Fellow Tractivistas,
No soy muy bueno para escribir, pero cuando veo tanta injusticia y odio, y gente que se aprovecha de la ley para crear un terrorismo local con algunas personas solo porque lucimos diferentes, me siento triste y molesto. Creo que no puede ser posible que este mundo esté lleno de más gente mala o ignorante dispuesta a actuar que de personas buenas, o personas que sólo piensan, “O qué mal está esto,” y se preguntan, “Por qué existen leyes tan malas?” pero al final deciden NO HACER NADA al respecto. En verdad me da tristeza pensar que vemos tantos correos pasar, donde lo único que tenemos que hacer para apoyar es o reenviar un e-mail o hacer una corta llamada a algún político.
[I'm not a very good writer, but when I see so much injustice and hatred, and people who take advantage of the law to create a local terrorism among some people just because we look different, I get sad and frustrated. I think it can't be possible for this world to be full of more bad or ignorant people ready to act than good people, or people who just think, "Oh, this is so awful," and ask themselves, "Why do such bad laws exist?" but at the end of the day decide TO DO NOTHING in response. Truthfully it makes me sad to think that we see so many emails go by, where all we have to do to help is forward the message or make a short phone call to a politician.]
Tal vez pensamos, “O, eso a mí no me afecta.” Tal vez no nos damos cuenta que SI nos afecta, porque cuando le niegan los derechos humanos a un peque n~o grupo de gente sólo porque lucen diferentes, es sólo el principio. Si no actuamos, después nos tocará a nosotros.
[Maybe we think, "Oh, that doesn't affect me." Maybe we don't realize that it DOES affect us, because when human rights are denied to a small group of people just because they look different, that's only the beginning. If we don't act now, it will be our turn next.]
Esta ley en Arizona está dando poder a personas que ya discriminan, para que sigan odiando. Porque no importa si eres un residente legal o no, solo porque luces brown es motivo suficiente para detenerte, y si por algún motivo olvidaste tu tarjeta en casa, es motivo suficiente para que te den un cargo por delito menor.”
[This law in Arizona is giving power to people who already discriminate so they can continue hating. Because it doesn't matter if you are a legal resident or not, just looking brown is reason enough to detain you, and if for some reason you left your ID at home, it's reason enough to give you a misdemeanor charge.]
Por favor ayúdame a contactar a la gobernadora de Arizona para pedirle que no encienda esta mecha que generará más odio racial y discriminación.
[Please help me contact the governor of Arizona and ask her not to light this fuse that will generate more racial hatred and discrimination.]
Julio Cesar Olmos
community organizer, soccer player, Tractivista
“What we perceive and what is reality can drastically change once we start to educate ourselves and base our beliefs and opinions on the truth.” JC.
P.S. Upcoming…
Sun 4/25: Freezer stock-up Party (aka the potluck that keeps on giving): freezer@getTraction.org
Sat 5/8: Pick your own organic Strawberries! strawberries@getTraction.org
Sat 5/15: Civil Rights Walking Tour of Durham: race@getTraction.org
Mon 5/31: Memorial Day at the Eno: swim@getTraction.org
Plus a conversation group on race and privilege: race@getTraction.org, and much more…
P.P.S. Gracias to Luke Hirst for translating!
———- Forwarded message ———-
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Arizona is on the verge of creating a dangerous standard
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![The Future of Arizona]()
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Tell Arizona’s Governor: Don’t Legalize Racial Profiling
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Dear Tractivist,
Imagine driving through the neighborhood you grew up in and being pulled over for no apparent reason. Your crime? Being brown in Arizona.
This might seem unimaginable in the 21st-century United States, but the Arizona State Legislature is on the verge of passing a law that would authorize officers to pull over, question, and detain anyone they have a “reasonable suspicion” doesn’t have proper documentation. The legislation would essentially legalize racial profiling, creating a police state for immigrants.
The bill will be on the Governor’s desk as soon as today.1 This is a moment for all of us to stand with the people of Arizona against this injustice. Please join us in telling Governor Jan Brewer to do the right thing and veto this bill, and ask your friends and family to do the same:
http://presente.org/ref/ad/31/campaigns/arizona
According to the LA Times, “The bill, known as SB 1070, makes it a misdemeanor to lack proper immigration paperwork in Arizona. It also requires police officers, if they form a ‘reasonable suspicion’ that someone is an illegal immigrant, to determine the person’s immigration status… Immigrant rights groups say it amounts to a police state.” 2
If this bill passes, Arizona is declaring itself an apartheid state, where people who “look” undocumented are treated differently than the rest of the population. Leading police chiefs and sheriffs have even come out against the bill, saying that it will cause immigrants to avoid reporting crimes, and divert officers’ attention from going after violent offenders.3
The future of Arizona is now in the Governor’s hands. Please join us in telling Governor Jan Brewer to veto this bill.
http://presente.org/ref/ad/31/campaigns/arizona
Thank you and ¡Adelante!
Laurie, Favianna, Roberto and the rest of the Presente.org team
References
1. “Backers defend AZ crackdown on illegal immigrants,” Associated Press, 4-15-10,
http://bit.ly/a47Yjc
2. “Arizona passes strict illegal immigration act,” L.A. Times, 4-13-10
http://bit.ly/b6f9IL
3. “Racial profiling, SB 1070 will go hand in hand,” Arizona Daily Star, 4-16-10
http://bit.ly/cnoLiP
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No matter what you think of the law, boycotting Arizona businesses is ridiculous. The people don’t make the laws.