Acorn: The same song but different election year.

Like you I believe that Voting and elections is a critical issue that must be discussed around every dinner table and lunch counter in America. It is a discussion that concerns who we are and who we will be as a nation. It is a discussion that must be based in truth, fact, and honesty. Watch the video; the same song but different election year.

Racist GOP Mailing depicts Obama surrounded by KFC, Watermelon and Food Stamps.

This is by far one of the most ignorant things i've personally seen someone create. This is outrageous and this is just not the right thing to do to gain votes. I am see this as a direct blow to the African American Culture and To connect all African Americans with cool-aid, fried chicken and watermelon is racist.

That "Obama Bucks" image sent out by a Republican women's club in San Bernardino County, which featured a photo of Barack Obama on paper currency surrounded by a potpourri of racially-charged Jim Crow-era images? Turns out it wasn't created by club president, Diane Fedele, but was lifted from Please God No, a satirical website devoted to skewering the Republican right.
The originator of Obama Bucks -- we'll call him Joe the Blogger -- is no stranger to the tasteless joke and the offensive image. Steeped in the scorched earth impudence of "South Park" and following in the irreverent footsteps of the Onion, Joe the Blogger's site has drawn scores of outraged comments for posts about dead Boy Scouts, Heath Ledger, genital odor and the Bush administration's response to Hurricane Katrina, which uses the N-word.

If Obama Bucks was going to draw much fire, Joe the Blogger always assumed it would be directed at him. To have the very Republicans he mocks misunderstand the satire and go up in flames for his work leaves him bemused.
"It’s horrible " Joe the Blogger said. "I feel bad for the poor lady who did this, but how stupid do you have to be not to see the racial aspects?"
Fedele came under fire for the mailer and for her subsequent claim that she didn't notice the image's racist nature. Even as she apologized and her fellow club members disavowed the mailer, the story -- and reactions to it -- shot around the world.

Though Fedele's caption ("Obama talks about all those presidents that got their names on bills. If elected, what bill would he be on ????? Food Stamps, what else!") associated Obama with food stamps.
"It was so over-the-top and obviously racial and offensive, and that was the point of it," Joe the Blogger said.

Diane Fedele, president of a San Bernardino County Republican women’s club criticized over its use of "Obama Bucks," a racially charged illustration of Barack Obama, has resigned her post.
The image of Obama on play money flanked by fried chicken, watermelon and ribs quickly went worldwide, as did Fedele's explanation that she didn't realize the symbolism could be considered racist.

Diane Fedele faced intense pressure from state GOP leaders who called the drawing racist and Democrats who demanded she quit as head of the Upland-based Chaffey Community Republican Women, Federated.
In a sometimes combative apology sent to club members, Fedele said she received the illustration through a chain e-mail and used it for a "satiric" attack on what she sees as Obama’s "socialist" agenda of government giveaways. When confronted by an African American club member, she said she apologized for the cartoon. Despite that, Fedele said the woman took the story to the media.
"For many it may be hard to believe, but some people do not associate certain foods with particular groups," she said. "I do not think like a bigot, and because of that fact I did not view this as racial, because I do not have a racially discriminating point of view."
No, really, it wasn't. In fact, you're racist for thinking it's racist.

She accused the media of branding Republicans racist whenever they criticize the Democratic presidential nominee.
Hector Barajas, a spokesman for the state GOP, said the decision to resign was a personal one between Fedele and the 200-member club.
"As far as we are concerned these images and words have no place in this campaign," he said. Ironically, the illustration was created by a liberal blogger as an attempt to make fun of Republicans. Someone e-mailed it to Fedele, who then put it in her newsletter.
Fedele's resignation is effective immediately. Our article about the liberal blogger who created the image as satire — and was startled to find it used by Republicans — is here.
According to the Riverside Press-Enterprise, which broke the Diane Fedele/Obama Bucks story, critics had planned to protest at the club's meeting tonight, but that meeting has been canceleda>.

Why Joe Arpaio Must go.

The "Sheriff Command Ascociation" gave the GOP $105K to run dishonest and filthy ads against Dan Saban. But who is the SCA? The AZ GOP party found themselves in trouble by taking the money and may have broken 8 seperate laws. Some are felonies.

A top Maricopa County sheriff's deputy is the point man for a mysterious political group that has given $105,000 to the state Republican Party in recent months, money that Democratic leaders say was used to pay for attack ads against Democratic candidates Dan Saban and Tim Nelson.

Sheriff Joe Arpaio has denied any link between his campaign and the attack ad against his opponent, Saban.

The ad was produced by the Republican Party and Arizonans for Public Safety, a group headed by state GOP Chairman Randy Pullen. The two groups also paid for a commercial attacking Nelson, who is running against County Attorney Andrew Thomas.

Donations from a group calling itself the Sheriff's Command Association made to the state Republican Party prompted the Arizona Democratic Party to file campaign finance complaints earlier this week with state and county elections agencies.

On Thursday, Sean McCaffrey, executive director of the Arizona Republican Party, said Capt. Joel Fox, a division commander in the sheriff's office, is the party's contact person for the mysterious association. The GOP's most recent finance report lists the association only by its initials and describes it as an "unincorporated association of individuals."

Fox "is, indeed, the individual with whom chairman Pullen requested the names of SCA's donors when their contributions to the Arizona Republican Party arrived, and we needed to have the information to file more properly," McCaffrey said.

Fox did not immediately respond to calls and e-mails seeking comment Thursday afternoon.

No one from SCA has responded to the party's request for specific information about the donors, McCaffrey said.

"We have since more loudly requested the information, and if that information isn't forthcoming from SCA, then we will act accordingly in a very timely manner," McCaffrey said. He refused to explain what those actions might include.

Pullen did not return calls for comment.

The Democrat's complaint alleges that SCA and the Republican Party have broken state campaign finance laws that regulate how political groups operate. SCA has not registered as a political action committee as required and is trying to hide who the money is coming from, the complaint alleges.

"This deeply underscores the need for a quick and independent investigation," Emily DeRose, spokeswoman for the state Democrats, said of Fox's connection to SCA.

On Thursday, Arpaio reiterated he had nothing to do with the ads. He said Fox's connection to the anonymous donations does not prove otherwise.

"I don't care," Arpaio said. "I have nothing to do with the independent expenditure, period."

Some TV stations refused to run the commercials, and the GOP ultimately pulled the ads.

McCaffrey said he does not know what position Fox holds within SCA or who else is involved.

The Maricopa County Recorder's Office, which runs county elections, has forwarded the complaint to the county attorney's office and to an outside law firm to advise the agency on how to proceed

Joe Arpaio Got to go!!!!!!!!!

Many Republicans In Arizona have important views on Sheriff Joe Arpaio's job performance and policies. Listen to what they say.

Contrary to what you hear coming out of Arpaio's office, there is plenty of evidence that his jails and tactics are not "humane." In fact, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors have paid for at least seven studies that call into questions not only Arpaio's lack of management and oversight, but also the conditions of the jails and the treatment of detainees. The bottom line is whenever Joe Arapio tells you there is no proof that his jails are inhumane or that his jails have "always passed Constitutional muster," a total of seven independent analyses and three internal documents--one written by Arpaio himself--has found jail conditions to be well below Constitutional muster AND have fallen on the deaf ears of both the MCSO and the Board of Supervisors, who have taken no action to address those concerns.

Honor a quien Honor Merece: Senator Gil Cedillo. Si se pudo.

I want to congratulate the California Senator Gilbert Cedillo on his recent selection of Honor by National Hispanic Media. I am so proud of Mr. Gilbert Cedillo. I have been a longtime Student of his work as well as Mr. Joe Baca, Antonio Villaraigosa, Luis Gutierrez, Jose Serrano, and many more. And in my mind it's about time they finally recognized his accomplishment, encourage and talent. In Fact, I believe his recognizion is long overdue. Once again Mr. Gilbert Cedillo, My sincere congratulations on your nomination. With State Senator Gilbert Cedillo, the old proverb should be: "If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, try, try, try, try, again."

He also advocates legislation designed to permit children of Undocumented immigrants to apply for scholarships for California-sponsored colleges and to create pathways to citizenship for all immigrants to, "build on foundation of this nation and continue our legacy as a nation of immigrants."

Gilbert Anthony Cedillo (born March 25, 1954 in Barstow, California) is an American politician and a member of the Democratic Party. He is currently serving in the California State Senate, representing the 22nd District, which covers the diverse cities of Los Angeles, Alhambra, Maywood, San Marino, South Pasadena and Vernon.
Cedillo grew up in the Boyle Heights area of Los Angeles and is a lifelong resident of the 22nd District. His father worked as a mechanic at American Can in Vernon and was a member of the United Steelworkers of America. His mother was a garment worker at Sears and Times-Mirror Press. Senator Cedillo attended Lorena Street and Euclid Avenue Elementary, Stevenson Junior High and Roosevelt High where he met and became close friends with Antonio Villaraigosa, now Mayor of Los Angeles. At Roosevelt, he was varsity quarterback and excelled academically as well, receiving a full academic scholarship to the University of California, Los Angeles.
Cedillo graduated from UCLA with a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology in 1979 and receiving a Juris Doctor from the People's College of Law in 1983. However, Gilbert Cedillo is not a member of the California Bar.
Cedillo worked for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Los Angeles County's largest union, where he served as general manager from 1990 to 1996. In his years as general manager, he protected public libraries,[citation needed] youth programs and played a critical role in securing $364 million in federal assistance to ensure that the Los Angeles County Health Care system remained afloat. President Bill Clinton stated that his decision to provide funding "was reached after critical consultations with SEIU.".
After his tenure at the SEIU, Cedillo served three terms in the California State Assembly from 1997 to 2002. In 2002, he was elected to his current office in the state Senate. While he is most widely known for his attempts to reinstate driver's licenses to illegal immigrants, Cedillo has also worked on protecting the rights of working men and women[citation needed], increasing and expanding access to health care, developing regional solutions to combat homelessness and encouraging economic development in his downtown Los Angeles district.
Cedillo was reelected in 2006 in a landslide, defeating South Pasadena City Councilman Mike Ten, a Republican. Cedillo received 71,199 votes, Ten received 18,581 votes, and Murray Levy, the Libertarian candidate, received 3,469 votes. He is Chair of the Senate Select Committee on Immigration and the Economy and is a member of the Senate standing committees on Appropriations, Health, Public Safety, Rules, and Transportation and Housing.

Cedillo is among many public figures featured in the United For Obama video produced in support of Sen. Barack Obama's 2008 presidential , Si Se Puede Cambiar. Si se Pudo, Si Se Pudo.

U.S. Citizens drainning Social Services.

It is impossible to make people understand their ignorance; for it requires knowledge to perceive it and therefore he that can perceive it hath it not. At the same time Anti Immigrants, Nativists allow ignorance to prevail upon them and make them think They can survive alone, alone in patches, alone in groups, alone in races, even alone in genders. Ignorance is a Bliss.

The questions is: How the Anti Immigrants, Nativists determined the cost and effects to our Society from Undocumented Immigrants? Providing a false, assumable or inaccurate reports doesn't make you an exception of ignorant, Illusionist, bigotry and Anti Immigrant. The Food is ready. take a bite. Keep reading:

A former Minnesota Department of Health and Human Services supervisor was recently indicted by a federal grand jury for health care fraud and for the alleged theft of more than $900,000 in Medicaid funds, the U.S. attorneys office announced Wednesday.

Kim Joann Austen, 47, of Hudson, Wis., was charged Oct. 7 in Minneapolis with one count of health care fraud and 22 counts of theft of health care funds. Her indictment was unsealed Wednesday after her initial appearance in federal court in Minneapolis. Austen turned herself in on Tuesday. She remains in custody, and a detention hearing is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. today at U.S. Courthouse in Minneapolis.

Officials allege that Austen created a scheme to defraud Medicaid, a federal health care benefit program, and received $903,896.54 from the State of Minnesota.

Since about August 1997, Austen had been the supervisor of the computerized system that processes submitted Medicaid claims for payment. Medicaid provides medical care and services to low-income people. Once a claim is approved, payment is issued through the state's government accounting system used for all state revenues and expenditures.

The indictment alleges that on Aug. 1, 2003, Austen created a vendor number in the name of an adult man who is not a Medicaid provider. She then submitted fake invoices that used the vendor number created in the man's name, causing the state to issue 23 checks -- for nearly $904,000. Including taxes withheld, officials allege the total fraud amounted to $1.1 million.

The former supervisor of Health and Human Services in Minnesota allegedly stole almost $904,000.

Honoring the Pride of Sioux Tribes.

Honoring the Pride of Sioux Tribes and reporting how the commission appointed and led to obtain certain concessions of Land from the Sioux Indians with one purpose. Not Oil, Not Sugar.. Just Gold...

"This war was brought upon us by the children of the Great Father

who came to take our land from us without price."

--Spotted Tail.

The history of Native Americans in North America dates back thousands of years. Exploration and settlement of the western United States by Americans and Europeans wreaked havoc on the Indian peoples living there. In the 19th century the American drive for expansion clashed violently with the Native American resolve to preserve their lands, sovereignty, and ways of life. The struggle over land has defined relations between the U.S. government and Native Americans and is well documented in the holdings of the National Archives.

From the 1860s through the 1870s the American frontier was filled with Indian wars and skirmishes. In 1865 a congressional committee began a study of the Indian uprisings and wars in the West, resulting in a Report on the Condition of the Indian Tribes , which was released in 1867. This study and report by the congressional committee led to an act to establish an Indian Peace Commission to end the wars and prevent future Indian conflicts. The United States government set out to establish a series of Indian treaties that would force the Indians to give up their lands and move further west onto reservations.

In the spring of 1868 a conference was held at Fort Laramie, in present day Wyoming, that resulted in a treaty with the Sioux. This treaty was to bring peace between the whites and the Sioux who agreed to settle within the Black Hills reservation in the Dakota Territory.

The Black Hills of Dakota are sacred to the Sioux Indians. In the 1868 treaty, signed at Fort Laramie and other military posts in Sioux country, the United States recognized the Black Hills as part of the Great Sioux Reservation, set aside for exclusive use by the Sioux people. In 1874, however, General George A. Custer led an expedition into the Black Hills accompanied by miners who were seeking gold. Once gold was found in the Black Hills, miners were soon moving into the Sioux hunting grounds and demanding protection from the United States Army. Soon, the Army was ordered to move against wandering bands of Sioux hunting on the range in accordance with their treaty rights. In 1876, Custer, leading an army detachment, encountered the encampment of Sioux and Cheyenne at the Little Bighorn River. Custer's detachment was annihilated, but the United States would continue its battle against the Sioux in the Black Hills until the government confiscated the land in 1877. To this day, ownership of the Black Hills remains the subject of a legal dispute between the U.S. government and the Sioux.
See these pictures here: 1 , 2

Why is Wells Fargo Flirting with Anti-Immigrant Extremists? By Eric Ward

Respected business leader Wayne Calloway once remarked that “[n]othing focuses the mind better than the constant sight of a competitor who wants to wipe you off the map”. Over the last several years it appears that Wells Fargo has not only embraced Calloway’s insight but taken it a step further by putting the enemy right inside its very own bedroom.
For several years nativists under the guise of “immigration reform” have waged endless attacks against Wells Fargo, even going so far as to create web pages such as Embargo Wells Fargo. Having declared a racial war against our nation’s immigrant and refugee communities, anti-immigrant organizations and leaders targeted Wells Fargo as part of their growing “war of attrition”. In short, make life a living hell for immigrants and anyone else who defends their inalienable rights to simply be treated like a human being. The anti-immigrant movement is demanding that Wells Fargo choose sides between community and barbarism.
However, Wells Fargo appears to have done the opposite. Rather than taking responsibility as a community leader and drawing a clear moral barrier against hate, Wells Fargo instead chooses to lend its indirect support to the anti-immigrant movement itself. According to the Center for New Community during the 2005-2006 election cycle the Wells Fargo and Company Employee PAC made fifty-eight contributions totaling $108,250 to members of the House Immigration Reform Caucus (HIRC).
Created by the infamous nativist Tom Tancredo who led attacks against Wells Fargo, HIRC represents one of the most entrenched threats to American pluralism today.” Members of HIRC have introduced some of the most punitive legislation proposed during the last two House sessions. The current head of HIRC is Congressman Brian Bilbray of California the former lobbyist of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR). FAIR was recently named a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Other groups designated as hate groups by the Southern Poverty Law Center include the Ku Klux Klan and the American National Socialist Workers Party. Ironically in 2007, Bilbray went on to co-sponsor anti-immigrant legislation that directly targeted the banking industry, including Wells Fargo.
Having been attacked by everyone from Lou Dobbs to Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) President Dan Stein, one would think that Wells Fargo would understand firsthand the impact that the bigotry of the anti-immigrant movement is having on local communities and Wells Fargo customers. In Arizona, anti-immigrant activists have literally destroyed the economy of Arizona in their attempt to divide the state and the families that live there.
Sadly Wells Fargo’s indirect support doesn’t end in the Nation’s beltway but to the streets of Arizona itself. In Arizona far away from the eyes of the nation, xenophobes have waged a relentless war against the immigrant community. Not simply satisfied with the harassment of Latino communities at the hands of armed vigilantes, Maricopa County Sherriff Joe Arpaio joined the fray, terrorizing citizens and non-citizens so much that the U.S. Department of Justice has an open investigation into his activities. Arpaio does this from space leased from Wells Fargo.
On Monday, October 27, 2008, Arizona has called for a national day of action against Wells Fargo. The demand is simple, they are asking that Wells Fargo stop housing and profiting from the Maricopa County Sheriff’s attempt to terrorize the Latino community of Arizona. Whatever your views on immigration policy, it’s hard not to be disturbed by Wells Fargo’s support of groups that seek to slam the door on America’s historic commitment to inclusion and opportunity.
Fortunately for our nation, Americans of all stripes have stood up to defend a historic commitment to unity, hard work, and rights. Organize a lunch time vigil at your local Wells Fargo. Call or email Wells Fargo. Tell Wells Fargo that its voice is necessary to pull the debate on immigration back from the intolerant fringes.
It’s time for Wells Fargo to send Arpaio packing. Click Here:

Annexation of Hawaii: Teaching with Documents.

The 1897 Petition Against the Annexation of Hawaii. See picture.

Hawaii's government was overthrown on Jan. 17, 1893, by a relatively small group of men, most of them American by birth or heritage, who seized control of the Islands with the backing of American troops sent ashore from a warship in Honolulu Harbor. To this "superior force of the United States of America," Queen Lili`uokalani yielded her throne, under protest, in order to avoid bloodshed, trusting that the United States government would right the wrong that had been done to her and the Hawaiian people.

Who were this group of American men and why did they overthrow the government? Oil? Nooo. Something similar Sugar!

Sugar was by far the principal support of the islands, and profits and prosperity hinged on favorable treaties with the United States, Hawaiian sugar's chief market, creating powerful economic ties. The plantation owners were, for the most part, the descendents of the original missionary families who had brought religion to the islands in the wake of the whaling ships. As ownership of private property came to the islands, the missionary families wound up owning a great deal of it!

When the Hawaiian islands were formally annexed by the United States in 1898, the event marked end of a lengthy internal struggle between native Hawaiians and white American businessmen for control of the Hawaiian government. In 1893 the last monarch of Hawaii, Queen Lili'uokalani, was overthrown by party of businessmen, who then imposed a provisional government. Soon after, President Benjamin Harrison submitted a treaty to annex the Hawaiian islands to the U.S. Senate for ratification. In 1897, the treaty effort was blocked when the newly-formed Hawaiian Patriotic League, composed of native Hawaiians, successfully petitioned the U.S. Congress in opposition of the treaty. The League's lobbying efforts left only 46 Senators in favor of the resolution, less than the 2/3 majority needed for approval of a treaty. The League's victory was shortlived, however as unfolding world events soon forced the annexation issue to the fore again. With the explosion of the U.S.S. Maine in February of 1898 signaling the start of the Spanish American War, establishing a mid-Pacific fueling station and naval base became a strategic imperative for the United States. The Hawaiian islands were the clear choice, and this time Congress moved to annex the Hawaiian islands by Joint Resolution, a process requiring only a simple majority in both houses of Congress. On July 12, 1898, the Joint Resolution passed and the Hawaiian islands were officially annexed by the United States.

The Hawaiian islands had a well-established culture and long history of self-governance when Captain James Cook, the first European explorer to set foot on Hawaii, landed in 1778. The influence of European and American settlers quickly began to alter traditional ways of life. Originally governed by individual chiefs or kings, the islands united under the rule of a single monarch, King Kamehameha, in 1795, less than two decades after Cook's arrival. Later the traditional Hawaiian monarchy was overthrown in favor of a constitutional monarchy. Eventually, the monarchy itself was abandoned in favor of a government elected by a small group of enfranchised voters, although the Hawaiian monarch was retained as the ceremonial head of the government. Even elements of daily life felt the social and economic impact of the white planters, missionaries and businessmen. The landholding system changed, and many aspects of traditonal culture were prohibited including teaching the Hawaiian language and performing the native Hula dance.

In 1887, the struggle for control of Hawaii was at its height as David Kalakaua was elected to the Hawaiian throne. King Kalakaua signed a reciprocity treaty with the United States making it possible for sugar to be sold to the U.S. market tax-free, but the haole - or "white" - businessmen were still distrustful of him. They criticized his ties to men they believed to be corrupt, his revival of Hawaiian traditions such as the historic Hula, and construction of the royal Iolani Palace. A scandal involving Kalakaua erupted in the very year he was crowned, and it united his opponents, a party of businessmen under the leadership of Lorrin Thurston. The opposition used the threat of violence to force the Kalakua to accept a new constitution that stripped the monarchy of executive powers and replaced the cabinet with members of the businessmen's party. The new constitution, which effectively disenfranchised most native Hawaiian voters, came to be known as the "Bayonet Constitution" because Kalakaua signed it under duress.

When King Kalakaua died in 1891, his sister Lili'uokalani succeeded him, and members of the native population persuaded the new queen to draft a new constitution in an attempt to restore native rights and powers. The move was countered by the Committee on Annexation, a small group of white businessmen and politicians who felt that annexation by the United States, the major importer of Hawaiian agricultural products, would be beneficial for the economy of Hawaii. Supported by John Stevens, the U.S. Minister to Hawaii, and a contingent of Marines from the warship, U.S.S. Boston, the Committee on Annexation overthrew Queen Lili'uokalani in a bloodless coup on January 17, 1893 and established a revolutionary regime.

Without permission from the U.S. State Department, Minister Stevens then recognized the new government and proclaimed Hawaii a U.S. protectorate. The Committee immediately proclaimed itself to be the Provisional Government. President Benjamin Harrison signed a treaty of annexation with the new government, but before the Senate could ratify it, Grover Cleveland replaced Harrison as president and subsequently withdrew the treaty.

Shortly into his presidency, Cleveland appointed James Blount as a special investigator to investigate the events in the Hawaiian Islands. Blount found that Minister Stevens had acted improperly and ordered that the American flag be lowered from Hawaiian government buildings. He also ordered that Queen Lili'uokalani be restored to power, but Sanford Dole, the president of the Provisional Government of Hawaii, refused to turn over power. Dole successfully argued that the United States had no right to interfere in the internal affairs of Hawaii. The Provisional Government then proclaimed Hawaii a republic in 1894, and soon the Republic of Hawaii was officially recognized by the United States.

The overthrow of Lili'uokalani and imposition of the Republic of Hawaii was contrary to the will of the native Hawaiians. Native Hawaiians staged mass protest rallies and formed two gender-designated groups to protest the overthrow and prevent annexation. One was the Hui Hawaii Aloha Aina, loosely translated as the Hawaiian Patriotic League, and the other was its female counterpart, the Hui Hawaii Aloha Aina o Na Wahine. On January 5, 1895, the protests took the form of an armed attempt to derail the annexation but the armed revolt was suppressed by forces of the Republic. The leaders of the revolt were imprisoned along with Queen Lili'uokalani who was jailed for failing to put down the revolt.

In March of 1897, William McKinley was inaugurated as President of the United States. McKinley was in favor of annexation, and the change in leadership was soon felt. On June 16, 1897, McKinley and three representatives of the government of the Republic of Hawaii --Lorrin Thurston, Francis Hatch, and William Kinney-- signed a treaty of annexation. President McKinley then submitted the treaty to the U.S. Senate for ratification.

The Hui Aloha Aina for Women and the Hui Aloha Aina for Men now organized a mass petition drive. They hoped that if the U.S. government realized that the majority of native Hawaiian citizens opposed annexation, the move to annex Hawaii would be stopped. Between September 11 and October 2, 1897, the two groups collected petition signatures at public meetings held on each of the five principal islands of Hawaii. The petition, clearly marked "Petition Against Annexation" and written in both the Hawaiian and English languages, was signed by 21,269 native Hawaiian people, or more than half the 39,000 native Hawaiians and mixed-blood persons reported by the Hawaiian Commission census for the same year.

Four delegates, James Kaulia, David Kalauokalani, John Richardson, and William Auld, arrived in Washington, DC on December 6 with the 556-page petition in hand. That day, as they met with Queen Lili'uokalani, who was already in Washington lobbying against annexation, the second session of the 55th Congress opened. The delegates and Lili'uokalani planned a strategy to present the petition to the Senate.

The delegation and Lili'oukalani met Senator George Hoar, chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on the following day, and on December 9, with the delegates present, Senator Hoar read the text of the petition to the Senate. It was formally accepted. The next day the delegates met with Secretary of State John Sherman and submitted a formal statement protesting the annexation to him. In the following days, the delegates met with many senators, voicing opposition to the annexation. By the time the delegates left Washington on February 27, 1898, there were only 46 senators willing to vote for annexation. The treaty was defeated in the Senate.

Other events brought the subject of annexation up again immediately. On February 15, 1898, the U.S. Battleship Maine was blown up in Havana harbor in Cuba. The ensuing Spanish-American War, part of which was fought in the Philippine Islands, established the strategic value of the Hawaiian islands as a mid-Pacific fueling station and naval installation. The pro-annexation forces in Congress submitted a proposal to annex the Hawaiian Islands by joint resolution, which required only a simple majority vote in both houses. This eliminated the 2/3 majority needed to ratify a treaty, and by result, the necessary support was in place. House Joint Resolution 259, 55th Congress, 2nd session, known as the "Newlands Resolution," passed Congress and was signed into law by President McKinley on July 7, 1898.

Once annexed by the United States, the Hawaiian islands remained a U.S. territory until 1959, when they were admitted to statehood as the 50th state. The story of the annexation is a story of conflicting goals as the white businessmen struggled to obtain favorable trade conditions and native Hawaiians sought to protect their cultural heritage and maintain a national identity. The 1897 Petition by the Hawaiian Patriotic League stands as evidence that the native Hawaiian people objected to annexation, but because the interests of the businessmen won out, over the coming decades most historians who wrote the history of Hawaii emphasized events as told by the Provisional Government and largely neglected the struggle of the Native Hawaiians. Today, there is a growing movement on the Islands to revive interest in the native Hawaiian language and culture. Primary sources such as this petition bear witness that there is another side to the story.

The annexation petition with its voluminous signatures, along with many related records, is filed in the Records of the U.S. Senate, Record Group 46, at the National Archives and Records Administration. The petitions are available on microfilm as publication M1897.

Undocumented Immigrants Linking to Identity Theft: A myth or a lie?

Over the course of a year, defendants Anderton and Kirsch used the identities of more than 16 victims in numerous illegal transactions to obtain more than $119,000 in cash and merchandise. They also made failed attempts to obtain more than $122,000 in additional cash and merchandise. I want to pointed out were we do not want to believe that the genuine identities of possibly hundreds of thousands of US citizens are being stolen or hijacked by Citizens and criminal organizations and not by Undocumented Immigrants which we tended to blame because they do not have a Political voice either legal representation.

The government has used the charges against Undocumented Workers with the possibility of prison time to persuade people to plead guilty to lesser immigration violations. In other cases, defendants have been convicted of "aggravated identity theft," even without proof that they knew their phony ID numbers belonged to real people. The central question is whether the defendant must know that the counterfeit identification belongs to someone else. Federal prosecutors have increasingly been bringing the more serious identity theft charges against undocumented immigrants.

Defense lawyers have argued that their clients should not be charged with stealing an identity because the immigrants were seeking documentation only to allow them to work. They didn't know if the numbers were fictitious or belonged to someone else.

When a person makes up a Social Security number, having no idea whether it belongs to someone else, it is hard to see how that conduct qualifies as 'theft' - much less 'aggravated theft. So what about the person who knows and have an idea who's that number belongs to?

Jocelyn Kirsch, 23, of Novato, California, was sentenced today to five years in prison for her role in an extensive identity theft and fraud scheme, announced Acting United States Attorney Laurie Magid. Kirsch pleaded guilty in July 2008, to conspiracy, aggravated identity theft, access device fraud, bank fraud, and money laundering. Between November 2006 and November 30, 2007, Kirsch and co-defendant Edward Anderton stole identity information, credit cards, and credit card account information from numerous victims, including friends, co-workers, neighbors, fellow students, bar patrons, and others, and used those stolen materials extensively to buy merchandise and obtain cash. Anderton pleaded guilty in June 2008 and is scheduled for sentencing on November 14, 2008. In addition to the prison terms, United States District Court Judge Eduardo Robreno ordered Kirsch to pay $101,033 restitution, a $600 special assessment, and to complete five years of supervised release.

Over the course of a year, defendants Anderton and Kirsch used the identities of more than 16 victims in numerous illegal transactions to obtain more than $119,000 in cash and merchandise. They also made failed attempts to obtain more than $122,000 in additional cash and merchandise. The defendants used the proceeds of their fraud scheme to help fund their lavish lifestyle that included trips to Florida, Paris, Hawaii, Montreal, and the Turks and Caicos Islands in the Caribbean.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Philadelphia Police Department, The University of Pennsylvania Police Department, and the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Louis D. Lappen and Special Assistant United States Attorney Lisa Caulfield

Undocumented Immigrants draining Social Services?. A Myth or a Lie?

HEALTH CARE COMPANY OWNER PLEADS GUILTY TO MEDICAL IDENTITY THEFT AND MEDICARE FRAUD.


WASHINGTON – A La Crescenta man pleaded guilty today to federal criminal charges of defrauding Medicare by using patients’ Medicare identification numbers without their knowledge, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Criminal Division Matthew Friedrich and U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Thomas P. O’Brien announced. Between August 2003 and April 2008, Melkon Gabriyelyan, 51, billed the Medicare program for more than $1,640,000.

Gabriyelyan pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of health care fraud before U.S. District Judge Manuel L. Real in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. Judge Real scheduled Gabriyelyan’s sentencing for Jan. 12, 2009. At sentencing, Gabriyelyan faces a maximum term of 12 years in prison for his crimes.

According to the plea agreement, Gabriyelyan admitted owning and operating TA Medical Supply, a durable medical equipment (DME) company located in the Tujunga area of Los Angeles. In his plea agreement, Gabriyelyan acknowledged that beginning in January 2004 he fraudulently billed Medicare for DME purportedly supplied to Medicare beneficiaries. Gabriyelyan submitted false claims to Medicare for orthotic braces, power wheelchairs and other DME that were not delivered to Medicare beneficiaries, were not prescribed by the physicians listed on the claims that he made or were not medically necessary.

Gabriyelyan also acknowledged in the plea agreement that to accomplish the fraud he knowingly and willfully stole the identity of a Medicare beneficiary for the purpose of submitting false claims. He admitted billing a back brace and two knee braces that the beneficiary did not need or receive, and that the patient had no knowledge of. In addition, Gabriyelyan admitted that he created a patient file for this beneficiary that contained a delivery slip with the beneficiary’s forged signature.

“Medical identity theft is a growing problem that poses significant harm to both the Medicare program and the patients whose personal information is stolen,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Friedrich. “The Department will continue fighting to protect the rights of Medicare patients as well as prosecuting individuals who defraud the Medicare program.”

“Medical identity theft is a striking example of the kind of fraud we are combating in the Los Angeles area. One new weapon in our arsenal is our Strike Force operations, which seek not only to protect American taxpayers from Medicare fraud, but protect the private and personal information of all patients,” said U.S. Attorney Thomas P. O’Brien.

Gabriyelyan was arrested in May 2008 following an investigation by the Medicare Fraud Strike Force (MFSF). The MFSF is a multi-agency team of federal, state and local prosecutors and agents designed to combat Medicare fraud. Strike force operations began in the Los Angeles area on March 1, 2008. The MFSF is led by the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section in Washington, D.C., and the office of U.S. Attorney Thomas P. O’Brien of the Central District of California. Since the inception of MFSF operations in 2007, federal prosecutors have indicted 104 cases with 184 defendants in both Los Angeles and Miami. Collectively, these defendants fraudulently billed the Medicare program for more than half a billion dollars.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret L. Carter, and is being investigated by the FBI; the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General; the California Department of Justice; the Bureau of Medical Fraud and Elder Abuse; and the Los Angeles County Health Authority Law Enforcement Task Force.

Illegals responsible for Identity theft? a Myth or a lie?

Medical identity theft is a striking example of the kind of fraud we are going to talk . One new weapon in our arsenal is our Strike Force operations, which seek not only to protect American taxpayers from Medicare fraud, but protect the private and personal information of all patients. For instance, In recent raids many Undocumented Immigrants were offered a choice between pleading guilty to a lesser charge, resulting in five months in prison, followed by deportation without appearing before an immigration judge, or the possibility of a two-year mandatory sentence under the 2004 law. I had exposed many cases of Identity theft and Medical Fraud that I can't believe there are narrow minded people blaming and making undocumented Immigrants responsible for the actions of a few American Citizens. Unbelievable!!!!!!......

Under pressure from the toughest crackdown on Undocumented immigration in two decades, employers across the country are fighting back in state legislatures, the federal courts and city halls. Business groups have resisted measures that would revoke the licenses of employers of Undocumented immigrants. They are proposing alternatives that would revise federal rules for verifying the identity documents of new hires and would expand programs to bring legal immigrant laborers.

Federal prosecutors pursuing Undocumented immigrants have a favorite tool: a 2004 law that imposes a mandatory two-year prison sentence on some people who commit identity fraud. The Supreme Court agreed to decide just how blunt that instrument is.

The question in the case, one that has divided the federal appeals courts, is whether workers who use false Social Security and alien registration numbers must know that they belong to a real person to be subject to a two-year sentence extension for “aggravated identity theft.” Put another way: Is it identity theft to pick nine random numbers out of the air and submit them as a Social Security number if that number turns out to belong to a real person?

The 2004 law makes it a crime to use knowingly, “without lawful authority, a means of identification of another person” in connection with a variety of other offenses.

The Supreme Court summed up the problem this way: “It is not at all clear how far down the sentence the word ‘knowingly’ is intended to travel.”

Immigrants inject $1.6B into Nebraska Economy.

Immigrants add $1.6 billion annually in spending to the state's economy and fill a critical role in the work force, according to a new study that was to be released Wednesday by the University of Nebraska at Omaha.Officials with the university's Office of Latino/Latin American Studies, or OLLAS, who issued the report called the study the first statewide quantitative assessment of the contributions Nebraska immigrants _ both legal and Undocumented _ make to the state's economy. Available data didn't allow the report's authors to differentiate between the economic impact of Undocumented versus legal immigrants.
But the policy brief does make a few inferences _ the first being that undocumented migrants are largely employed and are contributing to production, employment and taxes similar to legal immigrants."Moreover, it would be reasonable to also assume that the economic contributions of unauthorized immigrants are more than likely underestimated by all accounts, and that their public costs are likely lower than for authorized immigrants or the native born as a whole," a draft of the policy brief says. The report's author, Christopher Decker, an assistant professor of economics, was traveling and unavailable for comment on the study's methodology or other details Tuesday. Jerry Deichert with the university's Center for Public Affairs Research also contributed to the report. Deichert and OLLAS Director Lourdes Gouveia did not return phone messages Tuesday seeking comment. According to a draft of an policy brief that summarizes the report's key findings and lays out policy recommendations, immigrants created about 12,000 jobs across all sectors of the state's economy in 2006. And the loss of the foreign-born work force could cost the state $13.5 billion and thousands of jobs. The loss of immigrants would be devastating for the state's economy, particularly in communities whose main industries depend on the "injection of a new and young labor force and a generation of children willing to stay in those communities," OLLAS officials write in the policy brief. Immigrants make up 5.6 percent of the state's population, according to the report. It's a 33 percent increase since 2000. But immigrants represent only 4.28 percent of the public sector costs to the state.OLLAS officials lay out several recommendations, including federal immigration reform to remove unnecessary impediments to citizenship, state and local efforts focused on immigrant and community integration and improved training programs, including those that boost English proficiency.The brief goes on to say the report presents an opportunity to move from the "politics of division" _ fueled by misunderstandings or denial _ to the "politics of immigrant and community integration.The state's leadership must reject "paralyzing, anti-immigrant and anti-Hispanic rhetoric that often passes as informed analysis," according to the report, and instead craft "informed policies that will prevent us from squandering immigrants' contributions.".

We the People: Lou Dobbs and Insourcing Jobs.

Insourcing is the opposite of outsourcing; that is insourcing (or contracting in) is often defined as the delegation of operations or jobs from production within a business to an internal (but 'stand-alone') entity that specializes in that operation. Insourcing is a business decision that is often made to maintain control of critical production or competencies.
According to PR Web, insourcing was becoming more common by 2006 as businesses had less than satisfactory experiences with outsourcing (including customer support).
To those who are concerned that nations may be losing a net amount of jobs due to outsourcing, some point out that insourcing also occurs as a major surplus. According to a study by Mary Amiti and Shang-Jin Wei, in the United States, the United Kingdom, and many other industrialized countries more jobs are insourced than outsourced. They found that out of all the countries in the world they studied, the U.S. and the U.K. actually have the largest net trade surpluses in business services.
So the measure of fear created by Lou Dobbs of Outsourcing jobs from America is Justified?
when Dobbs testified before Congress, it was not just a case of preaching to the choir, or even the blind leading the stupid. It was vivid proof of Goethe’s famous dictum, “Nothing is more terrible than ignorance in action.”
Let’s take a look close at Dobbs’s testimony. It was long on impressive-sounding claims based on apparently authoritative statistics. But virtually every seeming fact that Dobbs cited is flat wrong.
Dobbs said that free trade is costing America jobs. With the unemployment rate now at only 4.4 percent, it’s hard to see what he is complaining about. Nevertheless he stated that
Since the beginning of this new century, the United States has lost more than three million manufacturing jobs. Three million more jobs have been lost to cheap overseas labor markets …
That’s a total of six million jobs. According to the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, there today are only 6.7 million unemployed people in the U.S. to begin with. So just what is Dobbs promising? That if we had pursued protectionist trade policies, we’d have six million more jobs -- leaving only 700 thousand people unemployed? That would put the unemployment rate at less than one half of one percent -- a tiny fraction of the lowest unemployment rate ever achieved in history.
Surely this sets a new high water mark for sheer absurdity in the long history of political promises to provide more jobs.

Dobbs also declared that Salaries and wages now represent the lowest share of our national income than any time since 1929. Corporate profits have the largest share of our national income than at any time since 1950.
The claim about salaries and wages is so deceptive as to very nearly be a lie. Dobbs ignored the fact that for many of the years following 1929, companies paid only salaries and wages, and no fringe benefits such as pensions or health care. In the modern economy, fringe benefits are a significant portion of total compensation. Today, the income share of total worker compensation -- wages and salaries plus benefits -- is higher than in any year prior to 1967, and lands in about the middle of the narrow range in which it has since fluctuated.
Know with Insourcing more than five million Americans now receive a pay check from a foreign firm. We the People travels to a former US manufacturing town to see how 'insourcing' is changing the face of one small community.

MacTheSame.Misleading Americans.

On one of the key issues in the campaign is- who is telling the truth about taxes?. McCain included in his economic message another shot at Obama mocking Barack's claim to be a tax cutter meanwhile Sen. John McCain on Tuesday sought to discredit Sen. Barack Obama's economic record, telling voters that "perhaps never before in history have the American people been asked to risk so much based on so little."

As the Arizona senator outlined his new economic proposals, he used some of his most pointed language to date to describe what he said was the difference between himself and Obama on the economy.
As the Arizona senator outlined his new economic proposals, he used some of his most pointed language to date to describe what he said was the difference between himself and Obama on the economy.
"He's an eloquent speaker, but even he can't turn a record of supporting higher taxes into a credible promise to cut taxes. What he promises today is the opposite of what he has done his entire career," McCain said at a rally in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania.
"Perhaps never before in history have the American people been asked to risk so much based on so little. You can look at the record of what he's done or you can just go with your gut, but either way you're left with the same conclusion: Sen. Obama is going to raise your taxes, and in this economy, raising taxes is the surest way to turn a recession into a depression."
McCain repeated his claim that Obama voted 94 times to raise taxes. According to a CNN fact check, that claim is misleading. Fact check: Did Obama vote 94 times to raise taxes?
Obama told reporters Tuesday that he hadn't reviewed the details of McCain's latest proposals, but said that in the past few weeks McCain has put forth some "very bad ideas" as well as "some good ideas."
To counter charges that their candidate would raise taxes, the Obama campaign on Tuesday posted an online calculator that allows users to compare what their tax cuts would look like under each of the candidate's proposals.
The campaign said they expect McCain to "lie about Obama's tax plan" during the final presidential debate, which takes place Wednesday in Hempstead, New York.
Obama on Tuesday was in Toledo, Ohio, to prepare for the debate.
McCain criticized Obama as a "man who now presents himself as a tax cutter and champion of middle-class America" despite revising his tax plans "with each new poll."
Obama's tax plan would cut taxes for most taxpayers, but raise them for the wealthiest. The largest increases would be on the top 1 percent of earners, according to analysis by the Tax Policy Center, a nonpartisan research group whose staff includes former economic advisers to the White House and Congress under both Republicans and Democrats. Fact check: Does Obama want to raise taxes?
By comparison, the Tax Policy Center analysis says McCain would offer tax cuts across the board.
McCain on Tuesday told voters his "plan for economic recovery does not require guesswork or blind faith from the American people."
"You know my record. You don't have to hope I will do what I promise," he said.
McCain outlined his new economic proposals, which the campaign says will help those who are "hurting the most" in the face of the ongoing financial crisis.
The proposals come one day after Obama detailed his "economic rescue plan" for the middle class. The Democrat's plan focuses on stabilizing the financial system, providing relief for families and communities, and helping struggling homeowners. Watch more on the candidates' economic plans »
McCain's plan, called "the pension and family security plan," builds on the Arizona senator's "American home ownership resurgence plan," which was introduced last week.
That proposal called for using $300 billion of the $700 billion financial bailout package to keep Americans in their homes, stop declining housing values, and stabilize the financial markets.
McCain's new plan includes specific proposals to help seniors, those saving money and homeowners. Watch analysis of McCain and women voters »
The plan will help seniors by lowering taxes on withdrawals from their retirement accounts and suspending tax rules that force them to sell their stocks during the financial crisis, the campaign said.
The plan will help those saving money by accelerating the tax write-offs for those forced to sell stocks at a loss in the current market and reducing capital gains taxes for 2009 and 2010 to raise the incentive to save and invest, according to the campaign.
To provide relief for homeowners, the plan includes a proposal to purchase mortgages directly from the homeowners and mortgage servicers and replace them with manageable, fixed-rate mortgages.
To assist workers, the plan would eliminate taxes on unemployment benefits, according to the campaign.
Obama's campaign said McCain's proposals are "a day late and 101 million middle-class families short." Fact check: McCain's plan gives 100 million no relief?
The campaign said McCain's plan doesn't offer enough tax relief for working families and small businesses.
McCain has his work cut out for him when it comes to the economy, according to recent polls.
The most recent CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll suggests that Americans think Obama would do a better job than McCain when it comes to the economy. 57 percent of those polled said Obama would do a better job dealing with the economy, with 37 percent saying McCain would do better.
Some conservative leaders have warned that if McCain doesn't step it up on the economy, he'll lose the election. Watch analysts discuss what it would take for McCain to win »
"Either McCain wins the argument over the economy or he loses," Newt Gingrich, the former speaker of the House, told Politico.
McCain's No. 2, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, gave an interview Tuesday on Rush Limbaugh's radio show, just minutes before taking the stage at a rally in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
Limbaugh asked Palin if she had thought about her political future after this election. She told the conservative talker and his millions of listeners: "That's a good question."
But she then quickly re-assured Limbaugh that her focus was on winning the White House with McCain.
"No, because I am thinking about November 4, and I am just so absolutely passionate about the job that we have in front of us from now to November 4," she said. Link here:

The Sleeping Giant VOTE is AWAKE.

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Are you with me on a roller coaster election season or not?. One thing’s for sure: 2008 will be the year of the immigrant and Latino voter. Political scientist Matt Barreto of the University of Washington predicts that more than 9 million Hispanic voters will turn out this year compared to 7.6 million in 2004.And it's no accident. Groups like the We Are America Alliance and their My Vote / Our Future campaign, which is on track to register 500,000 new voters and get one million voters to the polls, are coordinating like never before to make sure Latino and immigrant citizens make their voices heard. After election day, these voters will get to work pressing for immigration reform.In a new nationwide survey, the Pew Hispanic Center found that 93% of Latinos nationwide said that immigration was important to them. To these voters, it’s not just a question of how many visas we offer and to whom, but whether they and their families feel welcomed in the United States. As Cecilia Muñoz, Senior Vice President at the NCLR recently said, immigration “tends to determine who the good guys are and the bad guys are for Latinos.” This has made the extremists who’ve dominated immigration politics very nervous about what’s coming: a newly organized powerhouse demanding that Washington deliver real, comprehensive immigration reform.

We the people: Blind side of Lou Dobbs Part 1.

More than five million Americans now receive a pay check from a foreign firm. We the People travels to a former US manufacturing town to see how 'insourcing' is changing the face of one small community bringing jobs and how cities economic has being rebuilt by foreign firms. That's a totally misleading from Lou Dobbs stated that Outsourcing taking jobs from Americans but he does not reflected the creation of Insources Jobs and How cities has being rebuilding their Economy. Let's get the true on the Global Economy.

Hate crimes on rising levels.

Local religious leaders organized a candlelight vigil in Austin at University Baptist Church last night to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the deaths of Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr., both of whom perished at the hands of men who learned to hate others because of their sexuality and/or race. Last night's event was an attempt to bring the community together to to battle the evils of homophobia and racism. Among the speakers was Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo who said that hate crimes are something that he will not tolerate:

"It hurts me as a person that we still average 10 hate crimes a year in our city," Acevedo said. "That's 10 too many."

Another speaker, Reverend Stephen Sprinkle, spoke out against the lack of federal laws dealing with hate crimes directed at victims based on sexual orientation, gender issues, and disability.
While hate crime victims Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. led very different lives, they are "forever united in a history of hope" for an end to prejudice-motivated crimes, the Rev. Stephen Sprinkle told a group gathered in Austin to commemorate the 10th anniversary of their deaths.

Sprinkle was the keynote speaker at a candlelight vigil Sunday night at University Baptist Church on Guadalupe Street to honor Shepard, a 21-year-old gay man who was killed in Wyoming, and Byrd, a black man who was killed in the East Texas town of Jasper.

"A decade ago, they lost their lives to men who learned to hate," said Sprinkle, a theology professor at Texas Christian University.

Sunday's event was organized by local religious leaders who wanted to bring people in the community together to combat racism and homophobia.

"We wanted to bring African Americans, the GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender) community, and people committed to hope and compassion," said the Rev. Karen Thompson of Metropolitan Community Church of Austin.

"Hope is always a better way, regardless of our differences."

The 1998 deaths of Shepard and Byrd brought national attention to hate killings in the United States. Shepard was robbed and tortured before being tied to a fence on Oct. 7, 1998, in Laramie, Wyo. He died in the hospital a few days later.

Four months to the day earlier, three white men attacked Byrd in Jasper, tied him to the back of a pickup and dragged him to his death.

Sprinkle was critical of the lack of federal laws dealing with hate crimes directed at victims based on sexual orientation, gender issues and disability.

He also said that not enough crimes have been prosecuted under Texas' James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Act.

"The real problem is not the murders," Sprinkle said. "It is that their deaths have not been vindicated."
Addressing the vigil, Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo said hate crimes are something that he will not tolerate.

"It hurts me as a person that we still average 10 hate crimes a year in our city," Acevedo said. "That's 10 too many."

University Baptist Church member Roy Larson said he was proud of his congregation for hosting the event.

"Our continued hope is that attitudes will change and that the laws will protect all people," Larson said

Flawed E-Verify System Will Hurt Lawful Workers.

The Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) is up to it again, releasing a new and highly misleading "report" claiming that the E-Verify employment verification program is 99.5 percent accurate. This is yet another in CIS's long series of dubious "studies" issued to stall meaningful immigration reform and push its deportation-only agenda were expanding the system will only hurt employees.

By claiming that E-Verify is highly accurate, CIS believes it can convince the public and Congress that the program must be reauthorized and expanded so that it would be mandatory for every single employer. This would mean that every single U.S. worker would have to get permission from the government to work - and the impact of a single error could be devastating. CIS can continue to use statistics that make E-Verify attractive. However, nothing will change the fact that E-Verify is not a solution to our nation's serious immigration problems, and that attempts to expand the program will harm lawful U.S. workers.

The CIS report is based on misleading data coming from a small sample of 1,000 queries to the system coming from voluntary E-Verify users in 2007. Since many types of errors are possible, and some are never detected, CIS's accuracy rate is meaningless. More importantly, since only about 1 percent of employers are currently using E-Verify, the results are not useful for predicting what would happen if all 7 million U.S. employers were forced to use the system.

Even the government has disputed CIS's 99.5 percent conclusion. In fact, Richard Stana of the Government Accountability Office testified at a May 2008 Congressional hearing that it was "misleading" to claim that the E-Verify error rate is less than 1 percent. In fact, many of the tens of thousands of workers who receive final non-confirmations are actually work-authorized.

CIS also claims that businesses that participate in E-Verify are "likely to be spared the intensity of stepped-up worksite enforcement investigations." Tell that to Swift & Company and Howard Industries, Inc. Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) raided both companies this year and arrested 1,000 workers even though both companies had been using E-Verify. Clearly using E-Verify doesn't guarantee that all workers will be authorized and provides no immunity from enforcement actions.

The bottom line is that the accuracy rate of E-Verify is unacceptable - each error means that a U.S. citizen or legal U.S. worker could be denied employment and a paycheck because the government database contains an error. Furthermore, no matter what the accuracy rate, E-Verify is a problematic program that has harmful consequences for U.S. workers and employers. Stronger worksite enforcement does not solve the problem of undocumented immigration. In fact, it will cause more workers to go to the underground economy, costing U.S. tax dollars and leaving workers more vulnerable. Fixing the United States' broken immigration system is a necessity, but simply expanding the problematic E-Verify would cause more problems than it would solve.

Perversion Of Justice in America.

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What can be said of a justice system that sentences a young mother of three to life in prison for a first-time and non-violent drug-related offense?

Congressman Joe Baca Condomned the rethoric language of the Anti Immigrants.

I want to emphasize the great job of Mr. Joe baca has been contribute to stop raids and the rhetoric, Anti Immigrant Language against Latinos specially Mexicans.
Joe Baca was born the youngest of 15 siblings in Belen, New Mexico in a household that spoke little English. He moved with his family to California where he graduated from California State University. In 1979, he became the first Latino elected to the Board of Trustees for the San Bernardino Valley College District. He was elected to the California State Assembly in 1992, where he became the first Latino Speaker pro Tempore, and was elected to the State Senate in 1998. Joe Baca is currently the Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.

This Video shows in startling detail how Lou Dobbs, Glenn Beck, and Bill O'Reilly serve up a steady diet of fear, anger, and resentment on the subject of illegal immigration," said Karl Frisch, a spokesman for Media Matters Action Network. "When they aren't demonizing undocumented immigrants with misleading claims, this trio of cable news bullies is advancing baseless urban legends and wild accusations targeting the immigrant community. CNN and Fox News need to answer for this -- failure to do so would be the height of irresponsible journalism and a disservice to the American public."

The report discusses, in detail, two types of myths regarding immigration perpetuated on cable news. The first are the largest and most common myths, such as those about crime and undocumented immigrants, and the costs of illegal immigration in social services and taxes. The second are the urban legends, such as the purported conspiracy to take back the Southwest United States for Mexico and the supposed secret plan to construct a "NAFTA Superhighway" running from Canada to Mexico.

Should we condone the rethoric language of the Anti Immigrants?

There has been a dramatic altering in the place of immigration in public opinion over the last 12 months specially Nativists, Extremists and Anti Immigrants. Immigration is now only considered the most important issue facing America by less than 1% of the American public compared to 12% last year. And Subfederal jurisdictions shoot themselves in the foot with anti-immigrant measures than to visit them on the rest of us and I want to pointed out the Top Most Offensive Quotes from Anti-Immigrant Leaders. Hate crimes against Hispanics have increased, according to the FBI. The agency reports that 820 Hispanics in the United States were victimized because of their ethnicity in 2006, up from about 600 in 2004.
I want to remind people of faith that all people are created in the image of God. In our various faith traditions, it is unacceptable to use - or let others use -- dehumanizing language in describing fellow human beings. It's totally unaceptable in any language. We need to recognize the full dignity and humanity in all people. At the same time McCain seems to have wound up with the worst of both worlds: He appears to be getting no credit from Latino voters for his past support for immigration reform, while carrying the baggage of other Republicans' hostility to illegal immigration.


1.) "We need the National Guard to clean out all ourcities and round them up...They have no problem slitting your throat and taking your money or selling drugs to your kids or raping your daughters, and they are evil people."
Chris Simcox, co-founder of the Minuteman Project and president of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps. As quoted in the Southern Poverty Law Center's Intelligence Report magazine, Summer 2005.

2.) "Mexican men have a reputation for leering and worse at little girls, which shouldn't surprise us, since sex with children is socially acceptable in Mexico."
Brenda Walker, California anti-immigrant leader and publisher. From VDARE.com article titled "Top Ten Reasons Why the US Should Not Marry Mexico," January 1, 2007.

3.) "My message to them is, not in two weeks, not in two months, not in two years, never! We must be clear that we will not surrender America and we will not turn the United States over to the invaders from south of the border."
Rep. Virgil Goode (R- VA), at the March for America, Washington, DC, June 18, 2007.

4.) "I don't care if Mexicans pile up against that fence ... just run a couple of taco trucks up and down the line..."
Neal Boortz, anti-immigrant talk radio host on WSB-AM in Atlanta on June 18, 2007.

5.) "Terrorists are also walking in unopposed; our southwestern border is littered with Arabic papers and Islamic prayer rugs."
Jim Gilchrist, founder of Minutemen Project. From a press release announcing the forthcoming publication of a new book co-authored with Jerome R. Corsi, February 2006.

6.) "The brown toxic cloud strangling Los Angeles never lifts and grows thicker with every immigrant added. One can't help appreciate the streets of Paris will soon become the streets of LA. However, Paris' streets erupted while LA's shall sink into a Third World quagmire much like Bombay or Calcutta, India. When you import that much crime, illiteracy, multiple languages and disease-Americans pick up stakes and move away."
Frosty Wooldridge, anti-immigrant author and activist. Summarizing an address by a KABC-AM talk radio host to the Federation for American Immigration Reform director's meeting, Fall 2005.

7.) "What we'll do is randomly pick one night every week where we will kill whoever crosses the
border...step over there and you die. You get to decide whether it's your lucky night or not. I think that would be more fun."
Brian James, anti-immigrant talk radio host with KFYI-AM in Phoenix. Suggesting a solution to the immigration problem in Arizona while filling in for the regular host, March 2006.

8.) "Shoot him."
Phil Valentine, anti-immigration talk radio host, WWTN in Nashville. Advising Border Patrol agents to shoot undocumented immigrants during an anti-immigrant rally in Franklin, Tennessee, April 27, 2006.

9.) "We've got to make it in this country so (immigrants) can't exist here...We've got to rattle
their teeth and put their feet to the fire!"
Terry Anderson, anti-immigrant talk radio host with KRLA in Los Angeles. Speaking at a "Hold Their Feet to the Fire" anti-immigrant rally organized by the Federation for American Immigration Reform, April 22, 2007.

10.) "Our enemies are bloodied and beaten. We cannot relent. Our boot is on their throat and we must have the willingness to crush their ‘throat' so that we can put our enemy down for good. The sovereignty of our nation and the future of our culture and civilization is at stake. The United States is a beacon of salvation unto the rest of the world. Our freedoms, our culture is mans salvation. If we perish, man perishes."[]
Republican Joseph Turner, Save Our State (S.O.S), now a staff member with the Federation for American Immigration Reform. Message sent to Save Our State supporters on October 7, 2006.

11.-State REP. George Cleveland, An Onslow County Republican, saying Illegal Mexicans can be identified by their clothing.

12.- Johnston County Sheriff Steve Bizzell tells a reporter about his frustration with the changing face of the county where he grew up. Bizzell calls Mexicans "trashy" and says the growing Latino population is "breeding like rabbits." Bizzell also said, "Everywhere you look, it's like little Mexico around here."

13.-The "Oregon Minuteman" Rick Hickey and he is actually the vice president of Oregonians for Immigration Reform and the vice-chair of the Marion County Republican Party. Odd that a guy who is with organizations claiming to be pro-American. This groups not only hate Immigrants but one of our nations monument the Statue of Liberty, too. click here:

Minuteman aren't racists? Click here: Another demonstration of Minuteman rally in Laguna Beach. The Minuteman demonstrators, some of whom identified themselves as white supremacists, waved Confederate and Nazi flags and gave Nazi salutes. Click here:

Are you preparing for a Martial Law?

As we watch corporate America stagger financially, and the polarized politicians try to respond, there is something else going on that we all need to be aware of.

For the second time since Hurricane Katrina hit in August 2005, an active Army unit --1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division -- has been set up to quell civil unrest and do crowd control within our borders. And this time it's a permanent mission.

The last time I checked, the use of the military in domestic activities was prohibited by law, with the exception of the National Guard units under the authority of the states.

So what's going on? A recent report in The Army Times -- “Army Unit to Deploy in October for Domestic Operations” discussed a new military unit that is now stationed in the United States of America.

The report stated that the 1st Brigade Combat Team would be deployed within the country and would work with civil authorities to “put down civil unrest.” On the surface this may seem benign, but this mission marks the first time an active military unit has assigned to NorthCom, the joint command established in 2002 to control federal homeland defense efforts and coordinate with civil authorities.

The unit is under the daily control of U.S. Army North, NorthCom, the Army component of Northern Command, and is now on-call for natural or manmade emergencies and disasters, including terrorist attacks.

The Army says this mission is ongoing

and active duty units will be rotated in and out of the country. The commander of this unit, Col. Roger Cloutier, also said that his troops will be trained to use nonlethal weapons designed to subdue unruly or dangerous individuals without killing them.
This is another first; the first time a nonlethal package has been fielded the Army, according to Cloutier. Why does that make me uneasy? The package includes equipment to raise a hasty road block, spike strips for slowing, stopping or controlling traffic; shields and batons; and beanbag bullets.

The Army's new “dwell-time” mission will be part of a force that includes elements from other military branches and dedicated National Guard Weapons of Mass Destruction-Civil Support teams.

It doesn't stop there. There will be Air Force engineer and medical units, the Marine Corps Chemical, Biological Initial Reaction Force, a Navy weather team and members of the Defense Logistics Agency and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency.

According to an Army Times interview, Col. Louis Vogler, one of the chiefs of NorthCom future operations, said, “Right now, the response force requirement will be an enduring mission.”

I guess that's clear enough.

What's troubling, among other things, is the man appointed as commander of NorthCom, Victor E. Renuart. “Why you ask?” According to Wikipedia, Mr. Renuart: “oversaw the planning and execution of all joint and allied combat, humanitarian assistance and reconstruction operations for Operation Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.”

This was the person who was in charge of all the completely chaotic, ineffective, and dangerous “operation” in Iraq and he will now be in command of this new unit in our country. How comforting is that?

The manual dealing with Consequence Management Response Force (CCMRF) explains who can turn this unit loose. “USARNORTH accomplishes its CBRN CM mission in strict adherence to public law and DOD policies. Deployment of USARNORTH, at the direction of the USARNORTH Commander and on the authority of the Secretary of Defense, occurs only after a Governor requests federal assistance from the President, and after the President issues a Presidential Disaster Declaration.”

In 2007, the Alaska/Northern Edge Training Mission was held as part of the first large-scale training for this internal military readiness force.

Very little has been said to the general public about this whole affair. I'd wager most Americans aren't aware of this new strike force within our country. Are we closer to internal collapse than any of us realize? Why does the federal government feel the need for such a unit within our borders?

As It Stands, the idea that active duty soldiers will be used to control unruly civilian crowds is both terrifying and unconstitutional.