Mexicans Without Borders Goes To War With Salvadorans
By Greg L | 15 August 2007 | Zapatistas, Illegal Aliens, Prince William County | 31 Comments
A fascinating article in today’s Washington Post lays out the apparent strategy being used by Mexicanos Sin Fronteras to ensure a radical political orthodoxy within the immigrant community as it tries to build it’s political power. Those within the immigrant community that reject the Marxist approach advocated by Mexicanos Sin Fronteras are branded as “racists” and booed when they attempt to voice their concerns, and are now being included as additional targets of the boycott to be held over Labor Day weekend.
[Carlos] Castro, who opened his supermarket 17 years ago, declined to support the boycott and said he had tried three times to meet with Mexicans Without Borders and its general coordinator, Ricardo Juarez, but his calls were not returned. Castro said he was booed and denounced as “racist” when he showed up at a recent community meeting organized by Mexicans Without Borders and in appearances on local Spanish-language radio, where much of the political debate has played out over what to do about the new county policies.
If Mexicanos Sin Fronteras was interested in winning this debate, they’d be embracing anyone and everyone who might share their unfounded concerns about Prince William County’s recent initiative to reduce the number of illegal aliens present in our community. Instead, it’s pretty clear that Mexicanos Sin Fronteras is more interested about broadening it’s influence within the immigrant community and gaining new participants in the “Other Campaign” of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation. Win or lose in the immigration debate, they’ll end up with plenty of newly radicalized followers. If they win, those radicals will be here in Prince William County. If they lose, some of them will return to their native countries and be ready to serve as foot soldiers in the armed insurgency they have conducted for almost ten years.
Established business owners threaten this effort. By promoting an alternative strategy which conforms to the norms of American politics, backed by their considerable collective financial resources, they offer a compelling alternative to Che Guevara worship and black ski masks. Immigrants who have had an opportunity to discover the stark differences between American and Central American politics and the results they effect would be very prone to discard the demonstrably unproductive and irresponsible political memes of Central American radicals. If successful, these more American leaders would leave Ricardo Juarez and his ilk with a very small and insignificant movement.
So now Mexicanos Sin Fronteras has another potential political opponent. Although I don’t agree with what the Salvadoran business community is trying to do, at least they are more responsibly engaging in the legislative process and may raise the quality of this debate considerably. Over the next month or two, we’ll see whether a devotion to Marxist Zapatista politics or American politics will be the methodology of the illegal alien lobby, which should speak volumes to the legitimacy of their cause.
As you might be able to tell, I don’t have a lot of confidence here that the Salvadorans are going to win this one. That’s a shame.
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I have met Carlos Castro and he seems to be a good guy. He belongs to the Hispanic chamber of commerce and has done a lot to help the Hispanic community. To have someone like Juarez call this man a racist is detrimental to their cause and patently not true
To me, Juarez’s actions just prove the radical nature of WWC and MSF. Their agenda isn’t about “immigrants” it is about the radical views of the Zapatista army. They are still encouraging the fear in the Hispanic community. As far as I can tell they have not explained the resolution and what the REAL consequences of it are.
So, we also see that the racist label is not limited to the “white” folks, but to all who have a different viewpoint than Mexicans Without Borders.
Is HSM or somebody going to keep track of which businesses put out the MWB placards? Someone neds to keep a comprehensive list and hold businesses accountable. Is anyone planning to take a lead on that?
If they want to make this “us” vs. “them”, my consumer dollar is quite ready to play that game.
I suspect that a lot of these businesses are ones you wouldn’t visit anyways. If we start seeing these outside of the “Mercado Latino” establishments, I’m sure there will be a significant response, though.
We’ll just have to see what happens. My expectation is that I won’t see a single one of these.
Folks should read:
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/ideas/articles/2007/08/05/the_downside_of_diversity/?page=full
which details the work of Harvard sociologist Robert Putnam who showed that diversity is not strength and that, instead, diversity creates distrust.
If there is diversity, people don’t trust folks in the other ethnicities, and they also don’t trust folks of their own ethnicity.
Putnam is a liberal, but apparently a scientist who follows the data where it leads. He examined many other causes other than diversity, and ruled them all out.
This is, of course, an excellent, non-economic reason for keeping immigration levels low. One might wish that people were not like this, but they are. All ethnicities are like this, not just European-Americans. Just look at the immigration policies of countries in Africa, Asia, South and Central America, and the Middle East.
Illegals, of course, raise distrust to even higher levels than legals; but even mass immigration of legals will lead to a fracturing of society … according to Putnam.
This universal quality may be called “racism”, and that may be fair. But it is a universal character of humanity and we need to figure out ways to minimize its bad effects. The obvious way is to lower the level of immigration.
My supposedly xenophobic ass eats a lot at La Tolteca on 234, and sometimes at Guapos, and shops sometimes at Global Foods - you don’t think any of those might worry and put a placard up? Or businesses that have seen a disproprtionate amount of illegals business - like K-Mart or just about every Chinese Buffet I go into?
If they want to make this “us” vs. “them”, my consumer dollar is quite ready to play that game.
Its easy - make it clear to anyone you hire that if a non English speaking worker shows up they have lost the contract. Period, Full stop. Whether it is Home Depot, the landscaper or the handyman.
Don’t kid your selves, there ARE Americans out there doing the work. They are just priced out of the marketplace by those paying slave labor rates.
Those who think they are getting a deal by cutting the throats of their fellow Americans are just as guilty as the rest.
Not all are Mexicans and not all agree with R. Juarez. The boycott is a bad idea but I might have to agree with Greg that R. Juarez seems to have his own agenda (or just one way of doing things). Again, most of the Salvadorans in this area were either benefited by the 1986 amnesty or the 2001 permits.
TH,
Let me clarify something, just so we are all on the same sheet of music…you are telling us that many, not all, Salvadorans are here because of the 1986 amnesty or the 2001 permits and therefore are ‘legal?’
Many Salvadorans, not all are here legally. In this area, a lot of them were benefited by the 1986 amnesty or after their 1991 TPS status was changed. Those whoe didn’t received that benefit but came befeore 2001 have legal status through the new TPS. In other words, if they came before 2001, their chances of being here legally are pretty high. The number of tourist visas granted in El Salvador has been in decline (only 23K or so last year) so it is more difficult to come here illegally by overstaying.
Rick,
MY family loves Gaupos
TH,
Thanks for that clarification. I thought that is what you were saying. Just wanted to make sure.
Guapos is pretty good stuff. The carne asada tacos are amazing. And they run the place well, service is very courteous.
Guapos is owned by a middle eastern man, i was told.
Something JUST hit me. They come into our country and expect to play the political game (be it the level of cooperation with police or how they conduct protests) just like they did at home. This is human nature. How many people do we know from different parts of this country come here and try to make things “just like home.”
For example, the “Damn Yankee.” He comes down here from NY, PA, NJ and talks about taxes like a liberal ONLY because to him, a 6% tax raise is NOT bad - he just is not used to 2 or 4% tax rates. How do we fix this problem? Assimilation.
I agree - make English THE language of commerce, just as it is for pilots and air traffic controllers. Demand from the School Board that we teach Western Civilization. Why? Because THAT is the basis our form of government was founded on.
We need to hold our politicans accountable at ALL levels. I agree with the post that said that Americans are willing to do the work. Don’t let the Liberal Media fool you into thinking that Americans are a lazy people who only want to go where the dollar is. We are an INDUSTRIOUS people who take our knowledge and skills and make an average thing better. WE set the standard that the rest of the world TRIES to emulate.
Michael Moore aside, when was the last time you heard someone say, “Gee, I wish we had doctors like they do in Honduras or India.” (ok, I KNOW there will be people who say there are great docs in each of those countries, but I am talking “as a whole.”)
Gee, I wish we had police like they do in Honduras or India.
Gee, I wish we had politicians like they do in Honduras or India.
Gee, I wish we had power companies like they do in Honduras or India.
Gee, I wish we had workplace regulations like they do in Honduras or India.
Gee, I wish we had restaurant sanitary standards like they do in Honduras or India.
Gee, I wish we had building codes like they do in Honduras or India.
Gee, I wish we had courts like they do in Honduras or India.
John Light,
You made some really excellent points. I especially agree with ‘WE set the standard that the rest of the world TRIES to emulate.’
FYI-PWC has 2 years of western civiliztion. 8th and 9th grade. So world history is alive and well here.
A nonny mouse….be careful what you wish for……
There are 700+ members of HSM and it needs to be top priority for all of us to call ICE on September 1st and 2nd and demand that ICE send people to arrest these criminal illegal invaders and disperse this illegal march. If they refuse to act (which we know they will) then they will be derelict (once again) in their duties and only prove to us (once again) that they refuse to uphold the US constitution, making them traitors. The local ICE contact information below is the Fairfax branch office for detention and removal. Seriously everyone: Flood this office on these two days! If we keep this phone ringing off the hook then they will be forced to do something.
Field Office Director, Washington
2675 Prosperity Avenue
Fairfax, VA 22031
Phone: 703-285-6200
I was just listing more things you’d probably never hear anybody wish for. We set the standard in all of those areas.
Park’d -
GREAT idea! Will do!
Park’d
September 1 and 2 are on a weekend. Will ther ebe anyone in the office answering the phones?
So why aren’t we setting up a counter protest?
Call them the Friday before then. Just call them! Leave a message if you have to. The fact that thousands of illegals might be out prancing around in our streets unimpeded demanding that we cater to them is just really not sitting well with me. ICE needs to know that we expect them to do their jobs.
CALL ON FRIDAY
Does anyone know where and what time? I am assuming the protest would be in Pr. Wm. Co. rather than either city.
I think a silent camera vigil might be an effect way to show a presence. If faces are covered, then that is a matter for PWCPD. Hopefully ICE will have a strong presence but I wouldn’t bet the ranch on that happening.
What do county ordinances say about wearing a mask other than on Halloween?
Personally Dolph, I don’t think that ANYONE should be out there at all, except for the police department and ICE…especially ICE. Let the route be a ghost town and show just how seriously the legal residents take their protest.
I actually agree with you, AWC, but I know there are those who want to show a presence.
I just think 2 ’sides’ standing across the street from each other hurling insults is counter-productive and makes everyone look like fools.
If I were Queen, I would command that everyone stay home and ignore them…but so far, no one has appointed me. sigh.
Oh I definitely want ICE to own the day.
I would generally agree with you. I’m not a big fan of protests, but when the media gets involved it can often be useful to provide a visual alternative to the illegal alien lobby which favors these tactics. For the PR battle, these are somewhat important, but the real place to fight is certainly in front of our elected officials.
Fortunately, when the opposition does these things, it often outrages the electorate and pulls them to our side, even when we don’t have a presence. The more numbers they pull, the better it is for us on the other side of this issue.
I don’t have anything really substantive to contribute… but let me put in a good word for La Tolteca on 234. Great restaurant.
I know of a case where someone was arrested for wearing a mask at a gas station. Perhaps a person must call the police to complain about feeling threatened, but I recall he was charged with concealing his face with a mask.
I think it would be a good idea to have a rogue’s gallery on file of those who participate in the demonstration. Never know when you might need it for identification purposes. Just thinking ahead here. Plus, people taking your picture is somewhat intimidating…more so than being shouted at.
If they wear masks then hopefully they would be arrested. In just about every community I have ever lived, the only time you could wear a mask was on Halloween or mardi gras.