FREAKIN’ AWESOME!

Finally!

I have been  waiting for this and finally we see Texas Rep. Joaquin Castro who is pro legal immigration and is supporting ideas that will economically benefit American families across our Nation.  Mexican-American Castro is taking on the Cuban-American Senator Ted Cruz who is not friendly to legal immigration reform.  Cruz is not considered friendly towards Mexican-Americans because he has taken a harsh stance against our children and brethren via the DREAM Act.

You see, Castro understands that almost half of Texas are of Mexican descent and he knows the disastrous anti-immigration impact Ted Cruz brings to the economic table.

This is precisely why I really like  Texas Represenative Joaquin Castro, and I believe he would make an excellent Vice Presidential candidate in the near future that could politically re-align the entire southwest with regard to the growing Mexican-American demographic for any political party that embraces him.

As a Mexican-American … I am tired of the likes of Ted Cruz who becomes “Hispanic” when it benefits him.  Cruz has taken

The tail has been wagging the dog, but it will be time for the dog to wag the tail. Cuban-American Ted Cruz offers Mexican-American families table scraps at the Latin table.

every opportunity to be a thorn in the side of the much legal comprehensive immigration reform that is needed.  He is against the DREAM Act even though his Cuban immigrant family members benefited from privileged Cuban amnesty via the Cuban Adjustment Act.  Cruz wants to shut the door behind him and punish other hardworking immigrants that have helped the agricultural community and our United States economy.

From the Dallas News:

The freshman Democrat from San Antonio also took a swipe at Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Houston.

Cruz was in South Carolina Friday at the state GOP’s Silver Elephant Dinner.

“When you think about today’s Republican Party, this is not the party even of Ronald Reagan, certainly not the party of Abraham Lincoln,” Castro said. “This is the party of Ted Cruz …. FULL STORY>>>

We hope Charles Ramsey (who helped Amanda Berry escaped) gets rewarded for his courage and helping save these women!

Thank Heavens 3 women who were kidnapped several years ago were discovered alive!

Charles Ramsey hero for helping save the kidnapped women

According to Cleveland.Com, Police arrested the owner of the house, Ariel Castro, 52, who had lived in the house since 1992. Records show he was arrested for domestic  violence in 1993, but a grand jury declined to indict him.

As a woman, I’m curious why the grand jury declined to indict him.  I think many women will be probing this aspect of the story as the days move along and since many of us heard the 911 call made by Amanda Berry who was able to escape.  She was clearly terrified and we heard sobbing in the background.

There is no excuse for men who physically harm, stalk, terrify, harass, kidnap and rape children or women –  and sometimes I wish a strong example can be made out of cases like this.

Are simple jail sentences enough to prevent kidnaps and raping of women or children?

I encourage you to take the poll below:

Here is more from Cleveland news below:

Berry, DeJesus, Knight found alive, police source confirms

Long-missing Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight have been found alive.

Long-missing Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight have been found alive.

Berry called police Monday afternoon and frantically told a dispatcher that she was alive and free after being kidnapped 10 years ago and held captive in a house on Seymour Avenue on the city’s West Side. DeJesus was with her.

A third woman, Michelle Knight, who has been missing since 2002, was also found at the house.

Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus found alive – family and friends react Family and friends of

Missing Person Amanda Berry was found.

Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus react outside MetroHealth Medical Center as they gather after hearing that the two and another woman were found alive after missing ten years.

“We’ve confirmed it’s them,” a detective said. “They are alive and safe.”

….

Police arrested the owner of the house, Ariel Castro, 52, who had lived in the house since 1992. Records show he was arrested for domestic  violence in 1993, but a grand jury declined to indict him.

Neighbors on Seymour said a man was arrested and three women came out of the home.

Berry disappeared at about 7:40 p.m. April 21, 2003, a day before her 17th birthday. She was last seen leaving her job at a Burger King at West 110th Street and Lorain Avenue.

FULL STORY>>>

To the John Tanton network / xenophobes who are thirsty and ready to turn this into an anti-Latino agenda:

It appears the suspect they arrested was an American citizen — not an undocumented person.   We know how you tried to turn a national tragedy via the Boston Bombing into an anti-Latino / anti-immigrant ordeal and it backfired on you.

Texas District Judge Reed O’Connor

Meet District Judge Reed O’Connor, a federal judge in Texas who was appointed by former President George W. Bush in 2007.  You can learn more about him in the Robing Room (a place where judges are judged), and you will find that O’Conner is somewhat sub-standard receiving only a 4.1 grade out of 10.  Yesterday he indicated he was likely to block President Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) process.

According to David Leopold — past President of AILA: “…the order, written by Judge Reed O’Connor, came in a lawsuit challenging DACA and prosecutorial discretion filed by nativist lawyer and Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach on behalf of ICE Union Boss Christopher Crane. The judge found that the DACA process, which gives eligible DREAMERs a temporary reprieve from deportation, likely, violates the law…”

What are the implications of Judge O’Conner blocking the DACA process?

For starters — we know that Mexican-Americans are already livid with Texas Republican lawmakers who are trying to implement anti-Latino laws, and it is creating quite the stir — particularly in south Texas.

2016 Presidential hopeful via  Jeb Bush already has concerns with regard to Texas.

Florida Governor Jeb Bush tells Joe Hagan of New York magazine: “It’s a math question. Four years from now, Texas is going to be a so-called blue state. Imagine Texas as a blue state, how hard it would be to carry the presidency or gain control of the Senate.”

Hagan starts the article for New York magazine with this idea that  Texas’ rapidly changing demographic will unfavorably affect the Republican party.  He writes:

“Sitting down across from me, [Jeb] assumes his role as party Cassandra, warning of the day when the Republicans’ failure to tap an exploding Hispanic population will cripple its chances at reclaiming power—starting in Texas, the family seat of the House of Bush.”

DREAM Act students weep at the failure of the 2010 DREAM Act vote.  Most Republicans voted against it fueling Latin voting support behind President Obama in 2012.

DREAM Act students are well educated students who know no other way except the American way.  They have pledged allegiance to our United States flag, and they want to contribute their much needed talents and taxes that could only ease the burdens of existing American tax payers.

If this Texas Judge blocks the DACA process, there will be a Mexican-American / Latin backlash like never before.  And the backlash will occur because the Republican National Committee failed to control the bigotry that stinks amongst their political ranks.  Nativist Republicans like Kansas Sec. of State Kris Kobach are destroying the Republican Party with their bigotry faster than a raging sagebrush  fire that sits on top of a Texas oil field.

The burning questions are:

Why are the birthers and nativists using a plaintiff who lives in the State of Utah?  Why didn’t Kobach choose Utah to submit his lawsuit.  Why Texas?   Plaintiff Christopher L. Crane is an ICE Deportation Officer who earns his salary by detaining and deportingimmigrants.  

David A. Martin makes an interesting observation with regard to Kansas Sec. of State in the Yale Law Journal:

The suit relies primarily on a superficially attractive and syllogistically neat statutory theory that Kobach first trumpeted in TV appearances and op-eds shortly after DACA was announced in June.⁶ Under Kobach’s theory, virtually every time an ICE agent encounters unauthorized aliens, he or she has a duty under federal law—with which no supervisor can interfere—to place the aliens into formal removal proceedings. The same argument has also been picked up by congressional opponents of DACA.⁷ But the argument’s central reasoning is legally erroneous. The theory takes out of context a provision Congress enacted in 1996, marries it with a misunderstanding of two provisions that have been in place for decades, and ignores the actual practice under those provisions.  READ MORE>>>

I do not know the final outcome with regard to this Texas case (where the plaintiff lives in the State of Utah), but I do know that there will be grave political consequences and unprecedented political collateral damage for the Republican Party once more and more Mexican-Americans find out that this judge was appointed by a former Republican President of the brother (via Jeb Bush) who wants to run for President in 2016.

Where is the leadership of RNC Chairman Reince Preibus?  Meanwhile, “Hispanic” / Cuban Republican Texas Senator Cruz is still missing in action with regard to legal immigration reform even though Texas shares 64% of the border with our trade ally and neighboring country of Mexico.

Incredible isn’t it?

The 3 Bushes. Former President George W. Bush appointed the Texas Federal Judge who wants to block Obama’s DACA that helps DREAM Act students.

It looks like some Republican lawmakers are starting to ‘get it.’  House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said Monday he disagrees with the idea that the Boston bombing should delay immigration reform. “If we fix our immigration system it may actually help us understand who all is here, why they’re here, and what legal status they have,” Boehner said on Fox News, according to Think Progress.

I want to underscore that the 2013 Legal immigration reform bill is a major step forward in securing our Nation because only after everyone is registered and documented will we know who is in our Nation and where we can find them. We know that once we fix the broken immigration system, and once we document all immigrants — then they can feel safe to help law enforcement agencies to target criminal activity without the fear of deportation when they report suspicious activity to the law enforcement authorities. Therefore, bringing the immigrants out of the shadows will only strengthen our Nation’s security.

I do not believe in delaying Comprehensive Legal Immigration Reform.  

I don’t support illegal immigration — I support LEGAL immigration and this is precisely why I believe in bipartisan immigration reform talks. The system has been broken for too long and it is now time to fix it and give a legal arm.  American citizens have to pay taxes, and new taxpayers would help ease tax burdens, too.

In the meantime, there should be no delay from a National Security standpoint — we need to know who is here right now.

FBI Photos Released of Boston Bombing suspects

CNN’s John King owes us an apology.

“Us” refers to people who have tan or darker skin.

Doesn’t he know we have far right wing whackos attacking Mexican-American / Latino / Hispanic people enough as it is?

Doesn’t he know that inaccurate reporting does more harm than good?!  In the future I hope reporters and journalists will wait for “official” statements from the likes of the FBI who have a responsibility to the American people to give the FACTS.

There is a clear and present danger about some people who do not welcome brown immigrants or people of color, and comments like these hurt us.

Here are just some headline samples of what we had to endure and stand strongly firm against:

“Hispanic” / Latina-led Political National Organizations Slams Texas Rep. Louie Gohmert for the Hispanic/Muslim Scare

Laura Ingraham using similar immigration fear tactics J.D.Hayworth once used and is now elected out of office

Mexican-American Women Political Group Slams Rep. Steve King For Using National Tragedy as an Immigration Scare Tactic

It Appears Anti-Immigrant / Tea Party Rep. Steve King is happy with the Boston Bombing Slowing Legal Immigration Efforts

Is this a VDARE threat? — Patriot backlash against “Amnesty” mounting against immigrants

Amnesty Myth Maker: Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) and atack against immigrants

Reps. Steve King (R-Iowa), Lou Barletta (R-Pa.), and Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) are poster children for known hate group NumbersUSA

Roy Beck / Numbers USA fights a legal method to fix a clearly broken immigration system

Yesterday, he made comments about the Boston Bomber(s) being a “dark-skinned” male without verifying that source through an FBI official.

Watch Video below:

I do not know the ethnic background of the Boston Bombing suspects released by the FBI, but it does appear that one of them looks pale skinned.

We do not care about the color of a person’s skin.  We want the bomber(s) brought to justice regardless of his skin color.

We do care about the importance of not fanning the xenophobic flames that white nationalist organizations are in the business of doing.

Are you listening John King? You are hurting us and our push for LEGAL immigration reform for a clearly broken system.

Below is the FBI surveillance video of the 2 Boston Bombing suspects.

Two years ago this month, our infamous Governor Jan Brewer signed SB 1070 – a bill that targets Mexican-Americans, Latinos and immigrants.  When our Governor was asked: “What does an immigrant look like?”  She had no answers … but the rest of us knew that this was the ousted Sen. Russell Pearce’s evil idea.  In fact, it was Pearce who stated he wanted to bring back “Operation Wetback” because he felt it was a good program even though we told Pearce that term was defamatory and demeaning.

As a result of Brewer signing that horrendous and draconian law a couple of years ago, we believed in using Arizona as a launch pad to create a Spanish and English CD from artists across the country addressing the need for fixing the broken immigration system.  Indeed we support a legal and humane immigration plan.

We believe in communicating through art and music.  Henry Wadsworth Longfellow once penned: “Music is the universal language of mankind — poetry their universal pastime and delight.”   Our goal is to communicate through music with regard to the humanitarian aspect of immigration.  Mexicans and other immigrants are not asking for a handout – they are seeking earned legal immigration reform.  Chicanos and American citizens are here to push the American Dream, and we know that when our Nation continues to be a Beacon and a light to the Globe – blessings come our way.

The launch of our Tequila CD will take place on April 5, 2012.  We will be having a concert to promote our CD in the heart of where the draconian anti-immigrant law originated.

Date:  Friday, April 5, 2013

Time:  7:00 pm

Location:The Lot -  1005 North Second Street, Phoenix, AZ

For more information contact 480-200-3748

The Tequila CD consists of music created by new emerging Latino artists and poets across the country.  Throughout 2011 & 2012 the National Tequila Party Movement visited universities and cities in an effort to help get out the Latino vote pushing support for pro immigrant politicians.  We hosted tequila party rallies (countering the extremist tea party movement) in states such as Arizona, Nebraska, Kansas, Nevada, Texas, Florida, New York, Indiana, Michigan, and more.  New emerging Latino artists performed at our tequila rallies and created songs with regard to the immigration movement.

A portion of our CD sales will go to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) students since they have to approximately $575.00 for documentation fees + attorney fees, and the other portion of our CD sales will go to Mexican-American artists who helped contribute their talents to this important message.

We thank the Pima County Democratic Party for their Press Release, however …I am disappointed that the wording of the Pima Democratic County press release is so weak.  SB 1261 and SB 1003 are some horrendous bills, but SB1003 is the worst of them since lawmakers are trying to make it a Class 5 felony for a grassroots organizer to take more than one voting ballot at any polling place.  This directly affects our elderly and our disabled.

It would have been worth noting that the Democratic Party top to bottom opposes these voter suppression bills that have become a National Strategy by the Majority of the Tea Party advocates and the Republican Party.  On the local level, it is discouraging this press release fails to call a spade a spade; it is a well known fact that these two pieces of legislation are focused against minority populations particularly in our state where millions of Mexican-Americans reside, yet not a word about this in this release.

As it relates to the Press Release, and according to Luis Gonzalez, the Chairman of Legislative District 3 for the Pima County Democratic party:

“It makes no mention that our own Democratic County Recorder, F. Ann Rodriguez is in support of these anti- voter initiatives. As you are aware, during our numerous meetings to begin forming a strategic plan for the Pima County Democratic party, there have been numerous calls to hold our own elected officials accountable when they went counter to the Democratic Party Core principles and ideals. Lest someone misinterpret this comment; this is not an aspersion against the Pima County Recorder as a Democratic Office holder, rather it is a clear statement on my part that there can be no argument that this is one of those times when we must stand firm, uncomfortable as it may be. The fact is that she is on the wrong side of this issue, and I address this from that perspective only.”

We must address these important issues in a manner that informs and does not protect certain Democratic Officials simply because they happen to have a “D” next to their name.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Don Jorgensen
Chair, Pima County Democratic Party
Date: April 2, 2013
Cell – (520)906-9148
don@jorgensenbrooks.com

Pima County Democratic Party Opposes Voter Suppression Bills
April 2, 2013

PDF Link
The Executive Committee of the Pima County Democratic Party (PCDP) strongly opposes the passage of SB 1261 and SB 1003 in the current legislative session. Both bills represent the continuation of a long history of voter suppression in Arizona by creating unnecessary obstacles to citizens who want to exercise that most fundamental of American liberties, the right to vote. SB 1261, sponsored by Senator Michelle Reagan (R), would make it easier to purge voters from the Permanent Early Voting List (PEVL).  Instead of allowing a voter to opt-out of PEVL, SB 1261 permits the automatic removal of a voter that fails to vote in two consecutive federal election cycles. She even added a last-minute amendment that would make the bill retroactive to 2010. By failing to engage stakeholders from their communities, Sen. Reagan and her backers created SB 1261 in a vacuum, with more attention to cutting voter lists than to ensuring maximum participation in elections. The Permanent Early Voting List has been a useful tool to help new voters participate in the democratic process.

SB 1003, another Reagan-sponsored bill, directly infringes on the efforts of thousands of neighbors and community organizers who help voters, including the disabled and elderly, vote by returning their completed early ballot for them. Don Jorgensen, Chair of the PCDP, said “In the 2012 election we saw long lines at the polls and confusion regarding provisional ballots and early ballots. Both Republican and Democratic members of the legislature should work together in a transparent way to find real solutions that encourage voter participation by all Arizonans. Instead, we have two bills that not only suppress voter inclusion, but also include unnecessary criminal penalties. It is unbelievable that an Arizona citizen could be charged with a felony for helping a fellow citizen to vote. These problems are better solved by voter education, not voter suppression.”

###

Enough is enough.  A slap on the hand or an apology simply will not do anymore because bigotry simply does not belong in our United States Congress when we have laws on the books that discourage discrimination.

Will the RNC finally conduct seminars that in essence educates their Republican officials with regard to discriminatory terms that ought to be prevented?  After all, we informed the GOP over two years ago how we considered these terms offensive and derogatory when the ousted and former Arizona Senator Russell Pearce believed it was okay to use these slurs, too.   Arizona’s Senator Russell Pearce (supporter of the draconian SB 1070 bill) has been using that slur since 2006 on Arizona radio.

WE SEE NO SIGNS OF PROGRESS FROM THE RNC.

They have not conducted any educational seminars informing their leaders and their officials on what is considered discriminatory in the new millennium.  It’s no wonder Republican officials are confused to what is acceptable today particularly when the RNC embraced an anti-immigrant platform in 2012.  Now we are seeing the consequences of that when the “language” of their immigration platform was co-authored by Kris Kobach of Kansas.

From the Center for American Progress:

“1. He [Kris Kobach] works for a racist hate group whose stated purpose is to reduce the number of people of color in the United States. Kris Kobach is counsel for the Immigration Reform Law Institute—the legal arm of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, which the Southern Poverty Law Center labels a hate group. Kobach’s boss at the Immigration Reform Law Institute, Michael Hethmon, openly argues that the United States’ transition to a country where the majority of its citizens are people of color will lead to violence. And the founder of Federation for American Immigration Reform, John Tanton, wrote, “I‘ve come to the point of view that for European-American society and culture to persist requires a European-American majority and a clear one at that.”

…

This is the man behind Arizona’s S.B. 1070. He’s an opportunist earning millions of dollars while working for a racist hate group, which gives him a platform on hate TV and radio shows to peddle his reactionary vision for America. The next time similarly anti-immigrant legislation surfaces in state legislatures across our nation, see if Kris Kobach is behind the effort. Then you will know the real intent of the proposed law.”

What is it going to take for GOPers to stop using these defamatory terms?

Mere posturing with claims to re-brand ought to begin with the RNC leadership sending out a memo to Republican politicians on terms they ought to avoid.  They need to be educated.

If the GOP wants to “rebrand” their image, they should start by asking the Republican Don Young to resign from office while changing their anti-immigrant platform they adopted in 2012.  According to The Hill, “The Republican Party has officially endorsed its backing for Arizona-style state immigration laws, adding into its platform language that such laws should be “encouraged, not attacked” and calling for the federal government to drop its lawsuits against the laws. … That language and other provisions were widely approved by the party after being introduced by the co-author of the Arizona law, Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach (R).”

The Republican National Committee will not successfully win over independent voters if they continue with their bigotry and making light of their restrictionist, protectionist anti-immigrant views.  Members of the Tequila Party Movement also known as SOMOS INDEPENDENTS have begun a letter writing campaign in an effort to inform and educate the Republican Don Young that we consider the term “wetback” as derogatory, offensive, and an antiquated term that predates the Civil Rights era.

The term “wetback” is a derogatory term used in the United States, for a non-American foreigner, commonly a Mexican citizen, especially one who is an illegal immigrant in the U.S. and the first known use was in 1929 according to Mirriam-Webster.  Generally used as an ethnic slur, the term was originally coined and applied only to Mexicans who entered Texas by crossing the Rio Grande river, which is located at the Mexican border,presumably by swimming or wading across and getting wet in the process.

Republican Don Young of Alaska uses derogatory term “Wetback”

Members of the Tequila Party Movement also known as SOMOS INDEPENDENTS have begun a letter writing campaign in an effort to inform and educate the Republican Don Young that we consider the term “wetback” as derogatory, offensive, and an antiquated term that predates the Civil Rights era.

We can recall when slave owners used to believe using the “N” word was acceptable, and as such — it appears we need to inform bigots in the new millennium that Mexican-Americans / Chicanos / Latinos consider the term “wetback” as derogatory.

We have been emailing and calling Republican Don Young of Alaska, and he refuses to apologize. We believe the Republican National Committee ought to ask Rep. Don Young to resign from office.  A strong stance is what we are looking for — not a slap on the hand. 

We cannot stress enough how politicians  like Don Young an Arizona’s ousted and former Senator Russell Pearce  feed into hatred and bigotry.  The goal here is to move forward and to learn from mistakes of the past.

Please contact Don Young and give him a “chancla.”

Or you can call:

Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-5765
Anchorage, AK 99503
(907) 271-5978
Fairbanks, AK 99707
(907) 456-0210
Juneau, Alaska 99802
(907) 586-7400
Kenai, Alaska 99611
(907) 283-7701

Mexican-American / Woman-led Organization Slams Republican For Using Derogatory Term “Wetback”

Contact:402-890-2295
or (520) 329-1877

For Immediate Release – 3-29-13
info@nationaltequilapartymovement.com

Shirl Mora James, President – Civil Rights and Immigration Lawyer
DeeDee Garcia Blase, Communications

Phoenix, AZ – We are disappointed to learn that Republicans are still using derogatory terms that predate the Civil Rights era.  We consider the term “wetback” offensive.  According to the Washington Post, Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska), in an interview with a local radio station released Thursday, referred to Latinos working on a ranch by using the derogatory term “wetbacks.”

The ousted and former Republican Senator Russell Pearce also proudly used this derogatory term despite being told it was offensive. This is precisely why Mexican-Americans who account for almost 70% of the entire Latino population pie are leaving the Republican Party and this is precisely why members of SOMOS REPUBLICANS joined a new movement via SOMOS INDEPENDENTS.  In fact, the GOP has not yet reversed their restrictionist and protectionist anti-immigrant platform they adopted in 2012.

###

About the National Tequila Party Movement:
The National Tequila Party Movement (now known as SOMOS INDEPENDENTS is a woman-led political movement. More females vote in Presidential elections than men strong Latina matriarchs are emerging. It is our goal to communicatto females and Latina matriarchs across the nation with regard to the need for compassion towards undocumented immigrants and the need to fix the broken immigration system. The Tequila Party is currently organizing a national tour of concerts, events, dinners and college rallies that will encourage a massive Latino Get Out The Vote and political participation. This movement is a non-partisan movement. We don’t care how people vote, we just want them to get on the early ballot system, become consistent primary and general election voters.

Republican Don Young of Alaska uses derogatory term “Wetback”