LULAC, supporting Moore, demands removal
October 14, 2004
by: Craig nelsen
Upset by the message on ProjectUSA billboards in Kansas City, KS, a small group of race-identity activists held a news conference yesterday in front of one of them to complain and demand their removal. Tino Camacho, reports the Kansas City Star, president of the local chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), called the billboards “racist” and
"We want the people (ProjectUSA) held accountable because of all the fear that they have created," said Mr. Camacho. "This is very, very … insulting to our community.”
Kansas City
State Ave & 15th St, Central & 7th St,
Central & 18th St
The billboard reads, “On June 18, Rep. Dennis Moore voted against enforcement of U.S. immigration law. On July 8, he did it again.”
Below the text, the ProjectUSA web address is posted where visitors can read about Congressman Moore's two votes last summer against amendments that would have put teeth in the federal law outlawing local ordinances, called "sanctuary policies," that prohibit employees and police officers from cooperating with federal immigration law enforcement authorities.
A reporter for the Associated Press called ProjectUSA yesterday looking for a response to the accusations of racism and was given the standard response: "ProjectUSA is a group for any American who cares about the future of the country. LULAC, on the other hand, is a group for Latinos. Who's racist?"
And who's doing the insulting, for that matter?
By asserting while speaking as the head of a Latino organization that the mere mention of immigration law enforcement causes fear in his commmunity, Mr. Camacho equates Latino with illegal -- an insult to Hispanic-Americans he would be the first to condemn had, say, Rep. Moore's opponent, Kris Kobach, made it.
However, LULAC is indifferent, at best, to Hispanic-Americans as Americans. LULAC's loyalties, to put it frankly, lie with Mexico.
In April 2004, LULAC was a key participant at a conference, co-hosted in Mexico City by the Mexican Senate, at which Mexican foreign minister Luis Ernesto Derbez made it explicit: the transnational cause of Mexicans supercedes American sovereignty:
"We know that the best way to contribute to the well-being of Mexicans and Mexican-Americans is by strengthening the community's efforts to organize, by encouraging the exchange of ideas between its leaders, and by identifying a shared agenda, around which Mexicans of both sides of the border can unite."
In April 2003, Mr. Camacho was in attendence at another meeting in Mexico, this time with Mexican President Vicente Fox. A description of the meeting in LULAC's newsletter makes it clear the shared agenda the Mexican foreign minister envisions is political:
"Recently, the LULAC board members...had the privilege of meeting with President Vicente Fox in Mexico City. We also held high-level meetings with key Mexican officials to discuss important issues concerning Mexican-Americans, such as immigration and the expansion of Mexico’s matrícula program to document Mexican nationals residing in the United States. The meeting was very successful and we believe will lead to an ongoing dialogue which will help improve the lives of Latinos in both the United States and Mexico." [LULAC News March/April, 2003 (.pdf)]
Last month, Dennis Moore demonstrated his willingness to help Mexico and its race-identity allies achieve their aims, voting on Sept. 14 in favor of Mexico's matricula program. Congessman Moore even accepted an award in May from LULAC, presented to him, in fact, by Tino Camacho. He has it posted it on the House of Representatives' website.
Using the divisive language of the discredited race-hustlers at the Southern Poverty Law Center, Congressman Moore attacked the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) earlier this month, and publicly called on challenger Kris Kobach "to distance himself" from FAIR.
In our view, Congressman Moore should distance himself from LULAC, before the voters in Kansas distance him from Washington.
Tino Camacho told the Kansas City Star that he wants the ProjectUSA billboards "out
of our community." We want to know just what community he is talking about.
I called Rep. Moore's campaign headquarters in Kansas at 913 888 4838 assuming
the recipient of a LULAC award might know what LULAC meant by "our community." I
posed the question, but haven't yet received a response.
+== QUOTE OF THE WEEK ==+
"Congressman Moore is a public servant who hasn't forgotten the people who voted for him. He maintains a bond with the common people. He always comes back to the Latino community to update us on what he has accomplished in Congress."
Florentino Camacho, Jr., a past LULAC state director.
Lulac Honors Moore With Cesar Chavez Community Service Award, May 10, 2004
[accomplished for whom? -ed.]
+== EMAIL OF THE WEEK ==+
Because of all the deeds you've accomplished as outlined in your ezine and
in this article.
I am doubling my monthly contribution to ProjectUSA to $16.
That is not a lot, but I am not wealthy, and I have a large family.
Best wishes. We are all behind you!
Jeff Peck
Olathe, KS