Hispanic is Much More than Just Skin Color, Gonzales Should Resign
Hispanic values are part of the Kingdom of Conscience that determines the moral compass of the United States of America which has an impact on all Hispanics
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PHOENIX (By Jon Garrido, The Blue Dogs of the Democratic Party, Americause and Hispanic News) March 9, 2007 — More that 30 years ago a group of Hispanics working for the City of Tucson had a daily ritual of eating lunch together in one of the many Mexican restaurants in the downtown area.
We were all very young. We only had a couple of years working for the City of Tucson being recently out of the University of Arizona. We spoke usually about nothing in particular, just enjoying the hot sun, great food and great camaraderie.
Two of my friends huddled together sharing with each other how we all had to be "super Mexicans" to be promoted. I tried not to listen. I just wanted to enjoy my food.
My two friends deep in conversation were both agreeing with each other: We had to deal with an unusual situation: the city manager was Hispanic.
One word from him and anything would happen at the city. He was powerful, well liked and we all highly respected him.
Yet, most of our group believed to be promoted, Hispanics had to be "super Mexicans" because the city manager feared being accused of nepotism.
Human nature has it unless something directly has an personal impact, the subject is set aside for others to deal with.
This was the case with me for I had advanced up the food chain at a rapid pace.
I would have continued being unengaged in my friends' conversation but my friends were determined to interrupt me from eating my lunch. To draw me into the conversation, they asked a pointed question, "How do we deal with this superficial but real road block preventing promotions?"
I had no idea what the answer was so I said — I had no idea.
Later that afternoon I walked to the old Carnegie Library just down the street on Stone Avenue and started roaming through the stacks looking for something to catch my eye.
Miraculously, a book examining the tactics of radical community organizer Saul D. Alinsky just popped out of the stacks. I did not recognized this man's work but the book contents seem to provide a glimpse of a strategy we could use.
The next day at lunch I was ready. I had already gone through the Alinsky book the night before and told everyone at lunch — we needed to organize — and organize we did.
We became the biggest Hispanic organization in Tucson starting with Hispanic city employees and then adding county, state and then anyone.
We used the Alinsky model of picking an issue we knew we could win. Alinsky pointed out this was key to recruitment for each victory would double membership. The secret behind Alinsky was picking the biggest issue we could win but never over reaching an issue we knew we could not win. Failure had just the opposite outcome in winning — loss of membership.
I became the leader and carefully picked our battles.
From a few young "Turks," within two years, we grew into a 1,000 member organization.
The biggest success was the City of Tucson implemented an Affirmative Action Office.
In those days, we never considered anyone's politics. The only requirement was — Hispanic.
That was a very long time ago and up until now, Hispanic advancement into key positions has always been part of the Hispanic strategy.
When John Ashcroft resigned and Alberto Gonzales was appointed Attorney General of the United States, all Hispanics were elated a Hispanic had been appointed to one of the highest offices in the United States. It did not matter Gonzales was Republican or Democrat. It was a sign we were moving up the food chain.
I for one was more elated than others for Alberto Gonzales has the same name as I.
My mother was a Gonzales and when I bought a Maquilidora in Mexico, my Mexican permit required I use my entire name so I became Jon Garrido Gonzales.
The jubilation of an Hispanic Attorney General being Hispanic was a milestone but an Attorney General with the Gonzales name was particularly gratifying for me.
On February 3, 2005, Alberto Gonzales was sworn in as the United States Attorney General with the appointment of an Hispanic to advance the well being of Hispanics being a monumental milestone.
That was then but today the Gonzales appointment rings hollow and high in a squandered opportunity.
Gonzales may be Hispanic but Gonzales has become the point man for Bush Cheney Republicans. Gonzales is only Hispanic on the outside and is no longer a member of the Kingdom of Conscience with the moral compass of doing the right thing to help all Hispanics — Democrat or Republican.
The Gonzales appointment has become one of the greatest disappointments of modern times, not just for Hispanics but even more important, for all Americans. Attorney General Gonzales has categorically diminished the civil rights of all Americans and all Hispanics living in the USA.
The Bush administration’s assault on some of the founding principles of American democracy marches onward despite the Democratic victory in the 2006 elections. The new Democratic majorities in Congress can block the sort of noxious measures the Republican majority rubber-stamped. But preventing new assaults on civil liberties is not nearly enough.
Five years of presidential overreaching and Congressional collaboration continue to exact a high toll in human lives, America’s global reputation and the architecture of democracy. Brutality toward prisoners, and the denial of their human rights, have been institutionalized, unlawful spying on Americans continues, and the courts are being closed to legal challenges of these practices.
Three fundamental tenets of America diminished by Bush, Cheney and Gonzales need to restored:
Restore Habeas Corpus
One of the new act’s most indecent provisions denies anyone Mr. Bush labels an “illegal enemy combatant” the ancient right to challenge his imprisonment in court. The arguments for doing this were specious. Habeas corpus is nothing remotely like a get-out-of-jail-free card for terrorists, as supporters would have you believe. It is a way to sort out those justly detained from those unjustly detained. It will not “clog the courts,” as Senator Graham claims. Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont, the Democratic chairman of the Judiciary Committee, has a worthy bill that would restore habeas corpus. It is essential to bringing integrity to the detention system and reviving the United States’ credibility.
Stop Illegal Spying
Mr. Bush’s program of intercepting Americans’ international calls and e-mail messages without a warrant has not ceased. The agreement announced recently — under which a secret court supposedly gave its blessing to the program — did nothing to restore judicial process or ensure that Americans’ rights are preserved. Congress needs to pass a measure, like one proposed by Senator Dianne Feinstein, to force Mr. Bush to obey the law that requires warrants for electronic surveillance.
Ban Torture
It is largely up to the president to decide what constitutes torture and abuse for the purpose of prosecuting anyone who breaks the rules. This amounts to rewriting the Geneva Conventions and puts every American soldier at far greater risk if captured. It allows the president to decide in secret what kinds of treatment he will permit at the Central Intelligence Agency’s prisons. The law absolves American intelligence agents and their bosses of any acts of torture and abuse they have already committed.
Alberto Gonzales Attempts to Manipulate the Outcome of the 2006 Congressional Elections
The last straw was the firing of eight U.S. Attorneys, one of who is Hispanic, to manipulate the outcome of the 2006 congressional elections. No graver assault on the U.S. Constitution can take place enabling a democracy to evolve into a dictatorship by stuffing ballot boxes to win elections.
The stakes in the 2006 elections were at the highest level determining the direction of the United States. Had Attorney General Gonzales been successful in directing the U.S. Attorneys prosecute the Democrats in eight states manipulating election outcomes, the congress may still be in the hands of Republicans enabling the Bush Administration to "stay the course" in Iraq and further diminish the civil rights of all Americans.
Hispanic News, the Blue Dogs of the Democratic Party and Americause call for the resignation of Alberto Gonzales
Gonzales tried to manipulate the outcome of the 2006 congressional elections to enable the continuation of the Republican majority in the Congress to support the further demise by George Bush of the well being of the United States leading to continuation of the Iraq war and plundering the financial resources of the United States to finance Bush and Cheney's pursuit of the arrogance of power so adeptly exemplified in the Libby trial.
Bush and Cheney are the true axis of evil and Gonzales, Karl Rove and Libby did their bidding.
Gonzales is particularly singled out and will go down in history as "ballot box stuffer Gonzales," the attorney General who used the Justice Department to justify plundering the civil rights of Americans and attempting to manipulate the outcome of congressional elections.
Gonzales is Hispanic. Being Hispanic no longer suffices. Hispanic is more than just skin color. Hispanic values are part of the Kingdom of Conscience that determines the moral compass of everyone in the United States of America.
Gonzales has lost his moral compass of helping all Hispanics — Democrat of Republican. He instead has chosen to be the point man for Bush and Cheney to represent the greed of corporate America at the expense of middle America.
Gonzales is American Hispanics' greatest disappointment.
The honorable thing would be for Gonzales to commit hari-kari and be gone. This will never happen for Gonzales has no shame or understanding of the great miscarriage of the U.S. Constitution and the Kingdom of Conscience.
He simply has no scruples.
All Hispanics should shun his presence.
House Congressional Hispanic Caucus
Presently, Hispanic members of congress are not visible. They are no where to be found except for the gutsy and admirable Southern California Democratic Rep. Loretta Sanchez. We agree with her position and support her battle with the old guard of the House Congressional Hispanic Caucus.
It would behoove the House Congressional Hispanic Caucus to adopt her position for her position is also the position of the Blue Dogs of the Democratic Party, Hispanic News and Americause.
For the chairman and members of the House Congressional Hispanic Caucus to think American Hispanics are not cognizant of this issue is extremely naive. To believe there is no need for accountability is a grave error in leadership unless changed, could lead to the Hispanic News coalition of the Blue Dogs of the Democratic Party and Americause charged with electing more Democrats to Congress in 2008 to also include replacing incumbents who do not represent the needs of American Hispanics.
The days of Hispanics being elected to office and remaining in office by attending a Cinco de Mayo festival back home have come to an end.
Being Hispanic is no longer enough. Being Hispanic no longer suffices. Hispanic is more than just skin color. Hispanics need engaged representation from a member of Congress. Hispanics elected to Congress should take the reins of leadership for all Americans and champion Hispanic causes. Members of Congress represent the people of their district. Authoring legislation and debating the merits of the bill are the only true hallmark of representation.
The scholars at universities rise and fall on one tenet — Publish or Perish. This now needs to apply for all Hispanic members of Congress. Incumbency for the sake of Incumbency is misplaced. Accountability should be the norm as American Hispanics evolve.
The primary purpose of the House Congressional Hispanic Caucus should be to expand its membership by electing more Hispanics to congress. An expanded Hispanic caucus will gain enhanced prominence as a voting block and lead to more effective representation of America's Hispanics.
The "farm team" is already in place across the United States and ready to run for congress. This is where all financial resources should be spent and must be the primary priority for the House Congressional Hispanic Caucus. This is where the Blue Dogs of the Democratic Party will play a major role in 2008.
Joe Baca, D-Calif., is shortsighted to believe there is not yet a "farm team" and the only qualified persons to be members of congress are now serving in the U.S. Congress.
This is a direct slap in the face on countless successful Hispanics probably more capable of leadership than exhibited by some Hispanic members of Congress. To suggest a "farm team" is required to enable Hispanics to serve in Congress is simply naive. No wonder the chairman is seen as not adequate in leadership.
There are many American Hispanics now qualified to become a member of congress. Outreach should be a priority to assist election of members of congress to increase the size of the Hispanic caucus and not the "farm team" approach advocated by Baca.
It should also be noted any Hispanic member of congress who does not meet the standard of performance should step aside or Hispanic News will inform the local Hispanic community of the lack of member performance so others may be elected to replace ineffective incumbents whose time has come and gone.
Today, Hispanic is more than just skin color. We are continually evolving and taking our rightful place as an American constituency. American Hispanics require a high level of competence and representation.
Hispanic Members of Congress
For Hispanic members of congress presently serving, we need smart, intelligent, persons who have the moral compass engraved on their hearts and minds that advance moral and social values and civil justice which are hallmarks of the Kingdom of Conscience that treat equally all persons living in the United States. This includes all Americans by birth, by choice and non citizens who live in the United States but are protected by the U.S. Constitution.
All Hispanic members of congress have a profound responsibility to advance the well being of Hispanics. Hispanics are elected to congress to "represent the people" of their districts. Representation by definition is authored legislation and debate that has an impact on all Hispanics. Members of congress must be judged by authorship of legislation and debating other members of congress to influence authored legislation to gain congressional approval.
Unless legislation is authored and debated — photo ops, sponsored seminars, conferences, training sessions and citizenship classes are no substitution for authored legislation and debate.
Today, there are two Hispanic congressmen who should not run for re-election for they have failed to achieve the standard of required competence to get the job done in representing constituents.
These two members of Congress are Ed Pastor and Silvestre Reyes.
Ed Pastor
Ed Pastor did not Think it Important to Debate Ending Iraq War
For 16 years, Ed Pastor representing Congressional District 4 of Arizona has no legislative record.
There are similarities between Rip Van Winkle and Ed Pastor.
"Rip Van Winkle" means either a person who sleeps for a long period of time, 20 years, or one who is inexplicably perhaps even blissfully unaware of current events such as the Iraq War. Pastor was the only congressman out of 435 who did not stand in the well of the House to debate ending the Iraq War. He sat on his hands and did not think it important to debate ending the Iraq war which has plundered our financial resources required for the well being of America and specifically his home district, On a sadder note, the Iraq war has robbed our greatest resource, the young Hispanic men and women who died for a senseless unjustified war. Sadly, the returning wound will always bear the marks of an unjustified war.
Ed Pastor has been asleep for 16 years.
Edward Pastor has sponsored 18 bills since Jan 6, 1999, of which 14 did not make it out of committee with 2 successfully enacted. These 2 were of no sustenance but are similar to the countless merit declarations handed out by towns and cities at mayor and council sessions across the United States.
Unless legislation is authored and debated — photo ops, sponsored seminars, conferences, training sessions and citizenship classes are no substitution for authored legislation and debate.
Pastor is Hispanic. Thus just being Hispanic no longer suffices. Hispanic is more than just skin color. Hispanics need engaged representation from a member of Congress. Hispanics elected to Congress should stand in the fray of leadership of all Americans and champion Hispanic causes. They should not sit on their hands and let others debate the important issues of the day.
In 16 years in Congress, Pastor has been invisible.
Ed Pastor, American Hispanics' Rip Van Winkle should not be re-elected to congress. Hispanic News, the Blue Dogs of the Democratic Party and Americause will support another candidate to replace Pastor in 2008.
Silvestre Reyes
Recommending an additional 30,000 soldiers be sent to Iraq pales in comparison to not being able to identify Hezbollah.
Mr. Reyes is no leader. To further win in 2008 requires substance and at this point it is clear the appointment of Mr. Reyes to chair the House Intelligence Committee is a disaster.
I was the director of economic development for the City of El Paso and I have already made contact with old friends to find someone to replace Reyes.
Hispanic News, the Blue Dogs of the Democratic Party and Americause will target the replacement of Reyes in 2008.
