Monthly Archives: April 2009

¡PRESENTE!

My friend Nezua, the Unapologetic Mexican, announces a new website to bring Latinos together… ¡PRESENTE!

OVER AND OVER we hear about The Hispanic Vote™ and The Latino/a Vote® and it is a real thing we are talking about in all of this. Our people—nuestra gente—have long been a force in this land, be it under the golden sun harvesting the corn that has for thousands of years fed our antepasados (ancestors) or away from the sun and working hard in US places of business or doing so much to build strong familias together, as las mujeres—the women—among us are known for historically. We are a beautiful and long enduring people, and responsible for so much creation here that sustains us today: Art, Literature, Food, Clothing, Song.

And yet, our voices have yet to be utilized and enjoined in a way that can efficiently organize around the issues that affect our communities. Don’t mistake what I say: the Latina/o (or “Hispanic”) community is famous for its ability to organize on the local level, and we are proud of this. And that is why it is time to continue to tie this ability and history together and bring it to an even higher level.

Here’s the release:

Dear Friends,

On May 1st, thousands of us will take to the streets to demand an end to immigration policies that marginalize and dehumanize millions of our people. Our presence will be historic and important, but we must not stop there. Latinos have long been a driving force behind the economy of the United States, but we have yet to speak with a unified political voice that forces our government to do right by all of us. We can—and starting today, with your help, we will.

That’s why we’re launching Presente.org. Our goal is to create a broad-based online community of Latinos and our allies strong enough to make the United States honor its promises and protect our people. We’re starting with immigration, but we won’t stop there—we’ll provide you with ongoing opportunities to make change on the issues that most affect our communities.

The only thing we need now is you. Our power is in our voices and our numbers. It starts by affirming a simple pledge: to stand up and speak out for the interests of Latino communities. Please join us, and just as important, invite your friends and family to do the same:

President Obama has pledged to push for immigration reform, and other politicians are also with us. For the first time in a generation, we have a real chance to drastically change our country’s immigration policy, impacting the lives of millions of friends, family members, and coworkers. But we can’t rely on politicians to pass real and just reforms. There are strong forces who stand against us, and they’ve made it clear that they will fight true reform at every step of the way.

We know that real change will only happen if everyday people speak with a strong, unified voice. That’s what Presente.org seeks to make possible. On immigration and beyond, we’ll use the Internet and national media to hold our leaders accountable, making our political presence accurately reflect our importance to this country. Click here to stand up and be counted, and show the world how large our movement really is:

Thank you,
The Presente.org team

Although Fairey’s shows the human face of the issue, we must still remember that there are still battles to be fought.

After 100 whole days, I must say President Obama has done as much as would be expected from a Democrat. A recent poll stated that Americans seem to like how he has juggled domestic and international issues; however, there is one issue he has yet to truly push–Comprehensive Immigration Reform.

Given that Arlen Specter is now siding with the Democrats, and although he states he won’t be 100% on our side, I must say he’s not too bad on immigration reform. In fact, he’s probably better than dumbocrats like the Buzzcut from Montana, the Mouth that Ate Mizzou, and others. He’s surely better than Rep. Massa from New York who is freaking out and wants to seal the boundary. So, some on the pro-migrant side may seem a little excited about Specter. American Prospect’s Dana Goldstein, though, not so much.

Alongside President Bush, Arlen Specter was a consistent Republican supporter of comprehensive immigration reform. Given the Obama administration’s recent murmuring about prioritizing the issue — a commitment some have doubted — the loss of bipartisan support could represent a setback for immigrants’ rights.

Of course, when he was a Republican, Specter did have a pretty idiotic idea.

Specter wrote a Washington Post op-ed outlining a third approach he believed would gain more GOP support: giving green cards to the nation’s 12 million undocumented immigrants, but withholding citizenship and the right to vote. That, of course, would prevent an influx to Democratic Party voting rolls.

Now that he’s a Democrat, will this change?

What I hope is that he will show some leadership, support at the very least the original Kennedy plan, and show the dumbocrats how to vote. And, apparently, I’m not the only one that names names of dumbocrats.

On the Democratic side, a number of senators from swing and Rust Belt states voted against comprehensive immigration reform in 2007, including Claire McCaskill of Missouri, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Jim Webb of Virginia, Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia, Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, and Jon Tester and Max Baucus of Montana.

As always, even with President Obama in office, I’ll take a wait and see attitude while expecting some true progressivism from my Party on comprehensive immigration reform.

So, given that President Obama has juggled things nicely, yet he has pussy-footed around comprehensive immigration reform, I’ll give him a B+.

Work on it, Mr. Prez.

Thanks to our friends at MediaMatters for pointing out that the right-wing media and their member-organizations are hard at work blaming Latinos and immigrants for the flu.

Here are some examples they provide:

Savage: “Make no mistake about it: Illegal aliens are the carriers of the new strain of human-swine avian flu from Mexico.” I’ll tell you what I’m going to do, and I don’t give a damn if you don’t like what I’m going to say. I’m going to have no contact anywhere with an illegal alien, and that starts in the restaurants.” He added, “I will have no any illegal alien workers around me. I will not have them in any of my properties, I will not have them anywhere near me.”

Boortz: “[W]hat better way to sneak a virus into this country than give it to Mexicans? Right? I mean, one out of every 10 people born in Mexico is already living up here, and the rest are trying to get here. And, you know, then just spread a rumor that there’s construction jobs available somewhere, and here it comes.”

Malkin: 9/11 didn’t convince the open-borders zealots to put down their race cards and confront reality. Maybe the threat of their sons or daughters contracting a deadly virus spread from south of the border to their Manhattan prep schools will.”

Beck: “But if you are a family and you’re down in Mexico and you’re dying and those in America are not, why wouldn’t you flood this border? Why wouldn’t you come across this border? It’s exactly what I warned of — different scenario, different reason of — I was talking about economic collapse. People start to come and rush this border, then what happens? Gee, it would be nice if we had some border security.”

I’m waiting for the first Republican Congressman to move his mouth about this. Ted? Culby? McStupid? Heart Attack? What have y’all got to say?

Leave it to the folks at the Houston Public Library to avoid taking advantage of a local cultural celebration. On their website is that announcement that giving a talk at the Central Library on Cinco de Mayo is none other than…Cokie Roberts.

Now, I don’t have much against Cokie. I just wish the Library could have gotten some up and coming Latin@ writer. Heck, a major one would have done just fine, too.

Oh well. An Opportunity lost.

If one has visited any article on the swine flu in Chron.com, all one has to do is read the hateful, racist comments to find out that the flu will now be blamed on immigrants and Mexico. That it will be used in this next debate on the DREAM Act and Immigration reform.

One can expect heightened hatred from the nationalists, who have already used the “immigrants bring disease” argument to incite even more fear mongering.

Here’s the Family Guy tribute to Maude:

And one of my favorite scenes from Golden Girls–Sofia & Dorothy Sing “I Got You Babe”.

Just found this 2005 video on the ‘Tube. Los Texmaniacs performing Ando Buscando Un Amor and El Troquero. They’ll be performing a couple of shows at I-Fest this weekend.

And Jay Perez performing Dame Tu Corazon.

Oh, The Hate Mail!
I got some hate mail. The right-wing-nut is so dumb, he manages to call me a racist, and then tells me to go back “down south.” Apparently, he didn’t like my use of Pro-Migrant to describe those of us who support the migrant community, or as the media calls them, “illegal immigrants.” It’s like Professor Jose Angel Gutierrez has stated, at best these folks are migrants because all they are doing is migrating from one part of their original homeland to another. So, for this, I’m racist? Silly bigot.

Racist is this idiot by the name of dwilliford001@comcast.net. Racist is that group in Austin spreading lies about the “cost” of immigrants in Texas. And racist are those groups that Napolitano’s folks have targeted in their report. No wonder Republicans defend them! That’s their voting base! Just ask Rick Perry.

Did You Know?
Joe Biden was in Texas long enough to raise some bucks and then he left! I guess we’re still the dispensary for dollars until we prove we can win a statewide race.

Carlos Guerra Makes Us All Rethink Our Values
San Antonio Express-News columnist Carlos Guerra gives us a poignant article about a San Antonio priest and his Harley. Says Carlos, “What values did I rethink? My attachment to material possessions.”

I Must Say I Agree
Commentary has a post today on Martin Frost’s regaling of Tom Schieffer, Dumbya’s buddy running as a Dem for Gov. Says Commentary, “The notion that only a “moderate” Dem can win in the Lone Star State needs rethinking. All it means is that you either have to be a White Dem Male 50 years plus or have to run “GOP Lite” which also means that the base doesn’t get excited. Haven’t we learned?”

I tend to agree, but, it would seem Schieffer doesn’t mind moving to the left, when needed, as was described to me by a family member who met the guy and heard him speak. Still, that Martin Frost likes him doesn’t necessarily excite me.

Now, there’s this thing about a Latino or Latina running. I wouldn’t mind seeing one at the top of the state ticket; however, whomever wants to run better decide soon. It’s “get off the pot” time, and we shouldn’t be waiting to be begged to run. Of course, that may be an indication of future fundraising ability–the not being begged to run, that is.

It Wasn’t Me!!!
Thanks to the Metro cops who caught the 17 year old thug who had been breaking windows and stealing stuff from cars at the Kingwood Park & Ride. Frankly, and based on the name only, I’m just glad it wasn’t a Latino. I already get enough dirty looks from the town bigots as it is!

Speaker Talk
Say, there’s this big dinner that a certain political party has every year. And say, they are seeking a speaker for that big dinner. Who would you like to see speaking at that dinner?

I wouldn’t mind seeing Secretary Hilda Solis, perhaps AG Eric Holder. Or maybe some big-state Gov. like Ed Rendell. What do you think?