BREAKING: Alberto Gonzales Resigns
Put forth on August 27, 2007 by XicanoPwr
Posted in Alberto Gonzales, Raza, Republican, YouTube
The New York Times is reporting Alberto “Torture Guy” Gonzales will announced his resignation this morning over at the President Bush’s ranch in Crawford, Texas. (h/t from Matt Ortega and Think Progress). According to the Times, Gonzales submitted his resignation to President Bush by telephone last Friday, but it was not announced until after the president invited him and his wife to lunch at his ranch near here.
The sad news is that U.S. News reported he will be replaced by Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff.
The buzz among top Bushies is that beleaguered Attorney General Alberto Gonzales finally plans to depart and will be replaced by Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. Why Chertoff? Officials say he’s got fans on Capitol Hill, is untouched by the Justice prosecutor scandal, and has more experience than Gonzales did, having served as a federal judge and assistant attorney general.
The news of his resignation is very surprising considering Gonzales rebuffed calls for his resignation and how Bush repeatedly stood by Gonzales.
As much as I dislike the guy, however, as I said before I will not take away his dues as being a son of a poor immigrant who beat the odds to become a successful and respected lawyer. His personal history of struggle and opportunity is embodiment of the American Dream. Gonzales’ rise to the top is evident of how far we have come and we how finally have reached a place at the “table.” Even though we should not take away the proverbial American “bootstrap” success story from him - the second of eight children, whose parents were children of Mexican immigrants, Gonzales was the only one in his family to complete college and rising to a prominent position in government - we simply cannot turn a blind eye to the glaring injustices he committed either. Gonzales proved his usefulness by playing the role that was assigned to him, Bush’s token Latino. It was nothing more but an illusion, a ploy to win the Latino vote and many advocacy group took the bait – hook, line and sinker.
It is important not to forget that Gonzales’ interest was confined solely to himself rather than to the larger Latino communities. Gonzales’ conservative Republican politics does not promote a closing-ranks mentality; instead, his claim to being Latino is for the purpose of self-promotion, to gain power and prestige. It was obvious Gonzales felt uncomfortable about how his white peers viewed his social mobility. Mobility by means of affirmative action breeds tenuous self respect and questionable peer acceptance for many middle-class Latinas/os. Conservative Latinos/as, such as Linda Chavez, have always voiced these feelings in their attacks against affirmative action programs, while ignoring the fact that they had achieved their positions through those programs.
Their quest for respectability based on merit rather than politics cannot be overestimated among Latina/o conservatives. The need to gain the respect of their white peers deeply shapes certain elements of their conservatism. In this regard, they simply want what most Americans want - to be judged by the quality of their skills, not the color of their skin. Yet, like their African-American counterparts, they simply overlook the fact that affirmative action policies were political responses to the pervasive refusal of most white Americans to judge people of color on that basis.
It is worth noting, Gonzales has often voiced that his professional life he was championed through individual achievement and race-free standards. However, when he saw his ship beginning to sink, he was quick to whip out the race card of Latino victimization and Latino solidarity. This type of behavior should not be excused or ignored because it is a deceptive and dangerous intellectual game being played with the lives and fortunes of disadvantaged people. By overlooking this, Latina/o conservatives fall into the trap of blaming poor Latinas/os for their predicament. That is why it is important that we continue criticizing and condemning any immoral acts committed by Gonzales, or that of any conservative Latino/a; and it is important we so cognizant of their personal background and circumstances. If not, it will take a long time to erase the stain he has made on the Latino/a community.
So far, none of the major Hispanic civil right groups have said anything about his resignation, but the day is still early. But for now, we can celebrate Alberto “Torture Guy” Gonzales resignation and as Ray Charles would say Hit the road Jack!
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Tags: affirmative action, Alberto Gonzales, American Dream, conservatives, Latinos-as | 
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This is the blog of Edmundo "XicanoPwr" Rocha, a social worker, an activist, freelance writer and founder and editor of The Sanctuary. My interests include: immigration reform, critical race theory and it's interaction with equality/inequality and freedom/oppression as they relate to the experiences of people of color in the Americas.
Para Justicia y Libertad is a Latino-centered political blog focusing on the humanistic perspective of politics, history, and society as they relate to the Latina/o community throughout Texas and the United States.
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Great post, thank you! One small point…
“Even though we should not take away the proverbial American “bootstrap” success story from him - the second of eight children, whose parents were children of Mexican immigrants, Gonzales was the only one in his family to complete college and rising to a prominent position in government - we cannot simply turn a blind eye to the glaring injustices Gonzales committed either.”
It’s important to remember that the “bootstrap” story is used by conservatives to make us believe that anyone can get ahead if they just work hard enough. We know that in a structurally racist society, that’s just not true. Some people get lucky, and Gonzales is one of them. But he didn’t do it by himself. Likely he had public school teachers and counselors, and other kinds of community to help him succeed. It’s not to discount the value of personal dedication and sacrifice, but conservatives try to use this to strip away public programs in favor of “you’re on your own,” so it’s just good to remember to not repeat those conservative frames.
That is a great point you brought up. A painful one, but one we do have to keep in mind. As much as I write about the illusion of the American Dream, admittedly, it is really hard to break free of that notion that if we only work hard enough anything is possible.
Jenifer, I completely agree with you regarding the bootstrap story. Everyone receives help at some point. All of the successful people I know received help from a mentor, someone who opened a door, or someone who invested time and money into shaping their future. Gonzales definitely had help. He and the Linda Chavez’s of this world forget that, and then they slam the door shut behind them once they “arrive.”
I think that he must be a very confused and unhappy man. He lacks credibility, the support of his community, and even the support of his party.
great writing, XP.
interesting distinctions. i still tangle with the whole idea of Bootstrap. i know that much of my successes come from intense commitment to something, focus, and talent i was born with. i know what it is like to pour hours and hours and hours into something and to see the energy payoff. yet, it is part of everyone’s fate to have help in ways that change their path. i have had harm done me as well as help. does either instance negate the other one? or are all these things a part of anyone’s success? i think all are. personal gifts/energy + help from outside + harm from outside. there are so many other factors that influence a person’s “success.” nobody does it all alone, and everything from sex, race, class, speaking ability, attractiveness, genetic sprinklings of this or that, what they inherit in money terms, or in abilities will influence.
i dont know much about gonzales life. i agree that even with an inspiring story, that hardly mitigates his crimes. it just makes them more of a shame.
but no, he was no help to raza. aside from turning his back on his roots—i know that he said some bullshit about he didnt know or “it was unclear” if his parents were legal, or his abuelos—i know he did nothing to help Latinos. he sold himself for the milky white dream, and for bush’s mad visions. now he has nothing.
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