In August 2011, the National Tequila Party Movement (woman led counter-movement to the extreme Tea Party Movement)

Kansas Tequila Get Out The Vote Rally – 2011.  Ponka-We Victors helped us register new Latino Voters.

hosted a Kansas Latin Get Out the Vote with the help of immigration reform community leaders who want to protect children and students via the DREAM Act.  Rep. Ponka-We helped the Tequila Party register brand new Latino voters.

Rep Ponka-We Victors is a Native American serving in the Kansas state legislature.  She is a sister to Mexican-Americans for life due to  her continued support for legal immigration reform.  This dynamic woman puts her money where her mouth is and knows immigrants help the farming and agricultural industry.  She believes all [wo]men are created equal.  (I would like to see this woman run for Governor some day).

For those of you who may not know who Kris Kobach is — he is the author of Arizona’s Draconian SB1070 law.  He has helped suppress voting rights for the elderly, the disabled and minorities. We were glad to see Ponka-We Victors courage and compassion for children and students rise to the occasion today when she put Kobach in his place.

More importantly, Kris Kobach has hurt the business and agricultural community in Kansas with his restrictionist and protectionist views with regard to our economy.  Kobach is putting the agricultural and business community in a pickle that reminds us of the Dixiecrats of yore.

A coalition of business groups will propose Kansas start a new program to help some illegal immigrants remain in the state so they can hold down jobs in agriculture and other industries with labor shortages, coalition representatives disclosed Tuesday.

Kris Kobach’s views are affecting large Kansas dairies and feedlots, too.

Here is what Ponka-We Victors communicated to Kobach.

From CJ Online:

The Legislature’s annual attempt to repeal a statute allowing in-state tuition for Kansas students without legal residency drew an emotional crowd to a House committee Wednesday.

Students who have lived in the United States most of their lives got choked up as they described the academic lifeline in-state tuition has provided to improve their lives. A counselor who works with such students in Wichita high schools shed tears as she showed legislators a scrapbook of success stories. Murmurs of unrest were heard in the gallery as one House member asked about the prevalence of illegal immigrants from gangs and drug cartels in American prisons.

But nothing drew a bigger reaction than when Rep. Ponka We-Victors, D-Wichita, wrapped up a series of questions to the bill’s chief proponent, Secretary of State Kris Kobach.

“I think it’s funny Mr. Kobach, because when you mention illegal immigrant, I think of all of you,” said Victors, the Legislature’s lone American Indian member.

The heavily pro-immigrant gallery burst into cheers and applause — a rare reaction in normally staid hearings.

Way to go, Rep. Ponka-We Victors!  For reminding people the basics of American history.

Rep. Ponka We-Victors, D-Wichita, wrapped up a series of questions to the bill’s chief proponent, Secretary of State Kris Kobach.
“I think it’s funny Mr. Kobach, because when you mention illegal immigrant, I think of all of you,” said Victors, the Legislature’s lone American Indian member.

The National Tequila Party Movement is working more on this “Voten O Nos Botan” campaign slogan thanks to Fernando Romero (the inspiration behind the Tequila Party). Fernando suggested we use this slogan when we met this past week in Las Vegas, Nevada, and thought it would motivate more southwestern eligible Latinos to be motivated to vote in support immigrant-friendly politicians like President Obama.

I have a lot of respect for Fernando, he is an independent thinking Democratic voter — and he has a track record that proves it.

Eligible Latino voters (particularly Mexican-Americans) ought to vote or the Republican Party will continue to work on laws that are drafted to kick us out.  Vote or they will find ways to boot you out of our own Country! Eligible Latino and Irish voters ought to vote and be a voice for the voiceless undocumented like Joaquin Luna who felt he had no hope! There is no reason why we should not vote in droves this year. Support President Obama in 2012 so that we can vote in an incoming 2nd term President who can do more on immigration.

Voten o nos botan!

Republicans support voter suppression and are designing laws to boot Latinos out even though we were born here.

Librotaficante Visits Immigration Ground Zero Sparking Another Chicano Movement

By DeeDee Garcia Blase

(Above) Piles of banned books being funneled back in to Arizona with help of Tony Diaz and Librotraficante Caravan

You have heard of drug traffickers before, but have you heard of a book trafficker, too?

The English meaning for a librotraficante is book trafficker.  This past Saturday, Librotraficante visited Tucson, Arizona, on St. Patrick’s Day.  The Librotraficante Caravan traveled from Houston, Texas, to Tucson, Arizona, carrying a payload of contraband books, creating networks of Underground Libraries and leaving community resources in its wake.

Tony Diaz is behind the Librotraficante movement and is a Texas-based novelist that spoke to several students, artists, political activists and Chicano (Mexican-American) leaders recently.  Admittedly it was depressing to hear the truth from him that this is the Civil Rights movement again except it seems that Chicanos and Mexicans seem to be the target that is driving school officials and politicians behind these antiquated ideas.   Diaz was correct to say that Arizona needs to catch up with modern laws.

Since when must we fear history and mere books?   It is absurd for us to hear about school officials trying to implement ideas that would eliminate Native American history, Jewish history as it relates the Holocaust and/or  African-American history.  Either we embrace the freedom of expression, or we do not – and I for one believe that we are on a slippery slope when we ban creative expression and books.

The Tequila Party Movement (Mexican matriarch counter movement to the Tea Party) will be ever watchful of officials and/or

Librotraficante Book passed out in Tucson, Arizona, 17 March 2012

politicians who want to erase history and our rights to freedom of expression – and we sincerely applaud the Librotraficante for sending their love to Arizona from Texas.  Leaders must emerge from those who are directly affected and hurting and those of Mexican descent are hurting right now.

I sense another strong Chicano Movement push in light of the 2012 Presidential elections.

Mexican-Americans and Chicanos  are tired of perceived anti-Latino laws here in the southwest and it is time for us to give political covering to school officials and politicians who do not perceive Mexican-Americans and our growth rate as a threat.   While there are legends or tales of 2012 being an end to things; we believe it is a beginning of an era.   Mexican-Americans should not have to feel dirty or ashamed of our history as some try to portray us.  Nay – we know who we are and we are a passionate people with hearts for fellow mankind.