Thread: UNR faculty members complain about immigration panel speaker

UNR faculty members complain about choice of immigration panelists

By Lenita Powers • lpowers@rgj.com • November 12, 2009

The scheduled appearance next week of an anti-illegal immigration activist at a student-sponsored forum on the University of Nevada, Reno campus is causing outrage among some faculty, students and members of the community.

Jim Gilchrist, founder of the Minuteman Project, is one of two panelists in a Nov. 19 forum sponsored by the Associated Students of the University of Nevada's Flipside Productions.

"We're hoping there is a way we can prevent his visit to our community," Daniel Perez, an assistant professor in languages and literatures, said Wednesday. "Gilchrist is part of a vigilante group and of an organization that clearly uses hate speech, and that clearly translates into hate crimes."

The other panelist is Miguel Acosta, a member of an immigrant rights organization in New Mexico.

Nicolas Blevins, contemporary issues chairman for ASUN Flipside Productions, said the forum is "purely educational" and intended to start a dialogue.

"Not many people are talking about immigration and immigration reform, but they are big issues for our country at this time, and we need to talk about them," the 20-year-old political science major said.

"I've been getting calls from people who are concerned about Miguel Angel Acosta, too, because his ideas are just as extreme on the other side," Blevins said. "But this is a way to get the conversation started, and it's a conversation that needs to take place."

The forum, originally to include local community members, is funded solely by the students and the Joe Crowley Student Union, which was built with student funds.

The ASUN is paying Gilchrist and Acosta air fares and per diem for meals, Blevins said. Although Gilchrist is receiving no speakers' fee, Acosta will receive a $500 stipend. Their hotel rooms have been donated, Blevins said.

Emma Sepulveda, director of the Latino Research Center at UNR, said she was "completely surprised and shocked" that Blevins would invite Gilchrist to the campus without consulting with the Latino center or any Latino groups.

"There are many other organizations around the country that are anti-immigration that are peaceful and could provide an intelligent debate," she said. "But Jim Gilchrist has been connected with criminal activity and paramilitary groups that advocate violence and contribute to hate speech that has led to the deaths of immigrants around the country."

To counter Gilchrist's appearance, Sepulveda said the Latino Research Center and the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada will sponsor their own immigration discussion and cultural celebration from 6 to 8 p.m. Nov. 19 at the William J. Raggio Building.

"I don't want to silence somebody just because they have an opposite view," she said. "I support free speech, but I think hate speech has no place on our campus or any other campus."

UNR President Milton Glick said he might not like what Gilchrist has to say, but "a university should be a place for the open exchange of ideas and a bastion of free speech."

He cited the appearance last year of filmmaker Michael Moore, which drew protests from some conservative members of the community.

"Our goal isn't to make ideas safe for students but to make students safe for ideas," Glick said.

Harvard University retracted its invitation last month for Gilchrist to be on a panel discussion on immigration after students opposed his aggressive stance.

During Gilchrist's appearance at Columbia University in 2006, students stormed the stage in protest.

Glick said he doesn't believe that will happen at UNR.

"I have great confidence in the maturity and sensibility of our students," he said.

Blevins said UNR police and additional security measures would be in place for the immigration forum, including a barrier in front of the stage and outside areas where protests could be held.

"I understand the fears people have, and I also understand the experiences people go through," said Bevins, whose great-grandparents immigrated from Spain and Mexico. "And I think this is a good way to get those issues out there."

http://www.rgj.com/article/20091112/NEW ... -panelists

Emma Sepulveda, director of the Latino Research Center at UNR, said she was "completely surprised and shocked" that Blevins would invite Gilchrist to the campus without consulting with the Latino center or any Latino groups.

Why should they? Are they special? Were non-latino groups consulted about Acosta? Grow up honey and get a clue!

I live in Reno and can tell you first hand of the catering done for illegal Mexican aliens; as sanctuary cities go, Reno's up there with southern CA. Any illegal aliens from other countries get nothing. Emma Sepulveda has been given free reign to run her mouth and voice her very racist views about how wonderful Mexicans are and how the rest of us should bend over backwards for them. Any comments left on her editorial page countering it are usually removed. I'm not a fan of Gilchrist, but you better believe I'll be there representing ALIPAC.

Sounds like a rerun of what happened at UNC-Chapel Hill. Suppression of free speech.

It seems the only people that don't have "free speech" are those that are against Amnesty, the Health Care Bill, Cap and Trade and things like the Second Stimulus bill that is being considered.

obama and his Fascist would love to stop us from speaking out against anything his administration endorses.

"I don't want to silence somebody just because they have an opposite view," she said. "I support free speech, but I think hate speech has no place on our campus or any other campus."

I would bet that indeed she does want to silence anybody who does have an opposing point of view. The standard procedure of these "Latino advocacy" groups is to say that any idea or speech that does not support their agenda is "hate" and therefore should be prohibited regardless of the free speech concept. As the other quoted quy said, more or less: border control speech = hate speech = hate crimes. I would also bet that she would attempt to paint any other immigration control advocate on the panel as a mean spirited radical hate monger -- using lying when convenient to do so.

These so-called Latino advocates see everything in terms of Latino vs. non-Latino. They apparently are unable to comprehend that one can be opposed to immigration and/or illegal immigration for very valid reasons, but not necessarily anti-Latino. But, I suppose since all they seem to care about is nothing but the "Latino", it would appear that way to them. "We have met the racist and it is us" might be something for them to think about.

Originally Posted by BlueHills

"I don't want to silence somebody just because they have an opposite view," she said. "I support free speech, but I think hate speech has no place on our campus or any other campus."

I would bet that indeed she does want to silence anybody who does have an opposing point of view. The standard procedure of these "Latino advocacy" groups is to say that any idea or speech that does not support their agenda is "hate" and therefore should be prohibited regardless of the free speech concept. As the other quoted quy said, more or less: border control speech = hate speech = hate crimes. I would also bet that she would attempt to paint any other immigration control advocate on the panel as a mean spirited radical hate monger -- using lying when convenient to do so.

These so-called Latino advocates see everything in terms of Latino vs. non-Latino. They apparently are unable to comprehend that one can be opposed to immigration and/or illegal immigration for very valid reasons, but not necessarily anti-Latino. But, I suppose since all they seem to care about is nothing but the "Latino", it would appear that way to them. "We have met the racist and it is us" might be something for them to think about.

Great point you make about the latino agenda!

She preaches a counter diction of terms " "I support free speech, but I think hate speech has no place on our campus or any other campus."

So she supports illegal aliens I suppose and breaking the law! What is hateful about securing the borders????

Emma Sepulveda, director of the Latino Research Center at UNR, said she was "completely surprised and shocked" that Blevins would invite Gilchrist to the campus without consulting with the Latino center or any Latino groups.

The arrogance and bravdo emanating from these people never ceases to amaze me! Who in the hell does she think she is?

Letters to dperez@unr.edu


"We're hoping there is a way we can prevent his visit to our community," Daniel Perez, an assistant professor in languages and literatures, said Wednesday. "Gilchrist is part of a vigilante group and of an organization that clearly uses hate speech, and that clearly translates into hate crimes.
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in response to your comment in the local paper, Im wondering what you consider hate speech in regards to the upcoming visit of Jim Gilchrist.
Is it hate speech because your opinion and thoughts are different than his? is it because he and his followers dedicate their time to watching the US Mexico border and
report illegal crossing to border patrol? and that you dont like borders, dont like border patrol or immigration laws or enforcement???
Hate speech does not translate into hate crimes. I have heard and read many a speeches on both sides of this debate, yet I have not gone out and committed any crimes.

I understand that there will be a speaker who thinks completely different than Gilchrist and hope that your comments dont result in people protesting and trying to silence free speech. Because last time I looked silencing Free speech is not in the US Constitution. and Just because YOU do not agree with someones stance does not mean their talks, their stances are hate speech. I am thinking that the discussion with Gilchrist and Acosta could be a good thing. Remember, not everyone will agree with what both will say. I just hope that there is no playing of the race card because being illegal in the US knows no color skin, no ethnic background, does not know a good person from a gang banger, drug cartel member, or terrorist.
Let us all remember. Americans do not hate immigrants. America is just tired of ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS coming to this country thinking they deserve everything that an american born person gets.

if you want hate crimes, i can name a few for you that have been done by the latino/hispanic people.

Jamiel Shaw, 17, Los Angeles star running back who had scholarships from Stanford and Rutgers, Shot in LA by an illegal alien gang member because he thought Shaw was a gang member. Shaw was black

Here are FOUR other examples.
Do you or anyone else who is hispanice ever step up and say this is wrong!??! ive never heard LaRaza, LULAC, MALDEF or anyone condemn crime like this

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/homicid ... k-m-1.html

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c ... 17OUN1.DTL

http://www.ktvu.com/news/16701510/detail.html

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2007/1 ... udent.html

Remember this is US LAW:

Under Title 8 Section 1325 of the U.S. Code, "Improper Entry by Alien," any citizen of any country other than the United States who:

* Enters or attempts to enter the United States at any time or place other than as designated by immigration officers; or
* Eludes examination or inspection by immigration officers; or
* Attempts to enter or obtains entry to the United States by a willfully false or misleading representation or the willful concealment of a material fact;

has committed a federal crime.

Violations are punishable by criminal fines and imprisonment for up to six months. Repeat offenses can bring up to two years in prison. Additional civil fines may be imposed at the discretion of immigration judges, but civil fines do not negate the criminal sanctions or nature of the offense.

==========================================

Letter to LatinoCenter@unr.edu

Emma Sepulveda, director of the Latino Research Center at UNR, said she was "completely surprised and shocked" that Blevins would invite Gilchrist to the campus without consulting with the Latino center or any Latino groups. "There are many other organizations around the country that are anti-immigration that are peaceful and could provide an intelligent debate," she said. "But Jim Gilchrist has been connected with criminal activity and paramilitary groups that advocate violence and contribute to hate speech that has led to the deaths of immigrants around the country."
To counter Gilchrist's appearance, Sepulveda said the Latino Research Center and the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada will sponsor their own immigration discussion and cultural celebration from 6 to 8 p.m. Nov. 19 at the William J. Raggio Building. "I don't want to silence somebody just because they have an opposite view," she said. "I support free speech, but I think hate speech has no place on our campus or any other campus."


So I'm reading this article on RGJ website and i have to wonder. In one respect Ms Sepulveda says she does not want to silence an opposing view and that she supports free speech, but tell me how free speech is hate speech just because the topic or the speaker is not someone she agrees with. While I dont agree 100 percent with everything Mr. Gilchrist says, I do believe that an honest debate on any topic is always a good thing. However, I have not found anything connecting him with any criminal activity or paramilitary groups as Ms. Sepulveda claims. I can only think of a few specific cases of hate speech and crimes committed by people against latino, but I can and have heard of stories where Latinos or hispanics have killed in because of someones race.
Why does Ms Sepulveda need to be consulted when another school group invites someone to a college campus?
Does Ms Sepulveda inform other groups on campus when they invite someone to campus to speak???

Please understand that because someone says something you don't agree with, its not always considered hate speech.
Instead of holding a seperate meeting. why not go to the meeting with Gilchrist with an open mind. listen to what he says and then decide what was right or wrong.

If Im reading the story correctly, it says that Miguel Angel Acosta will be there as well and his views are complete opposite of Gilchrist.
as this story says its the start of a debate and that is the best way to have a discussion, not calling someone hateful because you dont agree.

one more thing, Gilchrist and others in his and other border operation groups are doing nothing wrong except reporting those who illegally cross the border of a sovereign nation.
He, as most americans, just want US officials to enforce immigration laws. Like this:::

Under Title 8 Section 1325 of the U.S. Code, "Improper Entry by Alien," any citizen of any country other than the United States who:

* Enters or attempts to enter the United States at any time or place other than as designated by immigration officers; or
* Eludes examination or inspection by immigration officers; or
* Attempts to enter or obtains entry to the United States by a willfully false or misleading representation or the willful concealment of a material fact;

has committed a federal crime.

Violations are punishable by criminal fines and imprisonment for up to six months. Repeat offenses can bring up to two years in prison. Additional civil fines may be imposed at the discretion of immigration judges, but civil fines do not negate the criminal sanctions or nature of the offense.