LULAC discusses Minuteman agenda
By Stephanie A. Miller


Staff Writer


Community support and voter participation were some ideas LULAC members discussed Saturday in response to the U.S. Minuteman Project.


"We need the support of the community. We as a community, we as Latinos can make a difference," said Rosa Rosales, national vice president for Southwest of LULAC.


"But if we do not speak up, we're allowing people to do immigrant bashing." Rosales was one of several guest speakers who addressed a crowd of an estimated 50 at a community meeting held inside Our Lady of San Juan Church Parish Hall.


The Minuteman Project is a national campaign to tighten laws regulating U.S. border control and illegal immigrants.


LULAC supports immigration reform, but a reform policy that is fair, Rosales said


"LULAC is for immigration reform, but we want an immigration reform that is just," Rosales said.


"We want an immigration reform that leads to citizenship. We're saying immigration reform has to be meaningful. It has to be a two-way street. We're talking about lives," she said.


Now is the time for the Latino community to bring their interests to the attention of elected officials, Rosales added.


"We don't want to wait until an election year. We want it now," she said. "When they talk about immigration reform, they're talking about Mexicans. They're talking about the Mexican border. That's why we as citizens, as Latinos need to unite and say 'You know what? We want to take action and we want Latinos to be safe.'"


Gabriel Rosales, president of a LULAC chapter in San Antonio, said education and voting is one way of indirectly wiping out the Minuteman agenda.


"Influences are made through participation within the system, which is democracy," he said. When you don't participate, then "you allow a group of people to control your lives.


"We need to educate the people to vote. ...By not voting, you allow 'yes' Republicans and 'yes' Democrats in office who do not represent the agenda of the Latino community."


Permian Basin LULAC president Felipa Lara said she thinks the Minuteman agenda does not have the best interests of Latinos for several reasons.


"They're attacking our ancestors," Lara said. "It's questioning their citizenship. It's questioning their right to be here and when they meet in my backyard, it makes me uncomfortable. Why have a closed meeting? Our meetings are open," she said.


The Permian Basin LULAC chapter will continue to try to keep the community informed about the Minuteman issue, Lara said.


"We're trying to carry on for the people to know the agenda of the Minuteman," Lara said. "They need to be aware. They need to be informed. They need to get involved."

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My question to LULAC is are you Americans first or Latinos first? I'm Caucasian and if I were to take out the word Latino in this statement and insert White:

"We don't want to wait until an election year. We want it now," she said. "When they talk about immigration reform, they're talking about Mexicans. They're talking about the Mexican border. That's why we as citizens, as Latinos need to unite and say 'You know what? We want to take action and we want Latinos to be safe.'"
The world would cave in amidst racism charges.