The extended entry has yet another in this series. For future reference.

Paper: Press-Telegram (Long Beach, CA)
Title: LATINO LEADERS RALLYING TROOPS
Author: Laura Flores
Staff writer
Date: January 14, 1995
Section: LOCAL NEWS
Page: B1

Proclaiming an economic and political battle must be launched against
anti-immigrant efforts such as Proposition 187, more than 375 people
gathered at UC Riverside on Friday to discuss ways to mobilize an often
reluctant and divided Latino community to fight.

''We must recommit, reorganize and remobilize to defeat the mindset of
racism and fear that's the source behind Proposition 187,'' said
Armando Navarro, director of UC Riverside's Ernesto Galarza Public Policy
and Humanities Research Institute. ''To do that we have to completely
revitalize our own mind-set. ... We have to come to a consensus. ...
Our armies have no battle plan; we have to show our power.''The first
day of the two-day conference sponsored by the university brought
together educators, students, politicians and community leaders from
California, Texas and Arizona. Discussions included the impact of Proposition
187, efforts for similar legislation in other states, and the
immigration reform proposed by the Republican majority in Congress.

The majority of the speakers emphasized the need for a massive effort
by a coalition of Latino organizations to register Latino citizens to
vote, help legal residents to become citizens and earn the right to
vote, and legalize those who are eligible but haven't done so.
Proposition 187 is only the tip of the iceberg, many said. There are many bills
aimed at taking away the rights of not only illegal but legal
immigrants, they warned.

''Without voters, all of this is a lot of talk,'' said Leonel Castillo,
a former INS commissioner. ''Without votes, the politicians will not
listen. ... We have the energy here to change the community and win for
ourselves an enormous amount of power.''

And while Proposition 187 can be proven unconstitutional in the courts
right now, that doesn't mean amendments could not be passed in the
future that would allow for such legislation, attorneys said. ''Don't look
to the lawyers as the saviors of the community, this is our collective burden,'' said Deborah Escobedo, an attorney working on one of the state lawsuits against Proposition 187. ''This is a political battle, and this is not a time to be complacent and think it's just a legal battle.''

Others called for acts of nonviolent civil disobedience and economic
boycotts.

''The white power structure is interested in the green dollar and has
benefited from Latino consumers and our buying power,'' said Jose Angel Gutierrez of the University of Texas. ''Now is the time to show our
strength by boycotting California.''

Gutierrez said boycotts of California and California businesses are
slowly gaining steam in states such as Arizona and Texas and should be
done here as well. He said he intends to spend little or no money while
he is here and is staying with friends so as not to patronize a hotel...