Arpaio Supporters Exhibit Dangerous Rhetoric
This most recent video from Humanleague shows us once again the people who are supporting Sheriff Joe Arpaio in Arizona. It’s a chilling look into an environment occupied by violent racists and the immigrants they target. This is exactly why Shawna Forde felt justified in breaking into a Latino family’s home and murdering a little girl and her father.
While some of the individuals featured on this video may be unstable or exhibit strange behavior, they are not crazy. These are functioning adults who are perfectly capable of behaving in a reasonable manner. They choose not to. They choose hate over tolerance. They choose to advocate violence over rational dialogue. Violence against immigrants occurs because bigots in positions of power (Sheriff Joe) set the stage and provide an atmosphere that make it acceptable. Read more
Music for Children Behind Bars
A photograph of an empty playground behind barbed-wire fences says it all.
Upon first learning about the inhumane reality of imprisoned children less than two hours from San Antonio, most locals I’ve approached are left speechless. This comes as no surprise seeing as how some residents of Taylor (the small town 30 miles north of Austin, TX where this cage is located) are still clueless as to what is happening in their own backyard.
The increasingly infamous T. Don Hutto “Residential” Center is maintained by the private security company Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) and is one of two facilities in the US (the other is in New Jersey) which “houses” immigrant families, including pregnant women, nursing infants, and children, as they await court hearings. These refugees come to our country seeking asylum, many escaping wars on their homeland, in hopes of a peaceful life. When they are detained, they become important profit cattle, earning the Corrections Corporation upwards of $200 a day per man, woman, and child. Read more
Remembrance
Photo by Bill Turck
There are moments in my life when I regret not keeping a journal; the kind whose pages are filled with mundane details, only seldom interrupted by fragments of insightful thought. In my early teens I tried this exercise in self-awareness, but faltered after realizing that the journal turned into lists of meals, obsessive ramblings about unrequited love and frustrations over schoolwork. Realizing the ordinary nature of my teen angst, I stopped writing and turned to poetry instead.
During the war I refused to write; partially due to my inability to focus on anything more than survival, but also as a form of resistance to the conditions of my life. I refused to be just another person writing a war journal. It felt like living some sort of cliché. Read more
The John Tanton Network and the Anti-Immigrant Movement in America
One man is at the heart of the most influential anti-immigrant network in the country. This man, John Tanton, has created an empire of organizations consisting of lobbyists, lawyers, legislators, and “experts” that have permeated the very depths of social and political debate.
What appears to the public as a myriad of voices advocating for severe immigration enforcement is nothing more than a series of front groups, “coalitions,” and spin-offs seeking to overwhelm reasonable debate on immigration. Tanton founded the Federation for American Immigration Reform 30 years ago and shortly thereafter U.S. Inc. These two groups jointly fund and support most of today’s national anti-immigrant groups. Read more
Despite Racism, Blacks Part Waters to Swim
I’ve heard all my life that “Black people don’t swim.” “Do too!” I would respond. When I was three it was impossible to get me out of the tub, at 15 I was biking down to Sunset Beach almost every day to boogie board (I still have the scar to show for it). At 16 I piloted my first boat and at 17 I even pre-enlisted in the U.S. Navy to sail the high seas. Perhaps it is because I grew up close to the ocean in S. California, or as some of my hippy friends like to point out, because I was born under the water sign of Cancer.
Whatever the reason I’ve always felt close to water and I find it is such an irony that I didn’t learn to swim until I turned 14. Until that summer when I tenaciously taught myself to swim, I, like most Black and Latino youth, carried on a love/hate relationship with swimming pools, lakes, rivers, and the ocean. Read more
What—Then or Now—Is Your Fourth of July?
Amidst another round of the yearly patriotism-without-critical-analysis hoopla that comes with this week, I find myself still inclined to agree with Fred. I ask this country the same question he did: “What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July?”
(Read, in preset context: “What, to African Americans and other people of color, immigrants discriminated against, and those oppressed by this country generally, is your Fourth of July?”)
On July 5, 1852, Frederick Douglass gave an address in Rochester, NY that probably surprised his audience with its tone. To be sure, Douglass’s speech includes very clear expressions of hope: “Notwithstanding the dark picture I have this day presented, of the state of the nation, I do not despair of this country.” Read more
July 4, 2009: Reflection, Celebration, and Struggle
July 4th one year ago was all about nostalgia. In last year’s post I wrote about celebrating the 4th of July as a kid and why it is still my favorite holiday,
Earlier in the day we would attend, or sometimes host our neighborhood’s famous backyard pancake breakfast. The hosts made the pancakes, and everyone brought another dish, usually bacon (I swear you’ve never seen so many plates of bacon!). Afterwards we would go to the town fair - jump in the moonwalk until we were sick, have our faces painted, get soaked in the water balloon toss, and maybe take a whirl on the miniature ponies. Depending on the leniency of my mom that particular year my brother and I may have even split a funnel cake or a root beer float. Regardless, by late afternoon, our minds inevitably turned to fried chicken. Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, biscuits, coleslaw and from-the-box brownies to be exact.”
I remember feeling that I needed to capture something about years past with my post. Something sweet to hold on to in case the America I yearned for was swept away. Certainly we knew what was to come; like the smell of rain before the storm, the winds of change were already blowing. Read more
San Diego Congressional Candidate Intimidated by Sheriff’s Dept.
On June 26 a sheriff’s deputy walked into a democratic fundraiser in a private home and pepper sprayed the attendees, most of whom were over 50 years old.
Francine Busby is a Democratic candidate running in 2010 for congress in California’s 50th District (including San Diego). In 2006 she lost the same seat in a controversial race against Republican Brian Bilbray. The Republican National Convention put 5 million dollars behind Bilbray’s campaign because of Busby’s growing popularity. Brian Bilbray is the chairman of the anti-immigrant House Immigration Reform Caucus and a staunch advocate of John Tanton’s anti-immigrant movement. The local minutemen chapter often praises him on their website.
Last Friday, one of Francine Busby’s supporters hosted a fundraiser in her home for the campaign. Ms. Busby made a brief speech in the host’s backyard, which ended at around 8:45 pm. The noise caught the attention of a neighbor who was so angered by their gathering, that he felt it necessary to shout derogatory comments about the candidate and homosexuals. Read more
Hey Mr. Sanford, About That Can of Worms…
As mentioned in my last post, South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford seemed perplexed as to why a big deal was being made of his trip to Argentina to see his mistress. The trip where he was not hiking the Appalachian Trail as he had informed his staff.
I called it a “can opened, worms everywhere” type of situation and as predicted the more the can opens the more worms come out.
Not only has he admitted to an ongoing affair with his mistress but confessed to “crossing the lines” with a handful of other women throughout his 20 years of marriage. Read more
Sustaining White America: Population, Environment, and Immigration
Ever since John Tanton launched FAIR three decades ago, the anti-immigrant movement has used population growth and its environment impacts to advance specious arguments for its restrictionist agenda. The Center 
for Immigration Studies’ (CIS) latest report touting “The Environmental Argument for Reducing Immigration to the United States” marks another step in the movement’s ongoing attempts to lay environmental degradation on the backs of the wrong people.
The anti-immigrant movement is deeply rooted in the population control movement of the 1960s/70s—a movement that often wavered between its racially-tinged, eugenics edges and full-bore blame on overly-consumptive “Americans” (i.e., whites) for the environmental crisis of that era. Today the movement has resolutely staked its claim on those old, racially-tinged edges in a disingenuous move to lure environmentalists into its fold. By doing so it has completely abandoned assigning any responsibility for the contemporary environmental crisis on a still-wealthy nation that consumes some forty percent of the world’s resources, regardless of immigration levels. Read more
Breaking News, Michael Jackson is Still Dead!
I love Michael Jackson’s music, but what I love more is intelligent, relevant information about the rest of the world. I made a loose decision a few weeks ago not to cover the Iranian uprising on our little blog, as it was receiving extensive mainstream and independent press. But how very ironic and sadly typical that this protest movement (that effects the entire world) is dethroned in the hearts and minds of Americans (literally in an instant) by a pop star.
This is a strange opportunity to see just how being a journalist in this nation differs from being a journalist elsewhere. In other places journalists fear for their lives. Seeking, exposing, and distributing the truth is dangerous work in places with deep issues. But does this mean that we don’t have complicated social issues to deal with in the US? Or does it mean that we’ve been lulled into complacent acceptance of “fluff’ news by media conglomerates that smother the very essence of journalism? Read more
March Against 1968 Riot Cops Reunion
On June 26th, 2009, over a hundred people gathered in protest at the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) in Chicago. Beyond the police barricade, the FOP held their 1968 Riot Cop Reunion. Outside, people stood with signs, “Fight Racism, Stop Police Brutality”. The officers who cracked heads at the 1968 Democratic Convention and the Division Street riots of 1966, and murdered Black Panthers Fred Hampton and Mark Clark were celebrating with today’s police. According to the protestors, “the police are still occupying our communities and repressing our rallies”.
Chicago Copwatch in conjunction with other Chicago activists and organizations organized a rally and march to highlight the violence of the Chicago police in the 1960s, as well as their violence today. If you were at the demonstration, you would have seen some of the same anarchist and punk crowds that often attend anti-capitalist, anti-state demonstrations. However, scattered amongst the people who stood in anger outside of the reunion, were survivors of the 1968 riots. Read more
Reviewed: Food, Inc.
Even as someone who has extensive knowledge of the US food system, this film was shocking. An extremely absorbing two-hour look into the US food system from seed to sale. From the farmers whose every decision is controlled by giant corporations to the mother who lost her little boy to E. Coli, Food, Inc. keeps the focus on real people. Nice to see too, a film that goes beyond the usual complaints about Wal-Mart and gets down to the hidden culprits, like Monsanto, Smithfield, Tyson, the FDA, etc.
“You look at the labels and you see farmer this, farmer that. It’s really just three or four companies that are controlling the meat. We’ve never had food companies this big and this powerful in our history.”
– Eric Schlosser, author of “Fast Food Nation.”
Read more
State Budget Cuts Leave Women Without Essential Services
by Juan Calixto
The current Illinois state budget cuts are causing stress and panic in our neighborhoods and communities. Services that are crucial for children, youth, and families are being cut, if not eliminated across the State to balance the state’s $9 billion deficit. Effective July 1, 2009, those agency’s providing critical services to Illinois residents will have to operate with less resources or close their doors altogether.
Specifically to Mujeres Latinas en Acción, budget cuts would drastically cut four of our programs, leaving families without essential services in domestic violence, sexual assault, teen program and child care. This means between 3,000 and 4,500 women that would not receive services including court advocacy, and individual and group counseling for both domestic violence and survivors of rape.
(Spanish version below) Read more
“Banks Got Bailed Out, We Got Sold Out”
Photos by Brian Heiser
There was a national day of action to oppose Wells Fargo on Tuesday. In 22 cities across the country religious leaders, union workers, and citizens gathered to stand face to face with a huge bank, to let them know that their irresponsible actions will not go by unnoticed.
In Chicago we gathered outside the North Avenue location at noon. It was a wonderful array of people; diverse in age and ethnicity. Most everyone was smiling and exchanging knowledge, a sentiment of brotherly harmony suspended in the air. We marched in a circular pattern in front of the Wells Fargo building, which was generously fitted with picture windows, shouting “Wells Fargo, Shame On You”. After about 20 minutes, we stopped and gathered around a loud speaker to listen. Read more
Tobacco Workers’ Lives At Risk, Reynolds Gets Richer
The hardships heaped upon tobacco harvesters are too many to list. Between exposure to heat, pesticides, nicotine, and discrimination, the lives of hundreds of workers in tobacco-producing states like North Carolina are at risk. RJ Reynolds, which controls the tobacco industry and ultimately controls the conditions for farmworkers, is one of the largest tobacco companies, producing one out of every three cigarettes sold in the US.
With their immense wealth, Reynolds could easily make a difference, but has chosen not to respond to the pleas of workers. Farmworkers Labor Organizing Committee (FLOC) has repeatedly requested that Reynolds CEO, Suan Ivey meet with workers and she has not responded. FLOC then requested that Reynolds Director Holly Koeppel take the lead in moving the corporation to work with FLOC in resolving this issue. She also has refused to confront the issue. Read more
Paging Governor Sanford
“I don’t know how this thing got blown out of proportion,”
A gem of a quote from South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford in a news conference addressing his week-long disappearance. Really, you don’t? Kind of a skewed perspective. Let’s break it down:
You just admitted to lying to your staff, the media, the lieutenant governor, and the people of South Carolina.
- You admitted to having an ongoing affair of over a year with a woman you’ve been working with on a Christian Bible Study no less.
- You left your state without a leader or a plan for a transfer of power in the event of an emergency.
- You showed not just egregious judgment but also complete disregard to your position as governor of South Carolina.
- You didn’t seem to know that the Appalachian Trail does not in fact go through the state you govern (is this possible?)
- You found it plausible to think there would be no paper-trail of an out-of-the-country flight, and in turn no consequences.
- Your wife couldn’t have seemed less concerned about the fact that she didn’t know where you were.
- Before admitting at the news conference that you were actually in Argentina you spoke of your love of hiking and how you used to guide hiking trips (lovely sentiment)
Tell Obama and Congress to Move on Comprehensive Immigration Reform
President Obama has invited Congressional leaders to the White House tomorrow for a working session on immigration reform. In the last few weeks the Reform Immigration FOR America campaign has urged supporters to contact Congress, and the response was overwhelming. 200,000 faxes, 30,000 phone calls, and 3,300 personal notes poured into the capital.
But to move this beyond just a few high-profile meetings and turn it into workable solutions, Congress needs to continue to hear from you. I sent a personal email to my representative today:
Dear Representative,
Working as a school administrator three years ago I watched helplessly as the family of one of my students was ripped apart by the immigration system. The young boy’s mother was deported while his father, who was a legal resident, stayed behind in the US to maintain the family’s small business and ensure that he could continue to support his family. Read more
Keep the Klan Kleaning
Just when you thought that the Klan had been swept away by the tidal wave of racist anti-immigrant activity across the nation (that is, by the “mainstream” groups that stole the anti-immigrant mantra from under the hood) the robed warriors of the Springfield, Missouri area’s National Socialist Movement have once again triumphed in their abiding commitment to keep America clean.
A half-mile of roadsides outside Springfield will still be the Klan’s to clean in the adopt-a-highway program, complete (we presume) with a nice rainbow sign denoting their obligation. Naturally, Missouri officials have never been too supportive of the idea, but they lost that battle some time ago in the courts. Their most recent efforts to undercut the Klan by renaming the stretch of highway after the venerable Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, an icon of American theology and human rights, was kindly but firmly declined by Rabbi Heschel’s esteemed daughter, Susannah. Her decision should be deeply respected. Read more
What is So Progressive About ‘Progressives for Immigration Reform’? Um, Nothing.
FAIR front group, Progressives for Immigration Reform (PFIR) is continuing to assert itself into mainstream discourse. The John Tanton network of anti-immigrant groups have a long history of trying to hoodwink the public, so it comes as no surprise that they started an organization of fake progressives. The lame-duck group just released a “study” on self-identified liberals’ feelings on immigration.
Leah Durant, PFIR executive director, quoted herself in PFIR’s press release saying:
“The results of this poll demonstrate what many on the political left have known for some time. Immigration is not a partisan issue. There are many progressives and liberals that are concerned about the unintended consequences that large scale immigration has on the environment, economy, and other issues that many liberals are concerned about,”
I couldn’t agree more Leah! This certainly is not a partisan issue. So why did PFIR’s parent group, FAIR, build the House Immigration Reform Caucus (HIRC), that is overwhelmingly Republican? Read more
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