LULAC, Raza radicals: Senate bill "unworkable", "this is our land!", "border crossed us"
Posted Sun, May 20, 2007 at 7:59 am
A couple days ago, Mickey Kaus suggested one (slate . com/id/2166199) way to scuttle the Senate's amnesty bill: get radicals to support an even worse version, and perhaps even utter "reconquista" style statements. It looks like he's got his wish. From this:
[Jaime P. Martinez, national treasurer of the League of United Latin American Citizens] preached from the podium of a small chapel at Primera Baptist Church flanked by U.S. and Mexican flags, his message one of defiance - not of turning the other cheek.The latter may or may not be true: under the Flake-Gutierrez version, they only have to go to a "Point of Entry", which could be in Canada or Mexico. I don't know what's in the Senate bill, but I'd imagine that eventually any tough provisions would get whittled down to going to a local major airport inside the U.S. Apparently the person who said they'd have to return to their home countries is U.S. Rep. Charlie Gonzalez, who was also at the meeting.
"We must not sell out, and we must fight for the rights of our people that have been here!" he shouted, a crowd of 50 or so cheering and applauding as the short speech closed. "This is our land and we're going to fight for just and humane comprehensive immigration reform!... ...We did not cross the border, the border crossed us."
...Most of those at the town hall meeting hosted by LULAC, the National Council of La Raza and the Service Employees International Union oppose the bill, in part because of provisions to fine each head of household $5,000 and require them to return to their home countries before seeking permanent residency.
Those at the church, almost all Hispanic and some of them immigration activists, weren't in the mood to compromise. La Raza, LULAC and the union issued a news release announcing the town hall meeting that was an ultimatum. They said U.S. Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn, R-Texas, were "on notice" that "we want workable reform and we want it now!"Note that the latter quote source's affiliation wasn't given and his thoughts were apparently not explicitly echoed by LULAC or NCLR, even though they are somewhat similar.
The release went on to say the groups are seeking legislation "that balances stronger border security with common-sense reform — including family reunification, respect for worker rights and a pathway to citizenship."
...[A member of the crowd] said Mexicans have an absolute right to live in the United States - either as residents or citizens. U.S. residents, he said, had the same right to live in Mexico... "The only borders that we used to recognize are the natural borders of rivers, mountains, lakes, deserts, not these international boundaries that this colonial government has set up by dividing our land," he said.
Comments
petty bourgeois (not verified)
Sun, 05/20/2007 - 16:25
Permalink
HS 11040 pettyburger@yahoo.com 2007-05-20T18:25:57-05:00
"not these international boundaries that this colonial government has set up by dividing our land" We live in a republic, and the colonial era is long gone. Now we are being colonized and they are calling us colonizers. I'm not the one who voted with my feet. And for anyone who says they have an indigenous right to this land, I would remind them who the original inhabitants of this continent were with two words: proto-caucasoid Kennewick Man.
petty bourgeois (not verified)
Sun, 05/20/2007 - 16:29
Permalink
HS 11041 pettyburger@yahoo.com 2007-05-20T18:29:51-05:00
Okay that's four words, but I have more words if you want to know who inhabited mexico before the mexicans: Penon Woman III, found in mexico city, some of the oldest bones and resembling a caucasian. These people have zero claim to this country--they signed it away with the treaty of guadalupe de hidalgo.
eh (not verified)
Sun, 05/20/2007 - 18:28
Permalink
HS 11042 e10k@hotmail.com 2007-05-20T20:28:21-05:00
We have met the enemy and he is us. [1] These stupid mothers may yet screw up their amnesty.
Links:
------
[1] www1.epinions.com/content_4918321284
The Other Mary (not verified)
Mon, 05/21/2007 - 03:47
Permalink
HS 11043 2007-05-21T05:47:30-05:00
They didn't create the welfare state that they love so much and to which they think they are so very much "entitled." The "pilgrims" did. They were never interested in the land until the gringos came and made a superpower of it. If they had been interested in it, their ancestors would never have left their precious "Aztlan" to begin with. It's the story of the Little Red Hen all over again. Screw them.
Pat (not verified)
Mon, 05/21/2007 - 05:39
Permalink
HS 11044 dpenpaper@netscape.net 2007-05-21T07:39:19-05:00
Department of Wishful Thinking: I think Bush is pushing this bill because as a lame duck no stand, however insane, will harm him. So other Reps can campaign that they voted against him amnesty bill and, presto, they look good to the voters and better than the Dems! IOW he's taking one for the team.