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Whatever Happened to Principles? By Janet Murguía, President and CEO National Council of La Raza, 6 August 2010 |
It's right since the party has had a long history of constructive and enlightened views on both the immigration issue and the Hispanic community which they are putting at grave risk. President Ronald Reagan spoke eloquently about the contributions and sacrifices that Latinos have made to this great nation, and he believed there was a place for the community in the Republican Party. He also received more than 40% of the Hispanic vote. Today, many are seeking to embody the Reagan legacy, but anyone who tries to claim the mantle of the Reagan legacy ought to live up to the totality of that legacy.
It's also smart since alienating 50 million Americans and ten million or so voters (and growing) could marginalize the party for generations to come, especially in key battleground states. Yet Republican leadership has instead embraced one of the mostdraconian proposals out there and allowed the extreme views of few to become the mainstream view that defines their party.
I will leave it to the historians and legal scholars to explain how incredibly irrational and ill-conceived repealing birthright citizenship is. But if it really is just a matter of trying to whip up the Republican Party's base by playing to anti-Latino and immigrant sentiment, it calls into question their principles. It is unconscionable that they are using human scapegoats to bolster their political fortunes and also willing to sacrifice one of the most revered and hard-fought amendments to the Constitution to score cheap political points.
We also have to question their judgment. Latinos are the fastest-growing group of voters in the country. More than ten million voted in 2008. Eight million more are eligible to vote but not yet registered. Our partner Democracia U.S.A. has estimated that 500,000 Latino citizens and potential voters will turn 18 every year for the next 20 years.
There is no doubt that as citizens and as voters, we will remember the discrimination, the harassment, and the demonization. Our children, and our children's children, will remember the people who tried to criminalize our families and tried to take away our birthright as Americans. And we will also remember who did nothing to stop it. Most of all, Latinos will remember who stood with us, and who did not. The choice is yours, Republican leaders.
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Film Review Archives |
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One on One with Betty Park, Director of Mamachas del Ring, Dr. Steeve Coupeau 8/16/10 |
1. What is the main thread that runs through this film? Mamachas del Ring is about a woman trying to reconcile her all-consuming passion for her wrestling with the more traditional female role imposed on her by society.
2. How did your previous film experience shape this film? This is my first feature length film, but I think you can trace inklings of my storytelling style from a short film I did years ago. It was a comedic short born from a 72-hour filmmaking challenge (you start and finish a film within a 72-hour period), and I used 2D animation to help tell some of the backstory. The idea for the Claymation featured in Mamachas del Ring had its genesis in that short film, at least in part.
3. What are the characteristics that define you as a filmmaker in terms of style and vision? I think my style and vision are best described in terms of what interests me: unknown universes, the human, personal side of any story, and finding moments of humor in even the darkest times.There were many different ways I could have approached the subject of the cholita wrestlers, but I really wanted to focus on one person and her experience, and navigate this world through her perspective.
4. Can you place your film within a context of films promoting women?
While there are some really great women filmmakers out there, there aren’t enough. It’s promising that a woman finally won the Oscar for Best Director, but the fact that it took until the year 2010 is a little shocking.
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Quick and valuable reference material, such as a timeline of historical events and a synopsis of notable people in the country's history, is available in the featured volumes. In addition, a brief glossary, a bibliographic essay, and an index end each book (Reviewed with The History of Vietnam).
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