Latino Issues, A Conservative Blog

Latino Pundit , I think, is reading into this all wrong. While he may be on that side of the debate, he is blind to what is going to happen. The reaction is going to be the opposite. I find this all very interesting and inspiring. What more is I really wonder how Congress will act in the following week. Will they ignore all of this or reconsider? We shall see. Glen Reynolds made a good point about the immigration debate and the mass protests we are seeing unfold. Here is your answer--they are making it easier for congress to come down harder against illegal immigration. They are bringing negative attention on themselves, and will only increase the fear-factor among the citizenry against illegals. Illegal immigrants as individuals just trying to make a better life are sympathetic. Illegal immigrants as a mass movement making demands on the polity are considerably less so. I wonder if all Latino immigrants will suffer discrimination and negative sentiments as a result of the actions of ...

This is really to bad. I would like to know who are the Republicans that voted against it? In a little-noticed vote last Thursday , the Senate went on record, apparently for the first time, against President Bush’s proposal to set up personal investment accounts under Social Security, with some unexpected Republicans helping a unified Democratic Caucus defeat the nonbinding proposal.

I have started a new project to bring together Latino bloggers, or all bloggers covering Latino/Hispanic related topics. The top site is registered with Technorati and Truth Laid Bear, which means that each time a site is added, the aggregators are updated. It is my hope to bring together sites in this content category, either English or Spanish, where others can find. If you are blogging about Latin America, exclusively about Immigration, or any other Latino related subject, OR if you are of South or Central American descent, from Spain, or the Caribbean, I hope you will sign up and ad your blog. We're just starting up, so I could also use some help in spreading the word out.

I am a son of immigrants. My parents are Cuban. But I am an American, born in the United States, and sworn loyal to my country. It is days like these that make life harder for people like me. Illegal immigration is wrong, a crime, and the most harmed are the immigrants themselves. Those who defend illegal immigration, or rationalize it with social or economic reasons, are just plain wrong. It divides families. It facilitates corruption and ineptitude in Latin American countries that are shoring up their weak economies on American dollars. Most importantly, illegal status of illegal immigrants discourages assimilation and integration. This has serious, negative, long term, social and economic consequences for the immigrant, and the immigrant's family. The story that inspired this rant: http://apnews.myway.com/article/20060325/D8GIA4982.html What concerns me most is the involvement of students--highschool kids! I wonder how much La Raza and MECHA had influence in these protests? Anyo...

Update 2: (Newer updates on top) CitizenLink writes that "Western and Middle Eastern news agencies reported today that an Afghani Christian on trial for converting from Islam will apparently be released in the coming days." They had a feature story in today's email. Also, Michelle Malkin has more on this development. I liked the quote on CitizenLink by U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C. "It is clear that the Muslims are settling in all countries, including the United States, and they are expecting religious freedom where they are," he said. "But in many places where Muslims are in charge--especially in charge of the government--they are not granting those same freedoms. He is right. This is not just about Abdul Rahman. This is about human rights for the Muslim world--rights they sure enjoy here in the United States. Cam Edwards had some great observations regarding the Afgani constitution. In looking over Afghanistan's constitution , I noticed a few thin...

On my way to the Afghanistan embassy. I'll have pictures as soon as I can get back to my computer.

Michelle Malkin has a round up on the Abdul Rahman case. There is going to be a rally tomorrow at noon. Keep this man in your prayers. Pray the Afghanistan officials will change their minds, and release Rahman. This will have long-term repercussions in regards to what sort of reform will happen in the middle east. If Christians are going to be killed for their faith, what sort of freedom are we building? Please join us if you can (and if you can't, why not organize an event/prayer service/etc. in your own neighborhood?): Friday March 24 Noon to 1pm Outside the Afghan Embassy 2341 Wyoming Ave NW. Washington DC More action items at Freedom's Zone.

HT: Drudge Report . You got to read this story . A s part of Fidel and Raúl Castro's inner circle, Delfín Fernández learned titillating secrets -- everything from why the Cuban leader incinerates his dirty underwear to his cravings for pricey Spanish ham. Oh, Fidel's former gofer confirms, too, the heftier ''secrets'' that Cuba experts have talked about for years: how the brothers assemble dossiers on foreign businessmen who want to invest in Cuba, for instance. It's Fernández's knowledge about Fidel Castro's dirty laundry, though -- literally and figuratively -- that has made him a cause célbre in South Florida. No detail about the Castro brothers seems too small for sharing with the world. Fernandez believes Raul will open up the Cuban economy and society, for the sake of getting rich. I don't know that this makes sense. I don't think there will be anywhere Raul will be able to hide, regardless. Fernández paints Raúl Castro, who runs Cuba...

The Democrats are giving us a rallying call, and making sure voter turnout for the GOP is as high as it can get. I got this in an email from Ken Mehlman, the Chairman of the Republican National Committee. Feingold says that censure actually represents "moderation" and calls the terrorist surveillance program an impeachable offense. Dick Durbin, the number two Democrat in the Senate, fails to rule out impeachment if Democrats retake Congress. Iowa Democrat Tom Harkin is talking "high crimes and misdemeanors." And 31 House Democrats are calling for a committee to look into impeachment. Their leader? John Conyers, who would become House Judiciary Committee chairman under Democrat control. The Democrats' plan for 2006? Take the House and Senate, and impeach the President. With our nation at war, is this the kind of Congress you want? It's time to start putting the message out there in regards to what Democrat controlled House and Senate would mean! More abortion...

I posted a few weeks back about plans for changes to Latino Issues. Today I begin the first change--a move to my own domain. While I will continue publishing via Blogspot for a few more weeks, the new location is going to be www.josuesierra.net. Head on over now--I published all of my blog posts up to this date. I will begin permanently publishing at JosueSierra.net at the end of March. So, if you keep a blogroll, I would appreciate it if you could update it by then. I will be updating my RSS feeds to reflect the change over the next two weeks. I am hoping that by having my own server, eventually I can improve on the blog, and ad other features. Feel free to leave your feedback and thoughts on how I can make this easier on you all.

If you where watching the President today, I hope you noticed when he took a question from a woman whose husband had just served 13 months in Iraq. She talked about how he had come home with positive stories and footage of the progress being made. The woman commented that the mainstream media refuses to tell the good stories and only focuses on the bad. Of course, the comment was met with thunderous applause from the audience. She asked the President how the stories of progress in Iraq will ever make it to the American public when the media refuses to show them. The President’s answer: blogs! Here is the President’s quote: “One of the things that we have to value is that that we do have a media… there’s blogs, there’s Internet, there’s all kinds of way to communicate which is literally changing the way people get their information and so if you’re concerned I would suggest that you reach out to some of the groups that are supporting the troops, that got internet sites and just keep t...

Fausta's Blog is calling on the Blogosphere to join in: I propose a blogburst/"carnival" in honor of Guillermo Fariñas on March 29 next Sunday March 26. Your posts can be on the subject of freedom of expression, freedom of information, on Mr. Fariñas, and/or how did you find out about him: in the newspaper, cable or network TV, or the internet? Of course, you don't need to be Cuban (I'm not Cuban myself). If you are interested in participating, please email me your post at faustaw-at-yahoo.com , and make sure to include "Guillermo Fariñas" in the subject line. The deadline for the entries is Monday March 27 this Friday, March 24. Update Due to Mr. Fariñas' deteriorating condition, please note the new dates. I'll be thinking through and posting mine later tonight or tomorrow.

From Val at BabaluBlog: The last MSM news report on Mr. Fariñas, according to a Google news search, was five days ago . This is right in our backyard. Val has a series you need to read. Related posts: Guillermo Fariñas in Critical Condition Where do you get your news from? Hunger strike gets more exposure . Eyes of Truth Take a Moment (petition) Are you reading this? A reader comments, Fariñas will beconme the latest sacrificial victim on the altar of the MSM's love affair with fidel -- and nobody will know about save through us. This is why I feel as low as I do. Posted by George L. Moneo at March 22, 2006 08:34 AM I hope not. We cannot be discouraged. If he dies, his death must not be in vain. We must continue to rally for freedom around the world, and there is no better place to start than in Cuba.

From Get Liberty News email : "Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free." Ronald Reagan This is true here, as it is true in Latin America. They easily forget. Let's hope we don't. Let's hope Latin American countries can learn.

Spoke in defense of the universal right to freedom of religion! He is on Fox News right now. Turn on your TV. Michelle has more on the story . 3/22 morning update: Afghan officials are accusing Rahman of being mentally unfit . Watch him for yourself. Who is insane: Rahman or the jihadists who want to kill him?

Report Shows Hispanics Are Opening Businesses Three Times Faster Than National Average Again, its why we need sensible, secure border and immigration policy. It will allow the economy to continue growing. RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman issued the following statement on today’s U.S. Census report showing Hispanic-owned businesses opening at a rate that is three times the national average. “Today’s U.S. Census report reveals that in the midst of a strong economy, Hispanics are opening businesses three times faster than the national average. The incredible growth of Hispanic businesses is a testament to the spirit of entrepreneurship and the economic policies of President Bush and Republican leaders in Congress that encourage minority ownership. This report further underscores the need to continue to pursue the Republican economic agenda that reduces tax burdens, reforms liability litigation, enables affordable health insurance, and allows Americans to break free from government barriers and r...

Update: Read BabaluBlogs comments on the blogosphere's coverage of this story, and his reaction to Instapundit's comments about it. *** Keep this freedom fighter in your prayers. He is a one-man David fighting against the socialist Goliath. The rest of the blogosphere needs to join in and keep the attention on this story. The world has to long tolerated the inhumanities of Fidel Castro. Cuba Net has more on the story. (Spanish) La Ventanita has a moving commentary . I join him in thanking Pajamas Media, all the Cuban Bloggers, Reuters, CNN and some newspapers for carrying this story. "Coco" as he is affectionately called by his family and friends, is now in his 50th day of his hunger strike. Fifty-days without solid food or water. A hunger strike that he undertook to demand from the Bearded Stooge his right to freely access the internet so he can continue his work as independent journalist and director of Cubanacan Press (Independent Cuban Press). A special commen...

Update: Ben just posted on the Toronto Star article about a study from the Journal of Research Into Personality. Good stuff. They are trying to explain away the conservative movement as an anomaly--an abnormality. Such pride! Can't they just admit it--conservatives win elections because the conservative message resonates with more average Americans. Ben Domenech, the co-founder of RedState.com , is now blogging at Washington Post. Check out his first post , and make sure to ad him to your blogroll. http://blog.washingtonpost.com/redamerica/ Good move by the Washington Post.

From the AP : A controversial civilian border patrol group is planning a return to Arizona in two weeks to again confront the problem of illegal immigration. Some say the original Minuteman Project conducted in April 2005 in Cochise County and a subsequent patrol in October brought increased national attention to the Arizona stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border. Regardless if you agree with their tactics or not, this is clear. American's are tired of our lack of effective border security and the lack of effective make-sense immigration policy. American's are tired of political correctness damaging our educational institutions. American's are tired of guests who abuse their welcome. Rev. Robin Hoover "The thing we objected to here is it brought out a lot of nativist sentiment and that's not America at its best," said the Rev. Robin Hoover, president of Tucson-based Humane Borders. I agree, but this is not the Minutemen's fault. This is a result of...

This woman is awesome. As for Richard Belzer, I'd like to see him go out on the battle field. Mr. Belzer, there are no stunt-doubles in war. Fool! Check out the video here . This man is an insult to the incredibly talented and skilled men & women in our armed forces. He resorts to insults and low-class language to defend his point. Great job by Rep. Ros-Lehtinen in defending our men and women! Keep it up. Ever single soldier I have ever known, past generations and new generations, have been inredibly talented, intelligent, and capable men and women. They don't go into the military because they have no other choice. For Belzer to insult their intelligence only reveals his prejudice and ignorance. © 2006 WorldNetDaily.com According to actor and comedian Richard Belzer, American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan are too uneducated to be expressing support for the U.S. military mission since they're just "19 and 20-year-old kids who couldn't get a job" and ...

Michelle Malkin has a must-read on a Christian being tried for his faith in Afghanistan. This needs attention. Keep this man in your prayers. If religious freedom is not a part of the change in the middle east, then I suspect there hasn't been all that much change. The Independent Online also had the story. The Seattle Post INtelligencer is covering the article ( Afghan man prosecuted for converting ) as well as Voice of America ( Afghan Man Faces Execution After Converting to Christianity ) and the Washington Post ( Afghan Man Prosecuted for Converting ).

I had a nice time this morning visiting my wife's home church in Maryland. It has been one of the blessings of moving back to the mid-Atlantic--being able to visit the in-laws. Grace Bible Chapel is where we got married over a year ago, so its always nice to be back. Small town life is so relaxing, when home-buying time comes, I hope we can get a little further out. Hope you all ejoyed your Sunday morning service or mass, and had your souls refreshed. Have a blessed weekend.