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HispanicVista Columnists & Guest Columns

Week of January 22, 2006

 

HispanicVista Columnists & Guest Columns

Week of January 22, 2006

A Border Patrol lie

By Patrick Osio, Jr./HispanicVista.com

   January 7, 2006

 “Breathes there the man, whose soul so dead, never to himself hath said – This is my own, my native land.”  If Congressmen Tancredo, Sensenbrenner, Hunter and the other members of the Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus have their way, Walter Scott’s rhetorical question from his “Lay of the Last Minstrel” will prophetically create untold thousands of “dead souls” unable to call the US “my native land.” How can any American, indeed any human being, do such a thing to the yet unborn?

By Raoul Lowery Contreras/HispanicVista.com

   January 22, 2006

 

  The United States Border Patrol is lying to Americans by omission.
According to the Patrol there were over 500 "violent" attacks in 2005 on Border Patrol agents along the Mexican border. That is not a lie by itself. What is a lie is the definition of "violent" attacks.
Border Patrol definition: A child throws a rock over the high fence at the border-- that is defined as a violent attack even if the rock doesn’t hit an agent or his vehicle. As long as the Agent can see the rock hit the ground, it is defined as a violent attack. A firecracker explodes on the Mexican side of the border within hearing of a Border Patrol agent – and that is defined as a shot fired at an agent.

By Richard N. Baldwin T. /HispanicVista.com

   January 22, 2006

 

FROM MEXICO

  

 The last time I crossed the Mexican / US border on the surface (driving or on foot) was 14 years ago. Since that time (especially after 9/11), we realize that there have been changes in the procedure with more changes anticipated. So, it was with some concern for us in planning an end of the year trip that would involve crossing the border at the famous San Ysidro crossing. And you might be aware that this is the busiest land crossing between any two countries on the planet.

By Robert Miranda

With the House of Representatives approving the “Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act” H.R. 4437, the dice are cast and the direction this nation is heading on the issue of immigration is bleak and ominous. Arguably the most draconian bill to ever surface against immigrants out of Washington DC in the last half century, H.R. 4437 should send a cold chill down the backs of many pro-immigration advocates on Capital Hill and around the country.

LETTERS TO EDITOR

GUATEMALA - Dismantling the Central American Gangs and Recovering a Lost Generation

From: Diane Chavez dianechavez50@yahoo.com 

Date: 1/14/2006

For your information the 14th amendment to our Consititution 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!

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.

By Michael Hogan

 Carlos, my driver, was a former federal policeman. He weighed a good two hundred pounds and was well over six feet. He was assigned to me by a local businessman whom I knew in Guatemala City after I explained that I wanted to visit some areas where I could see gang activity. When we arrived at the tianguis or local market, he pulled over the Ford Explorer and opened the glove compartment. He unclipped his automatic from his belt, and put it inside along with his wallet. “Take a few bills out of your wallet and then put it inside the glove box was well,” he said. Then he locked the glove compartment.

Walk On By: Pass Up Sensenbrenner's Misguided Border Bill And Insist On A Winner

By Lory Diana Rosenberg

We are facing an increasingly urgent question about the kind of country and society in which we want to live. More precisely, what must we do to transform our immigration system so that it works smoothly and efficiently, enabling us to uphold our tradition as a welcoming and inclusive country, enriching and benefiting the lives and well-being of all those who, in turn, enrich and benefit America?

By Robert Miranda

Ultra right-wing conservatives are almost literally waving the red flag in an attempt to raise neo-conservative concerns about China’s growing influence in the Western Hemisphere—specifically, Latin America.

American right-wingers are sounding the alarm and their panic comes on the heels of China's political networking with new leftist governments in Latin America—Bolivia, Venezuela and Brazil.

By Rene P. Ciria-Cruz

As if deciding to steer clear of a bully, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in his State-of-the-State address avoided dealing with the immigration issue, hinting at it only once, without daring to say its name.
"California's population is expected to increase by as much as 30 percent over the next 20 years," he said. "Our systems are at a breaking point. We need more roads, more hospitals, more schools...We cannot bury our heads in the sand and say, 'If we don't build it they won't come.'"

Por Miriam Ventura

Una ola de cancelaciones se ha desatado en el Consulado Dominicano en Nueva York, dejando sin sustento a una docena de empleados y sus familiares. Las cancelaciones se iniciaron en noviembre del año pasado y solo ahora trascienden a la luz pública.

Los departamentos de Seguridad, pasaporte, legal y prensa han sido los mas afectados. Un ambiente de temor reina entre los empleados del Consulado Dominicano.

Results of 2005 National Latino Survey

U.S. Newswire
The Latino Coalition today released the results of the 2005 National Latino Survey during a press conference in Washington, D.C. Survey top- line results and power-point presentation are available at http://www.TheLatinoCoalition.com.
"This survey has become the most reliable and accurate study on Hispanic political and consumer behavior in the U.S. The 2004 National Latino Survey was dead-on accurate in predicting the Latino vote in the 2004 elections," said TLC President Robert Deposada.

By Eduardo Stanley

The cold January night didn’t keep some two-dozen farm workers from attending a brief presentation on the importance of voting in Mexico’s next presidential election – even if they are not currently living there.

The meeting took place in an agricultural labor camp near Caruthers, twenty miles southwest of Fresno, where many indigenous Mixtec migrants from the Mexican state of Guerrero live in barracks and work on nearby farms.

Patrick Osio, Jr. has written a short but intensive E-book on the Mexican perspective on numerous issues between our two countries. The E-book is also an in depth primer on Mexican culture and protocol for better understanding that allows establishing personal and business relationships, and how to avoid the most common faux pas that can ruin relationships and business deals. Literally this book has been of immense help to thousands, you too can gain from Mr. Osio's lifetime experience.

About the author

Table of Contents

Excerpts from the manual

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

COMMENTARY

THE BEST FROM THE NET

January 22, 2006

ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. STATEWIDE 'FAIR WAGE' INITIATIVE

2. CONG. HONDA PRESENTS NCM EXCEPTIONAL COMMUNICATOR AWARDS

3. Sober and Sovereign Immigrant’s Dry Law

4. SEMINARS ON ADMISSION TO WEST POINT

5. California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce Announces Leadership Change

6. National Woman's Heart DayR Health Fair

Latin America's Two Left Wings

Don't confuse those leaders who spring from a communist or socialist past with those who trace their roots to old-fashioned populism.

By Jorge Castañeda

Is Latin America swerving left? Is that the right question? Clearly, the people who are winning elections today are not the ones who won them 5, 10 or 15 years ago; their rhetoric is not the same, and their views of the world are miles apart from those who were elected in the 1980s and 1990s. But are their policies so different?

A Balanced Force Structure to Achieve a Liberal World Order
By Mackubin Thomas Owens

THE NEW SECURITY ENVIRONMENT
The post-9/11  security  environment  is  characterized  by uncertainty and  the need  to be prepared to confront a wide range of adversaries across the spectrum of conflict. At one end of  the spectrum  is the potential threat to US security by the  rise of  China. Indeed, the similarities between the cases of Wilhelmine Germany and Great Britain at the turn of the 20th  century and  China and the United States today are compelling.

A Job Only Immigrants Can Do?

By Frank Sharry

President Bush was never my kind of President. But shortly after he took office in 2001, he caught my attention with an evident desire to make history on an issue near and dear to my heart.

For the first time in American history, an American President made Mexico the destination of his first trip out of the country. There, he rode horses with the democratically elected Vicente Fox, and to the surprise of many, agreed to make immigration the cornerstone of the bilateral relationship.

 I will not support Hillary Clinton for president

By Molly Ivins

January 20, 2006

I'd like to make it clear to the people who run the Democratic Party that I will not support Hillary Clinton for president.

Enough. Enough triangulation, calculation and equivocation. Enough clever straddling, enough not offending anyone This is not a Dick Morris election. Sen. Clinton is apparently incapable of taking a clear stand on the war in Iraq, and that alone is enough to disqualify her. Her failure to speak out on Terri Schiavo, not to mention that gross pandering on flag-burning, are just contemptible little dodges.

Immigration Reform: From 'American Dream' to 'Latino Nightmare'

By Roy E. Hodgson

As a child of an immigrant woman turned U.S. citizen and as a Latino, I am keeping a close watch on all this talk about "immigration reform." In the past, politicians used to declare war on crime or drugs to get elected. Now they call for a crackdown on immigrants, and people I know could be in danger.
One absurd idea that has been thrown out there is denying U.S. citizenship to children born to illegal immigrants. I am proud to be a U.S. citizen, but I became a citizen by being born here.

State of Arizona anti-illegal immigrant bills in legislature or proposed for voter referendum.

There are no less than 19 bills pending in the Arizona legislature or seeking to be included as a referendum for the November elections. The bills cover a whole array of  issues most seeking populist approval. They range from the silly to the absurd such as one proposes to make it illegal for financial institutions to provide loans to undocumented residents, another to deny adult education unless the student pays tuition.  This article provides information on each of the proposals.

The 'Paper Ceiling' -- Undocumented Youths Face Barriers at the Brink of Adulthood

By Nick Guroff and Singeli

Fermin was born at the height of El Salvador's civil war 17 years ago. When he was 11, his mother finally saved enough money to bring him to Los Angeles, where she had lived since he was 4 years old.
"She wanted me to have more educational opportunities," Fermin says. "It's the only way out of being low-income."

What's FAIR got to do with it?

By Tom Barry |

The House's approval of the Sensenbrenner immigration reform bill in mid-December was a clear signal that the most virulent restrictionists were in control of the immigration policy debate.

Sponsored by Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-WI), chair of the House Judiciary Committee, the Border Protection, Anti-Terrorism, and Illegal Control Act calls for the extension of a fence along a third of the 2,000 mile U.S.-Mexico border, involves local law enforcement and other government officials in immigration enforcement, and denies due-process of law for immigrants.

The U.S. anti-migrant push and the Mexican campaign 

By Kelly Arthur Garrett

Before the coming week is out, five presidential candidates will have officially registered. The imposed lull on their public campaigning will be lifted; the tumult and shouting will begin anew. Voters will once again venture into the mire of Mexican electoral politics in search of something substantive to inform the choice they'll make on July 2.

The Institutional Revolutionary Party’s Roberto Madrazo will try to convince voters that he represents a refreshed version of the stability, growth and nationalist spirit of his party in its heyday. His opponents will paint him as the embodiment of the corruption and authoritarianism of that same party's same heyday.

From NAFTA to partnership: How do we get there? 

By Ricardo Pascoe

When the leaders of Mexico, the United States and Canada announced last March that they had agreed on the terms of the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America, questions were raised as to what would be the scope of this new accord.

Was the partnership different from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) which went into effect on Jan. 1, 1994? Would it be a continuation of NAFTA? Or would it nullify NAFTA and replace it with a more up-to-date relationship between the three countries?

Furthering Democracy in Mexico

By Enrique Krauze

A RETURN TO OLIGARCHY?

In July 2006, Mexico will have an opportunity to consolidate its democratic process for the first time in modern history. Only then will it be clear whether the political changes of the past five years have taken hold -- whether the country will go on building democracy and implementing much-needed reforms or instead fall into the sort of periodic crisis that has characterized too much of its past.

Questioning US arrest statistics

By Scott Christianson

Policing in the United States has changed a lot during the past 50 years. Higher education and training requirements have led to greater police professionalism, and most departments' ranks have benefited from huge increases of personnel, stunning technological advancements, forensics breakthroughs, and affirmative action policies that presumably have led to a more representative workforce sensitive to civil rights. Policing's academic side has also prospered from decades of ample government research grants.

The Candidate and the Poor

By Fred Rosen

By this coming Wednesday, the National Action Party's Felipe Calderón, the Institutional Revolutionary Party's Roberto Madrazo and the Democratic Revolution Party's Andrés Manuel López Obrador will have registered their candidacies with the Federal Electoral Institute (IFE), the Christmas “truce” will have expired, and the presidential campaign will be officially underway. Forced by the weight of public opinion upon the candidates' debate is Mexico's profound, seemingly intractable poverty.

NEWS  

Of Interest Around the Net

AP Poll: Congressional Democrats Favored

In an ominous election-year sign for Republicans, Americans are leaning sharply toward wanting Democrats to take control of Congress, an AP-Ipsos poll finds. Democrats are favored 49 percent to 36 percent.

Report: N.C. Hispanics contribute billions

North Carolina's fast-growing Hispanic community is almost 20 percent larger than government estimates, nearly half illegal and contributes billions to the state's economy, according to research released today.

Illegal immigration a 'real issue'

If you're an illegal immigrant, watch out. Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty wants to crack down on you and those who might employ you or provide you with false identification cards.

EDUCATION

Brought as children, attended schools, graduate high schools with honors – so what?

Help may be on the way for thousands of illegal immigrant students who are ineligible for college financial aid and don't qualify for in-state tuition discounts.

Few Mexicans in U.S. seek absentee ballots

Luis del Ángel García perks up as the first person in an hour approaches his information booth to ask about voting in the Mexican presidential election in July.

Fruit company pays settlement over immigrants to avoid legal fees

 William Zirkle has agreed to pay $1.3 million to settle a lawsuit accusing him and two other executives at a Selah-based fruit company of conspiring to hire thousands of illegal immigrants in order to keep wages low.

Gang Killings Close to Home

It happened without any fanfare, weeks ago in Pomona. A young Latino boy, popular among kids of his age and a student at the Pomona Alternative School, attended a party with some friends. An overtone of hostility began to replace the enjoyment of the early

Georgia's immigration proposals zero in on college benefits
 Trying to tackle the challenges of the state's booming, young immigrant population, Georgia lawmakers are preparing to debate an issue that many consider critical to the integration of immigrant communities _ access to higher education.

Immigration debate parallels -Historians see similarities with 19th century

The immigrants work for peanuts, drive down wages and push Americans out of good jobs. They swarm the hospitals, jails and welfare rolls. Their neighborhoods are crime-ridden. They don't learn English. They won't assimilate.

Jose Padilla finally to get his day in court.

US terror suspect Jose Padilla, detained for over three years without charges as an "enemy combatant," appeared in court for the first time after being flown to Miami from a military prison.

Mexican lawmakers request meeting with US counterparts on proposed border fences

Mexican lawmakers will ask their U.S. counterparts to move up a scheduled meeting on immigration to February from March, Mexico´s speaker of the lower house of Congress said.

Minimum Wage May Get Boost

The California business community's long-standing opposition to boosting the state's minimum wage is eroding — at least for now — amid a growing recognition that increases are inevitable and previous hikes haven't produced dire economic consequences.

Opinions split on proposed border fence

It hasn't even been built, but already a proposed 15-feet-high fence along nearly a third of the U.S.-Mexico border has ignited fiery passions on both sides of the international line.

To die-hard supporters, the proposed fence isn't just metal and concrete, it's a way to help protect the United States, cut crime and reduce the threat of terrorism.

Chertoff: Plan will curb immigration
 
On Wednesday, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff told a gathering of county sheriffs from across the country that he plans to initiate today a program uniting federal and local agencies in the fight against those who make their money smuggling illegal immigrants and drugs into this country.

Poll says Latinos oppose GOP stance on illegal immigration
 Because Hispanic voters are turned off by the conservative-led push for tougher penalties on illegal immigration, they are more likely to support Democrats than Republicans in November, according to the 2005 National Latino Survey released Thursday.

Pregnant Migrant Farmworkers face health risks for themselves and unborn.

When her infant son was just 20 days old, Cristina Matias, 28, poor, Mexican, abandoned by her two brothers, went back to work.

Immigration/Economic News
Profiting from Remittances
 
 According to Bank of Mexico Governor Guillermo Ortiz, remittances from Mexican migrants are expected to reach or surpass $20 billion dollars for 2005. Money sent home from Mexican migrants who mainly work in the United States now constitutes Mexico's second largest source of legal foreign exchange…

Republicans will bring back the issue of denying citizenship to US born children

The Associated Press January 3, 2006 -A proposal to change long-standing federal policy and deny citizenship to babies born to illegal immigrants on U.S. soil ran aground last month in Congress, but it is sure to resurface — kindling bitter debate even if it fails to become law.

Tijuana News
Border Shooting Whips Up New Tensions
 
Just like the old year ended, the new one began with rising tensions on the US-Mexico border. Fueling discord this time was the shooting death of a young Mexican man, Guillermo Martinez Rodriguez, by a US Border Patrol agent.

Trio of Democrats touts proposal to cut aid to illegal immigrants

Former Gov. Dick Lamm and two other Democrats on Wednesday touted a proposed ballot initiative to stop illegal immigrants from getting government services.

US faces severe worker shortage in near future

The United States faces a severe worker shortage in the near future, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce said Wednesday in advocating better education for Americans and changes in immigration law to allow in more foreign workers.

U.S. Installs Visitor Tracking Stations

Four years after the Sept. 11 attacks, the Bush administration has finished installing the equipment for a system to identify, photograph and fingerprint visitors arriving at every land, sea and air port of entry in the country.

Vehicle Pollution Linked to Respiratory Illness in Children

Recent findings from a study by USC Keck School of Medicine indicate that the closer children live to freeways, the higher their risk of asthma. The findings are consistent with the Help California Breathe Easier public awareness campaign...

Immigration bill blasted by area officials

 The U.S. House of Representatives passed an immigration bill recently that critics say would punish good samaritans who help undocumented immigrants in any way.

Patrick Osio, Jr. has written a short but intensive E-book on the Mexican perspective on numerous issues between our two countries. The E-book is also an in depth primer on Mexican culture and protocol for better understanding that allows establishing personal and business relationships, and how to avoid the most common faux pas that can ruin relationships and business deals. Literally this book has been of immense help to thousands, you too can gain from Mr. Osio's lifetime experience.