Barrio Abogado, a colleague of mine, offers his opinion on the recent immigration debate in response to his friend, Janet Murguía, who delivered a speech at the National Press Club two weeks ago. Janet Muruía, President of the National Council of La Raza, says that our next great march is to the ballot box in November, and I would like to agree with her, even though rallies and marches are significant, especially when followed up with letter writing, organizing, and voting.
Barrio Abogado’s Response:
Since immigrant bashing became a sport a few years ago, I have come to believe that the so-called “immigration debate” as defined by Lou Dobbs, Fox News, and other right wing pundits, is really nothing other than racism masquerading as pseudo policy. Instead of placing blame for our national problems on the current administration’s failed policy choices, the undocumented have become the scapegoat for threats to national security, the economy, crime and the health care crisis. I have even heard some argue that the housing crisis was the fault of those “illegals” because they bought houses that they couldn’t afford. We are blaming the victims instead of the banks and mortgage companies that made billions off of working families.
I recall when a police chief in a city in Orange County, California questioned my loyalty because I took the side of day laborers being arrested for seeking jobs. I had to remind him that as a lawyer, I knew more about the 1st, 4th, and 5th Amendments than he could probably ever learn in his lifetime. I also told him that there was no family more patriotic than my own. My relatives fought in WWII with Patton’s Third Army as it raced across Europe, they fought in the jungles of Saipan & Tarawa, and one aunt even lost two brothers in the War. My family members have also served in the Korean, Vietnam, and Gulf wars. So don’t talk to me about what it means to be an American. My family has poured its blood for this country.
Now when I hear people try to argue about “rounding them up and sending them back,” I no longer hesitate — I just tell them to their faces that they are racists. I don’t pull any punches any more. I make it clear that I think these comments and arguments are grounded in hate.
I don’t forget that Korematsu v. US has never been overturned. That case allows the US to intern people based on their race if the President deems them a threat to national security.
I learned a long time ago that the only way to fight a bully is to stand up to them and alter the terms of the debate. However, we can take the high road through the power of our voices and our votes. Ms. Muruía’s speech is an important step toward changing the debate from an issue of racism to a policy issue of fairness and equity.
5 responses so far ↓
1 Michaelr // May 2, 2008 at 10:41 pm
Fox News, Lou Dobbs, Mitt Romney and the rest of the GOP are always going to blame us brown people for all the troubles that beset the United States of America. We have been their scapegoats since our great grandparents fled the Mexican Revolution and came here to support the U.S. agricultural industry. And the fact that we continue to support the U.S. agricultural industry at the lowest levels, and continually accept being exploited laboring at the bottom of the wage pool will not help our sociopolitical status. These marches are not helping our cause. The mainstream print and television news media love to show film of protesters waving the Mexican flags shouting slogans in Spanish. This doesn’t empower anyone, except maybe the Minutemen and the LAPD. All these protest organizers would better their purpose by registering as many eligible Latinos to vote.
2 NotChicano // May 4, 2008 at 2:58 pm
I agree with the comments of Barrio Abogado and Michaelr, and would like to ad my own perspective on this year’s May Day march. The most important factor for the lack of participation was the unclear purpose of the march itself.
The May Day march of 2006 where more than 250,000 people participated had a clear purpose, which was to defeat federal legislation that was being proposed. Last year’s march had low participation numbers too, but the incidents with the LAPD became the main highlight of the march. This year organizers were left with no real “rallying cry” the media focused on the LAPD’s planned incidents of violence, and participants were left with mixed messages that included: the Iraq war, education, special order 40, the Legalize L.A. campaign, and a host of others.
In my opinion, the organizers should apply their efforts to voter registration and put pressure on both parties to achieve a comprehensive immigration reform that would re-unite families and give the millions of legitimate tax payers an opportunity to realize the American dream.
3 The People's Channel // May 5, 2008 at 12:34 am
A comment on Barrio Abogado’s comment regarding “questioning of loyalties” with the OC Police Chief (vendido, sellout, cheating, and corrupt Corona?). WHY do we have to “explain” ourselves, our loyalties, our sympathies, our politics, or anything else to anybody??? Why is it that how ever many generations we are or are not in the U.S., if we dare to dissent, we are told directly or indirectly to “Go back to Mexico”?? (many times by “our own” patriotic [Mexican]American people?) Why aren’t dissenting whites ever told to go back to Europe? Or dissenting Jews told to go back to Israel if they are “intolerant” of us or dissent with U.S. policies- whether to the right or left?? Why do we feel the need to explain ourselves or go on the defense; or come with subtitles and easy to understand bios like we’re Martian “aliens”? Why can’t we for once go on the offense and be as offensive as those who routinely vilify and disparage us with impunity? Why is THAT so tolerated??!! I’m 3rd generation myself but so what? Why should I have to explain that to Mr. & Mrs. White or Vendido/a?? Why can’t WE play the “angry Black man” instead of playing some meek “foreigner” with a ready unoffensive answer in our own damn homeland? Give me a goddamn break!
4 webmaster // May 5, 2008 at 11:44 am
People’s Channel,
I agree that we shouldn’t have to explain ourselves and our heritage. It really is troubling to be asked “What are you?” and when I reply “American” only to get interrogated even further.
As for Mike Carona, I believe that he’s the grandson of Sicilian immigrants, so I don’t doubt that he has “sold out” some of his own.
After all, he ran a mafia-esque operation as Sheriff.
5 Ismael and Lucy Lopez // Jun 2, 2008 at 4:32 am
I woul like to ask to NCLR if they have a national program allready in place assisting hispanics in registering to vote and or if not eligible assisting them and helping them to become eligible to do so. I am interested in helping , I allready have forms for registering to vote and I have been doing so.Please provide me with literature and paperwork I can use to encourage all local bussines to become a place where this type of info and assistance if possible can be obtained. Thank you. Ismael Lopez
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