, and instead had to use buckets in the classroom.

The lockdown was put in place during the March 27 rallies. Tim Brown, director of operations for the Inglewood Unified School District, claims that the principal just made an "honest mistake" as she forced every student in her school to stay in their classrooms all day made to use a bucket in the classroom if they needed to go to bathroom. An "honest mistake," huh, ya think?

In trying to keep her kids on campus, she decided to put her school into a "nuclear attack" lockdown.

"When there's a nuclear attack, that's when buckets are used," Brown told the Los Angeles Times. The principal "followed procedure. She made a decision to follow the handbook. She just misread it."

This is what Worthington parent Julia Campos told AP:

"Many of them were crying because they felt embarrassed," she said. "One girl was afraid other kids would see her."

Reasoning behind the madness:

Worthington Elementary School is seven blocks from Morningside High School, where less than 100 teenagers participated in the walkout. Administrators said they feared elementary school children could have been swept into the protests.

Yet, surrounding schools around Morningside High did not have any daylong lockdowns according to AP.

Is this what this country has come to, lockdowns? Keeping students from exercising their First Amendment rights by greasing fences and using buckets for toilets and this was just for a protest march. But what if it there was an Avian Flu outbreak? What then? Could you leave your child in school, if there was a mandatory lockdown? What if the principals decided to use a "nuclear attack" lockdown for this outbreak, what would you? My father is a professor at a university, he told me, that the university was ordered to put a lockdown on the dorms if their was an outbreak. This administration is turning our schools into fucking prisons. And I can't be fucking angry about this shit! I am suppose to be calm and be logical.

Just imagine it was your kid in that school, needing to squat behind some fucking door. Just imagine sitting in that classroom, smelling it. Some may not be US citizens, but they are not animals. Have we lost our humanity? So I ask you, where is our humanity, because I am not seeing it. Where is our compassion, because I am not feeling it, either.

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Hispanic News' Jon Garrido is asking for your help to get CNN's Lou Dobbs off the air. Duke1676 at Migra Matters has a great summary of Lou Dobbs which also includes a link how the Dobbs' kool-aid has poison the mind of many progressives.

His message is compelling, so compelling in fact that even many progressives (see comments) seem to have fallen under his spell. But ... Now from the Southern Poverty Law Center comes this look at CNN’s Lou Dobbs, the accuracy of his reporting ,and the nature of some of the guests he chooses to feature on his nightly show

_____________________________________________________



Technorati : Lou Dobbs, Time Warner, Great American Boycott 2006, CNN, AOL, Google, HR4437, Hispanic, Latino/a

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This is a problem within the Hispanic community. No matter is you are Chicano, your not Chicano enough in the eyes of a Chicano in another state. From the OC Weekly's Ask a Mexican!

Dear Mexican,
You California wetbacks are nothing but a bunch of wannabes. Aquí en Tejas, we have the Rio Grande, so mojado is a good description. But west of El Paso, there’s nothing to get a Mexican wet when he sneaks across the border except a little rain. And, as you keep pointing out, it never rains in Southern California. So ya no estén chingando—stop fucking around—and quit using the word wetback.
Wet and Wild

Dear Wab,
Bone up on your racism dictionary, Wet and Wild. Few people call Mexicans wetbacks anymore, or beaners, spics, greasers, Mescans, border bandits, border hoppers, Mexi-can’ts, cockroaches, jumping beans, chili chokers or any of the other derogatory terms gabachos used to smear Mexicans in the past. The fact that "wetback" survives at all is because of American foreign policy. According to a 2003 article by College of New Jersey journalism professor Kim Pearson, "wetback" didn’t become nationally popular until 1954, when the Eisenhower administration launched a program to deport all illegal immigrants. But America being America, la migra rounded up Mexican-Americans, legal immigrants—anyone who was brown, really. The program’s name? Operation Wetback. American experience is cyclical, of course, so expect Americans to soon begin calling Mexicans "Sensenbeaners."

Ay dios mio, why do we as a community enjoy fight for the table scraps we get? How can we make progress when we are playing the quien es el mas chingón game. YA! People get over yourselves and lets move on.

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Immigrant communities through out the United States came together on April 9th and 10th to send a clear message throughout the nation - "We Are America." The National Day of Action began the nation wide protest on April 9th with Dallas (TX) San Diego (CA), Miami (FL), and Boise (ID) leading the way with the rest of the nation continuing on 10th 2006.
The "April 10 Day of Action" was not organized through well known organizing communities but through local grassroots organizations and coalitions are working together. More than two million immigrants and their allies gathered in cities across the US to oppose HR4437. These protest will go down in the history books as the largest display of decentralized, coordinated protest in US history. Cities everywhere broke historical records on the number of people gathering to voice their outrage.

Communities who lived in fear found thier voices and spoke out about America's broken immigration system. A system that tears families apart; a system that exploits and forces them to work is conditions that are considered inhumane; and a system that violates their civil liberties.

There is more, click read more to read the rest.

Summary:
Birmingham (AL) - 4,000
Phoenix (AZ) - 100,000
Tucson (AZ) - 25,000
Springdale (AR) - 5,000
Little Rock (AR) - 2,000
San Diego (CA) - 100,000
San Jose (CA) - 25,000
Bakersfield (CA) - 20,000
Los Angeles (CA) - 7,000
Santa Ana (CA) - 300
Sacramento (CA) - 5,000
San Francisco (CA) - 5,000
Fresno (CA) - 10,000
Oakland (CA) - 10,000
Concord (CA) -
Gilroy (CA) -
Redwood City (CA) -
Richmond (CA) - 300
Hayward (CA) -
Denver (CO) - 1,000+
Colorado Springs - 1,000
Grand Junction (CO) - 4,000
Boulder (CO) - 200
Hartford (CT) - 2,500
New Haven (CT) - 2,000
Georgetown (DE) - 1,000
Fort Myers (FL) - 50,000
Miami (FL) - 7,000
Homestead (FL) - 2,500
Pensacola (FL) - 1,000
Tampa (FL) -
Atlanta (GA) - 60,000
Boise (ID) - 4,000
Rockford (IL) - 2,000
Champaign (IL) -
South Bend (IN) - 5,000
Des Moines (IA) - 5,000
Kansas City (KS) -
Arkansas City (KS) - 200
Emporia (KS) - 1,500
Garden City (KS) - 3,000
Dodge City (KS) - 2,000
Great Bend (KS) - 300
Liberal (KS) - 80
Wichita (KS) - 4,000
Lexington (KY) - 3,500
Portland (ME) - 200
Salisbury (MD) - 200
Boston (MA) - 10,000
Grand Rapids (MI) -
St. Paul (MN) - 30,000
Jackson (MS) - 500
St Louis (MO) - 5,000
Omaha (NE) - 10,000
Lincoln (NE) - 4,000
Schuyler (NE) -
Jersey City (NJ) - 5,000
Las Cruces (NM) - 300
Sunland Park (NM) - 350
Albuquerque (NM) - 300 middle school and high school students
New York City (NY) - 125,000
Long Island (NY) - 2,000
Ellis Island (NY) - 4,000
State of North Carloina - 100 people joined a cross-state march
Winston-Salem (NC) - 1,500
Wilmington (NC) -
Siler City (NC) - 4,000
Toledo (OH) -
Cincinnati (OH) -
Louisville (OH) -
Oklahoma City (OK) - 10,000 (week before)
Salem (OR) - 10,000
Portland (OR) - 1,000
Philadelphia (PA) - 7,000
Harrisburg (PA) - 250
Pittsburg (PA) - 150
Columbia (SC) - 5,000
Greenville (SC) - 2,500
Charleston (SC) - 1,500
Nashville (TN) - 14,000
Knoxville (TN) - 2,500
Austin (TX) - 15,000
Dallas (TX) - 500,000
Fort Worth (TX) - 30,000
Houston (TX) - 50,000
San Antonio (TX) - 50,000
El Paso (TX) - 2,000
Tyler (TX) - 2,000
Laredo (TX) - 1,000 students (parents and media were barred from forum)
Cameron Park (TX) - 500
Harlingen (TX) - 150
Brownsville (TX) - 350
Corpus Christi (TX) - 400
Salt Lake City (UT) - 40,000
Seattle (WA) - 30,000
Madison (WI) - 10,000
Laramie (WY) - 50
Washington, D.C - 500,000

I know there are more out there so if you know other cities I left out, please let us know. These are their voices, voices that need to be heard. If it is not reported, it never happened. Let America know about the small town, those rural areas that are not often reported.

As for Laredo, TX here is the latest development.

Parents and members of the media were barred Wednesday from entering Alexander High School, where 800 to 1,000 students filled the cafeteria to attend an open forum on immigration reform.
School officials also confiscated posters that said "Viva la Causa!" and other slogans advocating immigration reform, students said after the event.
...
Several representatives of television and print media outlets arrived at about 10:15 a.m. for the 10:20 event; later, Santos said the event was scheduled to begin at 10:45 a.m. Journalists were asked to leave school property and were forced to stand across the street on Del Mar.

What the local media is reporting:

UISD Superintendent Bobby Santos later claimed that the media was never "officially" invited. No, we didn't have it in writing. We often don't. If we get a phone call from an official asking us to cover an event, we try to respond as quickly as we can. We don't wait to get in writing.
This is the first time in a combined 30-year memory here at the paper that we have been barred from attending such a student event.
...
According to witnesses, parents were initially prohibited from entering the cafeteria by Principal Sandra Alvarez. Later, after the parents protested, Alvarez said she had received a new directive and allowed them to enter. Shortly thereafter, however, at least one other parent was barred from entering by school police. She, too, was later admitted.

We can not stop fight, our voices still need to be heard. Those in small towns, their voices need to heard.

¡¡¡Luchemos por justicia, trabajo y dignidad para todos!!!

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I am happy to day, we have a Xicana running to Lt. Governor. And the best part, she is a progressive. She is running against BushCo's David Dewhurst. We have heard everything about Governor Good Hair...I mean BushCo's lap dog Rick Perry. To me, who cares about Perry, I want to go for the Brass Ring.

Some background is in order to fully understand Texas politics. After the Civil War, many Southern states had to redo their State Constitution. The office of governor of Texas is defined by Article IV, Section 1 of the Constitution of 1876 instead of the original Constitution of 1845. Being Governor can be compared as a constitutional monarchy. Under the state Constitution the governor serves as the head of the executive branch and really is seen more as a ceremonial role.

Legally, at least, the governor has little power over certain administrative functions and has no removal power over important elected officials. His privilege of legislative veto may be his strongest executive weapon.

Long time ago Democrats really didn't care that much about Lt. Governor, don't get me wrong, if the Dems could win that was great, but if they lost it, oh well, they had their prized seat. The duties of Lt. Governor far exceed those of the Governor. The legislative duties are:

• Serve as presiding officer of the Senate;
• Appoint the committees of the Senate;
• Cast the deciding vote in case of a tie;
• Chair of the Legislative Budget Board and the Legislative Council;
• Vice chairman of the Legislative Audit Committee and the Legislative Education Board; Member of the Legislative Redistricting Board; and
• Since World War II has exerted growing influence in lawmaking and in administration and public policy.

People have this tendency to think that the Governor's is the office to go after, but that is not true. Ever since Dudya coned his way into office, Karl Rove used his Rovian magic to create an illusion that Dudya had all this power. Sad part is, it fooled a lot of Texans too. Sure the Governor can appoint, but it still needs to be approved the Texas Senate and as Lt. Governor, they can have a lot of influence making any Governor a lame duck.

Who is María Luisa Alvarado? She is La Xicana dark horse and can be the best kind. If the Democratic party doesn't screw it up. The State Party better not do what it does best to minority candidates - offer no support at all. Take a look at Victor Morales and Tony Sanchez. Most importantly Victor Morales que se chingaron!

In 1996, Victor Morales, almost beat Phil Gramm, and he could of if the Democratic establishment didn't screw him over. Did they offer to help? NO! After he crushed three career Democrats in the Democratic primary, los gringos at the State and National Party shunned him. But guess what, he came close.

Yet to win Morales also needed at least a third of the Anglo vote. This didn't materialize -- perhaps because the state just isn't ready yet for a minority senator. "He's a Mexican-American who ran in a pretty conservative state," Rocha points out. "He had to fight that perception (of being unqualified) as well."

Even worse, blogger and Party think his political career y nada mas un "novelty". Sabes que, the Repugs still think he is a threat and that is why they are trying to recruit him.

Back to María Luisa Alvarado. From her campaign site:

After graduating from college, María Luisa accepted an opportunity to work the National Veterans Outreach Program, a veteran’s service organization of the American G.I. Forum. Once Federal funding was cut for the women’s veteran program she returned to the pursuit of opportunities in social and health research. Her research interest and experience are related to substance abuse treatment and prevention, and general social and health issues with adolescents and the elderly. It is due to her analyses and critical thinking about current issues affecting Texans and the lack of appropriate response by state leaders that has challenged her to run for elected office. María Luisa believes that all tax payers have a right to expect that their government work effectively and efficiently to serve all its citizens equally and fairly.

Like Victor Morales, she was a citizen who is tired of the status qou, nada mas. Not a career politician. Who was she running against, Ben Z. Grant, Justice of the Sixth Court of Appeals in Texarkana. Had the endorsment of several major newspapers, but guess what, she crushed him too - Alvarado received 117,950 votes to Grant's 86,838.

We know who she is going up against, but the sleeping giant has awoken and the State Democratic Party better be there!

Viva La Raza! We may have a long road ahead of us, pero sabes que? ¡Si, Se Puede!

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I was torn yesterday when an interview was scheduled in the middle of yesterday's history in the making event. Back in November, I was let go from my job. I have mentioned it on other sites before I started this blog. I talked about how being unemployed is very similar to being on emotional rollercoaster. You are filled with hope when you are called in for an interview and the sudden depressed feelings when you there is no call back or when you hear the sentence no unemployed person wants to hear, "We regret to tell you, but we have decided to go with someone else."

Having a job brings "meaning" in the sense of one's personal worth and identity. As a society we have been conditioned to go through life by placing labels on every facet of our lives. The first question we ask a stranger is, "What do you do?" Depending on the person's answer this becomes the basis on how we start judging people by their worth, financial status, intelligence, education level, ambition, and social position. And when the "label" is empty - we have no status. Admitting "I don't do anything" is the equivalent of saying "I am nothing," and that is not acceptable to society. These are the same feelings many undocumented immigrants feel and on April 10, 2006, they finally had enough, I had enough. We are not nothing.

The rally started at 1 and would end at 3:30, my interview was near the end of the rally. So I was able to participate and still make it to the job interview. I was so upset I forgot to charge up my phone so I could take some pictures. Being on my last cent, purchasing a camera was not an option. I am not looking to garner sympathy, but to share this special moment through my eyes as if you were there yourself.

Nobody could have asked for a more perfect day, it was sunny and cool. As I was getting close to the starting point of the march, you could feel the excitement in the air and nothing that day would dampen the sense of unity everybody was feeling here in Houston and across the country. And if just you stood still for a second, you swear you could feel the excite around the country. When people define the melting pot as people of different cultures and religions - then this is what I saw today. At the rally I saw Uncle Sam (on stilts of course) and Lady Liberty with open arms welcoming the new fixtures that defines America - they dance to the distant music of the mariachi players, while enjoying the sweet frozen-fruit treat from neighborhood paleteras vendors as they stroll along the march with their push- and pedal-cart.

Today - they were not cooks, waiters, maids and housekeepers, janitors, bus boys, parking attendants, childcare workers, cafeteria workers, construction workers, or gardeners, but people you would call your neighbor, your co-worker, and the people you see in church and at a store. I saw fathers and mothers marching with their sons and daughters; I saw brothers and sisters; and uncles and aunts. I witnessed friends supporting their friends - who found their way here in this country just to have a better life - The American Dream.

The chanting the traditional "What do we want? Justice! and "¡Si, Se Puede!" echoed through the route. And con mi compadres, we chanted "U S A!" I saw a rainbow of flags along the way, they were not just Mexican flags, but flags from the United States, the Middle East, and South and Central America. The true melting pot of America.

The official count was 50,000, the largest protest rally Houston ever had. And to be part of this history, I will take these numbers any day. As I was heading to my job interview, I could not help replay the sights and sounds of that day, but the one chant I will never forget is one that all Americans are wanting to achieve and use when times are rough - "All we want is the American dream!"

It is amazing how words can move some people. Before the rally, I wrote a post expressing how I felt. The immigration issue really does mean a lot. I previously was an ESL teacher and I pushed my students hard. I made them think, I armed them with the tools when faced with gutter snipes. That was four years ago. I know what effect I had on them and in my heart, I know they were out there on April 10th. I knew I had inspired someone, but I didn't realize how much until I was told yesterday. In yesterday's diary Blogger Ductape Fatwa wrote one of the most touching and must read personal account at the rally he attended. In the second paragraph, he describes who went and how many went to the march.

Thanks to the success of Saturday's Incitement Constitutional, our group, including my own descendants, neighbors, friends, and their descendants, had swelled to over a thousand souls, representing all the world's continents. I will not try to say how many countries, or name them, suffice it to say that we were diverse. And so numerous, that when the hour of departure came, we were obliged to call upon the good offices of the local popo, to guide our massive convoy out of the neighborhood and on to the highway for the short ride to the gathering place.

As mentioned before, the whole diary was very touchy and normally I replied to let him know much it touched me. But his reply is highest praise I can hope for.

Your eyes ought to water up, It was you who single-handedly caused over a thousand people to march today, to respond to such a deed with "Thank You" does not seem adequate, yet no amount of flowery phrases would express my gratitude, so "Thank You" will have to do. :)

Reading his reply after a job interview, couped with the days events, has brought back home and renew my vigor to continue fight the good fight.

¡Si, Se Puede!

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On Saturday, April 8th, in a joint venture with Harris County's Democratic Party and Houston's Democracy for Houston held a workshop on Immigration Reform in their first in a series of "Fighting Back! Workshops: 'Talking the Talk'" workshops. The forum was hosted by Murvin Auzenne, chair of the HCDP Communications and Message Committee and the presenter was Immigration Attorney/College government professor Toni Medellin.

Stace Medellin at Dos Centavos gave a great summary of the workshop:

Medellin presented on the legal/legislative background to the immigration issue. Of importance was Medellin's statement that neither the Senate Judiciary Committee or McCain/Kennedy bills have anything to do with "amnesty." Medellin gave the legal definition for amnesty, which basically is defined as forgiveness for past wrongdoing without any punishment or sanction against those forgiven.
...
Murvin Auzenne proved how great an asset he is--not just by organizing the workshop, but by also providing his insight on the framing and reframing of issues. Several discussion groups were formed for the purpose of creating values statements. Whether it was about valuing the workforce, or improving the security of the country, or valuing the diversity that a every ethnicity and race (including immigrants) provide to this country, the statements were the exact opposite of the republican and white supremacist mantra (they really aren't much different if you visit websites like those of the White Camelia Knights of Cleveland, TX, the Minutemen, and Stormfront (White Aryan Resistance).

However, Toni Medillian did remind us of one important point: "If you take anything away from this workshop, it should be that we all learn not to call these hard-working people "illegal". No Human Being is illegal." And yes, Stace that was me that you probably heard.
To some, using the term "Illegal" vs. "Undocumented" is just a matter of semantics and to others it means a lot more. When one talks about a group of people who are referred to as "illegals" it never includes people who have committed a crime such as murder, corruption or theft. Nor does it include people who speed or play loud music at a party in the middle of the night. The use of the word "illegal" is only meant for one purpose - the "undocumented." The word itself dehumanizes immigrants and brands them as criminals. Yet, frequent visitor and commentor, John Konop Congressional candidate for Georgia District 6, is quick to argue that in fact they have committed a crime and not acknowledging it would mean, we as a country would have to disregard other laws:

Should we stop enforcing traffic laws? Should we stop enforcing drunk driving laws? Should stop enforcing any of our criminal laws? Should we have no trespassing laws?

What Konop fails to understand, the label criminalizes the person and not the action they have committed. True the person may have committed a civil violation, but the label is used unfairly because it targets only one group of people in a way that tax cheats and car thieves are not viewed the same way. Therefore, if the argument being used by right wing extremist is that an undocumented immigrant broke the law, then we should apply the same definition universally for all criminals. A list of offenders offenders illegals, to just to name a few, this would now include:

• the illegal former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham - California Republican admits selling influence for $2.4 million;
• the illegal lobbyist Jack Abramoff - pleaded guilty to conspiracy, fraud and tax evasion charges;
• the illegal Tony C. Rudy - pleaded guilty to charges that he conspired with the "illegal" lobbyist Jack Abramoff to corrupt public officials and defraud his clients;
• the illegal Michael Scanlon - pleaded guilty for conspiracy to defraud Indian tribes;
• the illegal Elliott Abrams - pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor charges of withholding from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence his knowledge of Oliver North's Contra-assistance activities, Bush Sr. pardoned Abrams before trial;
• the illegal Randal David Ankeney - Republican activist from Colorado, arrested on suspicion of sexual assault on a child with force;
• the illegal Jim Bakker - indicted on 23 federal charges of fraud, tax evasion, and racketeering

This goes beyond semantics, it is a matter of demonizing and scapegoating a whole group for the country's problems. This has been a regular practice whenever the US economy is having a problem. This issue has been mentioned before.

History has shown the Mexican labor pool is heavily utilized during times of economic boom and repatriation during economic downturns. To American capitalist the border does not exist when it comes to exploitation. When it comes to minimum wage requirements, health care benefits, workman's compensation insurance, and social security plans, both Migrant workers and employees of American firms in Mexico have always been excluded.

The fact is, under current US immigration law, an undocumented immigrant is not a criminal nor have they committed a crime, the offense is considered a civil violation, the same way speeding is considered a civil violation. By singling out and persecuting undocumented immigrants for this country's economic problems is often unfair, and itself is racism for no other reason but xenophobia and racial hatered. If not, the argument being false, then the names mentioned above and everybody who violates federal, state and local law should also be considered "illegal."

Another erroneous argument by Konop:

The number used by open boarder supporter is $ 1800 dollars per immigrant. It cost around 10k to educate a kid per year, 10k per family healthcare per year, roads, parks........ Liberal Paul Krugman admitted the math does not add up.

Just because one liberal says it doesn't mean I and other liberal/progressive should mimic the current Repug lock-n-step policy. It is rediculous to think that stopping the flow of undocumented immigrants into this country, the health care crisis will end and we can now start singing Leo Reisman's "Happy Days Are Here Again."

In a recent Drum Major Institute report, Principles for an Immigration Policy to Strengthen and Expand the American Middle Class, DMI would argue that the opposite. In fact, not only is it wrong to think that the undocumented immigrants are the cause of our economic problems, but it actually helps build a strong Middle-class.

Immigration policy should bolster—not undermine—the critical contribution that immigrants make to our economy as workers, entrepreneurs, taxpayers and consumers, because:

On average, immigrants pay more in taxes each year than they use in government services, and these taxes fund programs like Social Security that strengthen and expand the middle class.

By increasing consumer demand, immigrants generate economic growth that benefits the middle class: immigration is a major contributor to the expansion of Hispanic and Asian-American consumer markets—an estimated 12 percent of the nation’s 2004 purchasing power.

Immigrants also stimulate the economy by starting small businesses and attracting investment capital from their countries of origin.

There is always more than one answer to this problem, however, wingnuts refuse to admit the drain that is occurring within the healthcare and education system was created by depletion of the financial resources when Dudya instituted his pro-business/anti-citizen tax-cut and the multiple tax break to the BushCo corporations.

On TomPaine.com, Economic Policy Institute's Jeff Faux wrote:

Higher walls and more police will certainly make crossing the frontier more difficult, but recent history tells us they will not stop the illegal influx of immigrants any more than more enforcement has stopped the illegal flow of drugs. Neither will mass deportation, guest worker programs or amnesty get at the root causes, which are poverty and the lack of job opportunities south of the border.

Mexico is not the only source of illegal immigration, but it is by far the largest—representing over three-quarters of the total. Some 40 percent of the over 100 million people still living in Mexico say they would come to the United States if they had the opportunity, which can be bought for the roughly $2,500 or so it costs for a "coyote" to lead them across the border. Last year at least 400 died in the attempt.

It is not surprising that out of 400 who die, some end up dying at the hands of vigilantes are the same who call themselves Christians while at the same time wrap themselves around the American flag thumping their chest as they brutally beat the "savages" in the name of American security. Although blogger Rev. Mykeru's "American Jesus" graphic was used to depict the lunacy of the right based fundamentalist in the push for the war in Iraq, the same graphic can also describe the same mentality of the base who feel it is ok to murder those who come across the border. How Christian of them, que no? Is this what they mean by Christian values?



Or maybe this is what they mean by family values.

In neighboring Maricopa County, the sheriff’s department is investigating the killing of eight men whose bodies were found from June to September in the desert west of Phoenix. Four of the killings took place over the past two months. The victims’ hands were bound by tape, telephone wires, or handcuffs. Seven were killed by large-caliber bullet shots to the head or body and one was beaten to death or stabbed. At least six of the victims were Mexican citizens; one was Ecuadoran.

Members of the anti-immigrant vigilante organization Ranch Rescue deny involvement in the killings, but admit they have mobilized some 50 people—dressed in military-style camouflage gear and armed with semiautomatic rifles and pistols—to-hunt for undocumented border crossers in southern Arizona. [New York Times 10/23/02; La Jornada (Mexico) 10/20/02; Arizona Daily Star (Tucson) 10/22/02; El Diario (Ciudad Juarez) 10/19/02]

The photo below was taken by photographer José Palafox, the names on the Mexican side of the wall are the names of immigrants who ended up dying trying to have a better life.


It is true what they say about a picture being worth a thousand words that would explain the lack of photos in today's mainstream media. As long as the many faces aren't shown then they have no story - they have no voice.

Technorati : Undocumented, Illegals, Minutemen, xenophobia, racist, racism

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It seems that immigration debate has brought out the worst in some. In fact, Sen. Ken Salazar is now receiving calls from xenophobic racist ass-wipes:

Salazar, one of only three Hispanic Senators, said hate-filled attacks have been among the barrage of lobbying calls, letters and e-mails his office has received in recent days.

"I am not a racist against Mexicans _ I want all minorities kicked out," one message said.

Salazar said that another message told him: "Put all the illegal aliens on trains and deport them out of the country. They come in vans. Rail cars would be a step up."

Another e-mail said Salazar should "go back to Mexico," even though his family has been here for centuries and helped settle the New Mexico capital city of Santa Fe before the United States was even a country.

So why are they all getting all riled up? Could it possibly be that they can't stand to see those who they think they have "conquered" make a life for themselves? Do they expect Salazar to just live in subservience to their whims?

And those who overtly and tacitly supported this line of thinking, abdicated their responsibility as decent, rational human beings in a way that was craven, cowardly and unforgivable. Apparently it has now become patriotic to wave the Stars and Bars at rallies and parades, yet it is unacceptacle to wave a Mexican flag. But of course they aren't racist. It is funny when they do get called out on, they are willing to go to the exterme to whitewash any evidence. At Firedoglake, guest blogger, Pam Spaulding, highlighted the xenophobic comments left by readers on Lucianne.com readers regarding illegal immigrants, which was later reveiled that those comments were "brownout." As we all know, not everything can be deleted from the internets.

Aaiiii!!! YOU'VE BEEN HIT BY THE

|^^^^^^^^^^^^^|
|Truck full of Mexicans! '|""";.., ___.
|_..._...______====|= _|__|..., ] |
"(@ )'(@ )""""*|(@ )(@ )*****(@

Sorry they have no insurance

heh, found this in the comments section of another site.

Its people like these who expect us to say "Si, Señor" while licking their boots, and not speak unless spoken to! But when we do standup for ourselves, we are then demonized, the same way the Iraqis were demonized before going to war, all to make themselves look like the "good guys", in fact, they are nothing but a wolf under the a fine suit, with a bag of tricks. They wants us to believe how GRATEFUL we should be to live here in America, and how we should feel GOOD about licking the boots of our masters. That is why xenophobic jackbooted racist repeat the same Republican meme that its America who has given us everything, and we have not given anything back. What a false assumption on their small minded view.

I'm sorry, but I'm not some stereotypical "Si, Señor" Hispanic for some racist to kick around. I have contributed as much of my sweat, blood, and tears, and money, as any man, only to see clever and greedy bastards squander it away in their murderous wars. What has this country done for me expect for skinheaded pigs who are quick to deny me my civil rights, taxing me into poverty because I am not part of their top 10% club. I am tired of paying $5 for a .20 cent box of "American" cereal. I am tired of feeling depressed because I can't write out a simple check for $800 for a 1 bed apartment. America, you just aren't worth the dime anymore! And when you DO opt to buy into the so-called "American Dream", corporate pigs slip in extra fees and contracts which me must buy in order to get what we want. The system is corrupt. Sorry, but I simply refuse to support this cancerous system of corruption.

So if these "True Americans" don't want the undocumented in this country anymore, then why do they continue to hire them to do their work? They obviously are desireable as workers. Ya got a problem, go complain to the contractors, motels, restaurants, etc. who hire them, and stop criticizing them just because they want to earn an honest day's pay. So what's the problem. Could it be that they are showing Americans up as they actually WORK on their jobs? So go ahead and build your damn border wall, chase them away, but don't go cryin' when this economy comes crashing down, estupidos!

Frijolero - Molotov
No me digas beaner, Mr. Puñetero
Te sacaré un susto por racista y culero.
No me llames frijolero, Pinche gringo
puñetero.------(chingao)

Now I wish I had a dime
for every single time
I've gotten stared down
For being in the wrong side of town.
And a rich man I'd be
if I had that kind of chips
lately I wanna smack the mouths
of these racists

Podras imaginarte desde afuera,
Ser un mexicano cruzando la frontera
Pensando en tu familia mientras que pasas
Dejando todo lo que tu conoces atras
Tuvieras tu que esquivar las balas
De unos cuantos gringos rancheros
Les seguiras diciendo good for nothing
wetback? y tuvieras tu que empezar de cero

Now why don't you look down
to where your feet is planted
That U.S. soil that makes you take shit for granted
If not for Santa Ana, just to let you know
That where your feet are planted would be Mexico
Correcto!

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From the Houston Chronicle.

Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, a Texan touched by a lobbying scandal that ensnared some of his former top aides and cost the congressman his leadership post, won't seek re-election to Congress, a Republican official said today.

DeLay was expected to disclose the plans Tuesday, said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because DeLay had not publicly disclosed his plans.

[update: 4/5/06]
x-posted on ePluribus Media and on My Left Wing. This version is also edited to reflect current news.

DeLay will leave his seat and Congress by the end of May. Delay has also decided move to Alexandria, VA, because he didn't want to drag the City of Houston and Sugar Land through the mud.

In the center of the Justice Department corruption probe of DeLay's buddy Jack Abramoff, a former aide, Tony C. Rudy, to Tom DeLay pled guilty (Rudy's plea agreement). But April 2nd, Chronicle ran a piece that could be considered a final blow to the Mighty Hammer. The Chronicle reported that Ed Buckham, a former aide turn lobbiest, was paid $770,000 for lobbying work.

Buckham traded on his close ties to both DeLay and his fundraising organization on at least two occasions to land clients who were trying to get personal time with DeLay.

One of Buckham's client was Questerra Corp. of Charlottesville, Va.

In April 2005, AP wrote that Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle dropped the charges against Questerra Corp, which was one of the 8 original companies that were indicted for contributing soft money to DeLay's TRMPAC. Earle and Questerra came up with a plea deal, Earle would drop the charges if Questerra agrees to cooperate with Earle's investigation.

According to the Chronicle:

Questerra was officially launched in November 2001 when Timothy W. Milovich was named its president. Milovich, who lives near Tyler, is a nationally known computer expert who had worked with EDS and Perot Systems and served as a consultant with Informix, Xerox and Stamps.com.

The same month, Milovich donated $7,500 to DeLay's leadership committee, Americans for a Republican Majority. He made the donation one day so he could play golf the next at a DeLay fundraiser in Orlando, Fla.

Another of Buckham's client happens to be linked to former Congressman Duke Cunningham who is now sentenced to 8 years and 4 months incarceration.

From 2002 through last year, Group W Advisers paid Buckham's company $630,000 to seek government contracts and earmarks in defense appropriations bills. Group W was owned by Brent Wilkes of San Diego and his family-owned group of defense contractors: ADCS Inc. and PerfectWave Technologies LLC., a company marketing speech recognition technology to the Department of Defense. Buckham became the lobbyist for Wilkes' interests effective on April 1, 2002.

Within two weeks, Wilkes, his executives and ADCS donated $45,000 to ARMPAC so one of their executives could play golf with DeLay, FEC records show.

Folks it looks like DeLay felt his noose getting tighter by the day.

Technorati : Tom DeLay, Duke Cunningham, Brent Wilkes, TRMPAC, Ed Buckham, Tony Rudy, Questerra

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