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May 1, 2008

From: Larry Meneses elrepublicano@mindspring.com
From: Francisco Juarez feinsm@juno.com
Date: 2006/02/24
To: Editor@hispanic.sdcoxmail.com
Subject: Fw: Re: Your "Tio Sam" article
FYI. I appreciated Elsa's remarks very much.
Francisco Juarez
(Letter from Elsa Salazar Cade’s “Tio Sam wants Hispanics – Go to war and assimilate” (http://www.hispanicvista.com/HVC/Opinion/Guest_Columns/021306Fguest.htm)
Thanks for your letter I hope you sent it to the HispanicVista website, too. So it can get published as well. And sorry to be late in responding. I saw this happen to my brothers, too. Funny too that my brother also works for the phone company.. The Tio Sam title was the editor's. My title said "the kid moves on"
I am glad that you agree. there was a report in the Journal of Higher Learning that Hispanics enter higher education in the same numbers as white kids but they don't finish degree because they have to work part time in order to go and this means it takes more time and then they don't finish. Many Hispanics also consider college diplomas the same and university degrees.
There is a definite hierarchy in the value of a degree over a certificate, it is just that we don't know about it till later and it is then too late.
Sincerely,
Elsa
On 22-Feb-06, Francisco Juarez feinsm@juno.com wrote to Elsa:
Struck home.
I'm Francisco, a 56 year old Vietnam Veteran who took 10 years to get my AA degree from Santa Monica College because I was raising a family and "making up for lost time".
I managed to land a job at the telephone company and finished a 34 year career. Even though my AA degree garnered some respect later in my career, I trained many younger, inexperienced, university grads who have gone on to hold board room positions.
As a community activist for Chicanos and Veterans, I have seen the stress caused by the recruitment of our people. I have actually seen a document that came from the Pentagon that advanced the notiono of hiring illegals in order to become citizens; after being in the front.
And, how will the white world justify who goes to the front if it cannot determine what generation Chicano I am? Your points are well founded.
Yesterday, during a Black History Month sound bite, I heard a speech that Muhammad Ali delivered to the press. He was told that, for refusing to go into the draft, he was either looking at jail or at the ARMY. He reminded that listening public that there was a 3rd choice and that was justice. He chose to use the courts to determine his status as a minister to keep him from serving.
Que chinga mija. We're all not ministers, we're mostly Catholics (and bad ones at that), we only go to court when we're in trouble and service is in our blood. Your suggestion to raise the awareness of higher education over service is not new, but having read it from your perspective, I now believe that it is a campaign that we advocates must support.
Gracias,
Francisco Juarez

###

Counterpoint on Senator Obama and Wisconsin attorney Manuel Valenzuela

From: Daniel C. Arendt daniel.arendt@gmail.com

It was brought to my attention that this morning as shown on C-SPAN2, Senator Durbin extolled Senator Obama for his achievement of a Grammy award for his Spoken Word styling. I'd like to comment on things like that together with things like Madison, Wisconsin attorney Manuel Valenzuela advocating mass dissension with George W. Bush ("The Pestilent Presidency" http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_manuel_v_060202_the_pestilent_presid.htm) It is factual that: at the DNC quadrennial convention in 2004, Barack Obama was the keynote speaker; in November 2004 he won the open Illinois U.S. Senate seat with over 70% of the vote; and now Senator Obama has the accolade of the entertainment industry.

But as Senator Obama's office represents through a PSA on lack of direction within the Democrat party, when it comes to Senator Obama being able to influence anything, despite his broad acclaim within and beyond his own party all other Senators treat him as number 99 out of 100. This is what appears to be the Senator's position as to why even he has no real ideas notwithstanding his constant attempts to be popular outside the Senate on things not the instant business of Congress.

The vision of a bloc member earning his hash marks coming to mind, while no one should besmirch Senator Obama nor anyone else for their achievements outside the Senate, it might be nice if ranking Democrats would reveal a true nuts and bolts agenda rather than continue to hide behind race card polemics. This is just as true for immigration reform, a subject having two sides even in the Hispanic community.

I also understand yesterday that Senator Reed held a mini-rally with a handful of veterans seeking to run for office on proffered desire to make America more secure; I wasn't aware that President Bush presides over a chaotic abyss of avoidable calamities, should suffer politically whether or not he overrides local governments re hurricanes, and only veterans who stand with a party calling active military Nazi genocide troops (and the NSA a Gestapo while wanting to de-centralize anti-terrorism efforts, just like on September 10, 2001) can build credible diplomacy as they opt to wait for foreign aggressors to attack so their mass forces can be battled in our streets, rather than at or more near the foreign source(s)?after all, amid denigrating our troops and calling al-Qaeda "freedom fighters" against Bush genocide in Iraq after the Republican Party replaced the Republican Guard, a few thousand Americans have died in Iraq due to al-Qaeda and Saddamists over three years, and isn't it better to chance that a well-armed and nonchalant national security policy won't one day result in another 9/11, where thousands of Americans die in an instant? Even if it means that following such theoretical attack(s) a Democrat government wound up going over to fight the same war Bush is now?

Finally, because it's politics 101 to offer candy to voters, just urge to keep borrowing money, give aggressor nations more control over our strategic capabilities, bow more to terrorists and Communist competitors, and tell the public if we just give up property rights while remaining isolationist and ever tightening our belts (as opposed to "giving up rights" under USA PATRIOT), at least Democrats will put a chicken in every pot for a well-educated population that's all dressed up with no place to go.

Democrats may want back in, but since the biggest lobbyists availing of the biggest loopholes continue to be States and cities cavorting for borrowed funds, mostly for new communities not exactly calculated to be hubs of global industry or educational or healthcare advancements despite all the polemics, I'm going to continue to urge support for President Bush and RNC initiatives through the 2006 election cycle.

From February 13, 2006

From: Elsa Cade ecade@telusplanet.net
Subject: Latino Literature
Dear Mr. Hernandez, I am really a science teacher. My focus is science education, but I am of the same opinion as you. Most of the publications directed for Latino consumption are greatly devoid of any real serious discussion of the state of Hispanic American education. You and I post on the topic, a Google search rarely finds any discussion on charter school impact, higher education, vouchers in the so called Hispanic press. We blog on HispanicVista but rarely do these topics get any ink in Latina or Hispanic magazine. (But then again I don't subscribe so maybe I am wrong.) I look on the web for stuff but it's fairly rare. There is Pew and so on but no real writing on the topic in papers the Hispanic Americans read. We also have a very small presence on the web too. Hispanic on line just has links to other papers. http://www.telusplanet.net/public/ecade/hispanic-women.html http://www.telusplanet.net/public/ecade/ p.s. as indicated on my home page I taught in Buffalo for many years, so even though I am a Texan of Mexican origin, I met and taught many Puerto Rican kids along with other races and ethnic groups. It was tough but we had fun. Have you joined....the daily kos..... There is a "teacher's lounge" you could counter post onto.

(Editor’s Note: Ms. Cade is a renowned science teacher in the United States. When times permit she is a contributing columnist to HispanicVista.com. Her latest contribution appears at: http://www.hispanicvista.com/HVC/Opinion/Guest_Columns/021306Fguest.htm Tio Sam wants Hispanics – go to war and assimilate. Other of her articles can be read by entering her full name into our search engine on the masthead of the home page – Elsa Salazar Cade and click search.)

From February 8, 2006

From: Angel Alonso espanol_us@hotmail.com
Date: 2006/01/29
Subject: Hispanics need a voice!
Hispanics will not survive in America unless they demand more. Hispanics need to radicalize politically and create a Hispanic party rather than relying on democrats and republicans. Cultural assimilation is not option, we have the right to speak our language and live our culture. We have the right to educate our children exclusively in Spanish, since our very survival as Hispanics depends on this.

From: Luis “Louie” Ruiz luisruiz2@verizon.net
Subject: U.S. citizen and as a Latino
Date: 2006/02/01
For all Latino's to stand up and make this government hear us, respect and recognize the contribution we have made in this country is to hurt them in their wallet. This Government is corrupt and greedy. Hispanics are big spenders in this country we are what is keeping this economy going, and they know this. We need to boycott the airlines because they treat us like terrorist and it’s only because of the color of our skin - not only in the airline but in law enforcement as well, look what was shown on KTLA news.

From: Pedro Lascurain (email withheld by request)
Subject: Denying birth to children born to illegal immigrant mothers
Date: 2006/01/31
Only in America the land of the free and where justice and fair play prevails would anyone consider punishing the children of those who have committed a crime. How many mothers must there have been in Europe several generations ago that wished only to travel to the United States so their children could be born here? How many must have lied or bribed doctors to make sure they received the proper documents and health certificates to make the trip and obtain residency papers? There were tens of thousands of them.
Denying citizenship to babies in this manner is nothing more than a pure act of racism and bigotry on the part of those who champion such a dastardly cause.
************************************

From January 22, 2006 Edition

From: Diane Chavez dianechavez50@yahoo.com
Date: 1/14/2006
For your information the 14th amendment to our Constitution was not written for the children of illegal aliens but for the children of African slaves. Our American forefathers never dreamed that our hostile and jealous neighbor south of our border would take advantage of this law BY THE MILLIONS! It is mean-spirited to invade a sovereign country illegally and with hostile intentions as Mexico is now doing. Most nations don't allow the offspring of illegal aliens to become instant citizens. Mexico is invading the U.S. via the womb---shame on them! Taking advantage of our 14th amendment is an attack on our American children and our homeland! Mr. Osio jr. you are a bare-faced LIAR claiming that illegal alien babies will be considered felons! The parents are the criminals as they are adults that knowingly break our laws.
The problem for you Mr. Osio, Is that you can't dupe me or other Americans. The United States is MY COUNTRY if you dislike the laws here LEAVE. Americans are going to fight for their country. That is what is bothering you and your ilk. What is bothering you is not illegal immigration but that Americans are fighting back. Believe me, Mexico is going to push and is pushing for another war with us and you know it. Sorry to say that it is going to become violent and that is what is sad. Denying citizenship for the children of illegal aliens is nothing against children but the parents; it is the parents that will lose.
From: Chell G gchraj@yahoo.com
Comment: Before GOP Congressional representatives present any legislation to deny babies born to illegals citizenship, they should be asked to reconcile their anti-abortion views with this position. Do they really believe in killing babies after they are born because the baby has color and the fetus does not? What if the baby is abandoned? Are they going to try to deport the baby by trying to spend tons of money to determine its mother? Is this the first step to discourage international adoption? Are they going to deny adopted babies citizenship as well? If the Dems are smart this is the commercial they will be running against Tancredo and other GOP thugs and low lives in the US Congress and the thugs and lowlifes they represent.
From: David Sumpter jonhaloi@yahoo.com
Subject: citizenship for anchor babies
Name one other country in the world that gives citizenship by birth. I don't know any other than the US.
What the real shame is that President Fox of Mexico doesn't create an economy that enables his people to work. Don't you think that is the shame? Why doesn't Fox give his people work? He's corrupt. He doesn't care. He makes money off the drugs coming into the US.

From: jarocha@peoplepc.com
Subject: If I may make a statement.
Date: 1/15/2006
Why is it that the undocumented that are here in our country have not been forced to leave but continue to add to our economy with all they do for what Americans consider "low wages." From my viewpoint I think very highly of the undocumented. They are not asking for a handout. They are simply asking to allow them to be able to survive. There are so many Americans that are against the undocumented believing that the reason that they are here is that they want a handout. How untrue! How many times do you see white Americans holding up signs asking for a handout? How many times do you see an illegal holding up a sign and asking for the same? My answer is NEVER! They are willing to work when the lazy Americans are not. Does the Statue of Liberty not state something to the effect of "Give me your hungry and so on?" What has happened to us. The only true Americans are the Native Americans. All the rest came from different countries. Granted I know that some Americans say "We're not against those that go through the process to make themselves legal." Be real, the undocumented are here because they can't survive in their country. Going through the legal channels takes money and if they don't have enough money to simply survive then how are they expected to pay for legal counsel? When I see an American holding up a sign and asking for money or a job I think to myself "How in the world can so many be against an undocumented?" They put their lives in peril crossing through the desert to come to a country that obviously doesn't want them and they work their butts off for low wages without complaint. They are not taking anything away from someone who isn't willing to work. Open your eyes people. They are adding to our economy with no recompense. What amazes me is that Sunday after Sunday many of the same people who are so against the undocumented are the same people who claim to be Christians. Hypocrites!! What happened to love your brother as you would yourself?

If we are so concerned about terrorism then why doesn't the US run a background check on an undocumented when they are captured or when they apply to become a citizen? If they have any criminal background then send them back from where they came. If not then allow them the opportunity to become a US citizen. Why punish someone because they are poor?

The United States has more compassion for their pets than they do for another human being. Shame on us!

From: D.WAT america1st@dc.rr.com
Subject: YOU ARE THE RACIST
Date: 1/14/2006
LOOK NO FURTHER THAN YOURSELVES TO SEE THE REAL RACIST!!!!! YOU HAVE NO CREDIBILITY
MY ANCESTORS WERE LEGAL AND RESPECTED OUR LAWS
From: Bill Roberts Tsgtaf@aol.com
Date: 1/15/2006
I just read the article by Mr Patrick Osio Jr condeming the proposal to stop allowing "anchor" babies to become automatic citizens (babies born in the U S to ilegall mothers).
He quotes the 14th Amendment as defining his reason that these babies should become citizens. That same Amendment states that they must be subject to the jurisdiction of the U S, which illegals definitely are not.
Feeling sorry for people whose lives are not very bright due to low income is admirable, but we cannot take in all the poor of the rest of the world.
If the invasion of this country by illegals is not curtailed we are destined to become another third world country.
The BS argument that they only do work that Americans will not do is phony as hell.
The BS argument that they pay taxes and contribute more than they use is also phony and has been proven over and over to be a lie.
Our hospitals are going bankrupt and closing their doors due to this invasion.
Our schools are dropping into the basement because they cannot keep up with the influx and local schools are constantly trying to float more bonds to build more schools that fill to overflow as soon as erected.
It must end.
From: Prisciliano G Barragan prigbar37@yahoo.com
I am native of Mexico but I have living in Texas more than 20 years. I strongly disagree with Mexican President Vicente Fox and his Foreign Minister Luis Ernesto Derbez about the WALL OF SHAME. In my LAND I can do all I want to do. If your neighbor was upset because USA wants to put a WALL or FENCE or whatever USA want to do on THEIR LAND no neighbor can tell me what to do in my land or my house because it belongs to USA no to Mexico. If as part of the history in the 1800's Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana lost a great part of land belonging to Mexico that was his fault not the USA’s fault. With this comments I do not feel that I am betraying the country in which I was born, just expressing the right that every Country has to do in their land whatever they want to do.
January 7, 2006
LETTERS TO EDITOR
From: Ms. Carmen Morales Permora@aol.com
Subject: Illegal means Illegal

I as a Puerto Rican who has lived in this country my entire life can speak on what Racism is.
Racism exists and always will on both ends. Hardly anyone likes people who are way too different than they are. But we must tolerate and learn from their differences also. Hispanics are people who are very racists themselves, but they love to assume that only white Americans are racists. I have no idea where they get that from, because like I always say if you come to America and assimilate into this wonderful country of ours and learn our language, instead of coming to America to change our ways then people wouldn't dislike you so much. We the Hispanics can and should keep our culture, but we should also become Americans, if the Hispanics who come to this country would accept the fact that now they live in America, and "When in Rome do as the Romans do" they would have a much better chance of not being disliked. I do believe that lots of Hispanics think this country owes them something, and that they have a right as soon as they cross the border. Why should they have the right to come here and break all of our laws, and expect to be rewarded.

I do believe that they have a "double standard" they are like a one way road. They can do to us, but we have no right doing back to them. They are always the victims. They have a heck of a nerve coming into this country with their arrogance and third world mentality and assume everyone is supposed to protect them and cater to them when they are breaking our laws with falsified documents and destroying our economy. I can see that they do work hard but I do not believe that Mr. Vicente Fox has no work for them over in Mexico. Mr. Fox is a slick, greedy, con artist, who pushes his people to come here and sits in his high and mighty chair waiting for money from his slaves in America. I believe that some Illegal aliens are good people, but a lot of them are third world no good scary and dangerous people with third world mentalities. They are the ones we do not want in this country, the ones that come from Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras included.

Hispanics need to take a good look at themselves and when they move into a quiet clean neighborhood, that's exactly how they should also live. QUIET AND CLEAN....Have respect for our neighbors and learn how to live in America. Hispanics have a way of coming in with arrogant attitudes and stealing what doesn't belong to them, including parking spaces. They think their still in Mexico, or Guatemala. Parking huge trucks in backyards and ruining neighborhoods, 60 people in one family homes, urinating anywhere and etc. Who wants that in their neighborhood???

Hispanics also hate African Americans, I hear the way they speak to me at work about Black people. Hispanics are very racist...they also hate white Americans. The blacks belong here, illegal aliens don't. They should love the Blacks because if it wasn't for the "Civil Rights Movement" the Hispanics wouldn't be able to come here and start suing people all over the place the way they do. They should be thanking the African Americans instead.

Another thing is that why is it that Hispanics think they are always right and everyone else who loves this country is wrong? This country was built on immigrants yes, LEGAL IMMIGRANTS not ILLEGAL ALIENS.

Look at countries like Columbia which is a very dangerous country to live in, they just go in and take what you have and period. That's the mentality that I am talking about that most of these latin american countries have. Those are the people that we have got to stop from coming here, the ones that think that they can just come and take away what this country has. We need to protect our borders because if we don't this country will turn into what these Illegal aliens left behind. A country with no laws.....is a very dangerous thing.

December 27, 2005
LETTERS TO EDITOR

Ref: MORMONS’ FOUNDER MADE WEST POSSIBLE

The Albuquerque Journal article (12-23-05) by demographer Wendell Cox is another installment of typical Orwellian American historiography that ignores the valid history of New Mexico and the West. It appears that neither historical societies nor the academic community wish to reply to these Orwellian thrusts so it falls to ordinary New Mexicans to set the record straight.

The ranching and mining West was created by Hispanic people from NM, Texas, California, Arizona, and other parts of what is now known as Mexico. English speaking people from east of the Mississippi merely took over the institutions after the USA bludgeoned away the northern half of Mexico and made it American territory. Easterners knew next to nothing about ranching or mining, a fact that is seldom publicized due to the nature of American historiography. Americans had never used the horse as a work platform, knew nothing about the horned saddle (an Hispanic creation), and had no traditions like the roundup or cattle drive, not to mention centuries old livestock organizations like the Mesta.

In American life, stock raising was a mere adjunct to agricultural pursuits. Americans were not products of horse culture. For example, when the first English speaking “Texians” migrated to Texas (1821) and were attacked by Comanches, S.F. Austin’s Texians tried to pursue these mounted Comanches on foot. They soon understood their futility so they learned horsemanship from Tejano Mexicans. It can also be pointed out that the American Army guarding the rich commerce on the Santa Fe Trail had done the same thing, pursuing mounted Indians on foot, until the U.S. Cavalry was created in 1829. The American government had no mounted troops until that date.

Further, Americans in general and Texians in particular knew nothing about roping technique so they couldn’t use the horned saddle properly. Due to their lack of expertise, when they roped a steer and turned the rope around the horn (the technique called dale vuelta) they couldn’t get their thumb out quick enough before the steer pulled on the rope with tremendous force. Lots of Texians lost their thumbs that way. (The technique came to be referred to by Texans as “dally welter” and then simply “dally.”. Most Spanish ranching vocabulary was similarly converted into English. For example, “ranch” came directly from rancho.) American ranching was taken over wholly from the Spanish-Mexican institution, with the vaquero now referred to as a “cowboy.” The “American cow pony” had its origins in the Spanish horse. “Texas longhorns” are likewise Spanish-Mexican cattle. If historians are timid about relating this historical truth then it is time for the people to champion it.

The Western scenario is about the same for mining. Americans had so little experience in mining there was not even a mining law in the entire USA until around 1866. The first mining codes were mostly translations of Spanish-Mexican mining codes. Spanish/Mexican mining techniques and vocabulary were also picked up by Americans because they had none of their own.

So who are the real pioneers of the West? Amerindian groups were the first settlers. Hispanics were the first European settlers and they brought with them ranching and mining, which are inextricable from the concept of the American West.

It could be asserted that various groups of Americans created settlements of their own but this is as far as their “pioneer” status goes. They helped populate the West but they did not create the ranching and mining West merely because they started a town or helped populate one already in existence. Despite the efforts of Orwellian historiography and silent academics or historical societies, that honor belongs to Hispanic people, many of whom have descendants living in the Southwest to this day. It is a noble heritage that will no longer be ignored.

___________________________________________________
Rubén Sálaz M. (saljustin@msn.com), is the author of the Southwest history EPIC OF THE GREATER SOUTHWEST.

******************************

From: Scott Kelley obbop@inebraska.com
http://www.hispanicvista.com/HVC/Columnist/rlovato/121905rlovato.htm "makes the Minutemen more effective than previous racist organizations." Knee-jerk rhetoric. Ignorant spewing using the propaganda tactics espoused by Goebels of Nazi Party fame. What "race" are you referring to? Wanting to defend one's country/culture from invaders? What about the cruel tactics used by Mexico to stop invaders at their southern border. Try to illegally enter China, North Korea, any number of countries and the invader would likely be shot on the spot. In my opinion, Roberto Lovato is just another illegal alien-loving buffoon supporting law breakers who happen to share his ethnicity. Over the years I have observed that the pro-invader crowd who are American citizens appear to be more loyal to their ethnicity than to their nationality. I can understand this. Observe how the Mexican government/culture operates; placing the Euro-Spanish at the top of the socio-economic pyramid while mestizos then AmerIndian folks are at the bottom of the pile. Who would learn loyalty to a country when living in a backwards morass? America deserves better citizens than babbling buffoons such as Lovato. Especially when these scribbling scrawlers of third-rate journalism have to use childish knee-jerk rhetoric such as spewing the term "racist" when that term means little to nothing at a logical level and when there is no race factor involved!!! Lovato is merely attempting to reach folks at the emotional level using time-worn babbling that ends up placing his own prejudices (anti-Americanism, pro-law breaking, etc.) at center stage. Until Lovato can improve his mental abilities and toss of his own biases I suggest he perform a job more suited to his talents. Scott Kelley From: obbop@inebraska.com

*******

From: Bobharan2003@aol.com
Date: 2005/12/22
To: Editor@hispanic.sdcoxmail.com
Subject: U.S. Border Wall

Mexico thinks it has a right to criticize the U.S. plan to build a 700 mile
wall on our southern border to keep out people entering our country illegally.

Mexican Foreign Secretary Lois Derbez says that Mexico has asked the
governments of Central American nations along with Columbia and the Dominican
Republic, "To join in the fight and to denounce the measure passed by the U.S.
House of Representatives to build a wall."

I find it to be the height of arrogance for the foreign ministry of any
nation to criticize what we do to secure our own borders. Frankly, it's none of
their business. If we want to build a fence, a wall or a moat for that matter
on our side of the border, that's our business, we don't need Mexico's or any
other nations permission, the United States, is a sovereign nation.

As an American citizen, let me say this as diplomatically as I possibly can.

Your Excellency, The Foreign Secretary of Mexico, Lois Derbez, "Go to hell."

Bob Haran,
Phoenix, AZ

LETTERS TO EDITOR DECEMBER 8, 2005

We have focused upon the cost of war on men and women who fight wars and upon the US government. We, as people of good conscious must teach the cost of war not only in terms of body counts, dollars and cents, which are astronomical; but we must realize it in terms of the impact on women and children for generations, yes generations. Women and children are still paying emotionally for Vietnam. This impact is on both sides of the war, any war. When women and children who loose loved ones or have to live with them dismembered, drug addicted, suicidal, or divorced, this is a human cost which lasts a lifetime and marks future generations. I have written about this in my last book, but the editor placed a high price on the book. I feel this was done to keep my opinions about war out of the hands of those who need it the most. Do not buy my book unless it is used or discounted. Ask your library to order it or borrow it from someone. Yes, I would rather you read what I have to say than sell books. Let us not only talk about the cost of war to all those we will see over the holidays, but let us act on our talk. Join an antiwar group in your community now. Please feel free to distribute this to those you care about. Blessings
Irene I. Blea
(Editor’s Note: Dr. Blea's latest book is The Feminization of Racism: Promoting World Peace in America. Click here to visit her website http://ireneblea.com/)

******

From: Robin Hvidston rhvidston1@aol.com
Subject: Mexico uses U.S. to avoid change
This was an excellent opinion piece!!! It is the utter truth.
Made complete sense. It ended with a question that Mexico MUST answer!
"So let's hear from Mexico. What are you going to do to better the life of your own people so they won't have to leave?"
Great piece!
************

From: "Mary McLemore" Pike Road, AL mary_mclemore@mindspring.com
Subject: Mexico uses U.S. to avoid change
What a sensible, straightforward column. I hope every one of the Congress
critters reads and understands it. I'm sending it to mine and a bunch of
others.
*******
One of the problems with the illegal immigration debate is that it is
not real a debate. To a large extent it involves everyone telling
everyone else that they are wrong. I think it would be instructive and
helpful if we all would concentrate on helping the president accomplish
some meaningful reform instead of constantly bashing the extremists on
both sides of the issue. Bush has now made a proposal. I'd like to see
you write an article that objectively looks at the elements of that
proposal and and makes suggestions as to how it can be improved. We've
got to find a common ground.
Dale L. Dykema, CMB
T.D. Service Financial Corporation
Chairman of the Board/Chief Executive Officer
email: ddykema@tdsf.com
*****************
RE: Hector M. Barrajas - The French Paradox
Perhaps I am extremely naive politically but I find it interesting that not a single American politician of any stature has commented on what is happening in France. Even our USA news media tended to down-play their coverage of these events. BBC gave broader coverage & commentary to the current French situation.
Tom Lopez amigo-1@adelphia.net

************************

Letters from November 13, 2005

(Editor’s Note: Dan Stein, President of Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), took exception to an article written by HVC editor, Patrick Osio, Jr. in his weekly article, Is it about illegal immigration or keeping non-white people out? (http://www.hispanicvista.com/HVC/Columnist/posiojr/10070505osio.htm) he wrote in part: “This should not be surprising as FAIR’s Stein has warned “that certain immigrant groups are engaged in ‘competitive breeding’ aimed at diminishing white power. Or how about the comment from another of FAIR’s board members, Garrett Hardin, that aiding starving Africans is counterproductive and will only “encourage population growth.” “
Mr. Stein wrote asking for the source of the quote attributed to him, but never challenged the premise of the article. He was informed that the quote came from the Southern Poverty Law Center, and was provided with the direct link to the article containing his remarks. Mr. Stein insists that he did not make the remark and wanted HispanicVista.com to write a retraction. HVC will not since the SPLC is a very prestigious and respected organization. Mr. Stein’s last letter questions the credibility of the SPLC (and admits he was aware the quote was attributed to the SPLC). This is a view held by most if not all individuals and organizations the SPLC had exposed for their racist and hateful activities, FAIR being one of them. It is surprising that the SPLC can be right about the KKK, and neo-Nazi organizations it exposes, but not about Mr. Stein’s organization. His last letter to Mr. Osio follows.)

Mr. Osio,

I appreciate your time on this because it matters to me. I've been trying to appeal to you on this matter because I am assuming you adhere to higher journalistic standards than the SPLC.

In my view, SPLC is not a credible organization because apparently they don't think they need to be. But it is not a reliable news source, has no internal standards for fact checking or accuracy and prepares a wide range of propaganda material designed to describe various individuals in the most negative of manners -- using name-calling, character assassination and distortion at every opportunity. The SPLC attacks organizations and people -- and has the audacity to claim it teaches tolerance. The SPLC uses the polarizing technique of taking phrases of a sentence and re-casting the meanings and contexts. The technique is rather commonplace and certainly is not designed to enlighten. Nor is the SPLC interested in promoting common dialogue or reaching across sides of a dispute to seek common ground.

Naturally, I raised this issue of accuracy with the SPLC the minute they put it up, to no avail. I have repeatedly told the SPLC that an entire range of information they have posted is inaccurate including this alleged statement, and they refuse to correct anything. Nor have they been willing to provide balance or add information in the interest of providing a fair view.

Regarding this particular comment -- which I assume you reprinted because you thought it was damaging -- I have been striving to assert its inaccuracy since it first appeared years ago. Since I know precisely how this business got started, I demanded a correction by the original writer the minute it appeared when he blatantly mischaracterized the context in which I used two words -- "competitive breeding" – and entirely altered my oral statement. You'll notice the only words in quotes are "competitive breeding," and nothing else. The original comment had nothing to do with immigrants per se, and that's why the reporter did not quote my entire statement. No one can produce an original complete quote from me that makes the statement you have attributed to me. The SPLC apparently doesn't care; their view is that they are free to republish and recast any material from any other source as long as it was printed somewhere sometime in some fashion.

I realize you use the statement as a springboard for your attack on FAIR, but if I say I didn't make the statement as characterized in your article, and no one can gainsay me on the matter, then why isn't that enough to justify a retraction?

Dan
Dan Stein, President
FAIR -- Federation for American Immigration Reform

From: "ILiveInArizona" ILiveInArizona@worldnet.att.net
Date: 2005/11/13
Subject: Your article "Mexico uses US to avoid change"
   I grew up in southern California and am a lifetime border-state resident, so the situation in Mexico isn't as new to me as to South Carolinians.
   For most of my 57-year lifetime, the US government protected business' cheap labor supply behind the cover of "fighting communism in Central America--better the corrupt devil we know than the communists." During most of the Cold War, Americans swallowed this baloney hook, line and sinker.
   That's why it's so ironic now that the most like victor of the 2006 Mexican elections is the PRD mayor of Mexico City--PRD being the Mexican equivalent of the Communist Party.
   I know that most Mexicans consider Vicente Fox a clown, much as we consider GWB a clown. Fox is popular with the Mexican nationals in the US, which is why the PAN wanted expatriate Mexicans to vote in national elections.
   What many Americans outside the Southwest don't realize is that Vicente Fox Quesada isn't a Mexican--he's a transplanted Spaniard. Californian children learned in 1950s schools that Spaniards colonized based on Spanish bloodlines to rule; Benito Juarez being a major exception. Most of Mexico's wealth and natural resources are in the hands of a few Spanish families, and they want to keep it that way.
   I'm amazed that a magazine such as yours identifies the need for internal change in Mexico; most that I've seen just cling to the propaganda of taking the easy way out converting their liabilities (potential discontents) to assets (with wage remittances) by sending the excess to "el norte."
   I suspect that many of the "Hispanic" magazines and newspapers are funded by the corporations who benefit from cheap Mexican labor.
Thanks for your commentary.
S. J. Miller

From: "June Venable" bjven52@thegateway.net
Date: 2005/11/13
Subject: RE: Mexico uses U.S....
You've invited Mexicans to have their say about why their country doesn't make a move to improve its economy. Why should it? With remittances in the billions sent back each year, it an easy way for that country to realize a way to line the pockets of its leaders without those leaders having to do anything but point north.

I'm one of the many Americans who would vote for a border wall. Build it as high as wide and as long as it takes to keep illegal aliens out. We built this country without the aid of people who sneak in. Have we become so lazy that we can't landscape a yard, paint a house or clean a floor ourselves?

My sixth great-grandfather, as a fourteen-year old boy, fought in the Revolutionary War and I've had family members in every war since. And, they did not fight to protect this country for lawbreakers, and for an administration who is trying so hard to give it away.

I'm sure our forefathers are weeping for this once-proud nation. And it isn't one I want to leave to my grandchildren.
June Venable bjven52@thegateway.net

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October 28, 2005
LETTERS TO EDITOR
Thank you very much for your news letter. I've marked it to read at a later time. My mother has had a heart attack and I am taking care of her. My objective as a scholar is to present the Hispanic side of history and culture in New Mexico and throughout the state. One day I will write an article on why this is important. Otra vez, muchas gracias. Irene Blea
To learn more about Dr. Blea visit http://www.ireneblea.com/

Not pretending to have all the answers...but it seems to me the problem is NOT with the U.S. Government but totally and entirely with the Mexican Government. Please ask why so many people risk their lives to LEAVE Mexico and you will find the answer to the problem. Put pressure on the MEXICAN government to treat its people better and the problem on the border will go away. The United States has done all it can and should do--it's time for the problem to be addressed at the point of origin--the Mexican government.

Nancy Williams n_williams@ftgibson.k12.ok.us
For awhile I've been reading your columns with interest and at times agreeing with you. However, I think the "brown-skinned" and the "whitening" of America is clouding the issue here.
We have a real problem with not only Mexicans but a lot of Central Americans as well. We need to take control of the borders for unrestricted undocumented latinos coming to this country at will and making themselves at home here. I am in Florida and I don't agree with the "super patriots" and rednecks who perceive to solve the problem by