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Tuesday, March 28, 2006
SATURDAY: Albuquerque March & Rally to Support Social Justice for Immigrants
Above: March for immigrant justice in Los Angeles last weekend.
Passing this along on the email trail. You can do the same:
There are few times in life when we can actually fight for what we believe is right. As many of you know, last week around the nation rallies were held to protest the new immigration reforms.
Albuquerque will have its chance this Saturday, April 1st.
If you believe immigrants do not deserve the right to fulfill the American dream and live freely in this nation, then you do not have to do a single thing. But if you feel that something is not quite right, then it is your time to stand up and fight for your values, traditions, friends and family.
I urge you to pass this information to everybody you know. We can only make a difference if we stay united and if we truly believe in this. Please invite everyone you know !!!!
Recuerda a César Chávez (1927-1993)
"Social Justice for Immigrants"
MARCH & RALLY
Saturday, April 1, 2006
March begins at 11AM -- Bring your banners!
Martineztown Park
Edith & Roma, Downtown
Rally and Celebration 12 Noon
Civic Plaza
3rd and Marquette, Downtown
Celebrate the memory of César Chávez and the diversity of Albuquerque with speakers, entertainment and food provided for purchase by local vendors.
CO-SPONSORS--- Recuerda a Cesar Chavez Memorial Committee, Blue Collar Union Local 624, City of Albuquerque's Cultural Services Department and Human Rights Office, Center for Economic Justice, Lo Maduro de La Cultura, National Hispanic Cultural Center, UNM Chicano Studies
CONTRIBUTING ORGANIZATIONS--- Central NM Labor Council, Hispano Round Table of New Mexico, MANA de Albuquerque, National Union of Hospital and Healtth Care Employees District 1199, NM Federation of Labor AFL-CIO, UNM Africana Studies, UNM El Centro de la Raza, United Food & Commercial Workers
SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS--- Albuquerque Center for Peace and Justice, Albuquerque High MEChA, Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce, Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), Centro de Igualdad y Derechos, Dolores Gonzalez Elementary School, Enlace Comunitario, Longfellow Elementary School, NM Progressive Alliance for Community Empowerment, Nuestros Valores Charter School, SAGE Council, Santa Barbara-Martineztown Neighborhood Association, Southwest Network for Environmental and Economic Justice, SouthWest Organizing Project, UNM Center for Latin American Resources and Outreach (CLARO), UNM Family Program, UNM MEChA, UNM Peer Mentoring for Graduates of Color, UNM Raza Graduate Students Association, UNM U.S. Peace Corps, West Mesa High School MEChA, Young Women United.
For more information call: 3-1-1 Citizen Contact Center; Lucille Cordova 277-6414; Bonnie Rucobo 924-3380; Chuy Martinez 768-3531; Michael Casaus 417-5288; Rodrigo Rodríguez 489-7404; or Eduardo Hernández Chávez & Ysaura Bernal-Enríquez 256-1523
March 28, 2006 at 10:26 AM in Events | Permalink
Comments
This quote from Theodore Roosevelt is most applicable: "In the first place we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the man's becoming in very fact an American, and nothing but an American...
There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag, and this excludes the red flag, which symbolizes all wars against liberty and civilization, just as much as it excludes any foreign flag of a nation to which we are hostile...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."
--Theodore Roosevelt, 1919
Posted by: | Mar 28, 2006 4:07:57 PM
Well, in New Mexico we have room for two languages - English & Spanish. It's in our constitution!
Posted by: CoolGuy | Mar 28, 2006 4:30:23 PM
What the quote does show is that a similar line of fear was present when waves of immigrants arrived in the past. Fear of the "other" is always present in the hardwiring of humans. I could cite quotes that say pretty much the same negative things about Poles, Italians, Jews, Irish and others who immigrated to the U.S. in large numbers, as are said mostly about Hispanics today.
I mean, I admire Teddy Roosevelt on many counts, but he did exhibit the Anglo superiority complex of his time.
Citizenship is the best way to make immigrants feel a "part of" rather than an outsider. And it's been proved over and over that nations that embrace immigration are those that prosper and thrive most in the world. Diversity brings new energy and ideas. And immigrants have always shown what is perhaps the most urgent work ethic of any people. You don't leave everything with which you are familiar to try to make it in another land unless you are passionately dedicated to bettering yourself through work and engagement.
As for the Spanish - English debate, we have to remember that huge portions of the West were Hispanic way before any Anglos dared live here. Vast areas were not part of American rule until Hispanic people had lived here for hundreds of years. Why not honor the history of the West by honoring both the Spanish and English languages?
What better way to ensure that Americans open themselves to at least one language beyond their own. In most places in the world where education and opportunities are present, citizens often can speak several languages. All to the better in understanding the gifts diversity lends our cultures.
Posted by: A NM Educator | Mar 29, 2006 8:24:21 AM
Why all the Mexican flags? If Mexico is so fantastic, how come everybody wants to come here and not the other way around?
If immigrants truly want to stay here and be American, shouldn't they be waving American flags???????
It doesn't make sense.
Posted by: Claire | Mar 30, 2006 12:20:02 AM
Yes there were some Mexican flags but also hundreds and hundreds of American flags. Besides, waving an American flag doesn't necessarily make you a good citizen. Witness some of the flag wavers here -- some of them are against most of what our bill of rights has to say about freedom. The America love it or leave it crowd for one.
One of the proposed bills for immigrants requires them to study civics and take a test on it. I'd like to see some people who are US citizens by birth be able to pass this test. Just read any letters to the editor page or listen to any right-wing talk radio show and it will be clear that many "Americans" have no idea what our constitution is about or what responsibilities they have as citizens.
I admire immigrants. They are risk takers, have ambitions, work hard and are willing to sacrifice to make life better for their families. More Americans should see them as role models.
Posted by: Jon | Mar 30, 2006 9:14:28 AM
I'd also like to see them make a concerted effort to learn English- Far too many people show up at our workplace to apply for a job and it's just not going to happen for some of them because it's not practical to make plans and drawings bi-lingual. Having a Spanish fluent speaker(s) in house helps, but if they cannot READ english, every thing cannot be translated for them. So we have to say, sorry- No English, No Job. We've even offered to pay for ESL classes- one guy took us up on it and went 3 times. It's very frustrating.
Oh and the fact of waving a flag is symbolic- it means you are supporting the ideals of a country (whether or not it is perfectly adhered to)- which "ideals" of Mexico are being promoted by waving a Mexican flag? Mexico is a pit of corruption run by the 120 or whatever families that control everything- At least there is opportunity here- if you stay in school and read and educate yourself, you can go far regardless of the circumstances into which you were born- this is not as possible in Mexico unless you are born into it- that is why they come here- that concept is worth defending - yes, with an AMERICAN flag, but certainly not with a Mexican flag-
It also sends the exact wrong message of "we will colonize you just to get revenge" which is very upsetting to citizens as you can imagine-
Posted by: Claire | Mar 30, 2006 12:01:44 PM
Sorry Claire. Your prejudice is showing. As a matter of fact, it was the U.S. that "colonized" vast portions of America that were under the rule of Spain and Mexico for hundreds of years. Just because some people in the demonstrations held their flags of origin doesn't mean they are into "colonizing" our nation.
Your anecdote about workers applying for jobs is just that: anecdotal. There are plenty of Latinos here who work very hard to speak English while holding on to their own language heritage, which is a good thing. If those applying for jobs were as uninterested as you claim, explain to me how there are MILLIONS of immigrants, legal and otherwise, who have obtained employment here despite all the problems they face.
And you still ignore the fact that the vast majority of demonstrators held American flags.
You have the typical attitude of an American Anglo, sitting on privilege and bagging others who are doing all they can to improve their lives.
If you want to blame someone for the explosion of immigration from Mexico, blame the US government for foisting NAFTA on the world. NAFTA, more than any other factor, uprooted millions of farmers and indigenous people from the livelihoods, resulted in massive inflation (the price of tortillas for instance has gone up about a thousand percent) and destroyed whole communities. These people are desperate for food and housing, and of course they do everything in their power to get it, as anyone would who has any pride or survival instinct. Meanwhile, the rich investor class that owns factory food corporations and other "multinational" corporations are raking in the dough.
Wake up Claire. The ordinary people of the world are being attacked daily by the corporate pigs and you're there worrying about flag waving.
Posted by: Joe L. | Mar 30, 2006 12:52:12 PM
No, I'm not staying awake at night worrying about flag flying- My story about job applicants is not "anecdotal" - it happens on a weekly basis at our business here in Albuquerque- La Raza might disagree with you about the "reconquista". If they declare it, why shouldn't I take it seriously? (I'm kidding, somewhat) The Spanish "colonized" the Indians first- are we having a "who's the better colonizer contest?" That was decided 150 years ago. I was not around in those days, BTW, lol.
I'm not ignoring that a lot of American flags were flown, however, from the yahoo images of hundreds of pictures in LA, I saw a higher percentage of Mexican flags- which frankly shocked me- that was very unexpected- I usually expect such things from the college age crowd- it's smacks of biting the hand that feeds you- maybe that was a privileged white camera guy trying to dupe me into prejudice- (there's a conspiracy , you know- all us white guys are alike in our racism....) who knows?
I also saw a picture of a little girl (self-described as Mexican-American) at her high school with an American flag being shouted down in an ugly manner by a group of girls with Mexican flags- anecdotal? Isolated? Maybe- lets see how many American vs. Mexican flags fly Saturday in Albuquerque- I will be really happy if it truly is hardly any Mexican Flags, regardless of how many US flags are flown. It will give me heart that the immigrants here truly want to become Americans, and if they do want that, then I want that for them- nothing would make me happier than to see people reaching their potential- it truly is a beautiful thing- but it takes effort- perhaps more effort than just "showing up and doing a job."
I am not saying immigrants do not work hard- of course they do- I am saying that unless and until the ones who are here dedicate themselves to learning English quickly they will be taken advantage of (exploited) by the lesser tier of jobs in this country because the good ones aren't going to go to them until they can function at a certain level. We ARE trying to hire anybody who wants to work hard ( that trait is hard enough to find these days regardless of who you are) and we do not pay just minimum wage- slavery went out of fashion a long time ago.... and help them succeed, but I am seeing more and more in the last few years that are unhireable- and why does that make it wrong for me to worry about that???? I have no idea where they end up- probably not in a great situation- which is not good for anybody- Do you own a business? Are you hiring people? Are you seeing what I am seeing on an almost daily basis?
Yeah, I'm a typical anglo- sitting on privilege- the privilege of being born in Albuquerque- that's absolutely true and for that I thank my lucky stars every single day- I didn't go to college in New Mexico on the backs of anybody, I didn't work for 20 years as an engineer on the backs of anybody, and I didn't start my own business on the backs of anybody- Don't start that shit with me- Nobody handed me a goddamn dime- if I can do it, any other American can do it just as well- I'm no Einstein, that's for sure-
If you actually pay attention to what I have to say, you might realize that I am giving a critique of how to better survive as an immigrant in the US. They HAVE to assimilate to thrive here- learning English doesn't mean you suddenly forget how to speak Spanish for goddsakes-
But, no it's easier to call me a racist and stereotype me (irony be thy name), whatever makes you feel superior morally, dude-
Posted by: Claire | Mar 31, 2006 10:07:37 AM
