Showing posts with label opinion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label opinion. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

The ugly side of not speaking English? Indiana’s SB 590 Attacks Immigrants and their Languages

This posting was inspired based on an article I read   dated January 14, 2011  from Hispanically Speaking News titled: “Indiana’s SB 590 Attacks Immigrants and their Languages” - this  is the link 
These words reflect my opinions and are sardonic in tone. They do not intended to insult anyone living or dead. Hopefully you will find this entertaining and and at best humorous.  
Remember though: 
"A joke is a very serious thing". 
                                  Winston Churchill
Being allowed to act on “reasonably suspicious” premises may totally eclipse prejudice; it reminds me of the fascist practices imposed by the Nazis during WWII. 
Please let me know about your thoughts on being questioned to proof your identity on the basis of your looks, that is, on the grounds of being "reasonable suspicious". 
Visible minorities, who are residents of Indiana, should not be afraid these days, you live in the “developed” world and this is the year 2011.  The probability of being questioned because the pimple on your nose is ugly, or because your accent is foreign, or because you prefer to speak in a foreign language is absolutely zero!  Believe me; all officers in Indiana are reasonable except when suspicious.    
If the color of your skin you wear is not within the “norm” it should not be a problem to you either; however, it may be a little controversial (if not illegal) if on top of your color your moves betray you as suspiciously gay!   But now seriously speaking, never mind if your loose apparel reveals you ethnicity or religious believes (touchy subject, mind me writing so small). Don’t worry for any of these totally insignificant stereotypes my dear friendly; minority looking resident of Indiana.  I am absolutely sure that it is still safe to J-walk there! 
One should only be fearful of “reasonable suspiciousness” if you are an innocent white Polish immigrant going through the control gates at the Vancouver international airport… There, the authorities mercilessly greet those of that kind with powerful Taser stun guns! (Robert Dziekanski – RIP Nov. 2007) But then, Indiana is not in Canada and thus one more reason not to be fearful. 
The truth is that legislators in the State of Indiana are reasonable persons and wish to protect your civil rights – they are only after illegal humans and not you. What???? Did I say that right?… illegal humans? – How can it be illegal to be a human? … Trust me there are illegal humans amongst us. There is nothing to hide about it any more. This was on the Wiki leaks cables, but even Mr JA (the big mouth!) had his reservations about going public with this one, but I will not!  
Legislators are mainly concerned about persecuting mutant aliens coming from outer space that look suspiciously human; these are the culprits of all things that go wrong in Indiana, they are dangerous to society, and the world is being invaded as we speak… watch out for them as they are lurking in your neighborhood, and we know for a fact that Indiana is a preferred destination! 
Now you have the real picture and an explanation of the truth,  Please tell the world that you read it in my blog!  If you still want to play it safe, my other best advice for you to evade being singled out in public, is to mind flatulence that smells too spicy – that will certainly get you in trouble, unless of course, you can blame it on someone else! 
Cheers. 
Cesar Macher
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Here is a copy of the article:


"Indiana State Sen. Mike Delph, R- Carmel not only wants to implement a Arizona style bill but wants to bar the use of any language but English in most government transactions.
“We’re taking the handcuffs off of law enforcement. We’re holding employers who are thumbing their noses at the law accountable. And we’re lifting up the English language,” Delph said Friday.
Opposition groups fear the bill will lead to profiling and hurting businesses in the state.
“I’m worried that the unintended consequences of what he’s doing is to put a sign on our state saying we don’t want immigrants,” said John Livengood, co-chairman of the Alliance for Immigration Reform in Indiana, a coalition of groups that want to see immigration reforms left to the feds.
Senate Bill 590 is a thirty page proposal and includes:
-requires state and local law enforcement officers who stop anyone for violating a law or ordinance to ask for proof that the person is here legally if the officers have “reasonable suspicion” that the person is not a citizen or legal visitor
- Businesses that hire illegal immigrants can be shut down.
- Most government transactions, documents and meetings would be in English. The state would shut down their Spanish language portal and printing forms, ballots in other languages
-The state will bill to Congress for reimbursement of all costs for undocumented residents in Indiana.
-No financial aid, scholarships or grants for education at U of I and would have to pay out of state tuition.
- Cities and counties would be barred from limiting the enforcement of federal immigration laws.( No Sanctuary Cities)
According to the Pew Hispanic Center, Indiana was estimated to have 120,000 illegal immigrants in 2009, up from 10,000 in 1990.
“This is going to lead to profiling almost surely,” Livengood , Alliance for Immigration Reform in Indiana co-chair, said. “Our biggest fear—my biggest fear—is that Indiana becomes known as a state where immigrants aren’t welcome.”
Rep. Mara Candelaria Reardon, a Hammond Democrat who is one of two Hispanics in the legislature, agreed.
“While I don’t condone illegal activity, it’s pretty foolhardy to pass a bill modeled after a bill being litigated in federal court,” she said.
The bill has already been promised a hearing in the Senate Pensions and Labor Committee. Ten senators have signed on as co-sponsors, and Delph expects more.
He predicted: “This is going to fly.”
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the article also features on our facebook page, this is what a friend of mine had to say about it:
Oswaldo Trigueiros
It seems the republicans have nothing better to do, than blame immigrants for their failures, so instead of working on positive attitudes to generate employment, better working conditions for their states they sit around and waste their time on coming up onlaws based on prejudice. I guess they should have listened to MLK speech.
I agree everybody should speak english, and not only in the US but everywhere, its the language for doing business, plus we dont any more laws regulating our lives, we have to keep the Govt out of our lives.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Change (the only constant)

     I am attempting to be more disciplined but I did not go swimming last night.  Time just slipped past me as I was trying to fix my laptop (my Skype is running too slowly)... but with a few exceptions I am going to the gym and pool almost every day these days... it is part of a self-imposed "discipline" a Spartan revival of sorts in preparation for big challenges that are looming around the corner. “Mens sana in corpore sano”.
     The topic of this blog came up as I reminisced about the day I was having a cup of coffee with a dear friend about two weeks ago.  In the middle of our conversation and without pretensions on my side, the following phrase slipped from my mouth:
    “You know something my dear… change is the only constant in my life”. 
     But as I said that, she interrupted me in the only way she knows how to interrupt, that is, very gracefully.  She repeated my words slowly looked straight at me and smiled.
     “I love what you just said”, her eyes sparkled with admiration “change is the only constant in your life”. 
     At that point she made me reflect and those words echoed with meaning!
   “Yes, so true” I said, “as paradoxical as it sounds, change is the only constant in my life; I feel like a rolling stone for I will never gather moss”. 
Considering the deleterious consequences of my inability to grow mo$$ as the privileged do, I would say that my remark is an accurate assessment of how I have lived my life so far.
    My friend is such a precious gem, those that pirates like Eaglehook would like to retain very dearly at any favorite port!  If I were to describe her most prominent attributes, I would certainly include her enchanting femininity and alluring scent!  Oh my goodness …. Hot, hot  “candela mujer”!   I love the way she makes me feel important and much wiser than I truly am! 
     For those of you who are not familiar with my blog, Eaglehook the pirate is the main character of a spicy fairy tale I have started and that is still on the works.  He is a survivor, and for that he needs to be responsive to change otherwise he will be defeated by the witch of prejudice.  He is committed to save the Queen (of all desires) from this hideous witch, but instead got himself trapped by a platoon of three-headed hounds and grotesque goblins sent by the witch.  Now he lays captured in a dark dungeon, left to rot! 
     Eaglehook not unlike his utmost foe, the witch, is also a master of deception; I am certain that he will get himself out of that hole.  He has the unbending will of a hero and lives his life accordingly. He is resolute to the point that he would be willing to sacrifice his flesh and in turn have his invincible spirit execute his ultimate maneuver to save his loving Queen.
     I admire his high standards and tonight I wish take him out of the dungeon so that we can learn from him in a different way... Let’s recall what I wrote about him back in April last year, on the episode called “The Witch of Prejudice”. 


Fly to burn (cm Apr/09)
For a taste of your black magic
Wicked witch let me succumb;
And be devoured by the rats
That infest in your filthy dungeon.
You have captured me in good time;
Go ahead and let me die
For the flesh that you have caught
Lives a the spirit of a moth
Thwart your plan is my delight
Spin and gyre round your lamp
Wings in smoke I drop my poison
Drink to implode your wicked soul.



     There you go, that was a snapshot of his spirit - cheers, to you Eaglehook. 


A world traveler, he has circumnavigated the oceans countless times. That is why when I think of him I imagine him provisioning the “Black Pearl” in preparation for his next adventure. Of course along with his dozen crew of loyal buccaneers, who as the story goes are half-human and half-ghost for they have been cursed to remain in that amorphous stated by the wicket witch herself!    

Sunday, January 4, 2009

Give Peace a Chance.

"All we are saying is give peace a chance" - John Lennon


This is my first posting in English. I have started my blog on the first day of this year. I don’t have a concrete idea of where I am heading so it is fair to say that at the moment I am drifting with the tides.

Deep inside of me however, there is a character unlike the funny caricature of the pirate I have chosen to represent me in my blogger profile. This person feels more like “Santiago” the protagonist that features in Ernest Hemingway’s novel “The Old Man and the Sea” – perhaps there is a Merlin out there waiting for me that will measure my character… That is what I want to find out.

Unlike the lyric posts that I made in Spanish, this one is VIOLENT, it is about people killing people… it is a bout a senseless insanity that spreads like a plague … Do you have any thought as to how to end this madness? Please share them with me with one condition: DO NOT TAKE SIDES THAT KILL because all sides (that kill) are equally wrong.


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Jan 06 - '09
I brought Gabriela's comment here to the front to emphasize her answer with a picture...
Gabriela wrote: "All I know is: an eye for an eye... and we'll all become blind. Apparently and sadly, this is happening. And as I see it, it's all pointless. January 5, 2009 5:36 PM"