Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

[South Texas:]Vasquez: Valley veterans will fight to block anti-immigrant bills
Rio Grande Guardian ^ | November 23, 2010 | Steve Taylor

Posted on 11/24/2010 11:27:21 AM PST by SwinneySwitch

WESLACO, Nov. 23 - Those who attended an RGV Equal Voice Network meeting on Tuesday agreed that the most powerful remarks came from Commander Josemaria Vasquez, of the American GI Forum.

The meeting was held to kick start a Valley coalition opposed to the anti-immigrant bills that have been filed in advance of the legislative session that starts in Austin in January.

Vasquez, a Vietnam War veteran, explained that last Saturday he attended a seminar at the San Antonio Convention Center that included U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Arizona. During the seminar there was a slide show with photos of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio handing out soft toys to the children of undocumented parents.

“Arpaio has a trunk full of toys to give to the children so they will stop crying when they take the parents away. Those are U.S. citizens. Those are our kids. This is what’s got me really riled up, and a lot of veterans. This is why we are here,” Vasquez said.

The title of the panel discussion in San Antonio was “Arizona’s SB 1070 and the Future of Immigration." It was hosted by the American Studies Association. Vasquez said one of the professors on the panel said that when children in Arizona talk to each other, they say, “Hey, you are a 1070.”

“That is dehumanizing our kids. That is what got me angry,” Vasquez said.

Under SB 1070, if an undocumented immigrant is identified by law enforcement in Arizona, he or she can be prosecuted and deported. The bill makes failure to carry immigration documents a misdemeanor. It also gives the police broad powers to detain anyone suspected of being in the country illegally.

Vasquez told the Equal Voice group that, proportionately, the Valley provides as many if not more members of the armed services than any other region of the United States.

“The Rio Grande Valley per capita contributes more to the freedoms of this nation and it is not for this,” Vasquez said, referring to the Arizona legislation. He said that 35 Valley soldiers have died in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. “They did not die for this, we are not dying for this to come back and bite us in the ass,” he said. “This is a wake up call to all of us. We need to defend our constitution and our citizens.”

There was loud applause when Vasquez finished his remarks. “That is very powerful, commander, thank you,” said Salomon Torres, co-host of the Equal Voice event and district director for Congressman Rubén Hinojosa.

Interviewed afterwards by the Guardian, Vasquez expanded upon his remarks.

“What I learned from the San Antonio seminar really angered me,” Vasquez said. “Why are we dying out in foreign countries so they can have what we have and here we are destroying it ourselves? I do not understand the logic of that.”

Vasquez said the American GI Forum was formed at the end of World War II to fight for veterans and the civil rights of Hispanics. He predicted that the group would lead the way in the Valley and across Texas in blocking Arizona-type legislation from being passed by the state legislature.

“Our veterans have families and those families are part of our community. When the community is affected the veteran is affected. This issue is not just about an illegal immigrant or an undocumented immigrant, whatever you want to call us, it is our entire community,” Vasquez said.

Vasquez said the fact that non-Hispanic lawmakers from other parts of the state are filing anti-Hispanic anti-immigrant bills has to be a wake-up call for the people of the Valley.

“We cannot stay dormant. We need to fight with everything we have got. It is coming this way and we have to put a block on it and tell Texas and the United States of America, we are not going to allow this. This is not what our people are fighting for.”

In addition to being a regional commander for the American GI Forum, Vasquez leads America’s Last Patrol in the Valley. He lives in Elsa, Texas.


TOPICS: Mexico; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: aliens; border; deport; deportation; illegalaliens; illegals; immigrantlist; immigration; mexico; veterans
"...anti-immigrant bills"

There you go again, Steve!

1 posted on 11/24/2010 11:27:30 AM PST by SwinneySwitch
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: tuffydoodle; secondamendmentkid; re_nortex; Lorianne; Wage Slave; HushTX; HoustonCurmudgeon; ...

Ping!

If you want on, or off this S. Texas/Mexico ping list, please FReepMail me.


2 posted on 11/24/2010 11:32:32 AM PST by SwinneySwitch (Nemo me impune lacessit)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SwinneySwitch

If they do not want their children to be “dehumanized”, then the illegals should not be here and risk that happening to their children. Just because some Hispanics serve and have served in the military, does not give a blank slate for all illegals to be here and take advantage of our systems.


3 posted on 11/24/2010 11:34:17 AM PST by NEMDF
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SwinneySwitch

U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Arizona is rabid! It is the only English word I know to describe this ‘person’.

I would note that based on the good CONgescritters own statements - he indicates that he is a Mexican and not an American. Cultural pride is one thing, this cat is over the top.

How he got reelected is a wonder to me.....


4 posted on 11/24/2010 11:37:49 AM PST by ASOC (What are you doing now that Mexico has become OUR Chechnya?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SwinneySwitch

So what prevents the children from going back to central America with their parents? The tactic of using children as human shields in supporting illegal invasion is repulsive.


5 posted on 11/24/2010 11:38:48 AM PST by epithermal
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: epithermal

Illegal is Illegal. No more catch and release....DEPORT!


6 posted on 11/24/2010 11:51:13 AM PST by WellyP
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: SwinneySwitch

(Arpaio has a trunk full of toys to give to the children so they will stop crying when they take the parents away.)It almost seems like they are saying as long we have kids , we just hold them up, and this is why the law is not suppose to apply to us.Do they use these same tactics in Mexico ?


7 posted on 11/24/2010 12:12:33 PM PST by moonshinner_09
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SwinneySwitch

The left always uses “the children” emotion to get people to accept their radical ideas. It works very well on women voters, unfortunately.


8 posted on 11/24/2010 12:16:59 PM PST by HwyChile
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SwinneySwitch

Not this “Valley Veteran”. Secure the border and send em home!


9 posted on 11/24/2010 12:42:58 PM PST by carjic (Laid off since Dec 08...HELP!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SwinneySwitch
undocumented parents.

So they can't prove they have kids?


Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.

10 posted on 11/24/2010 12:59:50 PM PST by The Comedian (Government: Saving people from freedom since time immemorial.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 1_Inch_Group; 2sheep; 2Trievers; 3AngelaD; 3pools; 3rdcanyon; 4Freedom; 4ourprogeny; 7.62 x 51mm; ..

Ping!


11 posted on 11/24/2010 3:21:59 PM PST by HiJinx (I can see Mexico from the back porch...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NEMDF

Just because they are born here, doesn’t mean that the kids can’t go to Mexico with their parents.
And if they are raised in Mexico with their parents then they may not be “subject to the juristiction” of the US.


12 posted on 11/25/2010 10:59:49 AM PST by donmeaker ("Get off my lawn." Clint Eastwood, Green Ford Torino)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson