Groups call for 'civil' immigration debate

WASHINGTON – A coalition of human rights and labor groups have begun a campaign to counter what they call the "vile and vicious" rhetoric of the anti-illegal immigration movement and "recapture the civility of discussion and debate" on the issue of comprehensive immigration reform.

The campaign, called Campaign for a United America, launched Wednesday with the release of its Web site. As part of their work, the coalition will give tool kits to community groups that include sample letters to the editor and instructions on constructive meeting techniques.

"Today we begin this process – which is going to be a long process – of reclaiming a values-based dialogue, to put it in our nation's character, the one that respects the contributions of all our community members, including immigrants," said David Ostendorf, executive director of the Chicago-based Center for New Community, one of the groups that forms the coalition.

The campaign has declined to disclose its stance on comprehensive immigration reform, and Ostendorf says it is not the group's aim to push one side or the other. However, the group does list the founders and leaders of such anti-illegal immigration organizations as the Minuteman Project, the Federation for American Immigration Reform, or FAIR, and commentator Lou Dobbs as "Voices of Intolerance."

Rusty Kennedy, executive director of the Orange County Human Relations Commission, said any improvement on the current discussion of immigration, which he described as an "angry vilification of human beings," would benefit the country ...

The campaign's Web site includes sections on what the campaign considers people who have had either a positive or negative influence on the debate. The section with negative profiles includes Orange County's Jim Gilchrist, president of the Minuteman Project.

The only apprpriate “debate” regarding illegal invaders would be paraphrased by Ronald Reagan as “We win, they loose.”

These traitors in our midst, these pandering liberals simply don;t get it and never will. We should ignore them and concentrate on the prostitutes in Washington and make it clear to them that their cushy careers as elected “professional” legislators are on the line when it comes to illegal invaders and pandering to them and those miscreants who support them.

I was looking for the list of those belonging to this "coalition of human rights and labor groups." I tend to read that as a "coalition of subsidy factories and those they serve."

I could probably spend hours at Google looking for more stuff, but I gave up. Ostendorf comes up with more coalitons/activists groups than you can shake a stick at. IMO, he is the personification of all things deemed "progressive."

Center for New Community
Staff and Board Members
The Reverend David L. Ostendorf, Executive Director

Bio: Rev. David Ostendorf is a United Church of Christ Minister currently serving as Executive Director of the Chicago-based Center for New Community. Since 1974 he has been engaged in social, economic, and racial justice organizing, and in that capacity has worked closely with the nation's religious and civic community at every level. The Center, established in 1995, is committed to building democratic communities for justice and racial equality. Its faith based organizing commitments, and its commitments to build a racially just society are carried out nationwide.
Note from the Executive Director [Ostendorf] -- July 24, 2007 -- We are in the early stages of launching the Midwest Immigrant Health Project, a major new initiative to work with immigrants in Minnesota, Iowa, and Missouri on a range of both community and plant health care issues in a dozen meatpacking and poultry processing communities.
The project complements our Institute for Rural Pastoral Leadership, underway in Nebraska and working with religious leaders to address a range of social, economic, and racial justice concerns in their communities.
Our commitments to counter anti-immigrant activity nationally are also growing, particularly with our emerging Campaign for a United America and our Which Way Forward initiative with African American leaders.

Also see:

Campaign for a United America
campaignforaunitedamerica.org

CommonDreams.org
www.CommonDreams.org

What they are saying...
'CommonDreams.org is a "must" in my life and work'
Bill Moyers
Host of NOW with Bill Moyers
'Wherever I go, I urge audiences to log into Common Dreams to get their daily progressive news and commentary. Keep up the good work'
Ralph Nader

I could probably spend hours at Google looking for more stuff,

Exactly. Anyone with computer access and ten dollars and change can put up a web site ... even in Chicago!

What was compelling (at least for me) is that "news" of this web site ended up in print in an Orange County newspaper and quoted (GO.POUND.SAND) Rusty Kennedy of OC infamy.

I'm also apparently fascinated by claims of "mass" insurrection ... even (especially) minus the "mass."

I don't even recall the "Center for New Community" being mentioned on the subject web site (which I am currently having issues reaching).

Many thanks for your worthy research!

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