April 3, 2007 @8:46 AM
At 55-Earth years I have seen a lot of comings and goings over the decades in the Movimiento and I guess I am becoming a viejo with an elder's way of looking at the world. Nowadays I usually strive to have a global overview of the general world situation and its applicability to local connected realities.
We should see the whole immigrant rights issue inside the USA as a part of the whole humane rights movement worldwide. Plus, we should see any kind of Latino Liberation Movement as a part of the whole humane liberation movement worldwide. Nothing exists and thrives in isolation. We should strive for integration in all our endeavors and not isolate ourselves on a racial or nationalist basis.
Look at the key experiences of the now lagging Black Liberation Movement that was basically non-supportive of our marchas last year. Let us not make this strictly a brown thing, but a people thing. We need to absorb as many supporters and sympathizers as possible and no we are not going to all think alike, but with love in our hearts we can unify based upon our survival basics and humane democratic principles.
It is key for new social movements to maintain their momentum and this requires a structured political party that will build a functional infrastructure to sustain itself and protect itself from all external attacks and internal agent provocateurs. ICE be damned!
The immigration reform issue is not simply a 'Mexican immigrant' issue. It is a basic humane rights issue that calls into question the entire legitimacy of the United States government, its own national borders and matters related to international law. It ultimately calls into question the relevancy of building up a real psycho-social socialist revolution on a worldwide scale. Any calls for mere reform plays into the fascist con game. Revolution is the ultimate solution.
Nevertheless, the basics of the people's survival needs always remain the basics:
* Food
* Clothing
* Shelter
* Medical Care and
* Quality Education
I am watching C-SPAN right now on Immigration Reform and a panel mainly composed of 'gringos': MIchael Harrison {Talkers Magazine}, Laura Reifee {Essential Worker Immigration Coalition}, Craig Regelbrugge, Lionel {WOR Radio, New York Talk Show Host}, Martha Zoller {WDUN Radio – Gainesville, George Talk Show Host} and others. Where are our faces and our voices?
In 1986, during the Reagan years 3 million people were given Green Cards which was a kind of amnesty. A lot of research needs to be done by us from a Chicano/Latino viewpoint, at least a small educational pamphlet for community education on immigrant rights and a town hall forum. We cannot assume that others know what we know or do not know what we know. Consciousness will always vary in levels, degrees and dimensions.
The fact remains that the American economy needs Mexicanos and Latinos to keep it going. One-third of our work force is composed of 'Hispanics' who have arrived here since 2000. The idea that immigrants will leave U.S. soil then come back legitimately that is espoused by an illegitimate government astounds me for its sheer stupidity! We are already here now in the millions! None of us are illegal!
For starters, beyond a conference call, we need to concentrate on the coordination of communications online. I suggest a central Yahoo Group for Email Messages as it is utilized by most activists who get online, the most readily available and user-friendly. Plus, it can build up archives for future references. These Messages are basically lost after they are sent.
Whatever is clever, an educational forum is a good start, but we also need to look at ways of moving people around into safe zones.
Remember Hide-and-Seek?
Venceremos! US Out of Iraq!
+Peta-de-Aztlan+
+Peta-de-Aztlan+
Sacramento, Califas
Cell: 916/ 968-1023
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Related Links:
Analysis on Latino Liberation Inside the United States: 10-18-06
By Peter S. Lopez
Apr 25, 2006: Can the Immigrant Rights Movement Be Channeled into Votes?
August 28, 2006: Talking to Nativo Lopez / "The Immigrants' Rights Movement is in Good Hands" By RON JACOBS
Monday, May 1st, 2006: Immigrants Take to U.S. Streets in Show of Strength
Tuesday, May 2nd, 2006: The Meaning of the May Day Marches and the Future of the Immigrant Rights Movement
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Re: [Fwd: Re: [HR4437] Call to action! Mobilizing for May 1 (important, please take time to read and comment)]
Alma Martinez <almartinez@ucdavis.edu> wrote:
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [HR4437] Call to action! Mobilizing for May 1 (important, please take time to read and comment) Date: Mon, 02 Apr 2007 09:19:15 -0700 From: Alma Martinez <almartinez@ucdavis.edu> To: HR4437@ms2.midtown.net, Rocio Franco <crfranco@ucdavis.edu> References: <C2361441.30151%mvcastillojd@gmail.com> Mercedes: Please include me on the conference call as I am sure there are many here in Davis that would be interested in assisting. Thank you, Alma Martinez Alma Martinez Coordinator, Student Affairs Chicana & Chicano Studies 2111 Hart Hall Tel. 530.752.2421 Fax 530.752.8814 Mercedes Castillo wrote: > Greetings CAUIL and Sactivistas... > > I am putting out a call to organize in the Sacras area for an > education/community forum to take place on Saturday April 28, 2007. > > I attended the ZSC meeting today (or rather yesterday, as I realize I am > writing this on Monday morning) and it was decided by the group that there > is enough interest to proceed on organizing an event to counter/compliment > the May 1 activities planned for Sacras and beyond. > > Some of the questions posed were the following: > > *Is another march/boycott the most effective way to organize our > communities? > *What are the real needs of our communities? > *How will we ensure that those needs are being addressed in both the > short term and long term? > *How will we defend our communities from the raids, the driver's license > checkpoints, the suspensions, the firings, the anti-immigrant backlash that > seems to only continue to grow? > *We marched, now what? > > After a long discussion, the ZSC has decided that with four weeks to > organize and mobilize the most effective thing to do at this point is > re-establish our ties to the community with a forum/educational event. > > There are obviously many things that need to be discussed from now until > April 28. But first things first... > > Who can commit to a conference call on Wednesday, April 4 at 7pm? As of > right now I have Esmeralda, David, Mario, Linda, and others who are > committed to making this happen. Please respond to me if you are interested > in helping us plan the first of what could be several community education > forums around the issues of: raids, deportations, immigration legislation, > women's issues, worker rights issues and more. > > Each of us gave of our hearts to this movement last year... Whatever the > reason, the results were beautiful. It was the most amazing experience for > myself and I know I am not only speaking for me. We were able to reach > students, parents, workers, and the community and engage them for a short > second, provide them with the information they needed to be empowered, and > for a moment, and TOGETHER, struggle for a better world for all of us. > > I would like to ask each of you, because I feel that we all need you, to > think back to March of 2006 and pull whatever positive energy you had then > to come back this year and achieve that which we talked about last year: > > full education and empowerment of our communities so that > we/they/all/nosotros can defend ourselves against the forces which oppress > us. > > Some of the ideas for April 28th are: > > ** Developing a Response Network for our Communities in the face of ICE > and Law Enforcement-What You Need To Know (Mercedes) > ** Current Legislation and Why It Sucks (maybe the law students can help > with this?) > ** Worker's Rights Revisited-Know Your Rights at the Workplace > (Esmeralda) > ** El Poder de la Mujer-A Facilitated Discussion on issues that affect > immigrant and Latinas in this movement (Fatima I am hoping you might be > interested in working on this with me or other feminist students?) > ** May 1 Messages-What messages do we want to take to our communities > the day of May 1? How will we engage more community members to become > active? We can use the April 28th event to brainstorm how to reach out to > the masses by effective leaflets. > > I also thought of a t-shirt idea in the car: "Doing More Than Just > Marching" > > LOL-Ok its 2am... > > I have committed myself to working on this action and providing the > resources that I have to making this event happen. What I want to know now > is who is on board? > > We have less than a month to make this happen and I think we can do it. > > Again, let me know if you can be on a conference call on Wednesday at 7pm > and I will send you the conference call information. > > If you would like to call me you can reach me at (323) 482-9062. > > It starts with just a spark and we are all living proof that even just a few > people can accomplish so much. > > Con amor y en solidaridad, > Mercedes. > > >-- Alma Martinez Coordinator, Student Affairs Chicana & Chicano Studies 2111 Hart Hall Tel. 530.752.2421 Fax 530.752.8814
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