AP Photo
Posted on 08/28/2003 2:18:50 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The nation's oldest Hispanic civil rights group called on Arnold Schwarzenegger to step down from the advisory board of U.S. English, a group that seeks to make English the official language of the United States.
The League of United Latin American Citizens said the Austrian-born actor's position brings into question his commitment to Hispanics.
"It just seems like all the issues that we support he doesn't," Gabriela Lemus, the league's director of policy and legislation, said Thursday. The league said it is not taking a position on whether Gov. Gray Davis (news - web sites) should be recalled and will not endorse a replacement candidate.
Meanwhile, Lt. Gov Cruz Bustamante on Thursday accused big oil companies of ripping off Californians and vowed to bring them under state regulatory control as he began what shaped up as a frenetic day of campaigning by gubernatorial candidates.
Schwarzenegger spokesman Sean Walsh said the actor agrees with U.S. English's attempts to make English the official language.
"Arnold Schwarzenegger came to this country with a few dollars in his pocket and not speaking the English language, and he realized the importance of learning to speak English as quickly as possible to achieve your American dreams," Walsh said.
Bustamante got the day's campaigning under way in front of a Sacramento gas station, where he called for amending the state constitution to bring big oil companies under state regulatory control.
"Californians are being gouged, and under current law we are powerless to do anything about it," he said, adding he wanted to remind voters they will be paying the highest prices in the nation for gasoline this Labor Day weekend.
"The oil companies explain their behavior the same way Enron did," Bustamante said. "They say it was someone else's fault. ... But what they never say is that their profit margin in California is the highest in the nation."
Other front-running candidates in the race to replace the Democratic governor if he is recalled Oct. 7 were also busy around the state.
Former baseball commissioner Peter Ueberroth was in San Diego to hold the first of several town hall meetings with voters, as was Republican state Sen. Tom McClintock who was to speak on Roger Hedgecock's KOGO radio show.
Davis, Bustamante and McClintock also were meeting with the California Nations Indian Gaming Association, which represents 57 tribal governments. The group will not endorse a candidate, but its members have become an influential political force capable of boosting campaign coffers.
The demand that Schwarzenegger leave U.S. English came as the Republican was embarking on a campaign swing through California's Central Valley, including a stop in Fresno, former hometown of Democrat Bustamante who, according to a recent Los Angeles Times poll, is the front-running candidate while Schwarzenegger was second.
The area also includes the nation's most productive farmland and is home to many ethnic groups and immigrants, including Hispanics.
Lemus said Schwarzenegger's membership on the board of U.S. English "does not bode well for Hispanics."
"So many of us support bilingualism and bilingual education and maintaining our culture and he's essentially saying it's not valid by being part of this board that has got this whole anti-immigrant, underlying racist mentality," Lemus said.
Schwarzenegger is just one of many prominent people on the group's advisory board, according to its Web site. Others includes golfer Arnold Palmer, television personality Alex Trebek and actor Charlton Heston.
In a radio-show appearance Wednesday, Schwarzenegger found himself explaining a 1977 interview with a men's magazine in which he frankly discussed life in the gym and his sexual exploits during his days as a world-champion body builder. He said it was not the kind of interview he would give today.
"I never lived my life to be a politician. I never lived my life to be the governor of California," he told Sacramento station KFBK Wednesday night. "Obviously, I've made statements that were ludicrous and crazy and outrageous and all those things, because that's the way I always was."
___
Associated Press Writer Erica Werner and AP Minority Issues Writer Deborah Kong contributed to this story.
"VIVA LA RECONQUISTA, BABY!"
The League's position brings into question its commitment to America.
The "Race Card" being used by a racist. Why I'm Shocked!
Hmmmm...sounds more like LULAC isn't committed to the best interests of Hispanics.
Q: It is LULAC's ultimate goal.
A: What is Aztlan, Alex?
LULAC against Arnold? Cool.
BTW...are you listening to your boy Tom McClintock subbing for Roger Hedgecock from 3-6 on KOGO? He's doing a great job.
http://www.thecalifornianonline.com/news/stories/20030301/topstories/1086776.html
Saturday, March 1, 2003
--snip
Aurelio Salazar Jr., the Salinas LULAC president who says anti-cruising enforcement may amount to racial profiling of young Latinos, also will speak.
--end snip
If, perhaps, more in Salazar's area learned English, they might not have to rely upon their "Lulac" leaders to not only inform them as to "how to vote" but also that quite possibly the realization that a great deal of racial animosity is being fostered by the very special interest groups themselves -- especially in re- thwarting the will of the people and voters of CA -- as opposed to special interest group constant braying of "racism" . Goodness! Learning English has nothing to do with racism any more than learning good manners and politeness has anything to do with "putting on airs". Besides, if more learned English -- these lawsuits by ACLU AND MALDEF might not have to continually be happening.
Thanks for the reminder! Right, not a current time organizational group, or in Bustamante Lingo: This issue of my past is not relevant! (Pay no attention to that "group" behind my curtain, por favor!
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