Those within the Tea Bagger and Nativist movement have utterly failed to understand the power WE hold. The immigration debate has re-awoken the sleeping giant and WE are forcefully speaking out against the racist nativism that is dividing this nation. This debate has also brought out the monster in some.

This form of nativism has infected this country like a cancer. It is has pitted Americans against each other. And why not, this is not new, this type of baiting has worked in the past, and therefore, is being used again.

Given the history of US propaganda coupled with the general invisibility of Latina/o civil rights abuses during the last century, it is not surprising that a large majority of Americans have not heard of the forced removal of approximately one to two million persons from the United States during the Great Depression. The 1930s marked the first time in the history of international migration between the US and other countries that the federal government sponsored and supported the mass deportation of immigrants.

Now more than ever, we must look to our nation’s history, especially the tragedy of the Mexican repatriation, as the United States continues to wage a “war on terror” in response to the horrible loss of life on September 11, 2001. This “war” has not only targeted immigrants, but has subjected them to same special immigration procedures, arrest, detention, raids on homes, the confiscation of property, and deportation from the US.

Hispanics are not the only group, history also has shown that both the Irish and the Chinese have also been persecuted by American nativist.

Today, we have politicians such as Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer who are building their careers on race-baiting. They continue to criminalize the undocumented by calling them illegal and dehumanize them by calling them aliens. They pray upon the fears of white narcissistic Americans. They continue to feed them a false assumption that WE Latin@s have our hand in their pockets and stealing the food from their child’s mouth.

So why are American nativists all riled up? Could it possibly be that THEY can’t stand to see those who THEY think THEY have “conquered” make a life for OURSELVES? Do THEY expect US to be at THEIR beck and call? To cut THEIR grass, mop THEIR floors, cook THEIR tacos and just say “Si, senor” every time? Expect OUR XICANAS to open their legs at the command of aggressive, racist men? Why do THEY get paranoid when THEY hear Spanish? Are THEY afraid that the “conquered” are plotting against their oppressors? Is this the reasoning behind the draconian laws to force US to speak English so THEY can hear exactly what the details of OUR revolutionary plans?

YA BASTA!

As long as immigrant enforcement laws are passed to look for villains by the color of their skin, we will rise. We will not accept the law that are meant to tear hard-working families are torn apart because we live in a society where numbers alone prove your acceptance into society.

Albert Memmi, once said, “After having been rejected for so long by the colonizer, the day has come when it is the colonized who must refuse the colonizer.” The day has come and on May 1st will once again be the gringo nativist’s wake up call. The sleeping giant has re-awakened and WE will not be silenced, anymore!

This angst towards us is about FEAR, there is no denying they are trying the old “DIVIDE & CONQUER” within our community and the African American community. But make no mistake this current anti-immigration movement reeks of racism. Who are they trying to fool. They have seem to have forgotten their past crimes against humanity – slavery, whippings, lynching, black-white water fountains, burning crosses and so on. It’s time for them wake up, African Americans know when they are being sold a bill of goods.

I refuse to give in to the propaganda and I will raise my fist say basta to this treatment.

I have seen behind the façade, the pretty flowers, the manicured lawns, and the massive wealth. My eyes are opened to the truth to the ills of this country – the corruption, the hatred, the violence, the racism, the ignorance, and the greed behind this pretty façade. I am on to their trick on how I should be grateful to live here, or how good I should feel about licking the masters’ boots as the chalice of independence was held before me, while at the same time it was just out of reach. I seen how corporations roll up our community and making our neighborhoods their backdrop of refuse while they profit for their greed!

Please consider this if you are still undecided, if you hate…ignorance…prejudice…bigotry…racism – then I ask you to join us.

If you hate…oppression…shackles…chains…exploitation – then I ask you to join us.

And if you hate…injustice…inequality…segregation…isolationism – then please join us on May 1, 2010!

The choice is YOURS on May 1 – to take a stand that YOU are no longer going to tolerate the unfair attacks by gringo nativists – blinded by their ignorance, hate, bigotry and racism.

Related posts

• The Latino Challenge to Black America: Q & A With Earl Ofari Hutchinson (4)
• The Latino Challenge to Black America (7)
• The Immigration Bill is Defeated: Never Underestimate the Power of the People (5)
• The Green Card Draft: One Immigrant’s Nightmare is Uncle Sam’s DREAM (30)
• The Fight Worth Fighting For (6)

Tags: immigrants, Immigration, Latinos-as, may 1 action, Raza, san antonio |  Print This Post |
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