Georgia,
Georgia,
No peace, no peace I find
Just this old, sweet song
Keeps Georgia on my mind

2006 Edit:  And not in a good way

A Georgia Republican says he’ll apologize to a national Latino advocacy group he accused of supporting racism and illegal immigration if the organization agrees to a list of conditions.

In a press release this week, Rep. Charlie Norwood called the National Council of La Raza a “radical,” “anti-American” organization that “supports racist groups calling for the secession of the western United States as a Hispanic-only homeland.” continued…

In offering a conditional apology, Norwood asked NCLR to sever all ties with a leftist student group and its “racist doctrines,” to repudiate all claims that any American territory belongs to Mexico, and to seek outside supervision to ensure that NCLR-sponsored programs do not discriminate.

linkage

Oh boy, looks like the “leftist student group” MEChA (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán) got under the ignoble Congressman’s skin.  Let’s see what these scary Aztlanistas really stand for:

What is the purpose of MEChA? MEChA’s main purpose is to encourage more Latinos to enter and finish college. MEChA is also where Chicano/Mexicano and other Latino students organize for political purposes such as fighting for latino student rights and other progressive political causes.

Does MEChA want the Southwest part of the US to become part of Mexico? This is probably the most ridiculous question and the biggest untruth put out by the racist anti-immigration groups. No MEChA group wants to overthrow the US or put the Southwest under Mexico. In fact, most Chicanos and Mexicans know that Mexico is a country suffering from serious political and economic problems. Why do you think Mexicans are leaving their country? The US has its problems but it is still the country that has a very fair political system and does a fairly good job in respecting human rights. Most MEChA members are just trying to get an education and stay politically active to help other latinos. These days with the universities getting more expensive it is hard enough just to hold some part time job and go to school. The overwhelming number of Latinos are struggling economically in college. There is no time, let alone desire, to overthrow the US. Most Chicanos find it astonishing that anyone would believe that MEChA members are really actually thinking or are making plans for overthrowing the US. MEChA members do not participate in or plan any violent protests. Ask the racist organizations out there to offer any kind of proof that MEChA has participated in violent acts. MEChA is a peaceful and law abiding organization.

linkage to MEChA FAQ

Someone must’ve slipped in some powdered stupid into the Republican caucus’ meeting room coffee because Jeebus!  It seems like everywhere you look, another one forgets to keep their white sheet in the closet.  Speaking of supremacists, the original article continues:

John Stone, a spokesman for Norwood, said it is significant and drew an analogy with a conservative think tank: “If the Heritage Foundation gave one small donation to the Aryan Brotherhood, I think that would cause quite a stir.”

MEChA = Aryan Brotherhood = WTF?

Gotta luv projections of inadequacy.  Let me take the opportunity to remind any readers of this blog whom happen to be a member of the majority race that the advocacy groups within the minority populations exist as means of equalizing centuries of bias.  There are also no calls for domination and oppression of other groups of people (you) in exchange for political or social power.  No, it’s usually about human equality and dignity, ideas that I’m sure are completely foreign to the lizard-brained among us like Rep. Norwood.

So where could this (regrettably) elected nut be getting his information from?  Ah ha!  Here’s a trailhead that leads one down the path to the true racist organizations in the U.S.  It is just one example of many hit pieces that have been fired from the right towards groups like MEChA and NCLR.

Sher Zieve — The American Conservative — May 25, 2006 MEChA — the Mexican Nazi Movement

MEChA (“Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan” or Chicano Students Movement of Aztlan) is neither a fraternity nor a “good-natured and altruistic college campus organization”. Rather, it is the Hispanic version of the Nazis, Ku Klux Klan or Islamic Jihad- take your pick or mix ‘n match.

You almost have to give credit to the political right for their message coordination.  They have a series of parroting vultures all over the place harping on the same stuff, over and over again until it penetrates (eew) the public psyche.

So why the fear and vitriol in Georgia, aside from general ignorance?

I’m sure this has alot to do with it.  This  too, which provoked responses like the following:

“We need to run you out of this country. You are destroying it,” said the caller, according to a tape of the call made available by the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials, which is leading the voter registration drive.

Since then, the volunteers in 10 Georgia counties that are working to register Latinos have been told to work in teams for their safety, said GALEO’s director Jerry Gonzalez.

“It demonstrates the dangers of political rhetoric fanning the flames of anti-immigrant sentiment,” he said.

Political rhetoric?  You mean there’s more bile to be found?  You betcha

Civil rights advocates charged Gov. Sonny Perdue on Monday with seeking to score political points on the illegal immigration issue at the expense of Georgia Latinos.

During a news conference at the Capitol, Hispanic and black leaders criticized remarks Perdue made recently in announcing an initiative targeting criminals who use false documents to obtain driver’s licenses.

“It is simply unacceptable for people to sneak into this country illegally on Thursday, obtain a government-issued ID on Friday, head for the welfare office on Monday and go to vote on Tuesday,” the governor said.

Such incendiary comments both oversimplify the issue and foster racism, said Teodoro Maus, an advisor to the Coordinating Council of Community Leaders, one of the groups that organized Monday’s news conference.

“It has opened a Pandora’s box for direct discrimination,” he said. “We have to stop it. We have to come back to reality.”

linkage

That’s exactly it –  Pandora’s Box; and they are trying to nationalize the issue to make sure it’s a big box.

Not to be outdone by the GOP Governor of his state, however, Rep. Norwood decided that he would also use this whole voter i.d. thing to trot out the tired “activist judge” meme.  From a tantrum he threw on your floor of the United States House of Representatives:

Yesterday, State Superior Court Judge T. Jackson Bedford Jr. ruled that requiring a photo ID, in his opinion, is unconstitutional, because it imposes a duty on the voter not specifically required in our state constitution.

He did not address the fact that without a photo ID, the illegal votes of hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens could negate the legal ballots of hundreds of thousands of our citizens.

[snip]

Our Governor and state legislature must fight this tyrant in Georgia.

But we can speak loud and clear against those who show this contempt against the right of American voters across our nation.

We can stop election fraud today by voting for this magnificent restoration of our Constitutional rights by my friend and colleague, Chairman Hyde.

Defend the Republic.  Support this bill.  Thank you, and I yield.”

linkage (emphasis mine)

It would sorta be amusing to see these rabid hardliners screech like gouls in the graveyard, if their actions didn’t lead to sad faces like that of Victor Perez-Lopez, a two year-old Georgian with more dignity in his pinky than Perdue and Norwood combined and multiplied exponentially.

That face is sad for a very good reason, and it has nothing to do with Values™.

Crossposted from my humble blog