Minuteman appointment - my thoughts
Over the past several months, I have read numerous quotes attributed to me, seen snippets of interviews that I gave to the local media and heard myself reviled by local and national radio commentators (Thank you Darla J, Shanin, Parks, Stigall and Boortz) and even by a “rising star” in my own community (who, incidentally, still has a lot to learn - do I sound old or what?)
Really, guys, thanks! I can feel the love.
At one point, fed up with having my statements and opinions manipulated and misquoted, I submitted an editorial to the Star… that they chose not to print. I was told that I had been interviewed “too much”
Hmmm….I guess it is okay for others to frame what I believe, to use what makes their story, to manipulate and sometimes exploit my words and use my statements for their own purposes….but to give me equal time - why that would be unAmerican! Okay, okay…let me point out that this part of the world is America - North and South. America doesn’t have the Rio Grande as its border, ok?
Now, I know what public figures go through…I apologize to every public figure I ever misunderstood. It is hard living in a glass house. Those of you who haven’t experienced it really can’t even imagine.
Any way, below is the editorial that I submitted to the Star for publication. I also submitted an unedited version to the Call, the Globe, KC Hispanic News, and to Dos Mundos. They printed it. Gosh, I love my people! Unfortunately, The Star didn’t see fit to publish it, guess they felt that it wasn’t worth the ink - strange when you consider the large number of hate mails that did see fit to print.
I try not to read the Star that much, except for Lewis Duiguid. I respect Lewis, he knows what principles really are and he stands up for them. It is difficult to be a minority in this town, those who aren’t minority wouldn’t understand. Lewis and his calm demeanor never cease to amaze me! In fact, he is the only local columnist that I read regularly, except for my son. Their words help me bear life as a person of color in the Midwest.
Oh and yes, I love my son very much. I don’t apologize for him, I raised him to have strong opinions. I don’t always agree with him. I respect his right to voice whatever opinion he has - not to sure that I approve of the pix he posts, but - hey! - he’s not a kid anymore and as long as he and his monkey keep the place clean and share the snack cakes - they are can stay in my basement as long as they like. They are great company!
So - here is what I stand for - I am passionate about civil rights and social justice issues. Having been a child of the 50’s, I experienced discrimination first hand in downtown KCMO, at school, on the part of some of the teachers, parents of schoolmates, on the bus, in my neighborhood, when we traveled and when I tried to go swimming or play in the park. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 came when I was entering my teens, Segregation, civil unrest, fear of total world annihilation by Russia and the Vietnam War framed my youth.
It is hard to explain this to those who are younger and never had to really experience discrimination, fear or injustice. You had to live it to believe it. Man’s inhumanity to man is something… I heard that it makes angels weep.
So here is my editorial, I will post other things on this blog soon - it has been dormant too long. I think that education and advocacy are the best weapons available to me at this point. Perseverance helps too.
Mahatma Ghandi said: “What you do might seem insignificant, but it is most important that you do it.”
Cesar Chavez said: “Once social change begins, it cannot be reversed. You cannot uneducate the person who has learned to read, you cannot humiliate the person who feels pride, you cannot oppress the people who are not afraid anymore. We have seen the future and the future is us.”
So here is my editorial, submitted to the Star on 9/18/07. I cut off opinions, comments and links. I really don’t want to see them. You have a right to your opinion, I have mine. If you don’t like what I think - then offer it up, keep your comments to yourself and / or stay away from this this blog. That is what the nuns and my mom taught me. “If you can’t say anything nice, keep quiet.”
If you do like what you read and see me out and about, let me know. I appreciate positive feedback and constructive criticism.
Mil gracias!
Editorial that the Star wouldn’t publish…
In just a few months, Mayor Mark Funkhouser has broken several campaign promises he made to the Latino community of Kansas City.
Earlier this year Mayor Funkhouser came to us
seeking support for his campaign. He stated that he was sensitive to the issues we face as a community and hateful immigration laws which profile Latinos were not on his agenda. He stated that municipalities must serve all residents regardless of immigration status. He promised to appoint a “kitchen cabinet” inclusive of people from all segments of our city. He promised to consult with community leaders regularly to ensure his responsiveness.
Yet time and again, he stifled discussion by choosing to hear only those who support him. In effect, he effectively compromised our community by refusing to heed concerns expressed by residents and voters he promised to serve.
The furor regarding Ms. Frances Semler’s appointment
to the Parks Board exposes very real differences regarding diversity and immigration. Illegal immigration is routinely cited in response to our concerns about Minutemen-promoted hatred and divisiveness. While Ms. Semler has a right to her opinions regarding immigration, the ensuing furor over her appointment isn’t about immigration – legal or illegal.
The outcry over Ms. Semler’s board appointment concerns her continued association and active membership in a nativist, extremist organization.
The Minutemen are not Boy Scouts - they carry guns. They are not deputized. They harass those who look different. They engage in ethnic profiling. Their continued focus is only on Latino immigrants from the Southern border. President Bush has decried the group.
Many in our community fear that Ms. Semler’s appointment will be used as a platform to promote racism and bigotry in an arena that affects all Latino families who use KC parks.
Ms. Semler fueled this when she invoked the Minutemen’s mission statement in her recent “As I See It” column. Many Latinos share her views about immigration, but work from within to fix the problem – writing congressmen, lobbying senators and organizing to take positive actions – working on the campaigns of those they believe will lead this country to an inclusive stand on immigration reform. The Mayor painted himself as one of those candidates during the city elections.
By clinging to Ms. Semler’s appointment even after she offered her resignation, the Mayor demonstrated his endorsement of an extremist viewpoint and organization. He failed to fulfill assurances he made to the local Latino community.
The National Council of La Raza, the NAACP and other
civil rights, church and union organizations should not reward bigotry with their dollars.
I hold the Mayor responsible for the image of our city now projected nationally. By refusing to acknowledge or value his Latino constituents’ voices, by failing to bring forth any true resolution, he has shown inept leadership.
Therefore, I apologize to Mr. Brooks for supporting the wrong candidate. We pray for change in the hateful and negative image that Mayor Funkhouser, and the situation he created, has given our city.
