Are you aware of the amazing stuff going on in L.A. in response to pending immigration legislation? Read Marc Cooper’s analysis and listen to this excellent radio report from hip-hop journalist Davey D, in which he talks to people on the street and plays applicable rap songs.
Wherever you are — whether somewhere in the U.S. or elsewhere in the world — let me give you a little background. Immigration issues are playing out differently in different places, but let me speak a little about the cultural environment in California.
California and Mexico were essentially one big area at one point. Latinos in the state have a saying: “We didn’t cross the border, the border crossed us.” Latinos are a predominant presence in L.A., making up more than 45% of the population. KMEX, the Spanish-language broadcast TV station, is #1 in the market. Other immigrants have played key roles in the development of California; heck, practically everyone came in from elsewhere. Certainly, Asians have also had a significant footprint in the state. But in many ways, given the history, it feels like California was built on a Mexican foundation. Then, the U.S. took the land and the rules changed.
On occasion, one hears an American citizen complaining about creeping foreign influences. They see newcomers of different races. They see the shopkeeper on the corner, the temporary worker waiting in the parking lot, the clerk behind the counter. They hear new languages and music. They feel an uncomfortable shift to something that didn’t exist before.
In the case of L.A., the Hispanic culture is the past. It is where the city came from. It is the natural state.
Immigration has been a key issue for the Republicans for a few years now, simmering just below the surface. As the ugliness has boiled over, so has the reaction, explaining the protests in L.A. over the last four days and the marches in other cities (including San Francisco, Detroit and Washington, DC). In December, the House passed an immigration bill that frightened and angered a lot of people. Click on that picture for a closer look. That’s hundreds and thousands of people taking to the streets to express their feelings.
This morning, thousands of high school students walked out of their schools in protest across Southern California. Later in the day, the Senate Judiciary Committee came up with their own immigration bill, which ended up removing some of the onerous features of the House version, including criminal penalties. It’s hard to say how this will ultimately play out, but this past weekend saw an awesome display of people expressing themselves in a very powerful manner.
Seriously, listen to Davey D’s 35-minute report.
UPDATE: Of more direct concern for this blog was the power of the media.
He’s one of the hottest Spanish-language radio personalities in the nation. So when Los Angeles deejay Eddie Sotelo joined hands with his radio rivals to urge listeners to turn out for a pro-immigrant rally in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday, organizers hoped for a big turnout.
But many said Monday that they were stunned by how many responded to the call to march against federal legislation that would crack down on undocumented immigrants and penalize those who assist them.
As a result, what was initially expected to draw fewer than 20,000 ballooned into a massive march that police estimated at 500,000 and said was one of the largest demonstrations in Los Angeles’ history.
The promoters included such on-air celebrities as KHJ’s Humberto Luna, KBUE’s Ricardo “El Mandril” (The Baboon) Sanchez, Renan “El Cucuy” (The Boogeyman) Almendarez Coello — whose often risque show has cast him as a sort of Latino version of Howard Stern — and Sotelo, better known to listeners as “El Piolin,” or Tweety Bird. Coello’s and Sotelo’s morning talk shows are among the highest-rated programs in any language in Los Angeles.
“They were the key to getting so many people out,” said Mike Garcia, president of Local 1877 of the Service Employees International Union. “If you listened to Spanish-language media, they were just pumping, pumping, pumping this up.”
“I told God that if he gave me an opportunity as a radio announcer, I was going to help my people,” said Sotelo, who himself illegally crossed the border in the trunk of a car in 1986 and gained legal status a decade later. “I think we have to make sure the message went through to Washington, to let them know we’re not criminals.”
18 Responses
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Jose Says:
I am Hispanic. Fuck all you illegal assholes. go back too your country and fix your corupt government that does nothing for it’s people. that Fox asshole president of yours is going to retire a rich man like all your past presidents.
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Timothy Johnson Says:
Wow. I had no idea. I haven’t seen any of this on TV in Georgia. I married a legal immigrant to the US and believe that following the guidelines of legal immigration is important. However, laws making it a felony to help undocumented immigrants are wrong. Our country was founded by peoples from many countries searching for a land where EVERY person would be free and respected. The US has become increasingly intolerant and cruel under the right wing Republican conservative Administration, Congress, the Senate and is endangered by the ultra conservatives recently appointed to the Supreme Court – all of which are heavily supported by intolerant born-again fundamentalists. The US must turn around and begin to make peace and build bridges with all countries around the world. As US citizens, we must respect and embrace the differences of ALL cultures, lifestyles, religions / non-religious and all peoples who choose to join us. The US will only remain strong if we remain the haven of ALL of humanity. When we begin to discriminate, shut out, stand alone…. we will find ourselves alone… and the world will turn against us.
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JIM ESPINOZA Says:
The U.S. Southwest was sparcely populated when the Europeans arrive there. Most of the occupants were Native-Americans and probably no Mexican nationals or very few if any.
When the U.S. Southwest was annexed, most of the Mexican, generally speaking were Spanish landowners, descendants of early spanish settlers and native americans. Once again, very few were Mexican nationals as we know them today.
Approximately 90+% of the Mexicans have arrived since annexation. Most had never been outside of their shit-hole mud village or the nearest dirt road intersection. Now when they “arrive” thru tunnels under our border, they claim they were here first. HOW CONVENIENT!!!!!!!!!!!!
There were no glass and steel towered cities built by Mexicans when the Europeans arrive there.
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Bill Says:
Don’t be fooled by the politics and the politicians. This is all a big fraud. The mexican illegals have been brainwashed by there corrupt politicians who prey upon them, and now have aimed them at the U.S. to do there bidding here to help destroy what is left of this country and its constitution, at the behest of the very people who have enslaved them for many years in there home country. They want you to come here angry and feeling like you’re entitled to something here something that was supposedly stolen from you. But the very thing that was stolen from you is the truth! Don’t be there pawns! Think for you’re selves! The powers that be want you to start a race war here in the United States! They want the so called european americans to feel threatened by these marches and protests and to react! Think about it does Mexico allow imagrents from other countrys to sneek across there borders and then have rights to education health care , a drivers license, the right to vote in their elections? Or even the right justice? I think Not! You can’t illegally cross a border and exspect our country and its citizens to support you’re illegal act by providing you with all the rights and privleges of a American Citizen. And in the same point don’t let you’re selves be lured into getting citizenship by joining our military. This is just another userption of our constitution by the manning of our military with foreign invaders! Foreign invaders who have no idea of our constitution and its history. Especially when the very reason that they’re willing to let you join our military is to go fight a illegal war that our own citizens are not willing support any longer! Wake Up Don’t Be there Pawns. If Fox really cared he’d have made reforms in you’re own country. Mexico is not the poor nation that they’d have you believe it is! Its just that the rich there are very rich! And the Poor are very very poor! And the rich of that country like it that way!
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Jami Says:
U.S. citizens are ignorant, wealthy, selfish, materialistic people. You’d be impressed by just traveling to another country and experiencing a different culture. According to our nation, everyone desirves freedom. I mean, look at the war we’re fighting in the middle east. Why can’t the same happen for the immigrants in the US? Why not help them with their county’s problems? It’s something that just can’t be ignored. Oh, and not all illegal immigrants are Mexicans. If you were to look beyond the media images, you’d see flags of various nations.
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The Pop View Says:
This commenter didn’t leave valid information, but you might want to see this anyway.
Name: Windy Rose
THIS IS DISGUSTING
Illegal residents marching in our communities demanding no enforcement of our own laws.
I’m Mexican as well and this makes me sick
It’s amazing how many Hispanics are so up in arms over the issue of illegal immigation, qué no?
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Angry American Says:
What part of illegal immigration do you people not understand? This land was bought, and plus mexico only owned this land for 24 years! thats it.. There is gonna be a war here, and I don’t think the latinos will win. There are a lot of hidden americans pissed off, and there are more of us then you. Good day.
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stu Says:
I know, mexicans do jobs that Americans are “too lazy” to do. In my mind that bullshit. Americans dont do them because the illegals arent gonna complain about being underpaid. They are ILLEGAL immigrants. ILLEGAL acts need to be punished. ILLEGAL immigrants need to be sent back.
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The Pop View Says:
U.S. Immigration: Census Data Finds 16% Increase In 5 Years
8/28/06The number of immigrants living in American households rose 16 percent over the last five years, fueled largely by recent arrivals from Mexico, according to fresh data released by the Census Bureau.
And increasingly, immigrants are bypassing the traditional gateway states like California and New York and settling directly in parts of the country that until recently saw little immigrant activity — regions like the Upper Midwest, New England and the Rocky Mountain states.
More of America’s immigrants, legal or not, come from Mexico than any other country, an estimated 27.5 million in 2005, compared to 10.4 million Chinese and 5.8 million Indians.
Conversely, the percentage of US immigration who were born in European countries has dropped sharply — 29.4 percent in the last five years, demographers say, because immigrants who came to the United States in the mid-20th century are now dying.
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The Pop View Says:
New data from the 2005 American Community Survey (ACS), released by the Census Bureau on August 15, 2006, underscore the extent to which immigration continues to fuel the expansion of the U.S. labor force. The foreign-born population of the United States increased by 4.9 million between 2000 and 2005; raising the total foreign-born population to 35.7 million, or 12.4 percent of the 288.4 million people in the country.
Yet the continued growth of the immigrant population and its dispersion to new locales does not imply that native-born workers are being displaced or otherwise disadvantaged by the influx of foreign-born workers. Quite the opposite, in fact. Immigrants are going where there are job openings and economic opportunities.
The primary reason that immigrants don’t have a negative impact on the majority of native-born workers is that they aren’t competing for the same jobs.
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The Pop View Says:
‘Explosion of diversity’ sweeps U.S., census shows
8/15/06From South Carolina’s budding immigrant population to the fast-rising number of Hispanics in Arkansas, minority groups make up an increasing share of the population in every state but one [West Virginia], according to figures released Tuesday by the Census Bureau.
“This is just an extraordinary explosion of diversity all across the United States,” said William Frey, a demographer at the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank. “It’s diversity and immigration going hand in hand.”
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Suplex Says:
I really don’t understand, you say you’re hispanic yet telling my people to go back where they belong? Tell me where the fuck do you think you fucking came from? Suddenly you’re legal and shit… If you are hispanic, then darling you came from somewhere else, not the U.S. Yeah, maybe before you start something, you should see where YOU stand in the statistics… Ok, let me clarify, you’re an immigrant too.
Why the hell do you think people come to this country? Obviously it’s to get a better life, and these people work their asses off every single fucking day, which is much more than I can say for them white folk, who spend most of their days in air conditioned/heated rooms, and with a meal to eat everyday. I hope you never have to go through what I’ve seen people go through. Because I know, that you people wouldn’t last a day there. -
MEXICAN (Arturo) Says:
This is to all you stupid white raisists what the hell is your problem i use to be all right with you guy but this is crap we just come over here to get a better life but all you white little girls are messing with us we dont like that go ahead and start crap you better calm down before we go and shut all you white little girls up if you want to go at it then come on you know we will kick your asses
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Arturo Says:
2:angry american what the hell is ur problem u dam pan all we want is a betere life and u just come up on our grill y wont u put ur name wat ur to scared and u cant deport us all if u dont like du fact that we live here ur gana have 2 dell homes because we ear the past present and futuer and u cant du nathing about it because im calling u out
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MEXICAN Says:
MEXICAN Arturo is accutually Miguelangel solis de la paz ijust messet up wrighting sorry but i still dont like all you white raisists and im getting ready to come at you all!
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Arian Smith Says:
Arturo, put down the cerveza and calm down man. Just because we (Americans) want our laws enforced doesn’t mean we’re racist. If you want racist, look at your own countries southern border. Mexicans and their government are racist against all the central Americans trying to make their way to the USA through Mexico. The Mexican government criticizes our immigration policy while having a mucho harsher one than ours. Hypocrisy to say the least.
Most Americans are very friendly towards and appreciate the Mexican culture and its people. You just seem to pick out the dicks and think we are all that way. You are wrong amigo.
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Curtis Says:
 MEXICAN EARTHQUAKE
>A big earthquake with the strength of 8.1 on the Richter scale hits Mexico
>Two million Mexicans have died and over a million are injured.
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>The country is totally ruined and the government doesn’t know where to
>start
>and is asking for help to rebuild.
>The rest of the world is in shock.
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>Canada is sending troopers to help the Mexican army control the riots.
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>Saudi Arabia is sending oil.
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>Other Latin American countries are sending supplies.
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>The European community (except France) is sending food and money.
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>The United States, not to be outdone, is sending Twelve million Mexicans to
>replace the dead ones.
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>God bless America !!!! -
Phlpns413 Says:
I just couldn’t resist adding a comment here. Get over yourselves people and wake up to the REAL issue at stake here. There are people in this world that own the world banks and financial corporations. They created the European Union, bankrupted those countries currencies and stuck them with the Euro……completely tearing down the individuality of each country and their governing powers. Now they are successfully bankrupting the American dollar and pushing an American Union which would join The US, Canada and Mexico and stick us with a universal currency……the Amero. The Mexicans are being taught in school, in Mexico that this land is rightfully theirs, that the white men stole it from them and they are being encouraged to cross the border in hoards to take back what they think is theirs. This has nothing to do with helping poor people or being nice to immigrants……….this is about power, control and destroying America. The Mexicans are only PAWNS in the game that is being played by the money holders of the world. They encourage the Mexicans to come over here illegally and the current US administration has left our borders WIDE OPEN! We are policing other countries and leaving our own bare and open for attack. WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!! Wake up before it’s too late……and it will be too late VERY soon……if more American Citizens don’t open their eyes and stand up for freedom. I am an American, my family came over on the Mayflower and I am also part Cherokee, I vote, I believe in the Constitution and the rights it ensures me, I believe in this country and I believe that we have the right to be free! God Bless America……..may you all feel the same way! And to all the Mexicans reading this…..I support you….I support your right to go back to Mexico and take back you own country from the corrupt leaders that have been oppressing you there. Mexico is YOUR country….Take it Back!!! Stand up for yourselves and stop believing the lies they have been telling you! They are using you! They are playing you like dumb animals! You are not dumb animals……if you wake up now and realize this then you can all take a stand together and fight for Mexico! Fight for your land and your country….over throw the Mexican government and take back your country! If every citizen of every country would take a united stand for THEIR own country……we could make this world a better place…..and we could tell the powers that be we are not their pawns, we are not their slaves, but rather we are free thinking human beings who will not be oppressed!
Let’s see how much of this comment gets censored! My repsect to the person that posts it in it’s entirety!