From: Arnoldo Torres [email protected]: Fw: NiLP Guest Commentary: Immigration Key But Far From Only Latino Issue
Date: July 29, 2014 at 9:33 AMTo: Arnoldo Torres [email protected]
Arnoldo S. TorresPolicy Consultant6505 Blue Rock Ct.Elk Grove, California 95758916-838-4134 Cell Phone916-667-8315 Home Office916-667-8437 Fax
----- Forwarded Message -----From: Angelo Falcon <[email protected]>To: 'Arnoldo Torres' <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, July 7, 2014 7:29 AMSubject: FW: NiLP Guest Commentary: Immigration Key But Far From Only Latino Issue
Na#onal'Ins#tute'forLa#no'Policy'(NiLP)25#West#18th#StreetNew#York,#NY#10011800459042516info@la=nopolicy.orgwww.la=nopolicy.org##
Board'of'DirectorsJosé#R.#Sánchez!!!ChairEdgar#DeJesus!!!SecretaryIsrael#Colon!!!TreasurerMaria#Rivera!!!Development!ChairHector#FigueroaTanya#K.#Hernandez#Angelo#Falcón!!!President!!#To'make'a'dona#on,Mail#check#or#moneyorder#to#the#aboveaddress#to#the#order#of"Na=onal#Ins=tute#forLa=no#Policy"##Follow'us'onTwi>er'andAngelo's'FacebookPage
Latinos(and(Immigration:Key(Issue(But(Far(From(the(Only(OneBy#Arnoldo#S.#Torres#(July#7,#2014)#The#April#22#column#by#Angelo#Falcón#of#the#National#Institute#for#LatinoPolicy,#"Immigration#Reform#and#the#Latino#Civil#Rights#Movement:#AreThey#Now#in#ConPlict?"#suggests#immigration#may#be#crowding#out#themultitude#of#civil#rights#issues#that#have#long#impacted#Latinocommunities#in#this#country.#I#have#shared#this#opinion#for#many#years,especially#over#the#last#six#years,#and#respect#the#arguments#made#bythose#who#contend#immigration#is#now#the#"new#civil#rights#issue".#But#this#perspective#raises#the#many#questions#that#Falcón#rightfully#asks:How#does#this#focus#on#immigration#as#the#single#most#important#issuefacing#the#Latino#community#help#or#distort#the#Latino#agenda?#Do#Latinoactivists#and#leaders#need#to#assess#immigration's#place#on#theircommunity's#agenda#visXàXvis#other#issues?#Is#it#even#appropriate#to#raisesuch#questions#at#such#a#sensitive#time#for#comprehensive#immigrationreform#in#the#Congress?#Before#I#answer#these#very#important#and#legitimate#questions#I#would#like#to#share#some#backgroundthat#will#give#context#to#my#responses.#I#served#as#the#Congressional#Liaison#and#National#Executive#Director#for#the#League#of#United#LatinAmerican#Citizens#(LULAC)#in#Washington,#D.C.,#from#1979#to#1985.#I#also#testiPied#more#than#50#timesbefore#the#U.S.#Senate#and#House#of#Representatives#on#this#country's#most#comprehensive#immigrationreform#legislation,#the#Immigration#Reform#and#Control#Act#of#1986#(IRCA).#I#advocated#ardently#for#the#Latino#community#with#many#colleagues,#and#was#able#to#successfullynegotiate#many#recommendations#that#improved#the#humanity#and#administration#of#this#historicalreform#bill.#Our#efforts#resulted#in#the#legalization#of#approximately#2.9#million#undocumentedindividuals,#and#the#inclusion#of#civil#rights#protections#for#immigrants#and#nonXimmigrants#who#wereincreasingly#experiencing#discrimination#based#on#immigration#status.#While#immigration#undoubtedly#received#more#Congressional#attention#than#other#issues#during#mytenure#with#LULAC,#we#did#address#key#issues#that#extended#beyond#immigration.#For#example,#weworked#diligently#with#others#to#extend#the#Voting#Rights#Act,#to#reXauthorize#the#federal#BilingualEducation#Act,#the#U.S.#Commission#on#Civil#Rights,#and#the#federal#Fair#Housing#Act;#and#to#maintain#orimprove#vital#federal#laws#protecting#the#precarious#role#of#Hispanics#in#U.S.#society.
improve#vital#federal#laws#protecting#the#precarious#role#of#Hispanics#in#U.S.#society.#We#also#battled#the#"voodoo#economic"#policies#of#the#Reagan#administration#that#began#the#demise#ofAmerica's#middleXclass#and#caused#unprecedented#havoc#for#working#poor#and#entryXlevel#middle#classLatinos.#We#also#expanded#our#advocacy#to#cover#U.S.#foreign#policy#in#Latin#America#and#beyond.#My#experiences#during#the#last#two#decades#of#the#last#millennium#underscore#the#challenges#thatLatinos#faced#(as#well#as#other#ethnic#groups)#and#the#inappropriateness#of#advocates#to#act#as#"singleXissue"#activists.#The#current#conditions#of#the#Latino#community,#especially#the#last#10#years,demonstrate#that#virtually#the#same#challenges#remain#and#a#civil#rights#agenda#is#needed#to#go#beyondimmigration.#Since#the#great#recession#of#2006,#Latinos#throughout#the#nation#have#lost#their#only#possession#of#realwealthXtheir#homes.#The#educational#system#from#kindergarten#to#college#has#not#made#any#realadvancements#that#improve#the#future#of#Latinos.#Greater#access#to#health#care#has#been#created#butsubstantial#obstacles#to#better#health#for#Latinos,#not#just#the#undocumented,#remain.#Racial#proPilingcontinues#regardless#of#our#legal#status,#and#opportunities#for#realizing#the#"American#Dream"#aretrickled#down#by#"the#man."#In#other#words,#yesterday's#"civil#rights"#struggles#are#still#with#us#today.#They#may#be#more#subtle,#morecomplex#and,#at#times,#not#manifested#in#the#same#crude#manner.#But#we#also#see#their#staying#powerand#reluctance#to#go#away#as#we#witnessed#in#the#2012#Presidential#campaign#with#Republicans#andhave#seen#this#past#week#along#the#border.#Perhaps#the#greatest#testament#to#their#existence#is#thegrowing#gap#between#the#poor#and#wealthy,#with#the#added#surprise#that#many#nonXLatinos#and#nonXBlacks#have#joined#our#ranks.#Now#that#I#have#given#some#context,#let#me#answer#some#of#the#questions#Mr.#Falcón#has#raised.#How(does(this(focus(on(immigration(as(the(single(most(important(issue(facing(the(Latinocommunity(help(or(distort(the(Latino(agenda?#First#of#all,#I#do#not#believe#that#there#has#ever#been#a#Latino#agenda,#certainly#not#one#that#has#beencrafted#collectively.#While#Latino#groups#and#individuals#have#advocated#over#the#many#years,#anddecades,#on#"traditional#Latino#civil#rights"#we#have#primarily#done#this#based#on#our#regional#andcommunity#experiences.#We#have#not#always#agreed#with#the#solutions#advanced#but#we#have#shared#thesame#poor#experiences.#I#do#believe#the#focus#on#immigration#has#signiPicantly#distorted#advocacy#on#other#issues#and#portraysthe#collective#Latino#community#as#being#only#concerned#about#one#issue.#Clearly,#this#has#inPlictedmajor#damage.#It#has#allowed#both#political#parties,#all#the#media,#the#liberal#left#and#conservative#right,#nationalSpanish#language#media#TV#radio,#and#local#Spanish#language#radio#to#discuss#immigration#and#to#ignoreall#other#issues.#As#long#as#these#institutions#are#addressing#immigration#along#the#lines#of#the#rhetoricbeing#expressed#from#our#community,#they#do#not#have#to#address#any#other#issues.#How#else#do#you#explain#the#poor#response#of#Democrats#and#Republicans#during#the#economicrecession#and#millions#of#Latino#families#who#lost#their#homes?#Neither#party#helped#Latinos#concretelykeep#their#homes#or#get#their#homes#back.#Obama#programs#were#not#utilized#and#they#came#onXlinevery#late.#Republicans#could#only#defend#the#status#quo#and#blame#poor#people.#A#good#example#involves#a#state#legislator#in#California#voted#against#bill#to#place#a#warning#label#on#allsugary#drinks#that#was#being#sought#because#of#the#phenomenal#human#and#governmental#costsassociated#with#diabetes#and#obesity#in#the#Latino#community.#California#State#Assemblywoman#LorenaGonzalez#not#only#voted#against#SB#1000#but#worked#to#convince#other#Latino#and#Black#members#tovote#against#the#bill.#She#took#this#position#despite#the#hard#data#that#diabetes#in#the#Latino#communitythroughout#the#U.S.#and#California,#and#in#her#county#and#Assembly#district,#is#overwhelmingly#causinggreat#harm#to#children#and#families.#Paradoxically,#an#article#appeared#in#the#LA#Times#one#week#after#the#vote#that#spoke#to#how#Latinolegislators#are#"...moving#to#reverse#decades#of#antiXimmigrant#legislation#(the#antiXimmigrantProposition#187#state#initiative).#The#article#reported#that#Gonzalez#acknowledged#that#revisiting#someof#these#battles#gets#her#generation#of#lawmakers#"in#trouble#sometimes"#but#to#not#take#up#those#issuesnow#that#they're#in#the#Capitol?#Oh#no,#she#said.#"We've#been#Pighting#for#this#for#way#too#long."#To#me#this#was#"el#colmo"!#This#elected#ofPicial#gets#quoted#in#the#most#prestigious#newspaper#inCalifornia#as#if#she#is#a#defender#of#the#Latino#community#while#she#voted#to#allow#the#greatest#silentkiller#in#the#Latino#community#go#unattended.#But#because#she#has#presented#herself#as#a#Pighter#againstthe#antiXimmigrant#forces#of#yesterday#and#today#she#is#given#a#free#pass.#On#the#issue#of#education#it's#even#worse.#Latino#elected#ofPicials#at#all#levels#of#government#and#schooladministration#have#largely#not#been#at#the#forefront#of#reforming#public#education#in#many#states#withhigh#concentrations#of#Latinos#in#public#schools.#While#they#have#one#set#of#comments#during#campaigns
high#concentrations#of#Latinos#in#public#schools.#While#they#have#one#set#of#comments#during#campaignsand#when#they#need#to#be#"down#with#Latinos"#they#cite#the#poor#performance#of#many#KX12#schools#inour#neighborhoods.#They#talk#about#the#importance#of#education#for#our#children#and#future.#However,they#are#not#proposing#major#reform#legislation,#holding#the#current#system#accountable,#changing#andcreating#more#options#for#parents#and#children,#nor#empowering#parents#to#understand#and#access#theeducational#system#for#improving#their#children's#chances#for#a#reasonable#future.#I#see#this#in#virtually#every#state#in#the#nation.#While#most#state#legislators#take#little#or#no#initiative#orleadership#on#what#Pew#Research#Hispanic#Trends#Project#continues#to#Pind#in#polls#of#Latinos#XXX#thateducation#and#health#are#the#Pirst#two#issues#of#major#importance#to#Latino#voters;#they#are#hitting#theRepublicans#and#Mr.#Obama#hard#on#deportations#and#lack#of#action#on#immigration#reform#legislation.Those#that#support#Obama#because#of#their#strong#ties#to#the#Democratic#Party#have#a#good#wiping#boyin#Republicans,#who#always#Pind#a#way#to#be#even#more#offensive#and#take#no#action#than#Democrats.#InTexas,#Latino#Democrats#in#the#state#house#spend#more#time#talking#about#how#bad#Republicans#are#onimmigration#and#their#antiXimmigrant#rants#while#the#majority#do#not#engage#in#Pinding#solutions#to#apublic#education#system#that#has#failed#Latinos#for#three#generations.#On#these#two#issues,#as#well#as#other#issues,#Latino#elected#ofPicials#and#Latino#immigrant#groups#areseldom#on#the#front#lines#Pighting#for#changeXXXunless#it#can#be#traced#directly#to#undocumentedcommunities.#Yes,#there#are#exceptions#to#this#scenario#but#I#have#not#found#many#in#most#Southwest,Midwest,#Northeast#and#Southeast#states.#Also#contributing#to#this#dynamic#is#how#the#media#covers#issues#impacting#Latinos.#It#too#often#appearsthat#a#whole#new#group#of#journalists#have#cropped#up#and#have#become#advocates#on#Latinoimmigration#issues.#We#have#journalist#now#playing#the#role#of#advocates#when#they#never#have#to#sufferthe#consequences#of#their#own#advocacy.#They#know#little#about#policy#and#most#of#what#they#have#cometo#understand#is#not#Pirsthand#knowledge.#Yet,#their#coverage#of#policy#issues#in#the#Latino#communityrevolves#largely#around#immigration#and#appears#to#be#taken#with#the#intent#of#changing#compleximmigration#laws#and#policies.#Another#key#contributor#to#the#focus#on#immigration#has#been#left#leaning#philanthropic#foundations.They#will#generally#fund#immigrant#right#community#organizations,#which#is#very#important.#However,they#do#not#fund#educational#empowerment#efforts#in#Latino#communities.#In#comparison#to#themillions#of#dollars#that#these#foundations#have#invested#in#immigration#over#the#last#ten#years,#similarefforts#have#never#been#made#on#education,#health#or#economic#policy#over#the#last#30#years.#All#of#these#dynamics#have#contributed#to#the#illXplaced#focus#on#immigration.#Do(Latino(activists(and(leaders(need(to(reassess(immigration's(place(on(their(community'sagenda(viaAaAvis(other(issues?(ABSOLUTELY!#It#should#not#take#what#has#been#going#on#for#Latino#activists#and#leaders#to#reassesswhat#is#done#on#the#political#and#policy#front#for#the#community.#With#the#constant#demographic#growthof#Latinos,#the#political#obstacles#we#face#and#the#increase#in#Latino#elected#ofPicials,#we#should#bestepping#back#and#taking#time#to#rePlect#on#at#least#three#questionsXXXwhere#have#we#been?#Where#do#wewant#to#go?#How#do#we#want#to#get#there?#RePlection#and#constructive#critiques#of#our#"soXcalled#Latino#agenda"#requires#constant#review#andquestioning.#We#have#not#effectively#resolved#the#issues#that#were#with#us#in#the#1960s#but#we#continueto#be#confronted#since#the#1970s#by#the#realities#of#immigrant#Plows#from#countries#primarily#south#ofthe#U.S.#We#must#recognize#that#U.S.#foreign#political#and#economic#policies#have#served#as#major#"pushfactors"#from#these#countries#yet#we#have#failed#to#insist#that#this#be#incorporated#in#immigration#reformpolicy.#This#makes#it#an#imperative#that#we#rePlect#and#reXexamine#what#we#do#as#a#community.#The#newleaders#in#the#immigrant#communities#know#little#of#the#past#battles#fought#on#civil#rights#and#those#whohave#fought#those#battles#need#to#know#more#of#the#current#complexities#of#immigrant#Plows.#Are#we#satisPied#with#our#elected#ofPicials?#Is#their#real#agreement#on#what#the#key#issues#are#given#thediversity#of#Latinos#residing#in#the#U.S.?#Should#we#change#tactics?#Should#we#begin#a#dialogue#amongstthe#various#generations#of#Latinos#who#are#voters#and#nonXvoters?#Should#we#develop#a#strongercommitment#to#holding#elected#ofPicials,#Latino#and#nonXLatino,#accountable?#These#are#but#a#few#of#the#issues#we#should#reassess#on#a#continuing#basis.#We#must#sharpen#ourthinking#to#be#more#independent#thinkers#and#not#Democrats#or#Republicans#Pirst.#We#must#recognizethat#we#must#develop#the#solutions#and#not#depend#on#political#parties#and#other#institutions#to#come#upwith#the#answers.#If#we#have#been#suffering#from#these#problems#for#so#long,#shouldn't#this#provide#uswith#the#ability#to#develop#viable#solutions?#Is(it(even(appropriate(to(raise(such(questions(at(such(a(sensitive(time(for(comprehensiveimmigration(reform(in(the(Congress?(ABSOLUTELY!#As#a#community#we#have#failed#to#raise#such#questions#about#reassessing#our#efforts#up#tonow.#As#a#consequence#this#has#made#what's#on#the#table#even#more#difPicult#and#complex#to#deal#with.#
#While#timing#is#always#a#sensitive#matter#in#the#political#arena,#immigration#reform#cannot#be#attemptedby#the#Latino#community#until#we#reach#general#consensus#on#key#reform#principles#and#are#organized.History#has#demonstrated#that#effective#participation#by#impoverished#groups#in#the#world's#mostinPluential#political#system#cannot#be#achieved#otherwise.#The#longer#we#wait#to#assess#our#situation#and#dePine#our#solution,#the#more#sure#that#others#outside#ofour#community#will#do#it#for#us,#while#providing#their#own#analysis#based#on#ignorance,#stereotypes,#ortheir#knowledge#of#what's#in#our#best#interests.#I#thank#Angelo#Falcón#for#opening#the#door#for#all#of#us#to#discuss#our#past,#present#and#future#of#Latinosin#the#U.S.#We#would#do#well#to#recognize#that#we#have#many#issues#that#trouble#us#and#require#ourcollective#attention#and#resolution.#We#have#the#talent,#energy,#ideas,#and#strength#to#improve#on#manyof#the#issues#that#plague#us#but#we#must#understand#that#the#solution#begins#with#us;#in#addition,#wemust#not#be#afraid#to#admit#that#we#too#have#become#part#of#the#problem.#Arnoldo#S.#Torres!is!a!journalist,!consultant,!partner!in!the!Sacramento,!California!based!public!policyconsulting!9irm!Torres!&!Torres,!and!the!executive!director!for!the!California!Hispanic!Health!CareAssociation.!He!can!be!reached!at!arnoldots@yahoo.com.
