Hazleton: Dr. Agapito Lopez rejects assimilation

Let's take a look at the thoughts of one of those who opposes Hazelton's new anti-illegal immigration ordinance:
"Hazleton will die without immigrants," said Dr. Agapito Lopez, 62, a retired Hazleton ophthalmologist and a member of the Governor's Advisory Commission on Latino Affairs... (link; after you read the rest of this, contact him here).

Agapito Lopez, the retired ophthalmologist, is one of the most outspoken critics of Barletta's plan. Lopez, who came here from Puerto Rico, says the mayor doesn't understand that he has offended the Hispanic community.

"We are family. If you insult part of the family, you insult the whole family," Lopez said.
Of course, if white people were "family" in the same way, it would be considered hugely racist.

But, his thoughts get even more disturbing. From this (comments here):
Dr. Agapito Lopez raised a point of order in an effort to delay a vote. Noting 17 wording changes and five new paragraphs to the revised ordinance, he argued it had been substantively changed and required council to start over with first reading. Slusser disagreed and said in his legal opinion that the ordinance was "substantively not altered."

...Lopez said illegals "have been here forever." He said that immigrants, legal or otherwise, were welcomed during World Wars I and II and the Korean Conflict because their labor skills were needed. He also said the ordinance violated Title VI of the federal Civil Rights Act, the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Employment Opportunity Act. He gave a passionate endorsement of the immigration proposal in front of the U.S. Senate, which includes a guest worker program and "earned citizenship."

...when [Councilman Robert Nilles] asked him how immigrants would assimilate if they couldn't understand or be understood, Lopez said immigrants would not "convert to Anglos."

"We will acculturate, we will adapt to your rules, we will follow your laws, but we will never assimilate," Lopez said.

He added that unlike Eastern European immigrants who came to escape Stalin, communism and socialism, the current generation of immigrants planned on visiting their home countries, so retaining the language was essential...

...[Councilwoman] Evelyn Graham's comments were the sharpest and aimed at Lopez. She noted he'd gotten his seat on the Hazleton City Authority via council action and that council had opposed a purported separate Little League for Hispanic kids because it wanted all kids to play together.

She said she was angry at those who "reject our culture and try to recreate in America the world they left behind." And she accused Lopez and Arias of racism, saying they were "inciting segregation instead of integration."

"It is you who are divisive," Graham said...
Please use the link above to contact PA's Governor and suggest he reconsider whether their state wants to be associated with someone like Lopez.

Comments

It is "RACIST" SOB Hispanics that are making us all look bad in the eyes of the other races. If everyone is equal, why do we need specific race groups such as "National Council of La Raza" and the "NAACP." All of these types of organizations should be disbanned, immigration laws should be enforced, then our government should look at re-writing some of the immigration laws.

Who is he kidding? There has never been an Hispanic Community here until very recently.

UNBELIEVBLE! Agapito actually said "We will never assimilate" in public?? So why is he here in America? If he does not feel like an American, he should give up his citizenship to my brother who has been waiting over 15 years to become one.

oh yes! family to the third worlds people mean gangs! and gangs mean drug and murder! what do you think this evil little pig is telling you?

yes this guy is nothing but a guy who loves his real country and agapito lopez is your enemy and a enemy of the ideals of freedom and justice just like bin laden and many inside this so called U.S. Government. MEcha and La Raza get over 30 million each year to do evil and kill Americans, read about the facts of your real enemy, read and the real reason this shit is happening and buy guns.

here is a rat who loves mexico and its drug dealers so much he can't wait until he can start killing for mexico and his evil little rulers! kind of like Bush and his friends( read McCina and many others inside congress ) of mexico and bin laden and the third world.

so you now know the real enemy what will you do? one word nothing! the so called government debate is a debate on how to take us down and kill us that is what is happening, and who is behind this evil little pigs inside this non government? just read the names and follow the money and you may find out who is the real enemy!