Topics in this digest:
1. FW: THE PRICE OF A MEXICAN
From: Marinez, Juan
2. FW: Two Chicken Stories: NAFTA's Real Winners and Losers
From: Marinez, Juan
3. support for Asian Pacific Cultural Center in St. Paul
From: Francisco J. Gonzalez
4. Diversity Dialogue of Southern Minnesota
From: Francisco J. Gonzalez
5. Iranian Nobel Peace Prize in St. Paul 4/25
From: Francisco J. Gonzalez
6. Activism and justice upcoming events
From: Francisco J. Gonzalez
7. FW: Lawmaker stuns Colo. House by calling [Mexican]farmworkers 'ill
From: Marinez, Juan
8. FW: Arizona Legislation will attempt to outlaw MEChA& Chicano Studie
From: Marinez, Juan
9. Immigration: End the Widow Penalty
From: Francisco J. Gonzalez
10. Hispanic lawmakers call House Democrats 'spineless' on immigration
From: Francisco J. Gonzalez
Messages
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1. FW: THE PRICE OF A MEXICAN
Posted by: "Marinez, Juan" marinezj@anr.msu.edu
Date: Wed Apr 23, 2008 6:23 am ((PDT))
COLUMN OF THE AMERICAS
APRIL 14, 2008
BY ROBERTO DR. CINTLI RODRIGUEZ
THE PRICE OF A MEXICAN
In early December, a Mexican family is pulled over by a Tucson police
officer who promptly calls immigration officers to the scene. In the
meantime, a passenger, Miriam Aviles-Reyes, goes into early labor on
the street. While her husband is deported, she is taken to a hospital.
There, an immigration agent prods her to "push." Outraged, she demands
that he leave the hospital room. After he leaves, she gives birth, and
is subsequently ordered to leave the country by the end of the month.
Appeals to allow her and her newborn to keep their doctor appointments
are denied.
Not coincidentally, her departure was set to coincide one day before a
new draconian anti-immigrant law (HB 2779) in Arizona went into
effect.
As abhorrent as this traumatically induced birth was, she is actually
one of the "lucky" ones. This is a part of the country in which since
the mid-1990s, some 5,000 migrants from Mexico, Central and South
America have died attempting to cross inhospitable deserts and
mountains for a chance to work in this country. Many others die in
horrific crashes as smugglers increasingly attempt to evade "the
migra." Some are killed by rogue agents, whereas many women are
sexually assaulted. Few perpetrators are ever convicted. This is also
minutemen vigilante country. It is where migrants get blamed for the
failure of politicians to pass just and humane labor and immigration
agreements. As a result, migrants continue to die and millions of
dollars continue to be wasted to erect walls of fear and hate along
the southern border.
Similar to the more than 1,000 laws that have recently passed
nationwide, the Arizona law panders to those that scapegoat Mexicans
for the nation's problems. They also conflate immigration enforcement
with the "war on terror" and the need to "protect the homeland." This
state law severely punishes employers for hiring undocumented
immigrants. Not unexpectedly, along with hate crimes, reports of
employment harassment and discrimination are on the rise.
Down the highway, under the guise of crime suppression, Maricopa
County Sheriff Joe Arpaio has gone wild, initiating massive dragnet
raids that target Mexicans, resembling a modern version of "Indian
Removal." Similar raids are taking place around the country, though
not against Canadians or Europeans, etc (nor should they). Nowadays,
there are special inhumane holding facilities for immigrant children
and families (T.D. Hutto Res. Ctr, Taylor, TX) - run by the for-profit
Correction Corporation of America (CCA). There are also expedited
immigration courts on military bases (Davis Monthan Air Force Base)
with the objective of criminalizing en masse as many migrants as
possible. Also profiting from such kangaroo courts is CCA.
The entire country is going through a convulsion, fueled by fears over
who belongs and who doesn't. Mexicans have gone from being "others" to
enemies. Extremists want them all deported - regardless of their legal
status. Yet even some "progressives" see them as but part of a
subservient class. Yet, there is hope.
At the recent annual banquet in Tucson held by the Coalicion de
Derechos Humanos organization, I approach a woman with a cane.
Sometimes I see her walking with the aid of two canes. I ask Raquel
Rubio Goldsmith, an immigration rights veteran and the director of the
University of Arizona's Binational Migration Institute, how she
maintains her sanity in this environment.
She says few words. It's her eyes that tell the story. Her eyes do not
well up nor is there a sign of anger. Instead they reflect
exasperation, not with right-wingers, but with the complacent middle.
Thousands of migrants die and people just go on with their lives,
unmoved to action.
At this banquet, Gerald Lenoir, head of the Black Alliance for Just
Immigration, delivers the keynote address and along with it hope as he
links the historic struggle of the African American community with the
struggle for the dignity of migrants - peoples who are nowadays
viewed as less than human. By his very presence, both he and Derechos
Humanos show a different way.
After a subsequent conference (No Vale Nada la Vida? - Is life not
worth anything?) in which death on the border is the focus - with lots
of disturbing imagery - I again ask Rubio-Goldsmith how she maintains
her sanity amid the indifference. The exasperation she feels also
extends to the media, she confides: "me dan tanta rabia" (the media
infuriate me), she says.
What I really want to ask her is: What indeed is the price of a
Mexican? A few years back, a Texas court determined it was $4,000.
However, in today's climate, it's probably worth about as much as that
of an Iraqi. Yet I think of the migrants that are continually found in
the desert and I ponder Rubio-Goldsmith's reactions.
(c) Column of the Americas 2008
Rodriguez can be contacted at: XColumn@gmail.com
For updates regarding immigration related issues, go to:
http://www.derechoshumanosaz.net
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2. FW: Two Chicken Stories: NAFTA's Real Winners and Losers
Posted by: "Marinez, Juan" marinezj@anr.msu.edu
Date: Wed Apr 23, 2008 7:09 am ((PDT))
Two Chicken Stories: NAFTA's Real Winners and Losers
Laura Carlsen | April 17, 2008
00')>
20Realities%20of%20NAFTA%20%7C%20Laura%20Carlsen#comments>
Americas Program, Center for International Policy (CIP)
americas.irc-online.org
http://americas.irc-online.org/am/5159?utm_source=streamsend&utm_medium=
email&utm_content=547431&utm_campaign=Two%20Chicken%20Stories%3A%20The%2
0Realities%20of%20NAFTA%20%7C%20Laura%20Carlsen
Pedro Martin works on a chicken farm just outside the village of
Pegueros, Jalisco. The state of Jalisco ranks among Mexico's top
chicken-producing states, providing the nation with 11% of all chicken
meat produced.
Many of Pedro's friends and relatives have already left Pegueros, pushed
up north by the bleak joblessness and poverty of their hometown. But
Pedro told the Washington Post that he's determined to stick it out in
Mexico.
For many years, he and his co-workers had little reason to even consider
making the dangerous trek across the border. They made a decent living
at the chicken farm, and the locally-produced chickens found a steady
market in the region.
But since all protective tariff barriers to U.S. imports were removed on
January 1st of this year, Pedro's not sure he'll have a job anymore.
Chicken wasn't originally on the list for final tariff elimination in
2008. It was slated for zero tariffs and import controls for the year
2003.
Faced with an influx of U.S. chicken exports, the industry convinced the
Mexican government that "imports cause a threat of serious damage to the
national industry." The government asked for a safeguard to restore
tariff protection, and it was pushed back to 2008.
The negotiation wasn't that hard. U.S. producers didn't oppose the
measure since the export of leg quarters to Mexico is merely
supplementary income for them. U.S. producers in general make up costs
plus profit just through the sale of the coveted breast meat on the U.S.
market. The Mexican industry alleged that U.S. poultry producers were
"dumping" (exporting below costs) the leg quarters on their market.
Lorenzo Martin, president of the neighboring Tepatitlan Poultry Farmers
Association and the head of a large, well-established poultry farm in
the area warns, "If the United States starts selling things extra cheap
outside the United States, then it won't just be small farmers and
individuals who will be leaving. It will be people like me."
Some of Mexico's chicken farmers displaced from their own communities
could end up working in substandard conditions in poultry processing
plants in the United States. The world's largest poultry producer,
Tyson, has been sued twice now for operating an illegal immigrant
smuggling operation that included recruiting in Mexico, providing false
documents, and employing undocumented workers. A class action suit
charged that these practices enabled the company to drive down wages by
10-30%.
In a 2005 Human Rights Watch report
worker at one of its Arkansas plants stated in Spanish, "They have us
under threat [bajo amenaza] all the time. They know most of us are
undocumented-probably two-thirds. All they care about is getting bodies
into the plant. My supervisor said they say they'll call the INS if we
make trouble." Although ample evidence was presented on both hiring and
recruiting practices, the politically powerful Arkansas-based
transnational beat the rap.
Tyson also controls, along with Pilgrim's Pride and the Mexican company
Bachoco, 52% of chicken production in Mexico today, thanks in large part
to favorable foreign investment rules under NAFTA. These factory farms
typically lead to lay-offs and increased pollution. The rapid
concentration of poultry production in Mexico has been called a threat
to food sovereignty for future generations.
NAFTA promised win-win economic integration throughout the continent.
These two chicken stories do add up to a win-win-but only for the likes
of Tyson.
Tyson wins when it takes over the Mexican market share and drives
Pedro's company out of business. It wins again when it hires Pedro, now
unemployed, as an undocumented worker in a U.S. plant. Meanwhile, for
its workers-migrants and native, documented and undocumented-corporate
mobility coupled with repressive immigration laws means lower wages,
fewer benefits, and less power in the employer-employee relationship
both abroad and at home.
If we add in U.S. government corn and soybean subsidies that have
delivered an estimated $1.25 billion a year in feedstock savings to
Tyson and its three closest competitors, things could hardly be better
for the food giant.
This is the single most important thing to understand about NAFTA-who
are the winners and the losers. Tyson's win-win scenario is a lose-lose
for Pedro and thousands like him. The international system is rigged to
strengthen the hand of mega-corporations and weaken small farmers,
workers, women producers, and migrants.
The good news is that we can create a new win-win scenario. We can
reform immigration policies to integrate workers legally into the system
and provide full labor rights so they are not, by their very existence,
unfair competition to U.S.-born workers. We can guarantee the right to
organize, the only route open to evening up the imbalances and
inequality of the system.
We can also heed the call of small farmers in Mexico and even U.S.
presidential candidates and renegotiate NAFTA to create and maintain
decent jobs in both Mexico and the United States.
Laura Carlsen (lcarlsen(@)ciponline.org) is director of the Americas
Policy Program www.americaspolicy.org
in Mexico City. The Americas Mexico Blog is found at
www.americasmexico.blogspot.com
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3. support for Asian Pacific Cultural Center in St. Paul
Posted by: "Francisco J. Gonzalez" guajataca01@yahoo.com guajataca01
Date: Wed Apr 23, 2008 7:56 am ((PDT))
support for Asian Pacific Cultural Center in St. Paul
Five weeks left in the session: Can the APCC come
back?
http://www.aapress.com/index.php?subaction=showfull&id=1208574609&archive=&start_from=&ucat=3&
Governor Pawlenty used his line item veto to remove
funding for the Asian Pacific Cultural Center in the
bill sent to him by the Legislature. There is still an
opportunity to gain the Governor’s support for the
project, however, say community leaders.
(St. Paul) The citizens, lawmakers and businesses of
Minnesota already know about the Asian Pacific
Cultural Center, and they understand the benefits to
the community and its importance to the state’s
economy. Now what must be conveyed is the urgent need
to convince Governor Pawlenty that the APCC is worth
funding. These are the sentiments of Naomi Chu of the
Asian Pacific Cultural Center. She and others,
including Adeel Lari, Board Chair, met on Tuesday
afternoon to discuss the Governor’s veto of the
project’s funding, which was included in the bill sent
to him by the legislature, as well as a strategic plan
on how to move forward.
“After thinking for the past week, we have not come up
with any alternatives,” said Mr. Lari. “I believe the
Cultural Center will be built, “but without bonding,
the vision of that site, right now, that goes away.”
The Asian Pacific Cultural Center, or APCC, was
incorporated as non profit ten years ago when the
diverse Asian American Communities in Minnesota
decided that they would all benefit by working
together to build a place “to celebrate, promote and
foster understanding of Asian Pacific cultural
heritage.” The state of Minnesota has already invested
$400,000 in the project and APCC was granted rights to
develop a portion of the former Hamm Brewery site in
St. Paul. This money will be wasted if APCC is not
build at the Hamm brewery site, says Adeel Lari.
Members of the APCC are confused about why Pawlenty
would veto funding for Center, which amounted to five
million dollars in the current bonding bill, prior to
the veto. There are over 200,000 Asian Americans
living in Minnesota, but the Cultural Center would
benefit the entire state. “The legislature obviously
supports this project – they included it in the
bonding bill in the first place” said Adeel Lari. He
is all the more confused, he says, because the project
parallels the Governor’s own agenda. “People say,
‘this is the Asian Century.’ These countries are the
rising economic powers. Governor Pawlenty recognized
this, taking trade missions to China and India.” He
feels a center like this will be an important economic
and development tool for the state of Minnesota,
helping businesses understand Asian cultures and take
advantage of international opportunities.
These opportunities have been recognized by other
states, as well – no less than five delegations from
other states throughout the nation were in Asia at the
same time as Governor Pawlenty, also trying to find a
way to be involved there. “The sooner the center
happens, the sooner we have an advantage over other
states.”
A strong public-private partnership has grown in
support of the Asian Pacific Cultural Center. The
state funding in this year’s bonding bill is a vital
component of the estimated 18 million needed to build
the center, the rest of which will come from a
coalition of private donors, the federal government,
the City of St. Paul, Minnesota businesses, private
foundations, and other sources. Not having the funding
of the State of Minnesota has serious implications for
the public-private partnership, however. The current
vision for the Center is not viable in the absence of
the five million dollars in the current bill. “The
Governor’s veto is the only thing standing the way of
this project’s success.”
Members of the Center’s Board of Directors emphasized
that they were very surprised the Governor vetoed
funding. “This is very much a bipartisan project that
has support from around the state, not only in St.
Paul. This is not simply a St. Paul project – most of
the people on the Board are not from St. Paul, many
are from outside the Cities.” Besides the large
population of Asian Minnesotans, many other
stakeholders have interest in seeing the APCC become a
reality. People who love and support Asian arts and
cultures, children that have been adopted and their
families, and the many businesses that recognize the
Center as an important link have advocated for the
project.
In regards to an immediate plan of action to rescue
the Cultural Center, Adeel Lari and Naomi Chu say the
goal is to get included in a supplemental bill. The
call on supporters of the APCC who have relationships
with the Governor and his office to have conversations
on behalf of the project in order to convince Pawlenty
of its necessity. They are calling on the community to
inundate the Governor’s office with support for the
APCC. “Minnesotans see the value of this project. We
hope the governor sees the value as well.”
The Legislature has already done its part, they say.
They have written the bill. If Pawlenty wants to
support funding for the APCC, it will go through, they
say. The legislature needs an indication from the
Governor’s office, otherwise, “why try twice.” “It is
in the Governor’s hands. The Governor and nobody else.
He vetoed it, it’s his responsibility to put it back
in.”
To contact the Office of Governor Tim Pawlenty, call
651-296-3391or send an email to
tim.pawlenty@state.mn.us
Naomi Chu at The Asian Pacific Cultural Center can be
reached at nchu@apccmn.org.
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4. Diversity Dialogue of Southern Minnesota
Posted by: "Francisco J. Gonzalez" guajataca01@yahoo.com guajataca01
Date: Wed Apr 23, 2008 8:41 am ((PDT))
Diversity Dialogue of Southern Minnesota
Luncheon & Panel Discussion
Save the Date:
Thursday, May 8, 2008
12:30 - 4:30 pm
12:30 -1:15 pm: Lunch provided by Diversity Dialogue
of Southern Minnesota
1:20 - 2:30 pm: Demographics Presentation by Barbara
Roningen, State Demography Office
2:35 - 4:15 pm: Panel Discussion
4:20 pm: Close
Location:
South Central Services Cooperative
2075 Lookout Drive
North Mankato, MN 56003
Directions: From Hwy 14 through Mankato , take County
Road 13/Lookout Drive and go north approximately 1
mile to South Central Services Cooperative, 2075
Lookout Drive, North Mankato .
Topic:
Engaging Southern Minnesota's Changing Demographics
and Fostering an Environment for Inclusion
Please RSVP to: dvdialog@umn.edu
There is no fee to attend, but reservations are
required.
For further information call:
Diversity Dialogue of Southern Minnesota
c/o Lois Kennis 507-536-6309
Funded by
SOUTHERN MINNESOTA INITIATIVE FOUNDATION
Diversity Dialogue of Southern Minnesota
Diversity Dialogue Steering Committee
c/o University of Minnesota Extension
863 30th Avenue SE Rochester , MN 55904-4915
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5. Iranian Nobel Peace Prize in St. Paul 4/25
Posted by: "Francisco J. Gonzalez" guajataca01@yahoo.com guajataca01
Date: Wed Apr 23, 2008 8:41 am ((PDT))
Friday @ Hamline: Shirin Ebadi, Nobel Laureate
Posted by: "Eric Angell" eric-angell@riseup.net
eangellii
Tue Apr 22, 2008 5:55 pm (PDT)
"The Roots of Chaos in the Middle East"
Presented by Shirin Ebadi, Nobel Laureate
Friday, April 25, 7 pm
Hamline University's Sundin Music Hall
1531 Hewitt Avenue, St. Paul
An Iranian lawyer and human rights activist, Dr. Ebadi
was awarded the
Nobel Peace Prize in 2003 for her significant and
pioneering efforts in
democracy and the rights of women and children.
Free and open to the public
Call 651-523-2223
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6. Activism and justice upcoming events
Posted by: "Francisco J. Gonzalez" guajataca01@yahoo.com guajataca01
Date: Wed Apr 23, 2008 9:28 am ((PDT))
Interns Needed
Interested in learning activist skills? Want to work
on the RNC demonstration? You can volunteer one day
a week or more this summer with the Anti-War
Committee. We will construct an internship
opportunity for you where you get to learn the types
of skills you are interested in. If you can get your
school or university to give you credit for this
experience we are willing to help with the appropriate
paper work.
Email us at info@antiwarcommitt ee.org to set up an
opportunity to speak with our intern coordinator.
Please leave a phone number you can be reached at in
your message.
Volunteer Day: Volunteer for Peace
SAT, 4/26 at noon @ Anti-War Committee Office, 1313
5th St. SE, Rm 213
Bring your creativity and energy to paint signs, do
data entry, make buttons, etc. Artistic skills
welcome, but not required.
What will it take to end the war in Iraq? Event with
Jodie Evans, national co-founder of CODEPINK: Women
for Peace
TUES, 4/29 @ 7 pm @ Betsy's Back Porch Coffee, 5447
Nicollet Ave S, Minneapolis (corner of Nicollet &
Diamond Lake Rd.)
Jodie has been a community, social, and political
organizer for the last 30 years. She has used her
skills to protect the earth, to give voice to
communities who go unheard and unseen, to advocate for
human and civil rights, to protect the rights of
women, to raise the minimum wage for farm workers, and
most recently to call for an end to the U.S.
occupation of Iraq.
Jodie will address the following topics in a
presentation and discussion: Success and challenges
of the anti-war movement, New strategies for ending
the war, and Protest at this fall's Republican
National Convention. Everyone is welcome. Sponsored
by MN CODEPINK:Women for Peace, Email:
mncodepink@gmail. com or call: 651-769-4474
Stand Up for the Right to March on the RNC to Stop the
War
THURS, 5/ 1 @ 11:00 a.m. @ Minnesota State Capitol,
West Steps, 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Boulevard, St. Paul
Due to a legality, we can and must maintain a number
of marches on this route regularly, in order to be
able to obtain a permit to march against war when the
RNC comes to town in September 1. Gather at the
Minnesota State Capitol, march past the Xcel Center
and return to the State Capitol. City officials have
been dragging their feet on granting permits for a
major antiwar march on September 1, 2008, set to
coincide with the Republican National Convention (RNC)
being held in St. Paul at that time. The Coalition to
March on the RNC and Stop the War will be marching the
planned route regularly between now and the
convention. Interested in being a peace marshal: Call
Marie Braun, 612-522-1861. Info: Coalition to March
on the RNC and Stop the War, 612-234-8774 or online at
marchonrnc.org
Immigration March on International Workers Day
THURS, 5/1 @ 2:00 p.m.@ Corner of Kellogg and Robert,
St. Paul
March to the State Capital to demand a stop to all
raids and deportations of immigrants. Call for the
immediate and unconditional legalization for all!
Join the anti-war section with the Anti-War Committee!
Organized by: the May 1st Coalition, Info:
651-389-9174.
May Day Parade & Festival: March and Table for Peace
SUN, 5/4, all day, Powderhorn Park, Mpls
The parade starts at 1pm and tabling goes from 1 -
5pm. This is one of our biggest outreach efforts of
the year. Interested in marching or volunteering for
the Anti-War Committee at this progressive festival?
Email (info@antiwarcommitt ee.org) or call us
(612.379.3899) .
New Members' Meeting: Join the Anti-War Committee
THURS, 5/15 @ 7pm @ 1313 5th St. SE, Mpls (Dinkytown),
conference room 102A
Interested in organizing against the war? Want to
build for major demonstrations at the RNC this
September? Come help organize events to stop the war.
New people are welcome every week, but this meeting
is designed to be especially for new people.
Questions? info@antiwarcommitt ee.org or
612.379.3899.
IRAQ: Five years of war and occupation with Sami
Rasouli
THURS, 5/15 @ 7 pm @ Church of St. William 6120 5th St
NE, Fridley
Sami Rasouli is an Iraqi American who has spent the
last three years living in the city of Najaf, Iraq and
traveling throughout Iraq in his work with the Muslim
Peacemaker Teams (MPT). Sami, who has lived and worked
for many years in the Twin Cities before going back to
live and work in Iraq will talk about "the surge" and
the on-going U.S. military occupation, his work for
peace and national reconciliation, and the projects of
the MPT. He will also share stories of the people he
has met and give a first hand account of conditions in
Iraq today.
Sponsored by: The Social Justice Committee of St
Williams.
Art-A-Whirl with Mizna
5/16 – 18 @ Mizna office, 2205 California Street NE
#109A, Minneapolis.
Visit Mizna in their office and get a chance to see
where it all happens during Northeast's Art-a-Whirl.
A complimentary journal for every visitor who mentions
this email. For more information: http://www.mizna.
org
Al-Nakba: Say NO to more massacres of Palestinians!
SAT, 5/17 @ 1pm @ Loring Park, Minneapolis
Al-Nakba, "the Catastrophe", coincides with the
anniversary of the
founding of the modern state of Israel and the theft
of large tracts of Palestinian land. Since Israel was
founded 60 years ago, millions of Palestinians have
been forced to become refugees and thousands of
Palestinians have been killed. This year has been
especially brutal on the people of Gaza. Yet the
Palestinians continue to struggle for their rights,
their land and their resources. This demonstration is
to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people and
against U.S. aid to Israel. Organized by the Coalition
for Palestinian Rights (CPR) and endorsed by the
Anti-War Committee. FFI: Call Sarah Martin at
612-437-0222.
Journal Release Party with invited writer Susan
Abulhawa.
5/22 @ 7:30 pm, @ Open Book, 1011 Washington Avenue
South, Minneapolis, $5
Join Mizna to celebrate their publication of Volume
10, Issue 1 of their literary journal—the Family
Issue. See local writers read from their work and
join them for a reception. This event is coupled with
the visit of Arab American writer, Susan Abulhawa.
Cosponsored by the Loft, Dunn Bros Coffee and the
University of Minnesota. Mizna is a forum for Arab
American art. For more information: http://www.mizna.
org
Mizna: Latitudes Program Featuring Samah Fahmy, Sarah
Ahmed, Charlotte Albrecht, Naj Bagdadi, and Saed
Kakish
8/21-24, Pangea World Theater, 711 West Lake Street,
Minneapolis. 7:30 pm.
Join us for the celebration of Mizna's second group of
regranting recipients. This presentation, directed by
Dipankar Mukherjee, is a result of one years worth of
workshops and meetings. Mizna is a forum for Arab
American art. For more information:
http://www.mizna. org.
March on the RNC and Stop the War, September 1, 2008 –
St. Paul, MN
U.S. Out of Iraq Now! Money for human needs, not for
war
Say no to the Republican agenda Demand peace, justice
& equality
Make plans now to join the anti-war rally and march in
St. Paul on Labor Day, September 1st.
As the Republicans name a pro-war candidate, let's
remind them that we demand an end to the war and
occupation of Iraq now.
We have a chance to speak out and to be heard. The
media from many countries will be at the convention.
We can let the rest of the world know that the
majority of Americans demand a stop to the illegal and
immoral war and occupation of Iraq.
It is up to us to stand up and say "no" to a war that
costs $12 billion a month. Human needs in the U.S. and
around the world go unmet because of the war budget.
The war steals the future of Iraqi and other children
and grandchildren. We demand that money be spent on
human needs, not war.
Let's use Labor Day to stand in solidarity with
anti-war forces around the world, especially in Iraq.
. Let's make September 1, 2008, a day that the war
mongers will remember as a day that the anti-war
movement stood up to them. Together, we can change the
world.
Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War,
marchonrnc.org / 612-234-8774
--
Meredith Aby
Anti-War Committee
(antiwarcommittee. org)
Coalition to March on the RNC & End the War
(marchonrnc.org and protestrnc2008. org)
Colombia Action Network (colombiasolidarity. org)
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7. FW: Lawmaker stuns Colo. House by calling [Mexican]farmworkers 'ill
Posted by: "Marinez, Juan" marinezj@anr.msu.edu
Date: Wed Apr 23, 2008 11:03 am ((PDT))
> Lawmaker stuns Colo. House by calling farmworkers 'illiterate
peasants'
>
> A Colorado legislator who was censured for kicking a newspaper
> photographer in
> January was booted from the podium today after he called Mexican
> farmworkers "illiterate peasants."
>
> Republican Rep. Douglas Bruce's remark, which drew gasps from the
House,
> came
> during debate on legislation to help immigrants get temporary federal
> visas to
> ease Colorado's shortage of farmworkers.
>
> "I would like to have the opportunity to state at the microphone why I
> don't
> think we need 5,000 more illiterate peasants in Colorado," said Bruce,
who
> represents Colorado Springs.
>
> "How dare you!" snapped Democratic Rep. Kathleen Curry, who as debate
> chairwoman ended Bruce's privilege to speak.
>
> Legislative leaders are deciding what to do next. They could open a
formal
> ethics complaint and hearing, which could lead to suspension, censure
or
> expulsion.
>
> Bruce defended his remarks afterward:
>
> "I looked up 'illiterate' in the dictionary and it means somebody who
is
> lacking in formal education or is unable to read and write. I don't
think
> these
> people who are planning to come over here and pick potatoes or peaches
are
> likely to have much of a formal education. I looked up the word
'peasant.'
> The
> word 'peasant' means a person who works in agricultural fields.
>
> "These people, most of them, don't speak English. Most of them haven't
had
> any
> formal education, that's why they're coming over here. I don't blame
them
> for
> trying, but I don't think we should pave the way for more aliens to
come
> here."
>
> The (Colorado Springs) Gazette, Rocky Mountain News and Denver Post
have
> more.
> Read the particulars of the legislation here (pdf).
>
>
> (Photo of Rep. Douglas Bruce speaking on the floor of the Colorado
House
> via
> the State of Colorado.)
>
> http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2008/04/lawmaker-stuns.html
> _______________________________________________
> Historia-l mailing list
> Historia-l@mail.cas.unt.edu
> https://mail.cas.unt.edu/mailman/listinfo/historia-l
>
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8. FW: Arizona Legislation will attempt to outlaw MEChA& Chicano Studie
Posted by: "Marinez, Juan" marinezj@anr.msu.edu
Date: Wed Apr 23, 2008 11:55 am ((PDT))
LA VOZ DE AZTLAN
Los Angeles, Alta California
April 17, 2008
Arizona legislation will outlaw MEChA and
Mexican-American Studies
The Appropriations Committee of the Arizona House of
Representatives has approved provisions to a "Homeland
Security" measure that would essentially destroy the
Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan (MEChA) and
Mexican-American study programs in the state's public
schools, colleges and universities.
The anti-Mexican provisions to SB1108 were approved
yesterday and the bill is now scheduled for a vote by
the full House.
The provisions would withhold funding to schools whose
courses "denigrate American values and the teachings
of European based civilization."
One section of SB1108 would bar public schools,
community colleges and universities from allowing
organizations to operate on campus if it is "based in
whole or in part on race-based criteria," a provision
Rep. Russell Pearce said is aimed at MEChA.
Pearce is a Republican and the Chairman of the
Appropriations Committee out of Mesa, Arizona.
According to Chairman Pearce, SB1108 would also bar
teaching practices that "overtly encourage dissent
from American values" such as Raza Studies at the
Tucson Unified School District.
In addition, SB1108 mandates the State Superintendent
of Public Instruction to confiscate books and teaching
materials that are deemed anti-American.
Chairman Pearce said some of the teaching materials
amount to "sedition" by suggesting that the current
border between the United States and Mexico disappear
with La Raza taking over the American Southwest.
One book that would be confiscated mentioned by Pearce
is "Occupied America - A History of Chicanos" by
Professor Rodolfo Acuña.
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9. Immigration: End the Widow Penalty
Posted by: "Francisco J. Gonzalez" guajataca01@yahoo.com guajataca01
Date: Wed Apr 23, 2008 12:41 pm ((PDT))
Immigration: End the Widow Penalty
I am Brent Renison, an attorney who has volunteered
time to end an unjust practice - the widow penalty.
With this letter, I ask that you help end the widow
penalty by sending a letter to your Congressperson and
Senators and then forward this email to family and
friends. In less than two minutes, you can help end a
great deal of suffering.
The widow penalty is a little known crack in the law
that denies the spouses of American citizens permanent
resident status when the citizen spouse dies before
the agency can get to the application. Hundreds of
widows and widowers of American citizens who entered
this country legally and waited patiently for the
bureaucracy to act are now being told to leave, even
if they have US citizen children.
Write your representatives at:
http://www.immigrantslist.org/widowpenalty
On Mother's Day 2006, Marlin Coats died while trying
to save two drowning teens caught in a riptide at San
Francisco Beach Park. He lost his life, but those two
teenagers survived. The U.S. is now responding to
Coats' ultimate sacrifice by deporting his wife
Jacqueline Coats because of the widow penalty.
She is not alone - widows of U.S. contractors killed
in Iraq, Border Patrol Officers, victims of drunk
drivers, and more. One widow with a three month old
child of the marriage was told that she must go, but
her son could stay!
If the bureaucracy fails to act before the untimely
death, says USCIS, denial is automatic and there is no
appeal regardless of the circumstances. It is time for
us to end this unjust practice!
This crack in the law is surprisingly easy to fix -
with just a few words Congress can abolish the widow
penalty forever! These widows and widowers are such a
small group of people, however, that their voice is
drowned out. That's why they need our support.
Support them now by going to:
http://www.immigrantslist.org/widowpenalty
Please lend a helping hand to a surviving spouse by
letting your voice be heard in Congress on their
behalf! Then, forward this to just one friend in a
personal email and ask that they do the same.
Thank You,
Brent Renison
http://www.immigrantslist.org/pages/mission/
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10. Hispanic lawmakers call House Democrats 'spineless' on immigration
Posted by: "Francisco J. Gonzalez" guajataca01@yahoo.com guajataca01
Date: Wed Apr 23, 2008 2:42 pm ((PDT))
Hispanic lawmakers call House Democrats 'spineless' on
immigration
By ERICA WERNER , Associated Press
April 23, 2008
http://www.startribune.com/politics/national/congress/18053959.html
WASHINGTON - The Congressional Hispanic Caucus
denounced House Democratic leaders Wednesday as
"spineless" and little better than Republicans for
failing to take on comprehensive immigration reform.
Leaders of the all-Democratic caucus, which numbers
two dozen, criticized their party leadership at a news
conference for instead scheduling hearings on
enforcement legislation and specific visa issues.
They also complained that they are being blamed for
opposing bills strongly supported by other Democrats
that would add more visas for certain classes of
immigrants, such as high-tech or seasonal workers.
Instead, the Hispanic Caucus insists on a
comprehensive approach that would provide a path for
citizenship for some 12 million illegal immigrants now
living in the U.S.
Such legislation collapsed in the Senate last year and
Democratic House leaders have shown little appetite
for trying to revive the highly contentious issue in
an election year.
Rep. Raul Grijalva of Arizona called the Democratic
caucus "spineless."
"Today my party wants to do what is easy, not exactly
what is right," said Rep. Luis Gutierrez of Illinois.
"The leaders in our party who are arguing for
consideration of helping just a few immigrants are
risking the future of all immigrants."
Rep. Joe Baca, D-Calif., who chairs the Hispanic
Caucus, said the visa and other bills under
consideration were "nothing more than a Band-Aid being
used to cover up a gaping wound."
The lawmakers were particularly incensed because
hearings have been scheduled on a bill by moderate
first-term Rep. Heath Shuler, D-N.C., that focuses on
enforcement and would add border patrol agents.
If a Democratic majority can allow such a hearing,
"then we are no better than the Republican majority we
replaced," Gutierrez said.
The lawmakers refused to identify names but said the
piecemeal approach wouldn't be happening without the
consent of top House Democratic leaders.
Asked to respond, a spokesman for House Speaker Nancy
Pelosi, D-Calif., issued a statement blaming President
Bush and Republicans.
"Speaker Pelosi is committed to balanced, fair and
bipartisan immigration reform legislation," said the
statement from spokesman Nadeam Elshami, "but unless
the president and the Republican leadership engage
Democrats in a positive way instead of using this
issue to score partisan political points, members will
only grow more frustrated with the process."
Elshami also said that the speaker's office
anticipated a series of hearings to address
immigration issues "and respond to the concerns
expressed by House members of both parties."
Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., who chairs the House
Judiciary immigration subcommittee, said in an
interview that it would be difficult to pass a
comprehensive bill this year given the Senate's
failure.
"I guess the real question is if you can't do
everything you want is that an excuse for doing
nothing," said Lofgren, who's held a hearing on
seasonal workers but also on the comprehensive reform
bill supported by the Hispanic Caucus. Lofgren also
sponsored a bill extending visa eligibility for
religious workers that the House passed last week by
voice vote.
© 2008 Star Tribune. All rights reserved.
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