Comments on: Activism from Latino Blogsphere with the Questionnaire for Presidential Candidates

By: O

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 17:13:16 +0000

I admire the efforts of The Sanctuary. The questionnaire is an excellent idea!

(…waiting to see if it will be ignored)

By: BettyM

BettyM — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 20:42:12 +0000

The questionnaire is so comprehensive – the presidential candidates will never respond! I would be interested in their response to the last question (#38 On what immigration issues will you take leadership?).

By: Irma

Irma — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:13:19 +0000

The Hispanic vote will only become an issue when we exercise the right to vote as a united front. This is unlikely, as we are a diverse group of people. For example, when was the last time Cuban- American and Mexican American legislators came together to promote the same issue? This being said, if Latinos ever do come together politically – that will be the day we
have a real say in what goes in the USA.

By: xxxicana

xxxicana — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 04:17:43 +0000

Rather than placing all the blame on the NCLR, let’s focus on the main point. . . that both candidates appear in front of Latino organizations, but don’t necessarily demonstrate any understanding of the diversity within the Latino community. I’m glad to see that a serious questionnaire has been sent to the candidates, but I won’t hold my breath on any substantive solutions. Obama did come and say that we Latinos have great voting power — but often choose to exercise it by NOT voting (I’m paraphrasing here). We are no different from other long ignored demographics — at some point you get tired of knocking your head against the wall. Ah, but that’s part of the problem, no? — that we are seen as a “demographic” rather than as viable and important members of our communities with unmet needs and unfulfilled aspirations. Thanks to LatinoPoliticsBlog for bringing these issues to our attention! La lucha sigue!

By: theKaiser

theKaiser — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 02:54:25 +0000

If the National Council of La Raza was an effective organization of brilliant people working to protect civil rights and create opportunities for Hispanics, they would have formed a coalition with other organizations to remove the Bush Administration from the White House, oversaw and administrated the anti-immigration protests, and united themselves with the NAACP, the Urban League, and other minority organizations to formally protest the mass incarcerations of people of color. However, that seems beneath them. The NCLR is all about serving themselves, and elevating their self-social status in DC, Los Angeles, and Miami. White America has nothing to fear from the National Council of La Raza. They will make sure we remain a minority of slaves for Wal-Mart, Tyson Foods, Monsanto, the fast food industry, and all the farmers in America.

By: Bearguez

Bearguez — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 02:17:55 +0000

Who are these morons running the National Council of La Raza?

Is it so beneath them to utilize the lifelong lessons experienced by the NAACP and the Urban League to accomplish their goals? Why is Janet Murguia making the circuit through CNN and other media to publicly engage with racist bigots like Lou Dobbs? That’s a waste of time and resources, and it turns everything upside down. Is the executive council of the National Council of La Raza so arrogant they don’t need to develop alternative strategies to accomplish their goals? Maybe they need to have another awards ceremony and give a trophy to the NCLR executive who best emulates Albert Gonzales.

By: Michaelr

Michaelr — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:02:44 +0000

The National Council of La Raza is now only interested in prostituting itself to large Corporate American donors to further its ability to exist and continue the illusion that they are on par with the Urban League and the NAACP. They are nowhere to be found when it comes to providing educational, social, and political alternatives that could provide opportunities for Latino youth and young adults who seek to change their existing economic situations. The dysfunctional and self-serving behavior of this group disables their ability to reduce poverty and discrimination, and improve the status of employment opportunities for Latinos. In many ways, they are very similar to the U.S. Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and its inability to function in a forward manner. Just the fact that Janet Murguia panders to Antonio Villaraigosa, tells you how distant the NCLR is from its active interaction with the Latino populace, and its ability to speak on behalf of those less fortunate. Maybe the Sanctuary bloggers can achieve where the National Council of La Raza has failed so miserably.