HispanicVista Columnists - January 24th, 2005

By Domenico Maceri

Being an interpreter is a dangerous job. In Italy, an interpreter quit his job because of threats from terrorists….  The interpreter may feel safe in his new job, but you and I should not. The serious shortage of Arabic interpreters and translators in Europe and the U. S. means that terrorists can communicate with each other and officials monitoring them may not comprehend what they say and plan. The inability to understand and identify terrorists before they act translates into a serious problem in the war on terrorism.

 By Mr. Robert Miranda (http://www.hispanicvista.com/HVC/Columnist/rbaldwin/011705baldwin.htm)
Last week the “Belling Update” addressed the possibility that Clear Channel is attempting to divide the Latino community by giving benefits to some conservative Republican Latinos for their acquiescence. Robert Miranda, editor of the Spanish Journal, criticized the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s Maria Monreal-Cameron for allegedly selling out the dignity of the Latino community for her 30 pieces of silver. According to Miranda, the payoff from Clear Channel came in the form of “a corporate dinner table and numerous prestigious items from Clear Channel for [Monreal-Cameron’s] silent auction fund raiser. In fact, Clear Channel will most likely be handing over several thousand dollars this year to the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce at its annual banquet.”

By Frank Gómez

The tsunami tragedy revealed something about our world that geopolitical analysts and most media have largely overlooked: defense of religion, ethnicity and language drive today’s conflicts.  Sadly, a fact I pointed out years ago, after having taught translation of international relations at NYU, has now become palpable.  Sadly, because it took a catastrophe to propel it to the headlines and get the attention it deserves….  Reports suddenly explain that aid to Indonesia’s Aceh province and much of Sri Lanka must take into consideration separatist movements and government attitudes toward them in both countries. 

By Joe Armendariz

According to a stunning new book (it hasn't been released to the public yet), every year roughly 800,000 slaves, mostly from Eastern Europe, Asia and Africa, are smuggled into countries around the world including democracies like Holland and America. According to the author, 90% are women, many are children, and most are sold for sexual purposes. What a world! ... Here is the point: a system that can smuggle slaves can smuggle terrorists. America seems to lack the will to do very much about this risk to our national security.

By Richard N. Baldwin T.

The "flow" is undocumented Mexicans crossing our northern border into the United States. And right at the start, let's agree on one thing: A sovereign country has the right, if not the obligation, to control its own borders. And no matter what México says about the subject, we (México) have our own problems on our southern border. Not only are crossings being made by those on the way to the US across México, there are others. Drugs coming from South America on its way to the US market and organized gang members from Central America establishing bases to wreak havoc within México. So the US is not alone with a "southern border" problem.

By Marcela Miguel Berland

The New Year is well underway, and headlines will soon report about the growth and promise of the Hispanic market.  In fact, an early 2005 figure of $735 billion in Hispanic purchasing power had already been mentioned in expert circles late last year.  And forecasts as recently as 2003 of a $1 trillion market by 2010 have been changed – it will happen by 2008, or maybe sooner! … Get ready.  These seemingly annual reports about the “promise” of the market will serve as a “wake up call” to corporations that want to reach this burgeoning population. 

By Raoul Lowery Contreras
 Nothing is more disgusting than hearing Americans whine about today’s America and its work force. …  Drive through hundreds of counties in the country and count the number of “Americans” working in the flower, strawberry and tomato fields, nurseries, or at construction sites. Do this and wonder what the whiners are complaining about….  The President clearly stated in his recent news conference that those here illegally come to work “in jobs Americans won’t do.” … Contradicting the President are whiners who claim that: (1) There are plenty of Americans who will do the work illegals do. (2) That illegals work for a “dollar” (Pat Buchanan). And (3) that illegals deserve none of the state or federal financed benefits they pay for with their taxes because those taxes paid are “meager.”

By Mercedes Mercado-Ochoa

There are many hot political and social issues in Arizona at the present time because of the anti-immigrant environment which seems to be clouding everyone's thinking.  The most recent strategies seem to be "divide and conquer."  Groups like LULAC, MALDEF and other advocacy groups have chosen to air personal agendas publicly instead of working things out internally.  Individuals take it upon themselves to speak for the Latino community as a whole without a consensus from the organizations they say they represent.  Are egos the priority here?  Why are our leaders losing sight of the bigger picture which in my humble opinion should be the greater good of the entire community? 

By Erika Robles

There has been several rumors going around about President Bush's plan to propose an amnesty or reinstate a provision in the near future to allow immigrants who entered unlawfully into the United States or entered with permission but did not stay in lawful status to adjust their status to that of a legal permanent resident without having to leave the country to do so….  In 1994, section 245(i) was added to immigration law. Under this provision, a person who –if it weren't for his or her illegal status- would qualify to immigrate (for instance, a spouse of a U.S. citizen), may adjust status in the United States –after having paid a fine- without having to go to their home country to do so.

By Elsa Salazar Cade

So, we get to learn "how to interpret" the effects of charter schools on our Hispanic American children based on the opinion of right wing  supporters of G. W. Bush!  On the Hispanic Online Opinion link: Charter  schools are working especially for Hispanics. Really!  … The  link is to  an article on the National Review by Jennifer A. Marshall and Kirk A.  Johnson, experts at the Heritage Foundation.  Their mission statement:  "The Heritage Foundation is a research and educational institute - a think tank - whose mission is to formulate and promote conservative  public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited  government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a 
strong national defense."  

Patrick Osio, Jr. has written a short but intensive manual on the Mexican perspective on numerous issues between our two countries. The manual is an in depth primer on the culture and protocol for better understanding Mexicans that in turn allows establishing personal and business relationships, and how to avoid the most common faux pas that can ruin relationships and business deals.

The manual is available through Electronic delivery for $9.95 making it possible to download the manual to save on your hard drive, printing its entirety or particular sections while reaping considerable savings over printed copies.

History

By John P. Schmal

As students of history, nearly all of us are acquainted with the story of the Aztec Empire and the Spanish conquest and occupation of the area we now call México.  The grandeur, the drama and the pain of the Aztecs and the Mexican conquest have been discussed in great detail in hundreds of books.  This author, in an earlier edition of hispanicvista.com wrote an article about the rise of the Aztec Empire, which can be accessed at: