Friday Bud Blogging

He’s making a wish that IndyLib has an excellent birthday

 

Immigration News Roundup

The Bush misAdministration’s bright idea of militarizing the U.S./Mexico border appears to be yet another in a long line of instances of ‘baiting and switching’. Typical politicking from the All Hat, No Cattle government.

The Bush administration has been unable to muster even half the 2,500 National Guardsmen it planned to have on the Mexican border by the end of June, officials in the border states said.

[snip]

As of Thursday, fewer than 1,000 troops were in place, according to military officials in Texas, California, New Mexico and Arizona.

President Bush’s plan called for all 50 states to send troops. But only 10 states, including the four border states, have signed commitments.

Some state officials say they cannot free up Guardsmen because of flooding in the East, wildfires in the West or the prospect of hurricanes in the South.

“It’s not a combat priority. It is a volunteer mission,” said Kristine Munn, spokeswoman for the National Guard Bureau, an arm of the Pentagon, “so it’s a question of balancing the needs of the Border Patrol with the needs of 54 states and territories, and all those balls roll in different directions.” – linkage

The WaPo has a piece up today highlighting the hairy buttcrack scratching by the GOP leadership as they try to figure out how to salvage this issue for the fall congressional elections. More politics, no real solutions; just a bunch of verbal diarrhea.

Republican Senate leaders are considering how to revive immigration legislation and cut a deal with the more hard-line House, a sign of increasing GOP concern that inaction on the emotionally charged issue could hurt the party with voters in November.

Keep it up, you bunch of empty suits, it’s clear you don’t really care about this issue enough to address it in a meaningful way. While you bicker and monger your hate, hopefully additional groups of friends won’t have to take on the gruesome task as these warriors of humanity had to endure recently.

Torres’ friends in Tucson, all from the village of La Loma de Buena Vista, Guanajuato, Mexico, learned about his death this week.

After a Border Patrol search Wednesday failed to find the body, his friends stepped in. After work Wednesday, 24 people armed with cell phones fanned out across the desert to find their friend.

“We couldn’t leave him out there,” said 36-year-old Geronimo Jimenez.

The men suspended the search as night fell and continued the next morning.

Most of Torres’ friends are U.S. citizens. The others are legal residents. All work in construction or carpentry. Some own their own businesses. It’s a tight-knit group that gets together every weekend.

Most came to Tucson in the mid-’80s and got their papers with the help of the 1986 amnesty.

“The sad part is, Antonio used to be a resident as well,” said his friend Saul Pacheco, who coordinated the search. – linkage

A complex issue deserves comprehensive reform; something a triple-layer wall will do nothing to solve. Here’s an obligatory reminder that you can support humanitarian efforts to end the ongoing flow of death through the desert by assisting the work of groups like the Border Action Network of Southern Arizona.

 

Gitmo: Holding Bush Accountable

The Supreme Court ruled against the abhorrent practice of detaining prisoners at the Guantanamo torture chamber prison complex in Cuba without due process. I love the opening sentence of the WaPo article, if only there will be “more of the same” of these types of instances.

The Supreme Court today delivered a stunning rebuke to the Bush administration over its plans to try Guantanamo detainees before military commissions, ruling that the commissions are unconstitutional.

In a 5-3 decision, the court said the trials were not authorized under U.S. law or the Geneva Conventions. Justice John Paul Stevens wrote the opinion in the case, called Hamdan v. Rumsfeld. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. recused himself from the case.

The ruling, which overturned a federal appeals court decision in which Roberts had participated, represented a defeat for President Bush, who had ordered military trials for detainees at the Guantanamo Bay naval base. About 450 detainees captured in the war on terrorism are currently held at the U.S. naval base in Cuba.

linkage (free subscription required)

Now that this issue has been somewhat resolved, will the media and political string-pullers hold George accountable for his stonewalling over the past several months, most recently during the suicides committed at the naval base?

Republican Sen. Arlen Specter Sunday criticized the administration for holding the detainees without trials.

“Those people have to be tried,” said Specter, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee. Bush has said he is waiting for a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on whether the tribunals are constitutional, but Specter said the wait means “limbo and that creates a very difficult situation.” The court is expected to issue its ruling by month’s end.

The ball’s in your court now, Junior.

 

Shit that irritates me

This is not directed at Cobb, per se, for the trackback he provided to my post from yesterday, but rather to a larger problem that is existing in the U.S. There is obnoxious distrust everywhere you look here that has been provided as a model of interaction by the current government in power.

Polarization is everywhere you look. Instead of dealing with the fact that we’re at war and the need to address those issues, or that human beings are dying everyday in the Sonoran desert, the U.S. Congress is debating stupid shit like flag burning and definitions of marriage. It is specifically designed to divide the electorate so the GOP can pander to those who are still blind enough to believe that they are the party of “values.” Bullshit.

I’m so pissed off right now I can hardly type. What the fuck is wrong with the marginalized communities, which includes minority factions for the forseeable future, that they can’t see beyond petty differences to realize that unless we shelve the stupidity found in the mirror, the rich and powerful will continue to screw us all over?

I may be young and naive, full of idealism, but it is that exact type of personality that has enacted real change in our nation’s history. Cobb writes the following

Everybody thinks they have their own ‘civil rights movement’ style concessions to get from the Man. Except few are willing or able to take the long, hard and high road. It’s funny, I never thought I’d hear myself using the term ‘racial spoils system’, but that’s basically how these low-rent politics are working. There is no consistent principle being applied here. It’s just a gold rush.

That statement is proof that he has no real understanding of the movement that has been unleashed by the immigrant community over the past several months. It’s not a gold rush when it involves the livelihood and legal status of peers, parents, grandparents and friends. The streets were filled by immigrant advocates because there is a real danger that the GOP-led Congress will criminalize and demonize a substantial and contributing population of this country.

My advice to anyone who doesn’t understand what this movement is really about: attend a fucking meeting of the advocacy boards or one of the numerous protests/action events. You’ll find much more solidarity with the message than you perceive. If not, then you are too blind to break out of your perceived helplessness.

 

Sugar-Coating "Concentration Camps"

Congratulations, Don, you got an apology from the paper. It still doesn’t mean your framing will change reality. A Concentration Camp is a Concentration Camp is a Concentration Camp.

EFE Executive Vice President Emillio Sanchez said in a June 25 letter released Tuesday by Goldwater’s campaign that the EFE stringer who wrote the June 21 article should not have reported that Goldwater supports using “concentration camps.”

“We understand the very serious connotations those words have for the people of the Arizona. Upon further reflection, our investigation has determined that your plan to house illegal prisoners in a tent city is consistent with accepted practices for nonviolent American prisoners in your area,” Sanchez said in the letter.

linkage

“Accepted practice” – like this?

The five men knew their two-day walk across the Arizona desert could end with the Border Patrol swiftly returning them to Mexico. But they never imagined that they would be stuck in a county jail for more than three months.

They were held under a novel interpretation of an Arizona immigrant smuggling law that allows the customers of human traffickers to be charged as conspirators in the crime.

[snip]

The five inmates said they worried about their families, because they haven’t been able to provide for them for more than three months and don’t know when their cases will be resolved.

When is the pendulum going to swing back to the side of sanity and humanity? As I wrote yesterday, it has to begin within and ripple out to our circles of influence to cause a tidal wave change that respects the dignity of human beings of all races, creed and language.

Making sure your friends register to vote and actually show up to the polls on Election Day won’t hurt either. We have much work to do.

 

Black vs. Brown

I’m going to tread into a complex and emotional topic because it has been on my mind lately and Newsweek is currently running an article highlighting it.

Welcome to the topsy-turvy world of ethnic politics in the 21st century, when blacks and Latinos, once presumed to be natural allies, increasingly find themselves competing for power and where promotion of racial harmony is as likely to evoke anger as admiration. Lynwood is a case study in the power of prejudice, the pitfalls of ethnic conflict and, perhaps, ultimately, the potential for interethnic cooperation. It may also foreshadow America’s future; —one that will increasingly see blacks and Latinos fighting, sometimes together and sometimes each other, to overcome a history of marginalization.

linkage

Reading the linked article, I had a couple of thoughts gnawing at my brain. First, why was it written? There are many truths described in the piece, yet the writer obviously felt compelled to write it for a reason. So, what was it? Secondly, who stands to gain from the perpetuation of conflict between the African American and Latino communities?

It’s not a surprise to me that there is a black/brown division being promoted (btw I hate those color characterizations, but I wasn’t the one who wrote the headline for Newsweek). Growing up in a predominately Latino community I often heard the terms “pinche miate” or “negro” from friends and family. Perhaps I was born with a hyperactive sense of cultural sensitivity, but I always cringed, and still do, whenever I heard/hear those barbs thrown out in a casual way.

Why do human beings insist on fighting with one another? I wish I knew the answer to that question that encompasses a conversation spanning all philosophies, religions, political sytems, cultures, etc. In my opinion, this particular tension exists because there’s a bit of turf war being waged in the middle and lower ends of the job market in the U.S. Add a dollop of cultural nuances and a perfect storm is created for outright hostility as outlined in the case study provided by Newsweek.

So who stands to gain from these racial scuffles? The answer is easy: the elite. They are the same cabal of power-mongers who are subverting democracy in the U.S. By keeping the “lower classes” focused on fighting one another, it lowers the probability that the minority communities will realize that if they unite, they have unbridled power to unleash a tidal wave of progressivism and human rights changes in a country that badly needs it.

Now, don’t get me wrong, this post is not taking aim at the Anglo community. If it did, that would just expose me as a hypocrite to my personal visceral reactions to racism and xenophobia. This battle is being waged between those in power against the middle class, poor and other marginalized human beings. The situation in the U.S. has reached such an obscene point of economic, social and political polarization, accelerated by the 9/11 attacks and the divisive “leadership” by BushCo, that the divide has expanded beyond historical racial lines.

So how do we get past it? As with most Movements, it has to begin within. Unity within an umbrella of human rights advocacy must be promoted by each of us in our circles of influence. Flowing from the home, to the workplace, to everyday venues like restaurants or the grocery store, we have to be willing to reject the natural tendency to label, judge and ostracize; and call others out when they do it.

This afternoon while I was eating my lunch at a hole-in-the-wall taqueria that makes the best al pastor in town, I was approached by an older African American gentleman for some help to pay for some tacos. In that split-second I had a few thoughts: 1) do I have cash? (yes), 2) I wonder when he ate his last meal? (he looked and mentioned that he was hungry, 3) I’m very lucky that I don’t have the added worry of figuring out if I can pay for my next meal and 4) the Newsweek article I read this morning does not have to be the reality. I can change it by fighting it in my own life.

After I gave the gentleman five bucks, which pays for a decent meal at that venue, I returned to my meal and pondered many things. While I was getting up to leave, the man walked over to my table with a white piece of paper that I had seen him pouring over while he was eating. On it was a beautiful drawing of a butterfly that he had created within the space of 15 minutes.

“I wanted to give you this as a small thank you. Have a great day”

The gentleman signed his mini-masterpiece with his name and a simple inscription – “Peace 2006”

I love the power of Hope on a random Monday in June. It is as life-renewing as the monsoon rains rolling through the desert; reminiscent of that moment when the capertpillar emerges from its cocoon, spreads its wings and shows the world its beauty; preparing to lift off and fly towards new horizons.

We need more of these moments. Don’t you agree?

 

tap, tap… are you on?

Sunday’s here again! And you know what that means… but before we get into that, I want to thank James for doing the tour last week, and doing it so well too! All y’all are really great.

And, since we are already there, we might as well see what James has been up to this week. I hope no one missed this draft edition of his book review of A Question of Torture. He’s looking for feedback too, so after you tell him how great it is, you can tell him what (if anything!) is wrong with it! Also, The face of Iraqi civilian casualties and tempestuous teapots.

Olivia has gone buggy again! Green, three toed bugs on cotton candy hills, to be exact. And hungry baby um… bird flowers!

Everyone will be relieved to notice that honorary great grandpapas have been sighted and so there was no need to break out the Bleating Baby Tapir Siren! (But we’ll still keep it in reserve). And sometimes you have to give up a remote to gain an entirely new perspective on The Look!

[UPDATE!] I’m not going to tease katiebird today. Really! I’m just going to mention that has decided not to be elitist (and has also figured out a way to probably control spam) and has opened up the comments on her Eat 4 Today, so that there is no registration required! Just an approval of the initial comment… so if you’ve been waiting to chime in, wait no more! Go yap away. However, now she’s determined to control destiny! Also, for those that don’t know, katie has been gracious enough to open up an Eat 4 Today @ Human Beams! She’s bizzy, bizzy, especially as she’s building up E4T Live, the next date of which is July 5th! If you are in the area, drop on by.

I, of course, don’t have tour favorites, but I have to admit… I just love this site! It’s just so… so… homey. No, no, not homie! Family Man deals with weedwackers, not wickwack (whatever that is). And salmon lessons, and airy tales, although even comfortable roads sometimes take an unexpected turn!

deano has a new banner! Purple soldiers? Also a painting that announces itself as Teeth. I think it’s very nice of it to tell us that. And aboriginal art meets toons!

[UPDATE AGAIN!] boran2 has decided not to take over the world! er… I mean blogtopia! (yes, skippy, etc – good heavens, are we well trained or what!? ). Darn… I bet it would have been a lot more colorful. Okay, well, maybe not. But still! This doesn’t mean he’s letting big business get away with anything, though!

Forget scaring us for 2006 and 2008… XicanoPwr is getting a jump on scaring us for 2028! And your papers, please.

catnip has her Sunday Food for Thought! excellent, as usual. And also breakdowns and details of much news, with angles you may have missed. Just start at the top and read down! OH! And I almost forgot…. congrats to catnip for hitting 50,000 visitors a week or so ago! Yippie!

[UPDATE! UPDATE!] Duke reminds us that Democracy Summer starts July 1. Read all about it! And there’s lots more there, including from XP, and our Manny! Another “start at the top and just keep reading” thing.

We have two new blogs on the tour! First up, El Ranchero at Border Human Rights. Chock full of information about border issues, and of course human rights issues. Go say hi! And also, Keoni at The Pacific Tribune, which is a scoop site. Lots of stuff there, so say hi there too and sign up if you want.

I love Link TV. I think it’s a great idea, and I hope it grows very big. Intrepid Liberal Journal has an interview with one of their directors and documentariasts (or whatever you call someone who films documentaries). Very well done, as usual!

The world was never meant to be a prison, as dove states, and the music (and impetus) of haunting words. Also an ongoing conversation (join in!) on solidarity.

[UPDATE SOME MORE!] Guess who’s been nominated for both the Barry Award and the Macavity Award for best short story? AND has short stories slated to be published in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine (one of my favorites for ages)? AND who is having a regular Story Hour on her site? With stories! AND has signed copies of their books available? I’ll never tell… it’s all a mystery to me! (‘scuze me while I run off to read about Easter Island).

I think… All Done!

 

El Día de San Juan

[bumped for a reminder of today’s events – Man Eegee]

I love Tucson. Everyday I learn something new about my city’s quirky/synergistic culture; in this case cultura.

June 24th is the Catholic feast commemorating the birth of Saint John the Baptist, who is a very prominent figure in the New Testament as both a cousin of Jesus and the person responsible for “preparing the way” before the Messiah’s ministry began 30A.D.ish Wikipedia has a comprehensive roundup of John’s prominence in religious tradition that spans Christianity, Islam, and Mandaeanism.

Spending time here in the desert southwest of the U.S. you quickly realize that water availability is an issue. Our “rivers” only run with water when the torrential rainfall of the monsoons are unleashed in the area. Irrigation systems, dams and the practical effects of supply and demand are the major causes.

According to an article in today’s Caliente section of the Arizona Daily Star:

Local lore has it that a 16th-century Spanish conquistador couldn’t handle the parched Sonoran Desert to which he was stationed and thus appealed to St. John the Baptist, the patron saint of water, to make it rain.

“His faith was so great, it did, in fact, rain,” according to the story told by Lillian Lopez-Grant.

Since then, celebrating the feast day of San Juan has been a popular activity in Tucson, said Lopez-Grant, chairwoman of the committee of community volunteers that’s putting on this year’s observance on Saturday, St. John’s actual feast day.

“While it had its roots with the missionaries and the Catholic Church,” she said, “it has become part of the culture of Tucson now.”

linkage (and info on the fiesta)

I’m always fascinated by the way traditions evolve from a single point. In the case of El Día de San Juan on Saturday, the night before is celebrated across Spain with bonfires and rituals of cleansing and renewal; messages preached by Saint John at the waters of the River Jordan. The fires are kindled across cultures and borders to the shores of Ireland where the bonfires trace their roots to Celtic influence.

While I haven’t read any mention of bonfire-hopping for the fiesta here in the Old Pueblo, Tucsonans will be gathering at the dry banks of the Santa Cruz to enjoy the sounds of mariachi, eat to their corazon’s content of tamales and tacos, and continue the discussion of how immigration policies are affecting our area.

The Border Action Network is using the holiday to highlight the crisis that heats up every year as the mercury rises in the thermometers on the patios of wealthy foothills mansions by hosting a Radio-Thon to raise money for their advocacy work. These people are on the front lines of the battle everyday with their opposition to the various vigilante groups, militarization of the border region, and the xenophobic hate that is directed at the Latino community.

Please help spread the word so that the message of human rights with respect to the U.S./Mexico border debate is spread loud and clear.

Click for more information

[/shameless promotion]

“Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. 9 Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” 10 And the crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” 11 In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.” – Luke 8:3-11

The prophets were hardcore liberals, just ask Jim Wallis.

Crossposted at Human Beams

 

Don Goldwater Supports Concentration Camps

I thought Mike Hellon’s suggestion of denying citizenship to children born here in the U.S. was over-the-top and ridiculous, but this takes the cake.

A Republican gubernatorial candidate’s call for creation of a forced labor camp for illegal immigrants drew rebukes Friday from two GOP lawmakers, who labeled it a low point in the immigration debate.

Don Goldwater, nephew of the late Sen. Barry Goldwater, caused an international stir this week when EFE, a national news agency of Spain, quoted him as saying he wanted to hold undocumented immigrants in camps to use them “as labor in the construction of a wall and to clean the areas of the Arizona desert that they’re polluting.”

[snip]

But two Republicans, Arizona Sen. John McCain and Rep. Jim Kolbe, called Goldwater’s comments “deeply offensive” and asked state Republicans to reject his candidacy in the Sept. 12 primary.

Nothing like some Friday evening stress balm in the form of GOP infighting. Now if only I could stop the nightmares that abound when I think that many people agree with Don’s extremist viewpoints.

Which reminds me, July 1st is the kickoff for Democracy Summer. Time to bring the popular grito from the March/April rallies to life: Marchamos Hoy, Mañana Votamos

 

Friday Bud Blogging

Gives new meaning to LMAO, eh?