THIS WEEK ON LATINOPIA: LATINOPIA AT NO KINGS DAY CELEBRATION, JORGE RODRÍGUEZ ON THE DODGERS NEED TO STAND UP, RICARDO ROMO’S TEJANO REPORT ON THE LATE, GREAT MASTER SCULPTOR JESÚS MOROLES AND OBAMA’S 2014 SPEECH ON IMMIGRATION REFORM.
This was the big week contrasting two visions of America. While Donald Trump put on a self-congratulatory national parade intensively celebrating the 250th anniversayr of the Armed Forces (but really Trump’s long-desired tribute to himself on his birthday) and enacting his repressive ICE raids throughout America, across the nation more than 5 million Americans protested Trump and his administration for ignoring the United States Constitution in Trump’s brazen grab for more power. As might be expected, and no fault to the courageous soldiers who marched in the parade, Trump’s attempt at self-aggrandizement fell flat. Poor turnout amid rain, with news footage showing a very disheartened Trump ready to cry. But, meanwhile, across the nation millions of Americans took to the streets to proclaim that America will not stand for Trump usurping the Constitution in a resounding call for NO KINGS DAY. Latinopia was there in Pasadena, California, one of the more than 2000 cities that protested, and filmed the protesters and their grievances. Check it out!
The repressive and cruel attacks on law abiding Latinos by ICE need never have happened had the U.S. Congress resolved the thorny issue of immigration in America. There have been Congressional efforts to legalize the eleven million undocumented Latinos in the United States since 1986 but no accord has ever been reached. In 2014, in the wake of hundreds of thousands of children entering illegally into the United States unaccompanied by their parents, President Barack Obama gave a televised speech in which he addressed the need for immigration reform. But ultimately these efforts were once again blocked by the Republicans in Congress. Latinopia is reposting Obama’s speech as a reminder of what the issues are and the need to address long term immigration reform, beyond the current piecemeal, hysterical and reactionary actions of the Trump administration and its ICE attacks.
Also this week, ICE raids have continued in Los Angeles, targeting not criminals but ordinary citizens trying to make a living. With ICE targeting the large Latino fan base for the Los Angeles Dodgers, one wonders why the Dodgers organization hasn’t stepped up to defend its most loyal fan base. Attorney Jorge H. Rodríguez brings this to our attention in his open letter to the Los Angeles Times.
And this week Ricardo Romo’s Tejano Report remembers the wonderful art work and life trajectory of Texas master sculptor Jesús Moroles. The images of his work are breathtaking and really worth appreciating. Don’t miss Ricardo’s essay.
Enjoy your week on Latinopia!
Tia Tenopia