Monthly Archives: July 2008

Joe Arpaio is the new Bull Connors

Posted on July 30, 2008 by

In the same way Sheriff Bull Connor–the racist lawman of Birmingham, Alabama who served his office during the height of the Civil Rights Movement–came to embody the system of racial oppression framing life for Southern Blacks, so, too, Joe Arpaio … Continue reading →

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Even Neo-Liberal Stalwarts Think McCain is Losing Latinos

Posted on July 30, 2008 by

A succinct summary of much of this blog’s meandering commentary of the past two months can be found in this article from The Economist. My disappointment in the association of my views with this relentlessly (and blindly) capitalistic, free trade, … Continue reading →

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The New Veterans G.I Bill and Educational Opportunity

Posted on July 28, 2008 by

The recent Chronicle of Higher Education presents an informative article on the “21st Century G.I. Bill”–Senator Jim Webb’s legislation designed to offer educational opportunities to this nation’s veterans. Read the article here. There are some surprising trends among returning veterans … Continue reading →

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Latinos Give Juan McCain the Frío Shoulder

Posted on July 25, 2008 by

A new research report issued by the Pew Hispanic Center shows Barack Obama leading over John McCain by a 66% to 23% among registered Latino voters. That almost a 3 to 1 margin. The report is a reminder to hesitate … Continue reading →

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The “Border Beat” (July 25, 2008)

Posted on July 25, 2008 by

The “Border Beat” returns with a sampling of some of the Latino-themed and related stories you might have missed in the past week. • “U.S. Latinos may get a national museum of their own” (South Florida Sun-Sentinel) I first heard … Continue reading →

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Rosario Dawson and Wilmer Valderrama Share la Pasion

Posted on July 24, 2008 by

Actress Rosario Dawson is one of the founders of an organization called Voto Latino. Founded as a Latino-centered, voter-registration effort, the group has worked rather successfully doing just that for a few elections now. Dawson has been recognized for her … Continue reading →

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What is the difference between a “legal” and “illegal” immigrant?

Posted on July 23, 2008 by

Let me offer an answer to the above question in two versions, one short and direct and the other much longer but more explanatory. The difference is “race.” In the most literal of senses, with respect to race, the United … Continue reading →

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Maná Loves Obama

Posted on July 23, 2008 by

The members of Mexican rock band Maná have thrown their gorras in the ring with Barack Obama. The multi-platinum, internationally-renowned stars of rock en español have been a consistent voice in the political arena, often directing attention to the unfolding … Continue reading →

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The Criminalization of Immigrants is the Context of Abuse

Posted on July 21, 2008 by

The vast majority of the ubiquitous anti-immigrant culture stems from a historic and systemic association with people of color (and immigrants in particular) with criminality. This is as “American as apple pie,” a tradition labeling non-whites as threats and–far more … Continue reading →

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This is why the U.S. doesn’t “just deport them all”

Posted on July 21, 2008 by

Today’s L.A. Times offers us a glimpse into the bureaucratic nightmare of rising deportations and searches for illegal immigrants. And this is for what, less than one half of one percent of all the possible number of cases if the … Continue reading →

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