Latina Lista has a post about a new group I Am An American. Their purpose is to organize Latinos who are citizens:
"I Am A Proud American," seeks to utilize technology in order to build a grassroots coalition for pro-active advocacy. We also hope to educate our community about critical issues of our time in hopes of empowering individuals and groups to combine efforts to participate in the civic process. Finally, we will work in partnership to peacefully break down barriers, and to positively participate and affect our respective communities in a meaningful way. We take pride in who we are, and where we come from. We love our country, we are proud to be Americans.
This is a start, but SOMEONE should get on TV and represent.
Lou Dobbs and the rest of the haters can say anything on immigration for hours straight and not get called out.
CNN prime time yesterday, was pretty much one-sided immigrant bashing. During two hours of Lou Dobbs/Anderson Cooper. Lou Dobbs, apart from reporters, hadtwo Latinos on, the Mayor of L.A., and Miguel Perez a columnist - who was the only one who was on for a significant amount of time, and that was as one of three commentators in a panel. Anderson Cooper, meanwhile outside of a blurb of Governor Bill Richardson had no one. Cooper interviewed the scary-sounding Sheriff Arpai of Maricopa County, Arizona, who has formed his own private "posse" to round up, jail and charge undocumented workers with a felony. That is scary, and yet he had no one on to say anything against this craziness.
We need articulate, smart, moderate sounding, reasonable, spokespeople who also have a backbone and can bring it on, when the time comes.
So where are the Latino writers, politicians, lawyers, business types, academics, the marketing and advertising types???? There are enough of them out there.
2 comments:
I'm not clear where you're coming from or where you stand on this. There's a difference between "immigrant bashing" - clearly racist - and "illegal immigrant bashing" - may be interpretted as let's try respectingthe law and holding those accountable that don't. My wife waited five years to get her visa (long before she met me), and immigrated legally. Her friend crossed illegally and then wanted us to house and support her. Just one example, and I don't base my whole outlook on this, but what is wrong about a country wanted to have some control over who comes in and begins to feed off its social services? The US can certainly handle a great number of immigrants and more often than not they put our present day "American work ethic" to shame. Fine, ensure they have the opportunity to come in legally, but those that come in (and came in) illegally, return to start, do not pass go, do not collect $200.
Norman, I agree there are legitimate concerns over immigration and border protection. Hell, I want troops with geiger counters stationed on BOTH borders, because I don't want to get blown up.
I want people representing a responsible point of view in favor of immigration speaking up against the critics on TV.
My beef is with people like Lou Dobbs who do nothing but repeat old slogans over and over again. People watch him, and buy into it, without knowing full facts, or being exposed to other opinions. Dobbs, Tancredo, and Buchanan are no different than Evo Morales or Hugo Chavez who also turn concerns on free trade, into blanket condemnations of trade, and bashing anything having to do with the private sector and the US. Same goes with repeating slogans against "illegal" immigrants, it seems to turn into an anti-legal iimmigration, and among some folks an anti-latin thing.
And, from a self-interest POV being second generation, and having relatives who are both citizens and not, I am really concerned with draconian enforcement measures that might punish anyone helping undocumented. Before you know it, that crazy Colombian brother-in-law gets kicked out, and guess who is facing charges??? You can also see friends having to deal with this, because they might have helped their mother or a brother. It goes on and on.
-- For your story of one bad illegal...I can tell you a bunch of good ones. Heck, I know business owners and many home-owners who are undocumented.
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