Thread: Latino's 'Fight For What Is Right' (N.C. Illegal Students)

http://www.news-record.com/news/local/g ... 052305.htm

Latinos 'fight for what is right'

5-23-05
By Marta Hummel Staff Writer
News & Record

GREENSBORO -- Passing legislation that would allow illegal immigrants to pay in-state college tuition and improving housing standards for migrant workers were two of the main topics of a two-day conference on Latino issues at UNCG.

"I will fight for what is right because that is what Jesus would do," said Lorraine Lee, the vice president of Arizona-based activist group Chicanos por la Causa and a speaker at the event Sunday. She was one of many who spoke of Latino rights in religious and often explicitly Christian terms.

The conference, sponsored by Raleigh-based Latino advocacy group El Pueblo, fell amid legislative debate over whether to allow undocumented students to pay in-state tuition at North Carolina public universities and community colleges. It also occurred two weeks after federal legislation was introduced that would provide a pathway for illegal immigrants currently working in the United States to earn residency.

Rep. Larry Bell, the Democratic Whip, said he was personally giving a scholarship for an undocumented student in his district who graduated at the top of her class.

Part of his reasoning is that "I feel like I have been an immigrant in my own country where I was born," he said.

But the main reason is his faith, he said.

"When I look at people, I don't see race or the color of their skin. I see a creature of God," he said.

Starting last year, the state university and community college systems changed their rules to allow undocumented students to attend state institutions, but at out-of-state tuition rates. Nine other states, including Texas and California, treat undocumented students as local residents.

A recent report from the nonprofit Pew Hispanic Center estimated that of nearly half a million Latinos who live and work in North Carolina, about 300,000 are illegal immigrants.

One of the main sponsors of the in-state tuition legislation, Rep. Rick Glazier, D-Cumberland, said no consensus existed on how to proceed with the bill. Many sponsors have withdrawn because of public criticism.

Rep. Pricey Harrison, D-Guilford, was one of the legislators to receive an award from El Pueblo for her support of the in-state tuition bill.

Groups that promote stricter immigration laws say allowing in-state tuition will attract more illegal immigrants to North Carolina to take advantage of the policy. They also say the state should not give benefits to those who are breaking the law.

In one of the forum's workshops, state Sen. Bill Purcell, a Democrat from Laurinburg, and Rep. Martha Alexander, D-Mecklenburg, said they plan to introduce legislation aimed at improving living conditions for migrant farm workers in the state.

Some of the key things they would like to require are washing machines, mattresses and partitions for bathrooms. Current law mandates that housing have washbasins and bed frames. Bathroom facilities can be in open public spaces.

Alexander said that "basic human dignity" requires standards be upgraded, regardless of a worker's living conditions in his home country.

Legislation addressing these issues likely will be introduced before June 2 in the House and Senate.

Other issues discussed at the forum included building relationships between the police and the Latino community and finding ways to move Latinos from low-skill positions into higher paying jobs.

Contact Marta Hummel at 373-7070 or mhummel@news-record.com

Fair and balanced?




Martha:

Where is the counter opinion source or quote in your article? Each time
someone is sponsoring a bill these groups do not like, the reporters in NC
rush to get someone on their side (the side less than 20% of NC residents
support by the poll numbers) to 'balance' the article.

No such treatement for our side in this article.


William Gheen
President, ALIPAC

http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=F ... pic&t=3582

FROM MARTHA "Please see paragraph beginning "Groups that promote stricter immigration
laws...."

REPLY FROM WILLIAM:

"Yes, I see those two sentences. One, that info is placed in the the 3rd quarter of your article which is the least read section of any article. Two, no specific source is sighted so your readers have no way to attribute the information to a source. Three, there are no quotes from anyone with the opposing view. Four, I know writers do not pick the headlines but "Fight for what is right" is not balanced. Five, those two sentences make up less than 10% of the article information.

Please contact me or a legislator or a local citizen or another organization leader that does not support pro-illegal legislative agendas when writing stories on these issues.

The vast majority of your readers do not support in-state tuition for illegal aliens and they should see more of their view present in the paper.

Thank you,

William Gheen"

Well Said/Done William.