Anti-Immigrant Rhetoric = Political Suicide

rachelfirm — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 17:43:46 GMT

From Simon Rosenberg's Blog at NDN:

[Sunday} on Meet the Press, Tom Brokaw cited NDN in asking Senator Mel Martinez (R-FL) whether the weak showing of the Republicans these last few years with Hispanics was endangering their Party's ability to be a majority in the 21st century.

Regardless of your party affiliation, it is clear that Latinos were the decisive vote in this past election. It is also clear that they swung towards the Democrats. An excerpt from the full transcript of the interview (which is posted at NDN):

Senator Martinez: The fact of the matter is that Hispanics are going to be a more and more vibrant part of the electorate, and the Republican Party had better figure out how to talk to them. We had a very dramatic shift between what President Bush was able to do with Hispanic voters, where he won 44 percent of them, and what happened to Senator McCain. Senator McCain did not deserve what he got. He was one of those that valiantly fought, fought for immigration reform, but there were voices within our party, frankly, which if they continue with that kind of rhetoric, anti-Hispanic rhetoric, that so much of it was heard, we're going to be relegated to minority status. (bold added).

The nativists and anti's can no longer get away with their language of hate and their scapegoating of Latinos. Politically speaking, it is suicide. And realistically speaking: it is aiding and abetting in the murder of innocent immigrants. Stop the hate.

ACTION: Candlelight Vigil to Remember Marcello Lucero

rachelfirm — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 17:41:07 GMT

Candlelight Vigil in Memory of Marcello Lucero
No more hate, no more violence, we are all community

Date: November 14th, 7pm

Place: Railroad Ave and Sephton Street, Patchogue, NY

A candlelight vigil will be held to speak out against hate crimes against immigrants in Suffolk County, in particular, the murder of Marcello Lucero, an immigrant from Ecuador. The perpetrators clearly stated according to news accounts that they were planning to "find some Mexicans." This vicious hate crime is only the latest in a long series of crimes targeting Latinos in Suffolk County.
The event is being called together and organized by many community members in Patchogue, NY. It will begin with a religious ceremony and words from the family of the deceased. In addition, community organizations such as the Workplace Project, the Long Island Immigrant Alliance, Carecen, Jobs with Justice, LICPP, SEIU, Ola of Southampton, Long Island Wins, and STRONG will be participating. Additional speakers will include: the Consulate of Ecuador, the Mayor of Patchogue, and Rev. Allan Ramirez.

Please join us in standing together with the family, friends and the entire community in expressing outrage not only at the murder of Marcello Lucero, but also against the intolerance that breeds hate crimes in Suffolk County. Please bring a candle and a flower, if you can.

Contacts:

Nadia Marin-Molina or Carlos Canales, Workplace Project 516-565-5377 or 516-984-5755

Luis Valenzuela, Long Island Immigrant Alliance, 631-789-0720

The Sanctuary - Recommended Diaries

Anti-Immigrant Rhetoric = Political Suicide

ACTION: Candlelight Vigil to Remember Marcello Lucero