Boycott The Census, Say Some Latino Clergy
Rev. Miguel Rivera, the head of National Coalition of Latino Clergy and Christian, leaders has a pressure tactic for the record books, or at least as far clergy is concerned…boycott the census.
Rivera has come to the conclusion that politicians in Latino districts are getting the benefit of funding, which is based on the population of citizens, but it is also based on the number of undocumented compas as well. At the same time that the districts receive the benefits of the funding for undocumented people, they aren’t willing to stick their neck out to get JUST comprehensive reform passed.
“If they don’t want lacking of funding for their constituents, maybe losing their seats, at the congressional level, then what they have to do is roll up their sleeves and move forward with comprehensive immigration reform,” Rivera told NPR.
He seems to figure that if funding is snatched, voters will become angry; they will give their rep the boot and that boycotting the census could be a catalyst for all of this. Anticipating that, politicians will be more apt to move on JUST reform. In essence, he is saying, if our undocumented primos get no vote at the ballot box, they shouldn’t give their vote for funds through the census. If we are made to suffer, then we’ll help everyone else to feel our burn.
Nativo Lopez of MAPA is on board as well, though it took him some time to be convinced to attack the sacred cow of the census.
There are some tactics whose threat works better than execution. This might be one of those tactics, but for those of us who feel that our views are almost completely ignored, lack of participation sometimes just FEELS good, especially if others feel the same. I think this is what the boycott promoters are getting at when they say that they want to send a “protest message.” A census boycott might be a tough sell, but it might be something which is hard to ignore.
Boycott advocate Rivera says the census harkens back to the days of slavery, because undocumented immigrants are counted but not granted equal benefits.
You know things are heating up when the clergy advocates a census boycott and uses parallels like slavery. I’m telling you that we are a few years away from a social explosion.
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ITS TRUE THAT THE FEDS SEND $$ TO THE STATES AND I AGREE THAT SOME OF THAT MONEY IS NOT GIVEN TO THE UNDOCUMENTED. LOOK WHAT HAPPENED IN LOUSIANA, UNDOCUMENTED DID GET HELP. ITS A TOUGH CALL, BUT I THINK THEY SHOULD ALL BE COUNTED, IT WILL HELP IN THE LONG RUN. LETS SAY THE UNDOCUMENTED DO GET AMNESTY THIS YEAR, THE MONIES WILL BE THERE. IT WILL ALSO HELP LA RAZA, WHO HAVE THEIR IMMIGRATION PAPERS IN ORDER. IF I WAS UNDOCUMENTED, I WOULD LIKE TO BE COUNTED IF IT HELPED MY PEOPLE GET SOMETHING. LETS THINK OF THE OVERALL PICTURE, NOT WHATS IN IT FOR ME? PORESO ESTAMOS COMO ESTAMOS, PORQUE UNOS PIENSAN ASI.
Thanks for your comments, Kiko.
I generally agree with the below statement about the boycotting the census. However, I think that there are other reasons to not be “counted”. This is one way for the settler-colonialists to know how many of us there really are, and where we are located so that in the future when they want to create the concentration camps for us they will know where to go. Not possible you think, remember what they did to the Japanese, and in case you forgot look up I think it was called Rex 84, a program of the US govt. to pick up and arrest political activists…
WE need to change the terms of the debate and not go along with the discussion as raised by the Demoreuplicans. If we do not change the terms of the debate, we will be going thru this same discussion debate in another few years. Do we really think that migration of our people is going to stop?
if we dont become creative, how are we going to ad vance self-determination for la Raza, and yes the return of land.
Only Self-determination will resolve the various issues confronting our community.
agreed
Orale, I do have the same suspicions that the records will be used, especially when the rednecks of this USAda country have done it in the past.. Even though we seem to have a progressive president on now, he is pushing for various regressive policies and activities (continue war in Iraq, Afganistan, Pakistan, and Colombia and supporting a military coup and dictatorship in Honduras), continues with (Holding prisoners indefinitely, continues to support torture (Bahgrain), and wants to implement military tribunals when the USada supreme court has ruled in favor of Habius Corpus. The excuse for the Japoneses incarceration in concentration camps was that there was a war with Japon, but did not incarcerate the German residents in this country (they are the largest white group of people in this country). The next excuse is already on the Horizon, global warming, in which civil rights will be curtailed and massive enarcerations will be needed for these terrorists (undocumented workers and civil rights organizers).
On the other hand, we will be damned if we do and damned if we don’t. Money can be used to pay for hospitalizations and maybe foodstamps for children born here with undocumented parents.
I’m glad we’re not just goose-stepping behind our so-called “his panic
leaders” or whatever our “heavies” are called that we’re presumed to
follow and obey at the drop of a pin. Let’s face it, many=2
0of these
“chingones” have sold us out to Obama and his gang of democrats so they
can get political kickbacks from these fascist liberals up the road.
“Democrats right or wrong” is these vendidos’ motto. The other side of
this debate may be mostly republicans with their own selfish motives
but that’s okay since both sides are totally wrong on what’s right for
all La Raza in OUR AMERICAS. ruben con safos y que