Politics | VivirLatino

Posts Tagged ‘Politics’

VL Digest

13 Dec 2011

Instead of me finding time to write about some of the news stories that are of interest (which seems to be a challenge these past few weeks) I’ve decided to share with you the stories. Yes! These are stories I would love to write more about, share my perspective, challenge our ideas, and forge a conversation about them with VL readers. Perhaps we can do that without individual posts for each piece? Perhaps not, either way, here’s a VL Digest. Have VL readers heard of these stories? What are your thoughts?

An Apology 30 Years In The Making: El Salvador Marks El Mozote Massacre

Yesterday I was reading about the apology the Salvadoran government gave for El Mozote massacre where over 800 women, children, men, people were killed by the Salvadoran military. The Massacre occurred 30 years ago in December. I remember growing up in Maryland and hearing about this massacre by the Salvadoran immigrants who migrated to the Takoma Park and Langley Park area. I remember my parents telling me that some folks who we met may not ever be able to go back home because of a Civil War. It all began to become more clear to me years later when I started reading more on the historical accounts and injustices that were occurring, especially the role the US played in training the military in the Americas.

The Exiles of Puerto Rico

There was a lot of buzz about TEDx San Juan, and I’m eager to see what video is available of our friend Larry La Fountain-Stokes’ presentation of the work, activism, and survival of Puerto Rico’s LGBTQ community. In attendance was Forbe.com blogger Giovanni Rodriguez who shares his ideas of Puerto Ricans as being exiles (inspired by Larry’s usage of queer Puerto Ricans as sexiles who use music, art, songs, and writing to share their testimonios). Rodriguez considers those Puerto Ricans who migrated from the mainland to the US as exiles as well (this would include my parents) who were searching for more secure and better economic opportunities. He argues that many Puerto Ricans leaving now are doing so reluctantly.

Third Party & Independent Candidates 2012

I am often exhausted with hearing only two party debates, discussions and media coverage. This week I went in search of who may be considering running as Third Party and Independent candidates for President of the US in 2012. This site was useful to give me an idea and remind me that there are always more than two options when it comes to voting, and knowing all of those options is what makes someone, in my opinion, an educated voter.

Immigrant Narratives : Choose Your Mother or Your Child

22 Jun 2009

Quick. Choose. The house is burning and you have to choose. Your mother or your child? Who do you save?

The current framing of the immigration reform movement and the immigrants it claims to represents takes place against a backdrop of human lives. And in our house, the United States of America, is aflame. The framing of the current immigration reform movement however, the good vs. bad immigrant narrative that we have written about and discussed extensively, forces advocates and the media into a corner. Choose. The idea is that we can’t have it all when it comes to immigration reform. That we need to make compromises, find workable solutions to borrow an often heard phrase from the Reform Immigration for America Summit. That means choosing between your mother or your child.

Cry Me a Reverse Racism River : Sonia Sotomayor Scares the White People

9:17 am By Maegan la Mamita Mala · Politics|Women · 3 Comments

29 May 2009

Want to scare some white people? Put a Latina on the cusp of history and watch the “media” who have made their career on using stereotypes against people of color, lately immigrants, suddenly cry oppression.

Yes , yes as much as we all know that race is an artificial construct, suddenly those who have benefited the most from that construct are acting as if the fact they are white men has nothing to do with their position.

Quote of the Day: Obama on Immigration Reform

5:29 am By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · California|Immigration · 20 Comments

19 Mar 2009

President Obama was in Costa Mesa, California, yesterday to hold a “town hall” meeting and he finally brought up the hot-button topic of immigration, and more specifically, immigration reform. The speech was vague and lacking content, as was to be expected, but here’s the most salient part:

“You’ve got to say to the undocumented workers… ‘Look, you’ve broken the law. You didn’t come here the way you were supposed to. So this is not going to be a free ride … What’s going to happen is you’re going to pay a significant fine.’

“‘You are going to learn english. You are going to… go to the back of the line so you don’t get ahead of somebody who was in Mexico City applying legally.’”

“‘But after you’ve done these things over a certain period of time, you can earn your citizenship. So that it’s not — it’s not something that is guaranteed or automatic. You’ve got to earn it.’ But over time, you get people an opportunity.”

How do you interpret this? How will this rhetoric translate into real policy?

Via / SGGP

But But But…what’s wrong with making a movie about Mexican Chihuahuas??

2:07 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Movies · 3 Comments

17 Oct 2008

Of course, in writing about the complex feelings and confusions that the movie Beverly Hills Chihuahua brings up in me, I must be challenged by local lovers of chihuahuas. How on earth could I possibly write such hateful and horrible rhetoric onto the purely innocent puppy dog–especially when said puppy dog has no greater ambition than to make innocent school children as happy as can be?

How could I?

Maybe this is how?
Maybe, just maybe, it wasn’t hyper sensitive Latinos that created Latino=dog imagery, but politicians that are hell bent on playing on fear and difference to get elected?

“They are distorting the facts and ridiculing the Hispanic community,” said Brent Wilkes, executive director of the League of United Latin American Citizens. “It’s a shameful piece. It really is gutter politics.”

Carrie Cantrell, a spokeswoman for The Republican State Leadership Committee, an Alexandria, Va.-based political organization that works to elect down-ticket Republicans in state races, said she appreciates the groups’ opinion, but that the ad was simply a parody of a well-known popular culture reference, a Chihuahua once used in Taco Bell advertising.

She did not apologize.

Oh, look at that–popular culture used and manipulated to make a racist point? How unuuuuusual.

Mamita Mala on Bluegrass Roots

7:31 pm By Maegan La Mala · denver|DNC08|Politics · 1 Comment

26 Aug 2008

Photo%202.jpg My lovely and talented co-editor, Maegan (a.k.a. Mamita Mala) was interviewed yesterday at the DNC for the BlueGrassRoots blog about the Latino vote.

Check out the video!

BlueGrass Roots, a political blog out of Kentucky, has a lot of other interviews with bloggers of all stripes, so have a look at the other videos as well.

Via / BlueGrassRoots

What is the Iowa Caucus, Really?

1:29 pm By Maegan La Mala · Politics|States · 1 Comment

3 Jan 2008

If you find yourself asking that question today, you aren’t the only one. WhyTuesday.org has an easy-to-understand video explanation:

VivirLatino

Posts Tagged ‘Politics’

VL Digest

Immigrant Narratives : Choose Your Mother or Your Child

Cry Me a Reverse Racism River : Sonia Sotomayor Scares the White People

Quote of the Day: Obama on Immigration Reform

But But But…what’s wrong with making a movie about Mexican Chihuahuas??

Mamita Mala on Bluegrass Roots

What is the Iowa Caucus, Really?

U.S. Embargo costs Cuba 4 billion

Mexican Elections : Court to Rule Today

The White House has trouble with “English”

Hola!

Get our RSS Feed!