Group compares Turks in Germany, Hispanics in Texas

Express-News ^ | 06/04/2005 | John MacCormack

[SwinneySwitch]

Can a Hispanic be an American without feeling conflict?

That question was posed Friday by a European journalist to Sen. Leticia Van de Putte on the opening day of a trans-Atlantic forum on immigration and border issues sponsored by the German Marshall Fund.

The three-day conference involved two dozen invited journalists as well as such political luminaries as John Bruton, the former Irish prime minister, and Jorge Castaneda, former foreign minister of Mexico.

"The whole idea is to bring together European and American journalists who work on similar issues, so they can broaden their horizons and network," said Ursula Soyez of the German Marshall Fund.

The organization was created in 1972 with an endowment from the German government as an expression of appreciation for America's post-World War II aid and also to promote better German-American relations.

Among the European countries represented by journalists were Serbia, Ukraine, Ireland, Spain, Germany, France and Poland.

Van de Putte, D-San Antonio, appeared on an afternoon panel beside Cem Ozdemir, a member of the European Parliament, and the first Turkish-German to win a seat in the German Parliament.

And for two hours Friday, the group compared the situations of Turkish minorities in Germany and Mexican Americans in Texas, finding as many differences as similarities.

"I come from a country, Germany, that does not have a lot of experience with diversity," said Ozdemir, whose parents immigrated to Germany.

"And if you are talking about the immigrant problem in Germany, you are talking about the Turks," he said.

Despite being born in Germany, Ozdemir said, he is often introduced as "a Turk with a German passport," implying his citizenship is of a lesser category than other native-born Germans.

In Germany, he said, the Turks keep to themselves, are not politically active, and in turn are largely ignored by all but left-wing political candidates. The burning question is: Should they be assimilated or allowed to remain apart?

Van de Putte, a ninth-generation Texan, said "enlightened self-interest" by state leaders has ensured far more harmonious ethnic relations here than in other states with large Hispanic populations — such as California, where anti-immigrant factions are far stronger.

"As long as Wall Street and corporate America cater to Latinos, the economic power will drive the political power," she said.

And, Van de Putte told the European reporters, American Latinos are not at all shy about involving themselves in the political process and demanding their share of the pie.

"Latinos are very radical. We want our kids to go to good schools, we want our streets to be safe, we want the right to vote and we want good health care," she said.

And, she said, in the future, Latinos will play a far greater role in America.

"A lot of people are very upset about it, but the tsunami is coming and there's nothing they can do about it," she said.

The conference, which is being held at the La Mansion Hotel, will conclude Sunday.

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jmaccormack@express-news.net

[SwinneySwitch]

"A lot of people are very upset about it, but the tsunami is coming and there's nothing they can do about it," Leticia Van de Putte said.

[SwinneySwitch]

Van de Putte Ping!

Please FReepmail me if you want on or off this South Texas/Mexico ping list.

[slapshot]

looking at her "way before" photo in the following post, does the tsunami she refers to her sprint from her seat to the front of the buffet line?

What else was this ballena in the news for recently?

[Americanexpat]

They want good schools, safe streets, right to vote and good health care. None of which these illegal aliens have paid for or contributed to. You can tell she is a Democrat, and the reason she wants all these illegals in the country is to broaden her political base. Parasites like these are destroying this country. The danger is that when people start bragging that they will force their will down out throats and there is nothing we can do about it there are people out there willing to prove her wrong. One of these days it won¡t be border patrol and unarmed minutemen meeting the illegals at the border it will be armed vigilantes.

[monkeywrench]

"A lot of people are very upset about it, but the tsunami is coming and there's nothing they can do about it," Leticia Van de Putte said.

I take comfort in two things. Lefties NEVER think far enough ahead. And they're always wrong. Always.

[DumpsterDiver]

Can a Hispanic be an American without feeling conflict?

The only "conflict" would be one that has been self-imposed.

The three-day conference involved ... such political luminaries as Jorge ["the whole enchilada"] Castaneda, former foreign minister of Mexico.

Van de Putte said [there are] far more harmonious ethnic relations here [in Texas] than in other states ... — such as California, where anti-ILLEGAL immigrant factions are far stronger.

And, she said, in the future, Latinos will play a far greater role in America. "A lot of people are very upset about it, but the tsunami is coming and there's nothing they can do about it," she said.

Throwing down the gauntlet, is she?

[wireplay]

Hispanics in Texas aren't foreigners. Their culture is integrated into the culture of Texas and it is part of the Texan history. Religions are the same, food is integrated, history is bound. No comparison of the two. Germany also doesn't have the Texan spirit which is one of independence and more acceptance of cultures as long as they matter. Texans are made up of a lot of cultures including Germans, Swedes, Vietnamese, Mexicans, and Anglos.

[SwinneySwitch]

Van de Putte was one of the 11 Texas D senators who recently sent a resolution to Gov. Rick Perry asking him to "uninvite" the Minutemen to Texas. She also proposed a school Snack Food Bill, opposed Texas redistricting, and was a Chicken D that "runoft" to New Mexico.

[Reaganwuzthebest]

"A lot of people are very upset about it, but the tsunami is coming and there's nothing they can do about it," she said.

So that's what Van de Putte's crystal ball is telling her? I think she's in for a big suprise in the coming months and years, people have had enough of massive illegal immigration and I doubt will be supporting the "tsunami" much longer.

[DumpsterDiver]

I wonder what Jorge is up to these days?

Jorge Castañeda pledges that the introduction of immigration reforms as well as an integrated Mexican-U.S. labor market will have to take into account the rights and living standards of all Mexicans. He favors a policy modeled on Europe's guest-worker arrangements, but only if it includes measures to "regularize" the status of the estimated 3-4 million [slightly underestimated] Mexicans living illegally in the United States.

"It's the whole enchilada or nothing," Castañeda said, speaking in July at the National Association of Hispanic Journalists conference in Phoenix.

From the October 2001 issue of World Press Review

[Fee]

First test will be Los Angeles. Their city government will be dominated by Hispanics at the expense of the blacks. It will be interesting to see how the blacks will react. Several high school riots are the openning rounds. The next test will be southern CA when 50 percent of the population could be Hispanic within 10 to 15 years. What are they going to do to the liberal whites and blacks? Time will tell.

[DumpsterDiver]

First test will be Los Angeles.

That's where I am. :^)

Time will tell.

It sure will.

[rimmont]

Tsunamis leave devastation in their wake. What is she implying?

[rimmont]

Tsunamis leave devastation in their wake. What is she implying?

[ashtanga]

How in the world do we, as citizens, keep electing the scum of the earth as our leaders? For the longest time I didn't vote, thinking that the republicrats were not much better than the democans. Clinton changed me, I can assure you. I'll stand in line all day to keep a birkenstocker out of office. I don't really savor the thought of a Republican in power, but when faced with the choice...

[citizen]

"A lot of people are very upset about it, but the tsunami is coming and there's nothing they can do about it," she said.

Makes me mad bump!

[mthom]

Hasnt moved Bush one inch so far and I doubt it will any time soon. We dont matter.

[Reaganwuzthebest]

Hasnt moved Bush one inch so far and I doubt it will any time soon. We dont matter.

Bush is currently in the process of trying to get guest worker legislation passed. That's his priority and why I think we'll have to wait until 2008 for anything serious to get done about closing the borders.