Has anyone been watching the Republican National Convention in the Twin Cities in Minnesota? It's all white and there's a noticeable lack of diversity. The United States is more diverse now than at any other time in history but you would never know it looking at the Republican convention.
Of course, they managed to get Hurl Bailey to give a milk toast prayer to start it off and then the cameras seem to struggle to find other "colorful" folks... but it shouldn't be too difficult. It should be like finding 'raisins among the rice'; they have a way of standing out but still too few to sweeten this pot.
Colbert slams Lieberman’s “bipartisan” duplicity reveals McCain's too on immigration
Saturday, 06 September 2008
This is too funny but unfortunately the folks from Crooks and Liars don't allow me to copy their vids onto here without downloading and saving the whole video clip without saving it onto my computer, something I don't want to do. While this is funny.. typical Colbert... it's interesting to see how wishy-washy McCain has become regarding immigration. He's not even talking about it anymore knowing the topic could create problems for him. Check it out..... click here to see the Colbert vid.
I found this interesting Immigration Chart on The Mex Files blog. It takes some time to work through just to read and understand but that's just the beginning. This is kind of comical ..... at least until you try living it.....
Via American Wetback comes this chart from Reason magazine on the “ease” of obtaining legal residency in the Untied States.
Another post from Glenn Warchol on his Salt Lake Crawler blog in the SL Tribune blogs.
Of
note to Utah lawmakers contemplating introducing more proposals to
fight illegal immigration, possibly even sanctions against employers
who hire undocumented workers—Arizona got a plea from lawmakers from Sonora, Mexico, where such laws have a direct and dire impact.
The Tucson Citizen
reports that Sonora cannot handle the demand for housing, jobs and
schools it will face as illegal Mexican workers are forced to return to
their hometowns from the U.S. Mexican Rep. Leticia Amparano Gamez of
Nogales questioned the stricter state laws:
How can they pass a law like this?
There
is not one person living in Sonora who does not have a friend or
relative working in Arizona. Mexico is not prepared for this, for the
tremendous problems [if Mexicans working in Arizona and sending money
to their families return to Sonora]. [Arizonans and Mexicans] are one
family, socially and economically.
More on the lack of "raisins in the rice" at the recent Republican National Convention from Glenn Warchol's SL Tribune blog: "Salt Lake Crawler". Note the strained comments of the two Utah raisins. Nope, they don't convince me..... "no way, no how, NO McCAIN!" .... at least outside of Utah!
--posted by gwarchol
When John McCain called for change at the Republican National Convention, he was talking to a crowd that, in terms of diversity, is a throwback to simpler — and whiter — times.
National Public Radio reports on the noticeable decline in minority delegates at the RNC. Of the more than 2,300 delegates at the convention, 93 percent of delegates are white and only 5 percent are Latino. Only 36 are black (1.5%)
Comedy Central's Jon Stewart wasn't exaggerating much by putting up a billboard outside the Twin Cities:
Welcome, Rich White Oligarchy.
Utah's delegation reflects
the same pattern: Only one non-Anglo sat with the 68 delegates (1.5%).
Latinos make up about 12 percent of the state's population.
But Sean Reyes, a Salt Lake City lawyer and alternate delegate who is a Japanese-Hawaiian- Spanish=Filipino-American told the Trib's Tommy Burr that the blame for lack of diversity falls on minorities for not taking advantage of the GOP's openess.
The
party has welcomed us with open arms. It's not an indictment of the
party, but an opportunity for us to do more with the party.
ST.
PAUL, Minn. - Comedy Central's "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" posted
a billboard outside the Twin Cities proclaiming to Republican National
Convention delegates: “Welcome, Rich White Oligarchy.”
Republicans may sharply disagree with two of the descriptors,
but with a sea of almost all white delegates, they'll have a hard time
arguing with the other.
Of the 2,380 delegates at the convention, only 36 are black
(1.5%), according to the Joint Center for Political and Economic
Studies. And a CBS-New York Times survey of delegates found 93 percent of delegates are white and only 5 percent are Latino.
Utah's delegation is a prime example: There is only one
non-Anglo among the 68 delegates (1.5%), alternate delegates and party
officials. That is despite the fact that Latinos are the
fastest-growing population in Utah for the past decade and now make up
about 12 percent of the state. More than 300,000 Latinos reside in the
Beehive State.
Most of our BrownViews readers know that I'm supporting Ralph Nader during this historic presidential election. It's hard as, for me, it's not a vote against Obama but rather for a candidate who has had the best interests of everyday folks for over 30 years.... maybe 40. Nader is a person whose principles have not wavered over the years, a key reason he has earned my support. The fact that he has nominated Matt Gonzalez as his VP running mate is all the better. Throwing my vote away, you say? Tell me, in Utah, is a vote for any natinal candidate outside of the Republican Party isn't doing the same? I won't be too dissappointed with the symbolism and significance of an Obama administration but don't really believe much will change beside cosmetic changes. Both parties are owned by the corporate structure. That's why "Washington is broken" and won't change anytime soon. Just open the debates.... that's all we say!
2008 Presidential candidate Ralph Nader hosted an Open the
Debates rally during the Republican National Convention in Minnesota on
September 4, 2008. In this highlight reel you can see excerpts of
speeches by Ralph Nader, his VP Candidate Matt Gonzalez, and former
Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura talking about open debates and how
they impact elections.
This also features a musical performance by 98 Degrees' Justin Jeffre and Jeff Timmons.
Contribute now to help us try to get Ralph Nader and Matt Gonzalez in the presidential debates: http://www.votenader.org
Ralph Nader - On Why He Chose Matt Gonzalez as Running Mate
The immigration debate is so monopolized by grandstanding hotheads it makes recent input from the sometimes wacky Sutherland Institute sounds reasonable. The conservative
Salt Lake City think tank recently presented its arguments for welcoming illegal immigrants to a skeptical meeting of the Legislature’s Immigration Interim Committee. In
Utah’s Legislature, the debate over illegal immigration hasn’t been complex: it’s illegal, therefore bad. Sutherland argues it’s the immigration law that’s bad—for
Utah. Most illegal immigrants are “people of good will” whose presence is required “for maintaining American prosperity,” the institute says. It isn’t the immigrants’ fault—and shouldn’t be
Utah’s problem—that federal immigration laws are messed up. Besides, Sutherland says, whether
Utah lawmakers like it or not, the immigrants are here.
We continue to be witnesses to history in the making. I said that before for the Democratic Party's historic nomination of Sen. Barack Obama and his selection of Sen. Joe Biden as his running mate. The Democrats had Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton who almost won the nomination in her own right, wife of a former presidnent and a formidable candidate in her own right. There was also a Latino candidate for president amd the typical list of average white guys. It was truly amazing to watch.
The Republican Party continued in the same vein. In response to the most unpopular president in American modern history, Sen. John McCain, a former POW during the Viet Nam War is indeed an admirable candidate with a compelling story - despite his politics. Republicans also had some interesting candidates in Mitt - "Utah's favorite Mormon son" Romney who proved to be a very attractive national candidate, and Rudy "9/11" Guliani among others. Both parties have what are considered by many as fringe party candidates. The Republicans have Congressman Ron Paul - the darling of the internet, conservative independents; the Democrats have - sort of - Ralph Nader who continues his protest against the corporate candidates of both major parties. This writer supports Nader but not as a vote against Obama but for real reform. Actually, I will be very pleased to see Obama elected recognizing that any vote not for a Republican in Utah is a wasted vote, anyways.
And now, Sen. McCain selects a little known woman Governor from Alaska that many view is the most unqualified candidate for Vice President - particularly in light of McCain's emphasis on foreign policy experience. Gov. Sara Palin is proving herself to be an attractive candidate in more ways than one. Either way, whoever wins, this is truly a historic election and there's no turning back. Either the first African American U.S. president or a POW for president along with the first female Vice President. What a tremendous choice..... either way, we are in for change. Way to go USA!!
Has anyone been watching the Republican National Convention in the Twin Cities in Minnesota? It's all white and there's a noticeable lack of diversity. The United States is more diverse now than at any other time in history but you would never know it looking at the Republican convention.
Of course, they managed to get Hurl Bailey to give a milk toast prayer to start it off and then the cameras seem to struggle to find other "colorful" folks... but it shouldn't be too difficult. It should be like finding 'raisins among the rice'; they have a way of standing out but still too few to sweeten this pot.
I was sent an email recently about this older video that is now available to the public on the internet. This brings back so many memories of the Chicano movement, the Farmworkers Union and the morality and justice involved in the earlier days of organizing in our communities. This is what most of us related to and what the newer immigrants can't quite comprehend when they wonder why we are so "confrontational". Note that it's a bit long (77 minutes) with some wierd commercial breaks so plan accordingly. It's well worth the view. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did/do.
Hart Perry (Director of Photography - HARLAN COUNTY USA), has
documented the lives of Mexican-American migrant farm workers in
Raymondville, TX since 1979 when the onion workers’ strike broke out.
What followed was a fight not only for higher pay but also for equal
rights and representation. For 24 years, the county’s Mexican-American
residents were determined to fight for what is right. VALLEY OF TEARS
is a complex story of the long journey of individuals who endure
hardship in order to make a better future for their families.
The Equal Rights Center, a non-profit civil rights organization based
in Washington, DC, has a released a new report titled "Ten Harmful
Misconceptions About Immigration." The report offers extensive
information rebutting common myths about immigrants, including several
citations to research done by Truth In Immigration.
In “10 Harmful Misconceptions About Immigration” we try
to set the record straight about a number of immigration issues badly
mangled through current discourse that often seems shaped to
appeal to one particular voting block or another. We understand well
that the details in our report will not be of interest to any extremist faction. It is our hope
that all others who read it will see the value of this work and use the
information it contains to drive falsehood from the public
debate on immigration, filling that vacated space with a greater
measure of the truth.
What if all the leading anti-immigration groups were founded by the same
man, funded by the same organization, and had ties to White supremacy?” So
begins Heidi Beirich’s narrative in “Behind the Veil”—a new video being
released today that details the common origins of many of the country’s leading
anti-immigration groups and their ties to White supremacists. In the video,
Beirich of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC)—the nation’s premier monitor
of hate groups—discusses SPLC’s research on organizations such as the
Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), the Center for Immigration
Studies (CIS), NumbersUSA, and the Social Contract Press.
Beirich also draws the connection between the dramatic rise in hate groups
over the past eight years to their refocus on anti-immigrant rhetoric.
According to the SPLC, the number of hate groups targeting Latinos is up 48%
since the year 2000.
“The driving factor that we found behind this,” says Beirich, “is the shift to
pounding the anti-immigrant drum. Every one of them recruits now on
immigration. That’s what is driving the rise of hate groups—that, and almost
that alone.”
"What if all the leading anti-immigration groups were founded by the
same man, funded by the same organization, and had ties to White
supremacy?” asks the expose video, “Behind the Veil: America's
Anti-Immigrant Network.".
Changing the Message, changing the dialog, changing the image
Monday, 01 September 2008
The "Dominguez Group" met again this past Friday. Those in attendance discussed specifically, the aspirations of Kent Williams to develop a television program for "the Latino community" in Utah. Several obvious questions were asked, several more complex question and lots of opinions were expressed.
First, who is Kent Williams and why would we or our community fall in line behind a "white guy" to do a Latino-themed program? Kent has heard this question before and explained that he has the experience, the connections and the time. Kent, until recently, has been a producer with KTVX Channel 4 here in Utah where he's worked for well over 20 years. He recently left in what appears to be not of his accord or for not very positive reasons. Neverthelss, some of our participants spoke to his defence - maybe 'defence' is too strong of a word, maybe to his 'support' or to his 'credit' - explaining they've worked with him nearly 15 - 20 years ago when Kent helped to produce a program called "Hispanic Review". But that was back in the days that the FCC required media to do something in the community. And they did, the minimal amount. I was 'talking head' on that program and we had no budget, no staff and they taped a program that aired 30 minutes on Thursday evening (actually Friday mornings at 3:30 am) and Sunday morning at 4:30 am, or something to that effect. If we made a mistake in the airing, tough! It was a one-time run. But that wasn't Kent's fault as I understand it. I'm told he was very supportive and helpful to those producing or directing out program: Maria Garciaz and Bob Flores, who both spoke in his favor.
This isn't a new idea, though. Not for Utah, and definitely not nationally. Locally, Colleen Casto - a local producer of the University's public television station, KUED has been talking about something similar. She has a track record of producing programs that are sensitive to us and our community; she's one of us. Also, Terry Hurst, in whose coffee house we met to discuss this topic - and is an honorary Chicano, married to Ruby Chacon - has a film background and has some excellent experience in budgeting for this type of venture. Both had great questions, as did everyone else.
HISPANICS ARE ONE-IN-FIVE OF ALL PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS NATIONWIDE
Sunday, 31 August 2008
WASHINGTON - The number
of Hispanic students in the nation's public schools nearly doubled from 1990 to
2006, accounting for 60% of the total growth in public school enrollments over
that period. Presently, 10 million Hispanic students attend the nation's public
schools, 20% of all public school students.
In 2006 Hispanics were about half of all public school students in
California, up from 36% in 1990. They were more than 40% of enrollments in three
additional states (Arizona, New Mexico and Texas) and between 20% and 40% of all
public school students in five states (Nevada, Colorado, Illinois, Florida and
New York). Overall, Hispanics are the largest minority group in the public
schools in 22 states.
Strong growth in Hispanic enrollment is expected to continue for decades,
according to a recently released U.S. Census Bureau population projection. In
2050, there will be more school-age Hispanic children than school-age
non-Hispanic white children.
In order to illuminate this growing group of public school students, the
Pew Hispanic Center today releases "One-in-Five and Growing Fast: A Profile of
Hispanic Public School Students," a statistical portrait of the demographic,
language, and family background characteristics of the nation's 10 million
Hispanic public school students.
Stephen Colbert juxtaposes 
--posted by gwarchol 
