News and Blogs..

Arizona's... News and Blogs source with the...'Truth'...

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Unions fight back...!

In an effort to keep in with the struggle for the Copper Miners in Arizona I have decided to also blog about the struggle for the Copper Miners in Mexico, which mirror the many cases that Arizona has had dealing blows to the Unions.

The Mining companies have targeted all workers, and in the case of Nacozari and Cannanea they shut down the water  to the miners as well as hospitals.. It is a war waged on the Copper Miners that resonates throughout the Southwest..

This documentary was created to show the struggles that the workers and townspeople have had to deal with against a brutally harsh employer called ..Grupo Mexico..


Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Dream Act Students receive support from the Manzana Foundation..

The Manzana Foundation, was created as a non-profit organization, to help immigrant students receive a college education in Maricopa County..

Arizona Dream Act Students, now have an alternative to attend College Level Courses, that are ...'affordable'... in the County.

This non-profit organization was created by several activist and concerned politicians in the community, who wished to help out the Dreamers, and provide an easier and a more cost effective method to the Maricopa Community College (MCC) system..

The cost to attend a college level course has shot up this year almost 240%, for these immigrant youth. The tuition increase was a critical blow to immigrant students, who have been taking community college classes as a way to continue their education in this post-Prop 300world.

With the help of this enrollment drive by Manzana, the students can now pay $90 per credit hour vs $317 offered currently by MCC..

This tuition increase by MCC, has not deterred the spirit of these very insightful and vibrant youth segment of Arizona.  They continue to strive for higher education, and along with the help of organizations such as the Manzana Foundation, and  Navajo Technical College from New Mexico. The Dreamers will have a pathway for affordable higher education, that will one day lead to a degree.

These two Organizations have partnered up to allow the Dream Act Youth in Maricopa County, an alternative to continue to strive for and receive a college degree. There may be other options, as well, in-the-works. University Level courses may become available, due to the significant interest shown by out of State Educational Institutions willing to offer these courses to these students..

The Dreamers will succeed and prosper, and one day be the future of Arizona..

You can read the press release in its entirety here..

Friday, October 7, 2011

Dream Act Students get affordable alternative to xenophobic Maricopa Community Colleges..


Dream Act Students now have an opportunity to attend affordable college while residing in Maricopa County.

Arizona DREAM Act Coalition, member Viridiana Hernandez, has pointed out the fact that the Maricopa Community College Board, was targeting the immigrant youth who wished to attend higher education courses and advance their potential employment opportunities.

Out-of-state students (or in this case immigrant students) taking six or fewer credit hours pay $96 per credit under the current policies, with a rate increase for more credits. The new rules charge out-of-staters (immigrants once again) $317 per credit, or about $1,000 per class, even if they take a limited schedule.

The targeting of these students came from Debra Pearson, a member of a hate group labeled by the SLPC, called the ...Minutemen...

This group ...'The Minutemen'... as the link mentions, targets not only immigrant students, it targets all Hispanics..

It is this same hate group responsible for the death of 9yr old Mexican/American Brisinia Flores, and her father. They pleaded for their lives in a home invasion that resulted in both of their deaths. As well as the injuries to the mother Gina Marie Gonzales (Mother of Brisinia), the lone survivor of the brutal attack. Gina recently testified in court, resulting in the plaintiffs receiving the death penalty Apr-2011.

In the case of targeting Dream Act Students in Maricopa County, the 230% tuition hike that was sponsored by Debra Person, passed.

The tuition increase for these students, has become the topic of many immigrants rights organizations, as well as activists, and politicians.

Maricopa, remains the only Community College system in Az., that has implemented the tuition hike...as other Counties in Arizona, have refrained from doing so.

Many wishing to help the Dream Act Students , have worked hard at finding and providing these students an alternative.

As in this case of a  Non-Profit Organization called.."Manzana Foundation", this Organization has been working with a partner to make classes affordable. Navajo Technical College, from New Mexico, has agreed to extend satellite classes in Maricopa County, and make them available to the Dream Act Students.

There may be other alternatives, in the works as well, as out-of-state Universities, also have shown interest in educating these students (locally via satellite classes), in the near future.

These monies, of course, could have benefited the State of Arizona, however it chose to send these coffers elsewhere, as it created a hostile environment to educating these young immigrant Dream Act Students.

You can read the press release by the Manzana Foundation by clicking the link here.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Mexican American Studies (Ethnic Studies)..., hearing to proceed..

  • This was directly out of the..."Arizona Capitol Times".. This is the text in its entirety..

    Note: The findings from the ...'independent commission'.. (hired by Tea-Party extremest Huppenthal) are being virtually ..'ignored'.. in their entirety..?
    Huppenthal and Horne are on a mission to take down the program, that was praised by the same commission these Tea-Party politicians hired..? Not to mention, the program has also been found to have an overall ...'positive'.. affect on the students..? 

    There is more.. as the TUSD is not only under a ...'Federal Mandate'.. to keep Ethnic Studies ..  It is also required to expand the program.., according to a court document that found the TUSD out of compliance Federally. They (the Feds) now threaten to withhold up to an estimated 64 Million.... Which is a much larger amount than the States threatened 10%.. 

    *Will the State takes its chances in Court...? [Even though the evidence is stacked against it..?] (probably so)  



    *If it loses in Court, will the State try to create another Anti-Mexican American Studies law..? 


    *What if the State wins (though it does not appear it will?) Will the State decide to withhold the 10% and then risk losing the larger Federal Monies..?(64  Million)

    *What will the State do when it finds itself paying the TUSD the lost Federal Funds..? 

    *Will the TUSD join the teaches and in all likelihood ..win.. the court proceedings..? 

    *Will the TUSD not join the teachers and try to dismantle the successful program from within..?

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Hearing to test ruling against Mexican-American Studies

    By Gary Grado

    Published: August 16, 2011 at 6:11 am
    State Superintendent of Public Instruction John Huppenthal, who ruled that the Tucson Unified School District’s Mexican-American Studies program violates state law, is expected to be called before an administrative hearing later this month to explain his decision. If Huppenthal’s ruling is upheld, the school district could lose 10 percent of its state funding. (File photo)

    Attorneys for Superintendent of Public Instruction John Huppenthal aren’t planning on calling him as a witness in an administrative hearing to defend his findings that Tucson Unified School District’s Mexican American Studies program is race-based and promotes resentment toward a class of people. But that doesn’t mean he isn’t going to be questioned.

    Huppenthal’s spokesman, Andrew LeFevre, said the rationale behind leaving the superintendent off the witness list was to present the testimony of the people in the Department of Education who gathered, reviewed and passed along the information Huppenthal used in his decision-making.

    “It’s not what he decided, but how he decided,” LeFevre said.

    Few motions have been filed in advance of the three-day hearing scheduled to begin Aug. 19, and attorneys aren’t disclosing strategy, but the witness lists for both sides provide a glimpse into their cases.

    For instance, the district is going to call Huppenthal and expects him to explain how he determined the program is violating a law passed in 2010 that bans ethnic studies, and the scope of the investigation that led to his decision.

    The hearing is on the district’s appeal of Huppenthal’s June 15 finding that the Mexican American Studies program puts the district out of compliance. The district could lose up to 10 percent of its state aid money if Huppenthal’s decision stands.

    He is also expected to testify about the audit of the program conducted by Cambium Learning Group. The company found that there was “no observable evidence” to suggest the district was in violation of the law.

    Taking a page from the state’s playbook, the district is not calling its top man either, Superintendent John Pedicone, and relying instead on people who are closer to the program to testify, such as school principals, an assistant superintendent and the leader of the audit for Cambium Learning.

    “He believes and others in the district believe that there are other individuals that have pertinent information regarding the program,” said Heather Gaines, an attorney with DeConcini, MacDonald Yetwin & Lacy, who represents the district. “He’s the superintendent, he’s aware of it, he has certainly a lot of knowledge, but he’s in charge of everything.”

    Huppenthal intends to call Pedicone.

    Huppenthal’s lawyers named 11 witnesses in a list filed with the Office of Administrative Hearings, and two of them are school board members who are either against the program or want to modify it.

    Board member Michael Hicks, a Republican, has called for an end to the program, while Board President Mark Stegeman, a Democrat, has said he has reservations about the program and he unsuccessfully pushed for making the classes elective instead of core graduation credits. Stegeman, a college professor, said he’s never concealed that he believes the classes are too political.

    He said he has already been deposed and was asked about his impressions upon visiting the classes and his opinion on various pieces of evidence.

    “Obviously, I’m not taking the position that we’re in violation of the law because that would contradict the board’s expressed position and be inconsistent with my fiduciary responsibility to the district,” Stegeman said. “The state feels my answers help them in some way or they wouldn’t be asking me to come down.”

    The district isn’t planning on calling any board members.

    Gaines said it is unusual to call individual school board members to testify at administrative hearings because boards function as a body and their actions are a matter of public record that can be introduced as evidence.

    “We don’t think it’s particularly appropriate or relevant to call individual board members as to what they feel or think because we don’t think that relates to the actual issue here, which is compliance with the statute,” Gaines said.

    Huppenthal’s lawyers intend to call two parents of students who were in the program.

    Mary Stevenson is an English teacher in the district whose daughter took Mexican American Studies classes in the last school year.

    According to a June 19 email Stevenson sent to Huppenthal, her daughter was required to attend rallies in support of the program and “Chicano Americans.”

    Stevenson said Latino students grew larger chips on their shoulders as the class progressed and the teacher taught the class that Chicanos have been treated worse than any other culture.

    She said she also found the teacher’s use of the term Chicano offensive because the way he used it placed a label on all people of Mexican or Latin American heritage.

    “I, for one, prefer ‘American,’” Stevenson wrote.

    The other parent doesn’t seem so favorable to Huppenthal’s case at first glance. Irene Corella sent the superintendent a

    Jan. 24 email saying she and her daughter are conservative and are against “this whole taking away ethnic studies” and if that happens she will vote Democrat in the next election and persuade her friends and family to do the same.

    “I believe her perspective changed as her child went through the program,” said Huppenthal’s attorney, Bryan Murphy of the firm Burch and Cracchiolo.

    Huppenthal is also going to call two teachers from the program, but their attorney is trying to limit their testimony because of a pending lawsuit against Huppenthal.

    The program has been in existence since 1998, but it came under the scrutiny of Huppenthal’s predecessor, Tom Horne, current attorney general. In 2006, civil rights activist Dolores Huerta told a group of Mexican American Studies students that Republicans hate Latinos.

    Horne wrote and advocated for HB2281, which prohibits classes that promote the overthrow of the U.S. government, promote resentment toward a race or class of people, are designed primarily for pupils of a particular ethnic race and advocate ethnic solidarity instead of treating pupils as individuals..

    The law took effect Jan. 1 and Horne in his last hours as superintendent found the Tucson program out of compliance.

    Rather than upholding Horne’s findings, Huppenthal hired Cambium Learning Group in March to audit the program.

    Huppenthal found the district in violation of three of the four prohibitions, saying that the audit was flawed because most of it was beyond the scope of determining compliance and the classroom visits by auditors were too short in duration and announced ahead of time. The program teachers, 11 of whom are suing Huppenthal in federal court, also refused to cooperate with the audit.

    Huppenthal said he based his findings on textbooks, class materials and the program’s website.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Citizens for a Better Arizona (CBA), posts statement on Russell Pearce recall..

Russell  Pearce has attacked the group trying to recall him. 

He has called this group ..."outsiders", ..."open borders liberals", and more.. He has filed a lawsuit against the State of Arizona, for certifying over 10,000 signatures to recall him. He is seemingly threatened as his political career is nearing its end.. This statement was posted on a blog by those who have been targeted by his constant attacks..The quote is from Chad Snow, who along with Randy Paraz and 'Citizens for a Better Arizona' are behind his recall.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chad Snow
Chuck Coughlin was right - politics is a team sport.  The voters of Mesa can now decide which team they want to be on. 

Russell Pearce has pursued a very extreme agenda at the legislature and has been an enemy of education and our state's economy.  He has clearly become a tool of outside special interests like CCA, ALEC, FAIR, and the Fiesta Bowl.  His only supporters at this point are lobbyists.  He has been dishonest with the voters of Mesa with regard to his involvement in the Fiesta Bowl, his ties to Neo Nazi's, the recall effort, and many other issues.  He has presided over the most divisive, polarizing period in our state's history. 

"Team Lewis" on the other hand, has shown that they will take the high road and reintroduce integrity and comity to the state legislature.  He will unite our state rather than divide it.  He will focus on issues that are higher on the priority list like education, health care, and economic growth.  He can restore the credibility of the state Republican party, which has recently too often backed extreme, one-issue ideologues like Pearce, Arpaio, and Thomas. 

Which team are you on? 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This statement posted from Chad Snow of the Group Citizens for a better Arizona.. CBA Jul-27-2011

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Tucson Students stand up in solidarity...



 The youth of Tucson and several other groups, including Civil Rights Activist and Unions,  joined efforts to battle the attacks on Chicano Studies.. 

These protesters took on the TUSD Chairperson John Pedicone, and the attacks by Tom Horne, who has targeted this 'ethnic minority'.. with passage of hb2281. 
Over the past two years, the Ethnic Studies Program in Tucson has been subjected to a controversial and costly witch hunt by Attorney General Tom Horne.

This law sponsored by Steve Montegnegro was backed by Russell Pearce who's relentless attacks on Hispanics continue today. They include forwarding racist letters, and having racist letters read on the Senate Floor by fellow GOP Senator Laurie Klein. 

Todays protest marks a milestone in the struggle for equality in Az., as the Hispanic Community as a whole has been targeted by the extremist  who are in control of Az. This comes shortly after the one year anniversary of the signing of sb1070 or the ...'papers please' ..or...'guilty while brown'...law.. 

...“Just like the people of Wisconsin took a stand and said ‘enough is enough’, the youth of Tucson are standing up and letting it be known that they are fed up with these attacks on their education and on their future. They have been under relentless assault by Tom Horne, John Huppenthal, and by the Arizona State Legislature, and they have had enough,” said Sal Baldenegro, Jr., a TUSD Ethnic Studies alum and member of the Southern Arizona Unity Coalition. “As Arizonans, we absolutely must stand behind our youth and say ‘enough is enough’ with these attacks on their education. There has never been a more critical time to stand behind our children as they fight for their rights and for their futures.”

The students brought a taste of Wisconsin to Arizona, as they peacefully chained themselves to the TUSD chairs, in solidarity of the continued and relentless attacks on their education. 

Protests will continue, until the attacks have ceased.. 

Courtesy  jeffbiggers alternet.org

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Babeu targets prominent and well respected Hispanic, Pete Rios....as protests loom at Arizona's Capitol..



 As Arizona continues its all out assault on the Hispanic Community, or 1/3 of the States minority population.

Protesters make their first amendment rights heard. This week the Capitol is a staging point for all the protests that the Anti-Hate movement is fighting against.

Most of the hate bills brought up by known Anti-Hispanic Russell Pearce, are being fought against by the several groups. Though some other bills including; those opposed to the death panels bills have all joined in on the frey.
Arizona once a normal State is now better known as Hate Central.

In this series of the Hate in Arizona, some have questioned why this news is not reported or suppressed? It is due to the acceptance of Hate as being mainstream, which was clever move on the part of Arpaio, Thomas, Babeu, Horne, and of course Pearce.

Hispanics all have targets placed on them by the Hate engulfed in Az.

Babeu yesterday, targeted a prominent and well respected long time Arizona politician for opposing his Anti-Hispanic agenda in Pinal County. Former State Sen Pete Rios, found himself a 'Hispanic Victim' of the Sheriff.

Babeu, known for his untruths and his support of his former Deputy Purroll, in the wake of sb1070, and his 'danged fence' ads with McCain, during the campaign.

Purrolls claims of being fired upon by Hispanics, while on 'routine' patrol alone in the vast and empty desert were questioned and debunked? These issues with Purrolls claims, and the threat on a reporter from the New Times, left Babeu in a difficult Poston? He ultimately fired him, as this was done as damage control for the bigger movement of Hate.

Babue, was also accurately depicted as being a bigot towards Hispanics in the infamous Oracle Billboard.
He now takes his hate and directs it to Rios, who opposed his request for border funds, as Pinal County lies almost 100 miles from the border. (note: 5 million dollars were allocated to Babeu by the same State legislators, who said there was no money in the coffers to prevent the Deaths of Transplant patients, though there was enough to hunt Hispanics?) 
Meanwhile, Pinal County is and has become a sanctuary county for Meth Addicts. They roam freely and victimize residents from Eloy, Casa Grande, San Manuel, Dudleyville, Kearny, Superior, Mammoth, and even the County Seat of Florence. They leave many victims in their wake.

The residents of Pinal, have voiced their frustrations to the Sheriff, yet he is concentrated and focused on Hispanic hunting.

Pinal County and Maricopa county both have become sanctuary counties for felons, and in Pinal's case...., a free for all for Meth Addicts.

The protesters have tried to make this point heard to the politicians in control of making the laws?Sadly it has fell on deaf ears, thus far. Today's issues lie only in the continued assault on Hispanics, the poor, and those in need of transplants. 
This is the New Jim Crow age in AZ.. 

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Abuse of the Constitution.. Hispanic US Citizens are now suppressed of their Civil Rights..Arizona



The hate has come to a boiling point amongst its own moment. 
The bigots who have occupied this once diverse State. Now only 'follow' the Constitution when they feel like it..? The worst part, is the 'hate' has become so mainstream that it appears to not only be condoned, it is readily encouraged and excepted. 
Hispanics have been targeted throughout the history of this State.
I have published blogs about the history here and the 'White' community -at odds- with the Hispanic community, for no other reason than 'being brown'..
They have been segregated, relocated, punished in the classrooms, poisoned, arrested, racially profiled, victimized by racist, and even murdered by bigots who hate minorities.   
Its appears to be open season on Hispanics. No-one who is of this ethinc minority appears to be imune? ............As the blogs I published, have mentioned.
Citizens who are Hispanic are now being singled out and targeted from their Constitution Civil Rights-- provided to them by the First Amendment. 
Several Hispanic Citizens, who peacefully showed their opposition to Anti-Hispanic Legislation recently,  were not only escorted out of a building that belongs to the taxpayers, some were cited and arrested. 
When persons are dictating the law due to their bigoted or prejudicail beliefs, (As has happened in the past (Alabama) now appears to be happening here?) this form or practice steps on the CivilRights of ALL who oppose any legislation, proposed or otherwise. 
Freedoms of Americans are guaranteed this in the Bill Of Rights. These Civil Rights are to be given equally to ALL of its citizens regardless of race, religion, ethnic background, etc. 
Arizona has become the exception. 
Russell Pearce, the Senate president has now picked and chose whether Hispanic Citizens can be there?  He is known for all the Anti-Hispanic Legislation that has been proposed over and over in Arizona. Including SB1070, some of which subsequently caused several hate crimes to occur to Arizonas Hispanic Citizens. Including the murder of US Citizens Juan Varela, Daniel Rodriguez, and 9yr old Bresinia Flores and her father. 
He is also known for associating with National Socialist JT Ready.
Ready a well known anti-immigrant vigilante, recently revealed that Pearce and his family openly welcomed him to his home and his church. Even sponsoring him into his LDS faith. He went on to allegedly quote.. "Russell Pearce and myself openly cracked Mexican jokes under his own porch.." 
It is not hard to come to the conclusion and see the bigotry deeply entrenched in the Senator? He is and will continue to focus on Hispanics, as long as the hate-trend allows him to do so. 
With todays fuel atmosphere of hate, this movement has now turned into an out of control avalanche. 
Carlos Galindo, and several other Hispainc Citizens were told this week that they were banned from State owned Senate building...? Sal Reza was arrested for trespassing on it..? 
This was all done in a building which belongs to the taxpayers, which both Reza and Galindo are. (Courtesy of ...(ahem)... Russell Pearce, as reported by the media. )
These persons are Citizens of the United States, and their only crime was to exercise their First amendment right of "Freedom of Speech, not to mention Freedom of Assembly and Freedom of the Press", as Galindo is a member of the press. 
The hate in Arizona has taken a new direction and instead of 'protecting' its citizens? They are suppressing them and targeting them due to their ethic backgrounds..
While the media continues to focus their attentions on Civil Rights issues in the Middle East ..? Arizona is in its own  attempt of -modern day ethic cleansing..
Regards,
Truth 

Hispanic Child and Father killed by Hate-Filled Vigilantes.. Arizona



The 'New-Hate' that has swept over this State, is now evident. If your are a Hispanic you have a target on you. It crosses all lines of this demographic.. My last blog it focused on the fact that, even being a Vet you are not immune from this.? 
More and more, as the Hate-Fest takes root, the cloudier the State becomes, when it comes to its Hispanic minority.
Several of the regular blog commentors have already expressed this fact over and over.
What is clouded, is not their judgments as far as understanding what is right or wrong, but more so the fact that they condone this behavior to occur to Citizens of Hispanic Descent in this day and time.. Repeatedly this group condones this message to the small immigrant population, but in the cases I have brought, up, they seem to condone this to occur to US Citizens who are guilty of nothing more than being brown..?
In this instance, a 'White on Brown' crime occurred of the worst magnitude. 
Brisinia Flores and her family became targets of the Hate in this State. 
A vigilante hate group, that called itself:  Minutemen American Defense Group. targeted and killed 9 year old Brisinia and her Father, as their wounded mother (Gina) looked on. She recounts Brisina begging for her life as she states..
..."stands there and loads the gun right in front of her. I can hear her say, 'Please don't shoot me.'"...
as her daughter begged for her life to the shooters.. 
.........."Brisenia's crying and asking, 'Why did you shoot my dad?' " as the mother remembered. "He tells her it's going to be OK. 'No one's going to hurt you,' but she keeps asking, 'Why did you shoot my dad?"........
..This is what no-one-- with the exception of the 'hate' that engulfs this State --wishes to hear..?
 ......"Then, one gunshot. Followed by another....She saw her daughter fly back,"..... Gina recalled tearfully.
After the hate group left Gina, grabbed her daughter and tearfully said..
..."She was shaking like crazy and I was telling her not to die on me,"...
Within a few seconds they returned and found the mother alive, holding her daughter, 
....at this stage even though they returned, Gina managed to find a weapon and fend them off.. and call for help.  
I mentioned this hate, taking a toll on its Hispanic Citizens, in this case it did so on an an entire family... and...  has done so on an entire ethnic community as well. This incident is a reminder to those who think that 'sweeping it under the rug.. or.. fanning the flames' of this is, as being acceptable.. You can now see why it is not..
Shawna Forde the leader of this home invasion, and hate groups mission to attack this family, has been found guilty this week.. It is also important to know that..Forde has ties to multiple right-wing groups, including the Minutemen American Defense, a border vigilante group that polices the border with their own guns and surveillance equipment, the tea-party, and FAIR, the anti-immigration group that helped design Arizona’s SB 1070.
Her sentencing is scheduled for later this week as the Jury is tasked with deliberating whether or not she will face the death penalty.. 
Regards,
Truth

Hispanic Veterans targeted.. Arizona



A Vet is considered to have served his country, and done so in an Honorable fashion.. This statement holds true in just about everywhere you turn in the US..
The exception to this is of course is.. Arizona..
Arizona has been on the 'Hate' wave for some time, as I posted on my previous blogs..
In this case; the State has now pushed this hate wave to a new level.
In April of 2010, Governor Brewer signed controversial bill SB1070 into law. This law requires Hispanics who have been stopped by police to 'show their papers'.. meanwhile the 'white' community in all likely hood--would not be required to provide this same type of documentation..? This subject will be covered in this Hate Series, as todays focus is on the Vets who have been targeted.. 
Many are aware of the Decorated Vets who served this country Honorably.... In some cases due to issues with their citizenship, they were subsequently deported after their service to this country..? This has been prevalent in the US, as previously the US Government had an agreement with the Philippine Government and actively recruited Nationals from there to serve in the US Armed Forces..In return, the US would get places to locate their overseas bases.. This was not limited to that country as many served here Honorably. Though, many were from other countries, most were from Mexico, and after their service they were kicked out and deported..
The US Governments policies have not changed, as this still occurs today. Many are eligible to receive some of the militaries highest honors, including service above and beyond their call of duty.. Yet they are still not welcomed to live here..? 
This issue, is not to highlight these terrible occurrences of Vets being targeted from other countries..? This subject will be covered on another blog as well..
In this case.. this blog is more to focus on US Citizens of Hispanic Descent, being targeted due to the hate movement behind Brewers SB1070 law.. 
In this case; Mexican/American Veteran --Felix Gonzalez.
This decorated long time Armed Forces member and Hero to our country, was one of the 'first' victims to be targeted during the SB1070 fallout.. He is NOT an immigrant, he is the son of a Mexican American father and a mother with Spanish roots. 
Gonzalez, a Post Commander of the American Legion Hall in Apache Junction Az., one of the largest Posts with over 2500 members. Was holding a regular session of his Veterans Organization, and during the regular business.. He and his ethnicity were singled out. 
During this meeting, that occurred in the aftermath of SB1070, a large portion of the membership decided to call a vote to ban the Mexican American holiday ..'Cinco de Mayo'.. 
There are two thoughts that were mentioned as to why..? Both are stemming from 'the New Hate sweeping over Az'.. 
One was: This celebration is not celebrated in Mexico, so we do not need it here.?
Incorrect... It is very much so celebrated here and, as in the Capitol of Mexico, not to mention: the small villages -all- stop and remember the tiny Mexican town that fended off the invading French.. 
The follow up to that thought would be..?  
Indeed, if it were not celebrated in Mexico, it was only celebrated here..? Should it not be  considered a Mexican/American Holiday, rather than a Mexican Holiday..? 
It is everywhere else ----but in the State of Arizona.
To most of Arizona Hispanic Citizens, that comprised of 1/3 of the States population -they so affectionately have come know Arizona as the 'State of Hate'.. In this case you can see why..?
During this meeting and targeting of ONLY the ethic Holiday (as no others were ever brought up?)  
World War II veteran Harry Robert Warren quoted:...
...."I was kind of horrified that they would do something like that..."
He cast the lone descending vote against it, as only him and Gonzalez opposed this hateful attack on  the Mexican American Holiday...
Gonzales went on to state..
...."It caught me by total surprise,......It blindsided me the way it was put on the floor.....I've been commander one year, and if it were really that way I would not be commander."
Furthermore he went on to state..
...."A lot of people don't know the reason for having St. Patrick's Day, either," .....said Gonzalez, a 24-year Air Force veteran.....
Arizonas New Hate is now on its avalanche mode as its 'targeting' of Hispanics has now taken on its proud Heroes.. (Note: no other holiday was targeted in this Post..before or since this occurrence.. )
In part -9 of this series, Hispanic Citizens who have become victims of  Hate and Bigotry courtesy of The New Hate Movement....and its leader Russell Pearce.. 
Regards,
Truth