Author: mopress

Dear Friends:

We must never cease the struggle for freedom.
In the enclosed writings, Ramsey Muniz shares his
knowledge and insight regarding the issue of immigration. Please distribute. — Irma L. Muniz

We Are Not Strangers to This Land

Even though I find myself confined in the
dungeons of America, I marvel at the spirituality
of liberation and justice that my Mexicano sisters
and brothers are seeking after so many generations
and years. As I witness the millions of nuestra
gente proudly marching with that glow in their faces,
demonstrating the love in their hearts, I clearly
recall the last words of our last Mexicano Emperor
– Huey Tlahtoani Kuauhtemoktzin – Cuauhtemoc:

“Now we mandate our children also not to forget
to transmit to their children how it will be, how
we will reunite, how we will rise again, how we
will reach out, and how we will fulfill the great
destiny of our race.”

America was taken by surprise as our sisters
and brothers marched in its streets. They were
surprised not only by the numbers, but by the
truthful statements echoed by our people.

Without question or doubt, the issue is one
of our people staying here in the United States.
However, we are also encountering a bigger,
spiritual issue at this time in history. We are
finally coming together as a race, as a people,
raza, gente in all Aztlan, in the United States,
and in our Holy Land of Mexico. For the longest
time in history the oppressor has made us think
that we are different. Some would argue that due
to the place of birth, whether in the
United States or the Holy Land of Mexico, we
are different. It is extremely sad that throughout
the long existence of our people we have looked
upon ourselves as different races. The oppressor’s
objective will forever be to divide the races
and ultimately conquer.

We must not be impatient with those who will
claim they are not Mexicanos, and that they never
will be. At the same time we must be patient with
our sisters and brothers from our Holy Land who
don’t understand why our people became Hispanic,
Latinos, Chicanos, and Mexican Americans. The
important thing is that the time has come for us
to come together as one once again. “Todos
somos uno” should be the theme of today, tomorrow,
and our future. If we can come together as one
race in the prisons of America, then there is no
question that we can accomplish the same in the
so-called free world of today.

We must never forget our Mexicano blood. The
Spanish invaders thought they subjugated our
flesh with whips and swords, the French with
guns and priests, but there is another separate
world beneath our feet, above our heads, and
dwelling in our Meixcano souls. From the beginning
our creation as a race / people / gente, we have
been one with the land of Aztlan. Even today in
the 21st century the spirits of our ancient gods
are everywhere. They are in every stone, every
bird in the trees, the grass, the maize on the
stalk, the water in the lakes, and the fish in
the streams.

Yes, the invaders conquered only
what the eye could see, not ever understanding
that from the time of our creation it was
prophesized that we would overcome all invaders
in our land, and we would rise once again. The
oppressor has never conquered our spirituality
and the power of our ancient cultura, which were
the foundations of our existence and recreation.
We are not strangers to this land in which they
refer to us as illegal aliens and/or immigrants.
We must never forget to continue teaching our
youth of today and tomorrow the truth of our
Mexicano history. We must share with the youth
that it is written in our ancient manuscripts
that one day we would return to the sacred place
of our creation/existence as a race — Aztlan,
“land that has risen.”

We as Mexicanos of the 21st century must
take a strong political stand against the
creation of a so-called “Berlin wall” separating
the borders. It is not about the war against
terrorists at this point. It is about keeping
our people out of the land which truthfully
cries out. America must remember that we did
not cross an ocean to arrive in what was first
called Aztlan by our ancestors. It is written
in our ancient prophecies that the land (Aztlan)
would call for us to return.

I never miss the national news, seeking
what it has to comment about the immigration
issue. Regardless of what the Republicans
and/or Democrats state about this most
profound issue, deep in my heart and mind I
know that at the end we shall overcome whatever
they decide to do with our people. We shall
overcome the rounding up of our people as if
we were animals. We shall overcome the
structure of a wall at the border. We shall
overcome the imprisonment of our sisters and
brothers because of immigration policies. We
shall overcome at the end because we are not
strangers of this land, which was ours at one
time. The land calls upon our hearts to return
and to rise once again. Truth which pertains
to the land is on our side and history has it
that truth shall win!!!

The entire world is in some sort of conflict.
Even in war, and if one studies the issues closely,
land becomes the reason for oppression, freedom,
imprisonment, justice, and humanity. It is our
duty and honor to support the efforts by our
sisters and brothers in seeking the spiritual,
cultural, and political right to reside in the
United States of America.

Even though I’m in this mode of darkness,
I sleep as if I were newly born, knowing that
the truth of our existence and creation has
enlightened the entire world. The world knows
that el Mexicano / Mexicana has risen with the
power of truth in his heart and mind.

What a time to be alive! Do we as
Mexicanos of our Sixth Sun dare to scale the
heights of heaven of Aztlan and our most sacred
Holy Land of Mexico? Que viva la raza!

America:

“We want only to show you something
We have seen and tell you something
We have heard. That here and there
In the world and now and then in ourselves
Is a new spiritual/cultural Mexicano creation.”

In exile,

Ramsey Muniz – Tezcatlipoca

*************************

www.freeramsey.com

Or Why We Refuse to Pet this Puppy

So many pixels in cyberspace have been dedicated to so-called school funding reform in Texas, yet once again the image is nothing but sham.

A May 12 press release from Houston Democrat Garnet Coleman explains that when all the nutshells have been re-shuffled from the Spring 2006 special session of the Texas legislature, the overall commitment to public education will actually decline by $400,000 compared to what was previously budgeted. (See the posting at Angela Valenzuela’s Texas Ed Equity Blog.)

A May 14 analysis by Jason Embry and Laylan Copelin of the Austin American Statesman finds that the structure of funding enacted by the special session will result in reduced revenues for all state services, with likely cuts in programs to follow.

Overall, the results look like a strategic victory for property wealthy West Orange Cove plaintiffs who have managed to leverage their lawsuit into a partial reversal of so-called “Robin Hood” policies that “share the wealth” between property-rich and property-poor neighborhoods.

In addition, panhandle Republican Chris Islett is left complaining that the so-called reform measures will lock Texas education into crippling standardizations. (Again, we look to Angela Valenzuela’s Texas Ed Equity Blog for the sad documentation.)

In sum, the long-standing impasse of Texas education reform has for the time being been clearly resolved on the side of regression, with less equity, less freedom, and more privilege for the wealthy. –gm

Of course, it’s a perfect two-step of decadence. Now that the Texas legislature has shuffled away from its historic chance to enact an educational renaissance, exactly at a moment in history when an important tide of children could be best served, here comes the Congress with boots and bullets. We’ll take our news from the horse’s mouth at the American Forces Information Services (AFIS) as posted at the Army National Guard website (–gm):

House Votes to Allow Military to Assist in Border Security

5/12/2006 – American Forces Information Service (AFIS)

By Kathleen T. Rhem

Army National Guard Offical Logo-Centered on a light blue disc edged red, a representation of the Minute Man Statute by Daniel French in bronze detailed black facing to the right, all enclosed by a blue border bearing the words ARMY NATIONAL GUARD at the top and five stars below all in white

WASHINGTON – The U.S. House of Representatives voted yesterday to allow military forces to be used in border-security operations under certain circumstances.

In a 252-171 vote, House members agreed on an amendment to the Sonny Montgomery National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007. Representatives also voted yesterday to name the bill after Montgomery, a retired congressman and tireless veterans advocate. Montgomery died today at age 85.

The act gives authority to the Defense Department to assign military members to assist Homeland Security organizations in preventing the entry of terrorists, drug traffickers and illegal aliens into the United States and in inspecting cargo, vehicles and aircraft entering the United States to prevent weapons of mass destruction or other terrorist or drug trafficking items from entering the country.

The act specifies that such a move must be made at the request of the secretary of Homeland Security, who must certify that the action “is necessary to respond to a threat to national security posed by the entry into the United States of terrorists, drug traffickers, or illegal aliens.”

Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman stressed that the military already has been helping other government agencies in some border-security functions, namely surveillance with unmanned aerial vehicles. “I think it’s important to understand that the United States military does provide some assistance to the states currently,” he said.

Governors in some border states use National Guard servicemembers in border-security missions, as well.

Whitman said it’s important to remember that governors have authority to mobilize their National Guard forces as they see fit as long as they pay for the mobilization from within state budgets.

The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 largely forbids the U.S. military from becoming involved in domestic law-enforcement actions. The Coast Guard and National Guard troops under the control of state governors are excluded from the act, however.

“This country has always had a certain level of discomfort with military doing things that are law enforcement-type activities,” a senior official said on background.

Critics of such military use point to the case of 18-year-old Ezequiel Hernandez, who was shot and killed by a U.S. Marine patrol near the Rio Grande River at Redford, Texas, in 1997. The Marines said Hernandez fired at them, and the corporal who pulled the trigger was not charged with a crime. But the case brought about widespread attention to and debate on the role the U.S. military plays in border enforcement. Similar issues have been raised about the military’s role within the United States since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

The federal government also can pay for governors to mobilize their National Guard forces in the case of national emergencies. This mechanism was used during recovery efforts for Hurricane Katrina. Activated Guard forces remained under their governors’ operational control, but federal funds were used to pay for the operation.

In addition, National Guard forces can be federalized then used in the same manner as active-duty forces.

Press reports today state that Assistant Defense Secretary for Homeland Defense Paul McHale has asked defense leaders to devise options for use of military forces in border-enforcement activities. Defense officials today did not specifically confirm this, but said such a move would be consistent with contingency planning that goes on every day in the Pentagon.

“This is a building that develops options and potential courses of action,” the official said. “This is not a decision the Defense Department would make, though. Border security (and) policing are not the primary role or mission of the United States military.”

Language in the bill refers to allowing military members to assist Homeland Security assets in preventing terrorists from entering the United States. Officials have long recognized that illegal trafficking in people and weapons through Latin America poses a threat to the United States.

Rumsfeld and his Central American counterparts discussed this issue at a conference in Miami in October. All in attendance agreed that porous borders to the south can contribute to international terrorism.

“Drug traffickers, smugglers, hostage takers, terrorists, violent gangs: These are threats that are serious,” Rumsfeld said at the conference Oct. 12.

Whitman said today that the United States stresses to South and Central American neighbors the importance of border security. Ungoverned spaces and available funding for illicit activities certainly can have a relationship with terrorism, he said. “That’s why we should be concerned,” he said.

Whitman also said that today’s meeting between Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and Mexican National Defense Secretary Gen. Gerardo Ricardo Vega is “unrelated to any current speculation that I see in current press reporting.”

“This has been on the schedule for quite some time,” he said.

Jennifer L. Pozner
WIMNonline.org

As I write this, I’m watching an important segment on “To The Contrary,” PBS’s weekly women’s political and current affairs debate show, on the underreported issue of sexual assault as an exceptionally regular aspect of border crossing for women immigrants.

According to T.O.C. host Bonnie Erbe:

“New studies by the United Nations Development Fund for Women show sexual abuse on the rise among women illegally crossing the U.S. border from Mexico. Rape is so common it’s viewed as the price of admission to America. Some even take birth control before crossing to avoid pregnancy… So-called ‘border bandits’ prey on those crossing the U.S. Mexican border illegally. Women are more vulnerable because their percentages have risen among illegal immigrants. They’re also leaving behind more children in Mexico and Central American countries. If caught and returned, they’re often physically abused again in the Mexican border towns where U.S. agents leave them.”

To give viewers a deeper understanding of the impact of immigration on undocumented women, Erbe interviewed Marijke Velzeboer-Salcedo, chief, Latin America and the Caribbean section of the U.N. Development Fund for Women, who explained that:

“Between 60 % 70% of women do experience some abuse, of the women who cross the border alone (because some of the women do cross the border with their husbands or their families). But many of the women do go alone and we know that among the Mexican nondocumented immigrants, 45% are women. And in Guatemala it’s 35% and it’s rising.”

With some exceptions, much immigration coverage in recent months has focused on male activists leading protests, undocumented men working as day laborers, male DJs at Spanish-language radio stations informing listeners about the importance of attending immigration demonstrations, and the like. But as this To The Contrary segment illustrates, there are serious reasons why women’s perspectives are needed in immigration coverage–and serious ways to frame immigration as specifically relevant to women.

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