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2 de Agosto, 2006
First They Came for the Mexicans....
Categorized under Acción , Gobierno , New Mexican Memes , Política Estados Unidos , Protesta | Tags: activism, Camp Democracy, Gitmo, halliburton, mexicans, mexico, resistance, RNC
I'll grant you that in the United States our two big political parties never nominate a candidate of, by, or for poor people. Nonetheless, we have now established a pattern of stolen elections, and we have NOT taken over our nation's capital to demand justice. This fact alone would make me ashamed right now not to be a Mexican. The Mexicans are doing the only sensible thing they can, the only thing that can prevent a slide into far more serious dangers.
[The Unapologetic (but Polite) Mexican butts in here to remind you that he made quite a lengthy morsel of a post that travels this very narrative]
Here in the United States, however, we don't just have stolen elections. Our nation's capital is home to a White House that has eliminated the Congress and the Supreme Court from any serious role in our government, not to mention a Congress that has rolled over and refused to resist. Our unelected president has reversed 800 acts of Congress, torn up half the Bill of Rights, launched an illegal war based on lies, facilitated another one, locked people up without charge or trial and tortured them, and launched massive spying operations outside the rule of law. And yet, we do not fill the streets.
This Sunday, the truly dedicated will take up residence anew at Camp Casey in Crawford, Texas. On September 5, Camp Casey will move to the National Mall in Washington, DC, and expand into Camp Democracy - an attempt to force fundamental change. One of the groups that will play a lead role in Camp Democracy is immigrants and activists for immigrants' rights. Some immigrants' rights groups will also hold a rally and march in DC on September 7. In recent months, the ability of immigrants to turn out and march in the United States has shamed all native-born agitators for justice.
Not only do we all need to learn from the immigrants' rights movement. We all need to get behind it and support it. The anti-war movement, in particular, should be backing the cause of immigrants' rights with everything we've got. And when non-immigrants lobby their elected representatives on any other issue, they should always raise the cause of immigrants' rights as well. Because their cause is our cause. Americans' willingness to abuse Iraqis is not separate from our willingness to discriminate against Muslim Americans and Americans of Arab or Mexican descent. This time it's not 'first they came for the communists, then they came for the Jews.' This time, it's 'first they came for the immigrants.'
And that is the point at which to stop it."
Truthout.org, David Swanson
More good dialogue. My thanks to David Swanson for using his voice not only to inspire Americans to do right by themselves, their nation, and their neighbors, but for doing his part as a conscientious, intelligent, and truth-seeking human to spread some good words, some truth, about Mexicans. There aren't enough voices out there doing this. I'm not talking just about telling the truth about the current immigrant situation; I'm talking about countering the many messages that permeate American culture, and that are hateful and false and that harm people for no reason except that they have darker skin, eyes, and come from a different area of land.
Señor Swanson's larger point is very true. If you think all these detention centers that Halliburton is building for "immigration emergencies" ETC is not something you have to personally worry about, you are not using your noodle. You have not studied history, you are choosing convenient thought patterns that are not at all related to an intelligent study of the current administration, their previous actions, and their agenda. But I know you are smarter than that. That's why you read me, I mean that's clear.
And if so, then you know that we all need to be concerned, and very concerned, with these Halliburton in-house Gitmos that are under construction as we speak.
Remember, I was held for around 50 hours with little to eat, poor sanitation and no sleeping area (massive class action lawsuit still in motion for these criteria) in the Tombs of NYC, and in Pier 57 (see links under each post on this blog) as one of the "RNC 1800," which was the testing ground for large-scale preemptive arrest in the New World Order.
That's what those detention centers are for. For immigrants, for protestors, for martial law (which Bush reserves the right to enact for any ole things he feels like it, you know, Mexican Avian Grannies Against the War and whatnot), and yeah, for you. If you step out of line. For whoever Bush wants them to be for. After all, what the King sez, goes, right? Read up a little. It can only help you be prepared.
When you're done reading, consider joining up with Camp Democracy, and doing right here in lil ole America what those goshdurned Mexicans are quite used to doing: standing up for what is right. Making our presence and voice known. Taking hold of our own destiny.
Mr. Swanson also makes other good points in his essay, points about how this country got its start. About abuse and murder of the Natives who were here first. About larger patterns of racism and violence. It's a good read. Although if you like the Horror Genre, the Halliburton stuff will keep you up later.
Plus, there was that curious development in January when the Army Corps of Engineers awarded Halliburton subsidiary Kellogg Brown & Root a $385 million contract to construct detention centers somewhere in the United States, to deal with "an emergency influx of immigrants into the U.S., or to support the rapid development of new programs," KBR said.
Later, the New York Times reported that "KBR would build the centers for the Homeland Security Department for an unexpected influx of immigrants, to house people in the event of a natural disaster or for new programs that require additional detention space."
Like most news stories on the KBR contract, the Times focused on concerns about Halliburton's reputation for bilking U.S. taxpayers by overcharging for sub-par services. "It's hard to believe that the administration has decided to entrust Halliburton with even more taxpayer dollars," remarked Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif.
Less attention centered on the phrase "rapid development of new programs" and what kind of programs would require a major expansion of detention centers, each capable of holding 5,000 people.
Jamie Zuieback, a spokeswoman for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, declined to elaborate on what these "new programs" might be."
Alternet.org
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kick it, ése.