Thread: Boise State University group's flyer irks some Hispanics

Boise State University group's flyer irks some Hispanics

Sunday, March 18, 2007

BOISE, Idaho - A Boise State University group has angered area Hispanic leaders and other organizations by promoting a speech with a "food stamp drawing" that requires climbing through a hole in a fence and offering fake identification for a shot at wining a dinner at a Mexican restaurant.

The school's College Republicans organization is offering the dinner for two to promote a speech it is sponsoring by Canyon County Commissioner Robert Vasquez, a vocal critic of U.S. immigration policy who is planning to run for the U.S. Senate in 2008.

The speech scheduled for Thursday by the College Republicans is in the midst the university's Cesar Chavez Week, sponsored by the Boise State Cultural Center.

As part of the school's weeklong event, students and professionals who came from a farm-working background will discuss their personal history, and a documentary film follows immigrants traveling to the United States from Nicaragua.

Chavez championed the rights of farmworkers and helped found the United Farm Workers Union. He died in 1993, but events such as BSU's Cesar Chavez Week are held in many areas in association with Chavez's March 31 birthday.

The flyer on the College Republicans' Web site is headlined "America's Illegal Alien Invasion" and has a picture of Vasquez as well as examples of a resident alien card, a Texas Health and Human Services Medicaid Card, Idaho driver's license and Social Security Card.

It also contains an image of a highway caution sign that has a couple running while dragging young child.

Above the sign at a slanted angle is "Celebrate Cesar Chavez Week."

The flyer also contains the dinner drawing information: "Win dinner for two at a local Mexican Restaurant! Climb through the hole in the fence and enter your false ID documents into the food stamp drawing!"

Jonathan Sawmiller, president of the College Republicans, defended the flyer.

"It's more of an attention-getting device," Sawmiller told the Idaho Press-Tribune. The group's Web site calls the dinner drawing "humorous."

Not everyone is amused.

"It certainly singles out a particular segment of students at the college and I'm pretty sure if you ask Hispanic students, this is beyond the realm of humor," said Ed Keener, board chairman for The Interfaith Alliance of Idaho, which plans a silent vigil the evening of Vasquez's speech. "It's trying to hurt somebody."

Graciela Fonseca, president of Idaho's Hispanic Women's Organization, Mujeres Unidas de Idaho, said members were "outraged" by the flyer.

"It's kind of mean-spirited," she said, adding it will stir up hatred and racism. Fonseca said it also made light of people who have died trying to cross deserts in the southwestern U.S.

"It's very anti-immigrant," said Maria Mabbutt of the Idaho Hispanic Caucus. "It's very divisive."

Vasquez said the promotional flyer was not racist, and that those who thought otherwise "find racism in everything that they disagree with."


http://www.magicvalley.com/articles/200 ... upbl81.txt

"It's kind of mean-spirited," she said, adding it will stir up hatred and racism. Fonseca said it also made light of people who have died trying to cross deserts in the southwestern U.S.

"It's very anti-immigrant," said Maria Mabbutt of the Idaho Hispanic Caucus. "It's very divisive."

Stir up hatred and racism? What, and MEChA is all about "peace, love, dove" and wants to buy the world a Coke? Please!

Anti-immigrant? Try anti-ILLEGAL-immigrant!!! In fact, the people that continue to harp and cry about this issue being so divisive have a great divide when it comes to the empty space between their left and right ear.

Vasquez said the promotional flyer was not racist, and that those who thought otherwise "find racism in everything that they disagree with."

Amen, Brother Vasquez.

Time to reach out to college students

Here's their contact page. Send 'em an email.
http://www.bsurepublicans.com/about.htm

"It's kind of mean-spirited," she said, adding it will stir up hatred and racism. Fonseca said it also made light of people who have died trying to cross deserts in the southwestern U.S.

"It's very anti-immigrant," said Maria Mabbutt of the Idaho Hispanic Caucus. "It's very divisive."

"mean spirited", "anti-immigrant", "divisive"?!
First of all, I see nothing "mean-spirited" with students attending colllege and voicing their concerns and opinions about illegal immigration and how it will eventually affect them with their careers as well as social life.
Secondly, is it not DIVISIVE to keep calling Americans "anti-immigrant", "mean spirited", "racists" and "xenophobic"?!
No one is "making light of people who have died trying to cross the desert". It is the Mexican government that should be held responsible for these deaths. So, go after them.

Thanks for the Link Jimpasz!! I e-mail them for some incourgement , proud of them for exercising their freedom of speech!!

I think the same group recently chained themselves to fences to protest illegal immigration--they got a lot of flack for that, too. They have real guts!!! I think I like this generation a lot!

Originally Posted by olivermyboy

I think the same group recently chained themselves to fences to protest illegal immigration--they got a lot of flack for that, too. They have real guts!!! I think I like this generation a lot!

Me two, the next generation is going to need some guts to keep this country on the straight and narrow thats for sure. going to be good republicans!!

I am a member of BSU Republicans and WE NEED YOUR HELP! Please send a letter to the editor at our school newspaper, the Arbiter, by Tuesday 3/20 at Midnight if you get this message in time. The paper is going to be full of crap against us and we need all the help we can get!

here is the link for the newspaper:
www.arbiteronline.com

Here is the link on letters to the editor. Should not be more than 300 words long.
http://media.www.arbiteronline.com/medi ... 0856.shtml

Here is who you send it to
letters@arbiteronline.com

They WILL print your stuff if you are not a student and don't even live in this state. They will print pretty much anything that they get.

Thanks!
Lindsay

Welcome to Alipac LCAnne226!

You need to meet our Student Outreach Coordinator, Frank.
http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=C ... page&pid=6

We may be able to help you with this.

Any volunteers!!!!!!

Dixie