Read the decision and injunction here:
http://www.azd.uscourts.gov/azd/courtinfo.nsf/983700DFEE44B56B0725776E005D6CCB/$file/10-1413-87.pdf?openelement
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Shirley Sherrod, SB 1070, and the politics of fear
Tomorrow is July 29, 2010. In some ways, the day will be like any other late July day: hot, muggy, and long. However, this particular day will be historic for all of the wrong reasons because the infamous Arizona immigration bill is scheduled to take effect. The bill that essentially legalizes racial profiling and endorses discrimination has already precipitated an exodus from parts of Arizona. Watch a recent news report from an Arizona station for more on the ways in which this bill has created large-scale social and economic upheaval. (http://video.theweek.com/video/Hispanics-already-leaving-Arizo
For some, the exodus could be a measure of progress. For others, this departure is a sure sign of the chaos caused by the controversial law. Whatever your vantage point, I think that we can all agree that this is not the type of reform for which we all hoped.
If there is a need for more evidence of our national fear of racial difference, we don’t have to look any further than last week’s Shirley Sherrod ‘controversy.’ Only an intense refusal to engage in an honest discussion about race could turn a speech on transformation and class unity into a speech about fear and reverse racism. Although the enforcement of Arizona’s immigration law and the Sherrod affair may not seem to have a lot in common, taken together, the two moments actually point to our collective problems and potential in race relations.
Sherrod’s life was shaped by two periods in our shared racial past: the Jim Crow era and the Civil Rights Movement. After her father was killed in a dispute with a white farmer, she committed her life to working for change. Her work for social and racial justice continued when she married one of the founders of SNCC. Her narrative is important for any of those who may believe that civil rights are only black and white issues. A number of recent articles point to the absence of African Americans in the immigration reform movement. Some would argue that immigration reform is not an issue of interest in the African American community. Well, think again. In the 1990s, an average of about 40,000 Africans annually entered the United States. Further, foreign-born Africans increased from 400,000 in 1990 to 700,000 in 2000. Granted, there are far more immigrants of Latino descent than those of African descent, but the need for comprehensive immigration reform impacts each and every one of us.
A recent Washington Post article points to the death and destruction that occurs on our national borders. Officials have found an overwhelming number of bodies found in the Arizona desert (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2010/07/22/AR2010072203067.html). So many bodies are being found that the Pima County Medical Examiner was stacking them in a refrigerated truck. How many more immigrants have to die before we agitate for the change that we want to see? Gustavo Torres, an Hispanic leader in Maryland, was among those who marched for immigration reform in the nation’s capital. His words serve as a powerful reminder of the legacy of the Civil Rights movement and the role of interracial cooperation. In an interview with a Telemundo news anchor, Torres states: “We are learning what our African-American brothers and sisters did in their struggle for civil rights. When politicians who have made promises don’t do what they said they would do, we are going to pressure them. In a civil manner, but we are going to escalate this struggle.” Likewise, the Chicano Civil Rights Movement serves as yet another important reminder of the power of the people to effect momentous change.
Each of has a role to play in working for comprehensive reform. If you need another reminder of the senselessness that takes place in the absence of reform, look no further than the death of Samuel Baez-Rosa in Middletown, Ohio. Baez-Rosa was beaten when he refused to hand over cash to two robbers. Witnesses are few and far between because they are reluctant to talk to police because of their immigration status (http://www.middletownjournal.com/news/middletown-news/man-woman-sought-in-baseball-bat-death-812356.html). Our communities cannot become witnesses to a new wave of racialized violence.
For some, tomorrow may come and go with little fanfare. However, for those invested in comprehensive reform, tomorrow is a powerful reminder of the long road ahead. There are as many as 17 states considering Arizona-style reform … let’s take Ohio off of that list.
UPDATE
Judge blocks key parts of Arizona immigration law. See, e.g.
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE66R45C20100728?type=politicsNews
For some, the exodus could be a measure of progress. For others, this departure is a sure sign of the chaos caused by the controversial law. Whatever your vantage point, I think that we can all agree that this is not the type of reform for which we all hoped.
If there is a need for more evidence of our national fear of racial difference, we don’t have to look any further than last week’s Shirley Sherrod ‘controversy.’ Only an intense refusal to engage in an honest discussion about race could turn a speech on transformation and class unity into a speech about fear and reverse racism. Although the enforcement of Arizona’s immigration law and the Sherrod affair may not seem to have a lot in common, taken together, the two moments actually point to our collective problems and potential in race relations.
Sherrod’s life was shaped by two periods in our shared racial past: the Jim Crow era and the Civil Rights Movement. After her father was killed in a dispute with a white farmer, she committed her life to working for change. Her work for social and racial justice continued when she married one of the founders of SNCC. Her narrative is important for any of those who may believe that civil rights are only black and white issues. A number of recent articles point to the absence of African Americans in the immigration reform movement. Some would argue that immigration reform is not an issue of interest in the African American community. Well, think again. In the 1990s, an average of about 40,000 Africans annually entered the United States. Further, foreign-born Africans increased from 400,000 in 1990 to 700,000 in 2000. Granted, there are far more immigrants of Latino descent than those of African descent, but the need for comprehensive immigration reform impacts each and every one of us.
A recent Washington Post article points to the death and destruction that occurs on our national borders. Officials have found an overwhelming number of bodies found in the Arizona desert (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2010/07/22/AR2010072203067.html). So many bodies are being found that the Pima County Medical Examiner was stacking them in a refrigerated truck. How many more immigrants have to die before we agitate for the change that we want to see? Gustavo Torres, an Hispanic leader in Maryland, was among those who marched for immigration reform in the nation’s capital. His words serve as a powerful reminder of the legacy of the Civil Rights movement and the role of interracial cooperation. In an interview with a Telemundo news anchor, Torres states: “We are learning what our African-American brothers and sisters did in their struggle for civil rights. When politicians who have made promises don’t do what they said they would do, we are going to pressure them. In a civil manner, but we are going to escalate this struggle.” Likewise, the Chicano Civil Rights Movement serves as yet another important reminder of the power of the people to effect momentous change.
Each of has a role to play in working for comprehensive reform. If you need another reminder of the senselessness that takes place in the absence of reform, look no further than the death of Samuel Baez-Rosa in Middletown, Ohio. Baez-Rosa was beaten when he refused to hand over cash to two robbers. Witnesses are few and far between because they are reluctant to talk to police because of their immigration status (http://www.middletownjournal.com/news/middletown-news/man-woman-sought-in-baseball-bat-death-812356.html). Our communities cannot become witnesses to a new wave of racialized violence.
For some, tomorrow may come and go with little fanfare. However, for those invested in comprehensive reform, tomorrow is a powerful reminder of the long road ahead. There are as many as 17 states considering Arizona-style reform … let’s take Ohio off of that list.
UPDATE
Judge blocks key parts of Arizona immigration law. See, e.g.
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE66R45C20100728?type=politicsNews
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
TELEMUNDO PROVIDES EXTENSIVE, IN-DEPTH COVERAGE SURROUNDING LAW 1070, FROM ARIZONA AND NEW MEXICO
Direct from the heart of debate, Telemundo presents “Enfoque con Jose Diaz-Balart,”
the special “Arizona Hora Cero” and “Noticiero Telemundo”
MIAMI – July 23, 2010 – Telemundo, a leading producer of high-quality content for Hispanics in the U.S. and audiences around the world, today announced the broadcast of a series of in-depth special programs highlighting the developments around Law 1070, two weeks before its possible implementation in Arizona. “Enfoque con Jose Diaz-Balart,” the special “Arizona Hora Cero” (Arizona Zero Hour) hosted by Vanessa Hauc and “Noticiero Telemundo” will broadcast directly from the border state to bring viewers all the details surrounding the controversial law that’s currently being debated by the Federal Government:
- A special edition of “Enfoque con Jose Diaz-Balart,” Telemundo’s weekly public affairs program, will present a forum titled “We are America” from Phoenix on Sunday, July 25, at 11:30AM ET/10:30C. The forum will feature four lawyers with different backgrounds to inform Hispanic viewers regarding what they can and can’t do when faced with a legal situation in the United States.
- The same day at 4:30PM ET/3:30C, Vanessa Hauc will host “Arizona Hora Cero” (Arizona Zero Hour), a news special including a series of reports and debates on the immigration issue, in addition to exclusive interviews with singer Jenny Rivera and Sheriff Joe Arpaio. The program will also feature segments from the concert “Voces Unidas por America” (Voices United for America) held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, during the LULAC convention (League of United Latin American Citizens). With the participation of Cristian Castro, Ozomatli, Pee Wee and Luis Enrique among others, the concert joined the efforts of non-government organizations and other activist groups to support immigrants since the passage of Law 1070.
- For a full week, “Noticiero Telemundo con Jose Diaz-Balart” will broadcast live from Phoenix, July 26 - 30, providing up-to-the-minute reports should law 1070 go into effect. “Noticiero Telemundo” airs nightly, Monday through Friday at 6:30PM/5:30C.
With live broadcasts and special programs directly from the scene of events and coverage of all angles of the issue, Telemundo has been the most important source of news for Hispanics from the moment Law 1070 was approved.
****PRESS RELEASE from LULAC National Office, 2000 L Street, NW, Suite 610 Washington DC 20036, (202) 833-6130, (202) 833-6135 FAX ****
the special “Arizona Hora Cero” and “Noticiero Telemundo”
MIAMI – July 23, 2010 – Telemundo, a leading producer of high-quality content for Hispanics in the U.S. and audiences around the world, today announced the broadcast of a series of in-depth special programs highlighting the developments around Law 1070, two weeks before its possible implementation in Arizona. “Enfoque con Jose Diaz-Balart,” the special “Arizona Hora Cero” (Arizona Zero Hour) hosted by Vanessa Hauc and “Noticiero Telemundo” will broadcast directly from the border state to bring viewers all the details surrounding the controversial law that’s currently being debated by the Federal Government:
- A special edition of “Enfoque con Jose Diaz-Balart,” Telemundo’s weekly public affairs program, will present a forum titled “We are America” from Phoenix on Sunday, July 25, at 11:30AM ET/10:30C. The forum will feature four lawyers with different backgrounds to inform Hispanic viewers regarding what they can and can’t do when faced with a legal situation in the United States.
- The same day at 4:30PM ET/3:30C, Vanessa Hauc will host “Arizona Hora Cero” (Arizona Zero Hour), a news special including a series of reports and debates on the immigration issue, in addition to exclusive interviews with singer Jenny Rivera and Sheriff Joe Arpaio. The program will also feature segments from the concert “Voces Unidas por America” (Voices United for America) held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, during the LULAC convention (League of United Latin American Citizens). With the participation of Cristian Castro, Ozomatli, Pee Wee and Luis Enrique among others, the concert joined the efforts of non-government organizations and other activist groups to support immigrants since the passage of Law 1070.
- For a full week, “Noticiero Telemundo con Jose Diaz-Balart” will broadcast live from Phoenix, July 26 - 30, providing up-to-the-minute reports should law 1070 go into effect. “Noticiero Telemundo” airs nightly, Monday through Friday at 6:30PM/5:30C.
With live broadcasts and special programs directly from the scene of events and coverage of all angles of the issue, Telemundo has been the most important source of news for Hispanics from the moment Law 1070 was approved.
****PRESS RELEASE from LULAC National Office, 2000 L Street, NW, Suite 610 Washington DC 20036, (202) 833-6130, (202) 833-6135 FAX ****
Monday, July 12, 2010
From Civil Rights to Immigration: Making a Contribution
By: Dr. Troy Jackson
Fifty-five years ago, in July of 1955, a seamstress from Montgomery, Alabama penned a letter to Myles Horton, the director of the Highlander Folk School in Tennessee. The labor and civil rights training institution had provided the woman with a full scholarship for a two-week training institute. Her note read, “The Highlander Folk School seems like a wonderful place. I am looking forward with eager anticipation to attending the workshop, hoping to make a contribution to the fulfillment of complete freedom for all people.” The author? Rosa Parks.
Less than five months later, Parks made more than a contribution, when her arrest for defying the city’s segregation laws on a city bus led to a year-long boycott. But the story begins with one woman longing to make a contribution.
Sadly, during the civil rights movement, most sat on the sidelines. Many black clergy and business leaders wanted to avoid the controversy and backlash and danger that was part and parcel of getting too involved in the movement. If most African Americans were cautious, the vast majority of whites were either too apathetic or afraid to join the struggle. In fact, many whites opposed civil rights and desegregation, all in the name of preserving their privileged way of life.
Thanks to our selective memory, informed by the many white clergy who descended on Selma in 1965 to march for voting rights, we forget that even the church was often deathly silent when it came to racial justice. In fact, when some tried to integrate all-white congregations in Mississippi, they were arrested so the congregations could preserve separate worship services.
Thankfully, there were many like Rosa Parks, who actively made “a contribution to the fulfillment of complete freedom for all people.” They were never in the majority, but their sacrifice brought significant transformation to our nation and inspiration to the world.
In 2010, as we face growing economic insecurity and uncertainty in a culture often driven by fear, a growing number of political leaders have sought to build and further their careers through attacking undocumented immigrants. The recent legislation in Arizona has inspired attempts to copy the anti-immigrant legislation in states throughout the nation, including Ohio. Sadly, many polls show at least tacit support for these laws by a plurality of Americans.
In the face of opposition and a growing culture of hate and fear, we can take inspiration from Rosa Parks and the generation of men and women who radically transformed this nation. Even a minority of people who are committed to the struggle for justice and dignity for all, including undocumented immigrants, can turn the tide in the coming months and years. In Cincinnati, throughout Ohio, and around this great nation, we need a new generation who will join Rosa Parks by committing to “make a contribution to the fulfillment of complete freedom for all people,” including undocumented immigrants.
Fifty-five years ago, in July of 1955, a seamstress from Montgomery, Alabama penned a letter to Myles Horton, the director of the Highlander Folk School in Tennessee. The labor and civil rights training institution had provided the woman with a full scholarship for a two-week training institute. Her note read, “The Highlander Folk School seems like a wonderful place. I am looking forward with eager anticipation to attending the workshop, hoping to make a contribution to the fulfillment of complete freedom for all people.” The author? Rosa Parks.
Less than five months later, Parks made more than a contribution, when her arrest for defying the city’s segregation laws on a city bus led to a year-long boycott. But the story begins with one woman longing to make a contribution.
Sadly, during the civil rights movement, most sat on the sidelines. Many black clergy and business leaders wanted to avoid the controversy and backlash and danger that was part and parcel of getting too involved in the movement. If most African Americans were cautious, the vast majority of whites were either too apathetic or afraid to join the struggle. In fact, many whites opposed civil rights and desegregation, all in the name of preserving their privileged way of life.
Thanks to our selective memory, informed by the many white clergy who descended on Selma in 1965 to march for voting rights, we forget that even the church was often deathly silent when it came to racial justice. In fact, when some tried to integrate all-white congregations in Mississippi, they were arrested so the congregations could preserve separate worship services.
Thankfully, there were many like Rosa Parks, who actively made “a contribution to the fulfillment of complete freedom for all people.” They were never in the majority, but their sacrifice brought significant transformation to our nation and inspiration to the world.
In 2010, as we face growing economic insecurity and uncertainty in a culture often driven by fear, a growing number of political leaders have sought to build and further their careers through attacking undocumented immigrants. The recent legislation in Arizona has inspired attempts to copy the anti-immigrant legislation in states throughout the nation, including Ohio. Sadly, many polls show at least tacit support for these laws by a plurality of Americans.
In the face of opposition and a growing culture of hate and fear, we can take inspiration from Rosa Parks and the generation of men and women who radically transformed this nation. Even a minority of people who are committed to the struggle for justice and dignity for all, including undocumented immigrants, can turn the tide in the coming months and years. In Cincinnati, throughout Ohio, and around this great nation, we need a new generation who will join Rosa Parks by committing to “make a contribution to the fulfillment of complete freedom for all people,” including undocumented immigrants.
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