The immigration debate is so monopolized by grandstanding hotheads it makes recent input from the sometimes wacky Sutherland Institute sounds reasonable. The conservative Salt Lake City think tank recently presented its arguments for welcoming illegal immigrants to a skeptical meeting of the Legislature’s Immigration Interim Committee. In Utah’s Legislature, the debate over illegal immigration hasn’t been complex: it’s illegal, therefore bad. Sutherland argues it’s the immigration law that’s bad—for Utah. Most illegal immigrants are “people of good will” whose presence is required “for maintaining American prosperity,” the institute says. It isn’t the immigrants’ fault—and shouldn’t be Utah’s problem—that federal immigration laws are messed up. Besides, Sutherland says, whether Utah lawmakers like it or not, the immigrants are here.

We continue to be witnesses to history in the making.  I said that before for the Democratic Party's historic nomination of Sen. Barack Obama and his selection of Sen. Joe Biden as his running mate.  The Democrats had Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton who almost won the nomination in her own right, wife of a former presidnent and a formidable candidate in her own right.  There was also a Latino candidate for president amd the typical list of average white guys.  It was truly amazing to watch. 

The Republican Party continued in the same vein.  In response to the most unpopular president in American modern history, Sen. John McCain, a former POW during the Viet Nam War is indeed an admirable candidate with a compelling story - despite his politics.  Republicans also had some interesting candidates in Mitt - "Utah's favorite Mormon son" Romney who proved to be a very attractive national candidate, and Rudy "9/11" Guliani among others.  Both parties have what are considered by many as fringe party candidates.  The Republicans have Congressman Ron Paul - the darling of the internet, conservative independents; the Democrats have - sort of - Ralph Nader who continues his protest against the corporate candidates of both major parties.  This writer supports Nader but not as a vote against Obama but for real reform.  Actually, I will be very pleased to see Obama elected recognizing that any vote not for a Republican in Utah is a wasted vote, anyways.

And now, Sen. McCain selects a little known woman Governor from Alaska that many view is the most unqualified candidate for Vice President - particularly in light of McCain's emphasis on foreign policy experience.  Gov. Sara Palin is proving herself to be an attractive candidate in more ways than one.  Either way, whoever wins, this is truly a historic election and there's no turning back.  Either the first African American U.S. president or a POW for president along with the first female Vice President.  What a tremendous choice..... either way, we are in for change.  Way to go USA!!

 Has anyone been watching the Republican National Convention in the Twin Cities in Minnesota?  It's all white and there's a noticeable lack of diversity.  The United States is more diverse now than at any other time in history but you would never know it looking at the Republican convention. 

Of course, they managed to get Hurl Bailey to give a milk toast prayer to start it off and then the cameras seem to struggle to find other "colorful" folks... but it shouldn't be too difficult.  It should be like finding 'raisins among the rice'; they have a way of standing out but still too few to sweeten this pot.

I was sent an email recently about this older video that is now available to the public on the internet.  This brings back so many memories of the Chicano movement, the Farmworkers Union and the morality and justice involved in the earlier days of organizing in our communities. This is what most of us related to and what the newer immigrants can't quite comprehend when they wonder why we are so "confrontational".  Note that it's a bit long (77 minutes) with some wierd commercial breaks so plan accordingly.  It's well worth the view.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did/do.  

Hart Perry (Director of Photography - HARLAN COUNTY USA), has documented the lives of Mexican-American migrant farm workers in Raymondville, TX since 1979 when the onion workers’ strike broke out. What followed was a fight not only for higher pay but also for equal rights and representation. For 24 years, the county’s Mexican-American residents were determined to fight for what is right. VALLEY OF TEARS is a complex story of the long journey of individuals who endure hardship in order to make a better future for their families. 

The Equal Rights Center, a non-profit civil rights organization based in Washington, DC, has a released a new report titled "Ten Harmful Misconceptions About Immigration." The report offers extensive information rebutting common myths about immigrants, including several citations to research done by Truth In Immigration.

In “10 Harmful Misconceptions About Immigration” we try to set the record straight about a number of immigration issues badly mangled through current discourse that often seems shaped to appeal to one particular voting block or another. We understand well that the details in our report
will not be of interest to any extremist faction. It is our hope that all others who read it will see the value of this work and use the information it contains to drive falsehood from the public debate on immigration, filling that vacated space with a greater measure of the truth.

What if all the leading anti-immigration groups were founded by the same man, funded by the same organization, and had ties to White supremacy?” So begins Heidi Beirich’s narrative in “Behind the Veil”—a new video being released today that details the common origins of many of the country’s leading anti-immigration groups and their ties to White supremacists. In the video, Beirich of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC)—the nation’s premier monitor of hate groups—discusses SPLC’s research on organizations such as the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS), NumbersUSA, and the Social Contract Press.

Beirich also draws the connection between the dramatic rise in hate groups over the past eight years to their refocus on anti-immigrant rhetoric. According to the SPLC, the number of hate groups targeting Latinos is up 48% since the year 2000.

“The driving factor that we found behind this,” says Beirich, “is the shift to pounding the anti-immigrant drum. Every one of them recruits now on immigration. That’s what is driving the rise of hate groups—that, and almost that alone.”

"What if all the leading anti-immigration groups were founded by the same man, funded by the same organization, and had ties to White supremacy?” asks the expose video, “Behind the Veil: America's Anti-Immigrant Network.".

The "Dominguez Group" met again this past Friday.  Those in attendance discussed specifically, the aspirations of Kent Williams to develop a television program for "the Latino community" in Utah.  Several obvious questions were asked, several more complex question and lots of opinions were expressed.

First, who is Kent Williams and why would we or our community fall in line behind a "white guy" to do a Latino-themed program?  Kent has heard this question before and explained that he has the experience, the connections and the time.  Kent, until recently, has been a producer with KTVX Channel 4 here in Utah where he's worked for well over 20 years.  He recently left in what appears to be not of his accord or for not very positive reasons.  Neverthelss, some of our participants spoke to his defence - maybe 'defence' is too strong of a word, maybe to his 'support' or to his 'credit' - explaining they've worked with him nearly 15 - 20 years ago when Kent helped to produce a program called "Hispanic Review".  But that was back in the days that the FCC required media to do something in the community.  And they did, the minimal amount.  I was 'talking head' on that program and we had no budget, no staff and they taped a program that aired 30 minutes on Thursday evening (actually Friday mornings at 3:30 am) and Sunday morning at 4:30 am, or something to that effect.  If we made a mistake in the airing, tough!  It was a one-time run.  But that wasn't Kent's fault as I understand it.  I'm told he was very supportive and helpful to those producing or directing out program:  Maria Garciaz and Bob Flores, who both spoke in his favor. 

This isn't a new idea, though.  Not for Utah, and definitely not nationally.   Locally, Colleen Casto - a local producer of the University's public television station, KUED has been talking about something similar.  She has a track record of producing programs that are sensitive to us and our community; she's one of us.  Also, Terry Hurst, in whose coffee house we met to discuss this topic - and is an honorary Chicano, married to Ruby Chacon - has a film background and has some excellent experience in budgeting for this type of venture.  Both had great questions, as did everyone else.

There's more . . .