The Dream Act

Some background:

This Tuesday, a marvelous piece of humanitarian relief for children will be considered by the United States Senate. This relief is not intended for the children of the Sudan, nor for the children of the flooded plains of Pakistan nor those children living on the streets of Port au Prince in Haiti. Ojalá que fuera así, but perhaps in another moment.

This particular legislative action, however, is no small thing. It is an offer of relief for over a million children, young people who live in our own communities here in the United States. Many of them attend our neighborhood schools and local colleges, and worship alongside us on Sundays.

The wrong that this act addresses and seeks to fix is the nightmarish situation of children who, over the past two decades, were brought to the US by their parents. The parents over stayed the time granted them by their visas or perhaps entered the country without being documented properly. The children--who had no say in the decision of their parents to immigrate--now live in the United States illegally.

One child is "legal" the other child is "illegal."

I use the term "illegally" intentionally, for although there is no moral or ethical reason for blaming the children for their immigration status, the loudmouths and knuckleheads who populate our nation's airwaves are busy demonizing them. In these peoples' minds, these children are somehow "criminals" who "should not be awarded for their crimes." As if there was malevolence in these children's hearts. As if they were even capable of such "illegality" at the time that a mom or a dad packed them up and took them to the United States.

The children, especially as they become young men and women, however, know what it is to live as if one were "illegal." To worry, constantly, that they might be picked up by the Border Patrol and sent to a country about which they have only studied. To know that however hard you might work at your studies, that it might all be in vain. To live with the crushing anxiety of being "neither here nor there." And to have to keep that a secret.

For a decade now, national congressional leaders have proposed to right this wrong, to extend to these young people a hope and a homeland. The appropriately named "Dream Act" was sponsored by Senator McCain and has had the support of a plethora of both Democrats and Republicans. It has failed in the past because it was made a part of the larger immigration reform efforts. This time around, however, the Dream Act is being attached to the Defense Department's budget.

I ask you to join my prayer that this time the Senate gets it right and votes to add the Dream Act to our nation's legacy, thus creating a pathway to legal residence for those young people who are our modern men and women "without a country."

Four sets of dreams; two of them to be deferred, unless the Dream Act is passed.

There are some conditions to the bill, namely, that the young people be of good character and either enroll in college or enlist in the military (thus the Defense Department's interest).

On Tuesday, the Senate is taking a vote on whether to add the Dream Act to this bill, which would create a pathway to legal residence for those children who were brought to the USA by their parents. Should that happen, in my community alone, 10,000 children and their families will break out dancing and singing. With that vote, these young people will be recognized for what they know they are--members of our communities.

They have all grown up here. They have all been educated here. Every school day morning they have stood before the American flag and made the pledge of allegiance. They read and write and speak English; they dream dreams of what they will do when they grow up. But until the Dream Act passes, they remain in hiding, hostages to the decisions that someone else made some time ago.

Should the Dream Act pass, the lovely Claudia, a student who finished college with straight A's and simply wants to teach grade school could apply for a job as a teacher. Our schools need Claudia in the worst way.

Should the Dream Act pass, Eric, an extraordinary young man with a burning desire to study medicine would in fact be able to continue his studies. Eric tells me that he would simply like to be a family practice physician. "I like to help people," he says, "that's all I ask, is to be able to help people."

This post was written by Michael Seifert from his blog, Musings From Alongside the Border.

From Homeless to Dishwasher: Rebirth Through Finding a New Job

While sitting in the café lobby of a brand new tech building in North San Jose, I signed my name on the last piece of paper of an employee packet for my new job as a dishwasher at a national catering company. It felt good to be able to shake the bosses hand after I filled out the forms, or even have a boss to shake hands once again. I feel reborn.

Since March of 2009 I have been lead on a wild goose chase for the perfect full-time job. I have traveled across the state, even went outside of the state pursuing odd jobs of varying tasks -- I’ve worked in event set-up, was a security guard, and even a traveling soap salesman. After a year, I was still lost and confused, and ultimately frustrated with the economy, employers and myself.

It wasn’t easy getting this job. I had been staying on the streets, had to get cleaned up at a public restroom downtown, and had to travel three hours using my last five dollars, just hoping to land it. But I got it.

After leaving the building of my future livelihood, on the light-rail back to San Jose from Milpitas, I couldn’t help but to look back and take a glance in disbelief. I finally got another opportunity to have full-time employment, and even have medical and dental benefits, something very few people my age (at 23-years-old) have through their work. Having a job means I can really live again. When I say live, I mean actually live a decent life of renting my own pad again, buy some new clothes, pay for a decent meal, and finally being able to enjoy things without having to be dependent or having to wait on someone to help me with a handout.

What the high unemployment statistics don’t show, is the direct hit mentally, even nervous breakdowns, that not having a job can have on a person. Unemployment can steal all of the faith you had, right from inside of you.

After a few days into the new job I also made a new friend at work. We got along, and he was nice enough too even let me stay at his house with his family. While staying there, I noticed a jump in lifestyles. What I have thought of privileges for the past few years, is pretty much normal day to day life for others. I was so used to sleeping on the street, that even in the apartment I slept with all my clothes and shoes on. It took a while to know that I can actually fully sleep, and not have to worry if anyone was trying to harm me or take any of my belongings, that I could really just rest. Unemployment becomes psychological because it forces you to create a completely different lifestyle of what you once had, and you can get used to that lifestyle.

I noticed what I had gotten used to as someone without income when I got my first check. We went shopping and I felt I had splurged a little bit on myself – buying some new clothes. It had been so long, I didn’t know any of my sizes, and was scared to put them on, because I didn’t want to get them dirty. I was terrified of putting it on because I wasn’t sure of how long it would be until I would receive some new clothes. It was a habit from the streets, so it took a while for it to sink in that I was working full-time, making decent money and I could buy some more clothes and afford to wash them.

I’ve been working at my new job for a few months now and am getting used to the stable living. The work may be tedious manual labor, but every two weeks I look at my paycheck and smile. After a hard day’s work I get to go home to take a shower, watch tv, or just chill.

With this new job, I feel as though this is the start of a new foundation for my life with a grand opening. It’s like watching a building being built. My foundation has been built on an empty lot with bad piping and bad soil, with sewer water running everywhere. But with every new layer of foundation laid-down comes a purification from the new piping and new soil.

My first level of my construction has already started with my housing situation becoming stabilized and starting a bank account. Even though I have only 25 bones in my checking account, it sure feels good to have 25 bucks than nothing at all.

I still have friends that are still lost in the mix of unemployment, doubting their own capabilities of getting back into the workforce, school, or society for that matter. The feeling of rejection can haunt anyone, and scare them away from an opportunity that could be theirs if they reach out for it. Those feelings really just interfere with the greatness that we all know deep down inside that we can accomplish.

Written by Alex Gutierrez, a writer for Silicon Valley De-Bug.

Lack of immigration reform may hurt voter turnout

SAN JUAN, Aug. 19 - The failure of the Obama administration to pass comprehensive immigration reform will hinder the Get Out the Vote effort being mounted by Equal Voice for America’s Families, its leaders acknowledge.

“There is disillusionment and it is certainly going to make our job harder,” said Ramona Casas a community organizer with Project ARISE in Alamo.

Project ARISE one of the ten non-profit groups under the Equal Voice umbrella.

“We had a lot of dreams and a lot of hopes in 2008 but we do not see any results,” Casas said. “President Obama promised us immigration reform. It has not happened and we know our community is suffering. We are waiting for reform.”

Casas made her comments in an exclusive interview with the Guardian at an Equal Voice news conference about the GOTV campaign at the START Center in San Benito last Thursday.

Today, Equal Voice hosted a GOTV training session attended by many ARISE members at the headquarters of La Unión del Pueblo Entero in San Juan.

Equal Voice is targeting ten precincts across the Rio Grande Valley that have a high number of immigrants, five in Cameron County and five in Hidalgo County. The aim is to get the percentage turnout increased by at least ten percent.

“We cannot give up, just because immigration reform has not passed. We have to motivate the community. The November elections are important and we can make a difference,” Casas added.

In 2008, 69 percent of voters in Hidalgo and Willacy counties voted for President Obama. In Cameron County the percentage was 64 percent and in Starr County it was 84 percent. On the campaign trail, Obama promised comprehensive immigration reform.

Martha Sanchez, a LUPE community organizer from Alton, said a more important voting figure to look at is the turnout in Hidalgo County in November 2006, the last time mid-term elections were held.

Lupita Sanchez, coordinator for community programs for
Proyecto Juan Diego in Brownsville.

(Photo: RGG/Steve Taylor)

“Only 13 percent, 13 out of every 100 voters went to the polls in 2006. That’s very low,” Sanchez said. “That is why we do not exist as far as the rest of Texas is concerned.”

Sanchez acknowledged that LUPE members are disappointed comprehensive immigration reform has not been passed by Congress. However, she pointed out that this November voters are not voting for a president, they are voting, among other things, for a governor.

“Our message has to be, somebody is still going to win, so we might as well get involved and have our say,” Sanchez said.

“Besides, if our members need any motivation at all they need only look at what has happened in Arizona. None of us realized how much power a governor had until we saw what happened in Arizona. Our message will be, do you want an SB 1070 passed in Texas? We know our governor has the power to sign a bill like that. Our life can be more miserable if we don’t watch out,” Sanchez said.

Lupita Sanchez, coordinator for community programs for Proyecto Juan Diego in Brownsville, said if anyone doubts what can be achieved by immigrant communities that get civically engaged they need only visit Cameron Park, the largest colonia in the United States.

“Come to Cameron Park and see the changes that have happened in the last ten years. You will see paving, street lights, a park, a walking trail. That only happened because the community made its voice heard,” Lupita Sanchez said.

“We go along to commissioners court and we demand that our needs are met. Going to the meetings makes a difference.”

Lupita Sanchez confirmed that residents in her community are upset that immigration reform and the DREAM Act have not been passed by Congress. However, she said that is no reason not to vote.

“We have to tell the community, do not lose hope. We can make a difference. Keep being civically engaged, keep reminding the candidates what was promised,” she said.

Lupita Sanchez said Proyecto Juan Diego has a definite strategy for its GOTV effort this year.

“We want to stress the importance of family participation. Parents have to tell the kids about the importance of voting. They have to leave a legacy,” she said.

Jose Medrano of the START Center said he is not sure if the failure of Congress and the Obama administration to enact immigration reform will hurt Equal Voice’s GOTV effort.

“It is another challenge. There will be the voter who says, I voted previously and nothing has happened yet,” Medrano said. “But, our voice needs to continue to be heard. We need to pound the pavement because the louder our voice, the more opportunity there will be to get the results we are looking for.”

Medrano said Equal Voice wants to target the younger, newly registered voters, to ensure they start a tradition of voting. “We want them to have a voice in what they need and the needs of their children in the future,” he said.

Medrano said Equal Voice will soon be hosting a community forum in both Cameron and Hidalgo counties. How to motivate voters in each of the ten targeted precincts will be up to the local leaders, he said.

“In San Benito we will have a carnival event, where voters can meet the candidates. Individual precincts will hold their own block parties,” Medrano said.

Copyright 2010 Rio Grande Guardian

Resistance: The Murdering of Immigrants

In the early morning light I pick up Barry Lopez’s novel “Resistance”, and turn to a new chapter. The first line reads “I watched my best efforts turn to coal.” That is as far as I get, for the news this week is overwhelming, and the violence close at hand.

On this morning it does indeed seem that some of the best efforts in our world are turning to coal, the bright colors that mark life and goodness fading to dark grey and black under the continual onslaught of a violence inspired by diabolical greed.

Seventy-two Central and South American immigrants were found massacred in San Fernando, a small ranching town just a couple of hours drive from my Brownsville home.

According to the lone survivor, they were murdered by the Zetas, a group of criminals that feeds America’s drug habit, profits richly in human trafficking, and works tirelessly to organize evildoing in northeast Mexico.

Laurie Freeman reports in “State of Siege” that the founding members of the Zetas were originally part of a Mexican special forces group, some of whom trained at Fort Benning and Fort Bragg. They were to be the stars in the fight against drug trafficking in Mexico. The Mexican Gulf drug cartel, though, soon bought off these well-trained soldiers. In time, the Zetas, having already betrayed their nation, turned on their new sponsors and re-organized themselves into their own mafia. The Zetas celebrate the terror that they breed, launching hand grenades in quiet city plazas and setting off car bombs to announce their presence. They also routinely kidnap, torture, and kill Central American immigrants who cross their territory as they head north.

Several hundred miles to the south, however, men and women continue to make the decision to migrate north. There is no work, and there is no way to feed the family. Today the newpapers reported a conversation with a man getting ready to cross into the Arizona desert. “I know that I am risking death; but in my home village, I am already living in a coffin. At least there is hope for something in the north.”

The migrants know of the kidnappings and torture that await them. Women reportedly begin birth control months before they leave, knowing of the near inevitability of rape. Desperation inspires in the men an unknown courage. I imagine that they must taste the ashes of their hope even as they take their first steps north.

The hopes of the seventy-two men and women who were killed in San Fernando have turned to coal. The killers did not bother to bury them; their faces were not even covered.

Because I remain a believer, I am anguished as I wonder, “Where is the light in this?”

I read other reports and discover that the migrants were killed, according to this witness, because they refused to join the Zetas and work for them as assassins.

“Kill or be killed,” they must have been told. And under a blazing August sun, so many miles from their loved ones, with their lives in their hands, literally, one by one they refuse this sordid offer of hope.

These men and women, powerless in every sense of the word, resisted.

They resisted even that most basic form of greed, the desire to live. They resisted despite the horrible clarity of the consequences of that resistance.

They said no, surely with quaking knees, and anguish in their souls.

They resisted.

I refuse to draw a lesson from this; I just note that only a few hours south of my home, just this past week, seventy –two people stood strong.

That is something to consider.

"They stripped away our fruit, they cut our branches,
they burned our trunk, but they could not kill our roots."

Post written by Michael Seifert
From the blog Musings from Alongside a Border: Reflections from the northern bank of the Rio Grande River, Brownsville, Texas

A Primer on Activism from Unitarian Universalists

By Kim Bobo | Interfaith Worker Justice

Arizona is ground zero for the struggle over immigration: when the Arizona legislature passed SB 1070 and the law was scheduled to go into effect on July 29, groups in Arizona began organizing and inviting allies from around the nation to join them. Despite the last-minute injunction halting the worst aspects of the bill, planned protests and prayer vigils across the country proceeded, and many resulted in significant media attention.

The religious community was engaged and integral to most of the local organizing, but the leadership didn’t come from denominational structures. Rather, it came largely from immigrant rights and worker justice groups, which invited religious leaders to participate. Although most faith bodies and denominations have very strong statements on immigration reform, those same denominations did not activate people. With one glaring exception—the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA).

Of the several hundred religious leaders who showed up, only the Unitarian Universalist Association seriously committed staff, money, and organizing talent to the struggle.

Standing on the Side of Love

Let’s look at what the UUA did and analyze what lessons others in the faith community, particularly in judicatory leadership, might learn from the UUA’s example.

Susan Leslie, the UUA’s Director for Congregational Advocacy & Witness, provides this useful context:

Supporting human rights for all people, including immigrants, is a core Unitarian Universalist value. At our first General Assembly in 1961, we passed a resolution on the rights of immigrant workers, followed by a 1963 resolution calling for immigration reform. Throughout the 1970s we supported immigrant farm worker campaigns, and in the 1980s many Unitarian Universalist congregations were actively involved in the Sanctuary Movement. Three General Assemblies of the UUA endorsed sanctuary for refugees and the UUA Board of Trustees established a fund to support individuals seeking sanctuary and to aid churches providing sanctuary.

Our 2004 Statement on Civil Liberties affirmed our commitment to advocate for the right to due process of immigrants, refugees, and foreign nationals. In 2006 and 2007, the General Assembly passed Actions of Immediate Witness to support immigrant communities, including a call for an immediate moratorium on federal raids and resulting deportations. In 2007, the UUA became the first denomination to join the New Sanctuary Movement, supporting the leadership of its UU Church of Long Beach, California, which was an early sanctuary congregation. At our most recent GA we passed an Action of Immediate Witness condemning SB 1070 and calling for action to stop copycat legislation in others states and to work for humane federal immigration reform.

Clearly, the UUA was grounded in strong policy. But frankly, almost all the major faith bodies have strong policy positions on immigration reform and economic justice.

From 2007 to 2010, the national Advocacy and Witness staff of the UUA compiled a database of more than 300 UU congregations engaged in education, advocacy and organizing around immigrant issues, created educational resources, and posted both educational and advocacy resources on the UUA website.

In 2009, the UUA launched its Standing on the Side of Love campaign, in direct response to the 2008 shooting at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Church in Knoxville. The congregation had been targeted for its openness to gays and lesbians. Activists soon realized that the message “standing on the side of love” applied to a wide variety of justice and human rights struggles, including immigrant rights.

Also in 2009, the UUA’s new president, Rev. Peter Morales, made immigration reform a top UUA public witness priority. At the denomination’s January 2010 Board of Trustees meeting, he and UUA moderator (and Chair of the Board) Gini Courter arranged for trustees to meet with undocumented immigrants, community organizers and immigration experts, thus laying the groundwork for full leadership support for immigration reform advocacy.

When SB 1070 was passed and the Boycott Arizona campaign began, the UUA Board of Trustees put a business resolution on the GA agenda to relocate its 2012 Phoenix meeting. Through consultation with the organizations Puente and the National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON), the UUA decided to keep the event in Phoenix, but focus it intentionally on immigration justice. Soon thereafter, immigrant rights leaders in Phoenix invited the UUA to join them for the July 29 Day of Non-Compliance in Arizona.

The UUA has four congregations in Phoenix that have been leaders on immigration reform. These congregations and their pastoral and lay leaders played important roles in figuring out the on-the-ground activities and coordinating the big July 29 events. Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray, minister of the UU Congregation of Phoenix, sent an e-mail invitation to 30,000 people on the Standing on the Side of Love list asking them to join her in Phoenix. Rev. Paul Langston-Daley, minister at the West Valley UU Church in Glendale, served as a bridge between the national UUA and local organizing work. The Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Shelter Rock provided travel support for those unable to get there themselves.

Months of preparation went into making the experience a meaningful and effective one. Local folks participated tirelessly in coalition work, figuring out what roles they could play in conjunction with others. Arrangements were made for housing, food, legal defense, meeting space, airport rides and coordinated T-shirts. A sophisticated communications program was developed that involved press releases, Facebook, texting alerts, Twitter, and YouTube. The UUA Moderator created a Facebook page calling people to go to Arizona. The UUA President announced at the GA that he was going to Phoenix for the Day of Non-Compliance and it was posted on the denomination’s website. There was a sign up for Phoenix on the Standing on the Side of Love website. The entire leadership of the denomination was focused on making this action come together.

Most Unitarian Universalists descended upon Phoenix two days before the day of action. The first evening, UU demonstrators watched the new film 9500 Liberty and talked afterwards with one of the documentary’s director/producers, Eric Byler. The next day was focused on orientation, which included analysis of the court ruling and why it was only a partial victory, background on the immigration crisis, training for civil disobedience and talking points for working with the media.

On July 28, Rev. Morales published a Huffington Post piece explaining “Why I’ll be in Phoenix,” which outlined the issues and the denomination’s commitment to protesting SB 1070.

Rocking the Protests

On the actual day of protest, the UUs rocked. Some began the day joining the 4:30 a.m. march to the interfaith service. The rest of the UU protestors began the day at the 6 a.m. interfaith service, in which Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray of the UU Congregation of Phoenix, played a central role and UU singers participated in the joint choir. The more than 200 UUs, some in clergy garb but most in their bright yellow shirts emblazoned with the Standing on the Side of Love logo, were visible in the service and then in the march down the street. Once groups convened downtown, around at 9 a.m., civil disobedience actions began in multiple locations. Although there was a fair amount of training and planning behind all the civil disobedience actions, it all looked a bit chaotic—except for the Unitarian Universalists.

The UUs were active in two locations. A large number claimed a major downtown intersection, where 23 of them grabbed hold of a giant flag saying Arizona Human Rights, stood in the middle of the street and refused to leave. Those who chose not to get arrested stood on the sidewalks nearby cheering them on. The group sang songs, repeated chants and offered a powerful witness to the city of Phoenix. Those on the sidelines snapped pictures, posted to Facebook, tweeted and got the word out far and wide. Participants were young and old, men and women, multi-racial. One UU wheelchair-bound protestor, Audrey Williams, came from California to join the witness. Hundreds of Phoenix police in full riot gear surrounded them. The police appeared to be using the event as a training exercise. Groups of 20 police officers would run from side to side. It took well over an hour before the police began to arrest the protestors.

A few blocks away, six other UU clergy, including Rev. Frederick-Gray and Rev. Morales, were arrested outside the Maricopa County jail, known as the 4th Street jail. Chaos reigned when Sheriff Joe Arpaio blocked off the street and protesters got swept into the jailhouse.

The UU engagement in Arizona made a significant impact. Following are seven lessons this experience offers for the faith community on effectively engaging and mobilizing people around the immigration crisis (or other social justice issues).

1) Engage leadership.

The UUA president made a personal commitment on the issue. He offered to go to Arizona. He issued an invitation to others. He agreed to get arrested. Denominational leaders are often overwhelmed with their responsibilities and commitments. And yet, their personal involvement in economic and social justice issues, on the ground, particularly in the midst of tough situations, can support and embolden local leadership and draw others into the work. Leading through action is always stronger than through words.

Equally important was the leadership of the local pastors in Phoenix, especially the terrific work of Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray and of the UUA’s moderator, Gini Courter, who came to Phoenix with members of the UUA Board.

2) Link to principles and history.

The UUs consistently linked the struggle in Arizona to their longstanding commitment to civil rights and their core principles. The UUs also linked the campaign to the denomination’s anti-racism initiative.

3) Assign staff and resources for planning.

The UU committed money and staff to the planning and preparation in Arizona. Presumably, the UUs are as cash-strapped as other denominations, and yet they committed resources to action and witness. As a result of the denomination’s commitment, contributions flowed to help with bail, legal defense, and additional outreach work.

4) Coordinate with local coalitions.

Often, the planning for large social action events, particularly ones involving planned civil disobedience, is a bit complicated, requiring lots of time, patience, and flexibility. The UUs developed their plans in collaboration and coordination with others on the ground. The UUs were particularly grateful for the work of Puente and the interfaith folks in Somos. This respectful approach is not always easy but leads to deep relationships long-term.

5) Be visual.

The UUs were very visual. Their yellow T-shirts could be seen blocks away. Their giant banner was a good media visual. And they chose a smart downtown street location that attracted attention.

6) Use social media.

The UU media team took advantage of the latest in social media. Participants posted on Facebook and YouTube. They tweeted. They took photos and videos. The mass text alerts told people where to go and kept folks abreast of breaking news.

7) Ask for personal engagement and sacrifice.

The UUA made a courageous and bold ask of supporters. People were asked to get to Phoenix in July and consider getting arrested. Approximately one-third of those arrested in Phoenix were UUs. Participants were blessed by the experience. Rev. David Miller from Solana Beach, California wrote in a blog post:

This week I have wept with sadness but also with great hope and joy. I feel this is a turning point for Unitarian Universalism. There we were, in our orange-ish yellow shirts, in mass, with the giant word “love” on our chests. Excuse the old marketing guy in me, but there it was, our brand, we were being called “the love people.” It was phenomenal to be a part of a coordinated effort of civil disobedience with Unitarian Universalists from every corner of this country. Lay people, ministers, administrators, association staff, all coming together. People from all over the association, linked arm in arm with brothers and sisters in the struggle and with our president leading the way, I was so proud. I was proud of our joint effort, our cooperation with local organizations and the visible power we had being there together. We were supporting each other as members of a faith, a faith steeped in the power of love to change hearts.

Just and comprehensive immigration reform is clearly the major civil rights issue for the foreseeable future. Twelve million workers and their families are struggling to survive in the toughest economic time in decades. Immigrant students without documents can’t further their education or fulfill their dreams. And too many native-born Americans, especially those in economic desperation themselves, blame immigrants—instead of the country’s failed immigration and economic policies—for our economic woes.

Given the significance of the immigration crisis, the religious community’s values around welcoming immigrants and the substantial role immigrants play in congregations throughout the nation, one would expect that denominations would be leading in every action around the nation. Unfortunately, the formal denominational leadership has not played the role it could and should. Luckily, the Unitarian Universalist Association offered an example in Arizona of what can and should occur. Let’s hope others will “go and do likewise."

Murdoch Published Imam Rauf's Book on Islam and America

Check out this revealing nugget at the end of Todd Gitlin's take on Cordoba Initiative leader Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf's book What’s Right with Islam is What’s Right with America (my emphasis):

The book closes with an appendix containing a fatwa issued by five Muslim clerics on September 27, 2001, at the request of the most senior Muslim chaplain in the American armed forces. Ending his book with a fatwa! Yes! Cunningly, it’s a “Fatwa Permitting U. S. Muslim Military Personnel to Participate in Afghanistan War Effort.”

What’s Right with Islam, by the way, was published by HarperSanFrancisco, which last I looked is owned by Rupert Murdoch.

So not only is the second-largest shareholder of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. funding Imam Rauf's initiatives in the U.S., but Murdoch himself is responsible for publishing Rauf's theological and political writings.

The fact that conservatives haven't blasted Murdoch's links to Imam Rauf demonstrates the insincerity of their attacks on Imam Rauf and American Muslims. As Gitlin argues (and should be obvious from the book's title), Imam Rauf's book is in fact a celebration of the U.S. Constitution, an embrace of religious freedom and pluralism, and an outright rejection of radical fundamentalism.

Imam Rauf's critics -- like Rick Santorum who last night called him a jihadist -- attack him as being outside of the ideological mainstream of American political and religious thinking, but their claims are without merit. Indeed, the Bush and Obama administrations asked Imam Rauf to represent the United States to the Islamic world precisely because he believes that the United States form of government should be a model for Muslims across the world -- not the other way around.

Indeed, in many respects, Rauf's critics have more in common with the fundamentalist Muslims they claim to be fighting than they do with mainstream Americans -- including Imam Rauf. The critics are the problem. Not Imam Rauf.

Written by Jed Lewison | DailyKos.com

What is 'America'?

Whatever your opinion on immigration policy, it is essential to know – behind the headlines and the politics – exactly whom you are talking about: Kids like Yves Gomes, 17, of Maryland, who has been in this country since he was 1 ½ years old and is scheduled to be deported to India on Friday; or Gladys Martinez, from Mexico, who says that high school in this country changed her world.

“I always listened and believed what my teachers told me,” Martinez writes on the web site We Are America. “That if I did well in school, doors and opportunities would open up for me.”

But that was not exactly so. Despite Gladys’ 4.1 grade point average, she is unable to continue her studies at college because of her status – undocumented.

Yves and Gladys (who is now fighting for passage of the Dream Act), are among dozens of immigrants whose stories are featured on the “We Are America,” a web site that aims to educate people about the human side of this complex issue through simple, powerful stories.

“Before you believe what you hear, do your own research. Get to know what you’re against,” says Rene, a Marine who served four years despite his lack of citizenship. “Immigrants are people.”

Cultural Extinction Looms Because of BP Oil

Houma Native Americans of south Louisiana face cultural extinction as the BP oil spill moves ever closer to their fragile cities and villages.

Written by David Hobbs
Louisiana Weekly, News Feature
Jul 20, 2010

DULAC, LOUISIANA — Some days the only people she serves are wayward journalists and well meaning volunteers come down to south Louisiana after the nation's worst oil spill. Some days not even the journalists or volunteers come. The locals have long since abandoned her restaurant.

In the early afternoon Lois Salinas, 69, owner and sole worker at Annie's Restaurant in Dulac, Louisiana sits alone on her back porch, which overlooks the swelling Grand Caillou Bayou (pronounced KAI-U). Ms. Salinas is a Houma Native American and her people have been fishing, working and living on Grand Caillou Bayou since before the Anglo or French speaking white man arrived. Now Salinas (or as she is known in her community, Ms. Lois) ponders the slow destruction of her culture.

"One thing that makes me sad is that my grandkids and great-grandkids won't have a chance to see this culture... one day it's all gonna be gone," Ms. Lois laments, staring fatalistically at the full Grand Caillou Bayou.

The dual processes of salt water intrusion into south Louisiana's coast line (happening ever since the Mississippi River was dammed in the early 1930s) and the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico have destroyed or disabled much of the coastline and fishing lands of south Louisiana. Both of these developments have given many in south Louisiana a bleak outlook on the future.

Recently oil from BP's Deepwater Horizon leek has been sighted as close as 30 miles from Dulac. Given this proximity much of the area fishing has been closed. The loss of fishing traffic up and down Grand Caillou Bayou has meant a sharp decline in business for Ms. Lois.

Normally at this time of year scores of boats would pass Ms. Lois' restaurant on Grand Caillou Bayou going out into the wetlands and coast to fish and shrimp. Ms. Lois explains, "They used to stop and chat with me and order a hamburger or get a drink. Now, since the oil spill, there is very little boat traffic."

While all races and peoples of Dulac are affected by the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the Houma Native Americans have been hit especially hard. It has only been since 1967 that the Houma people have been able to attend and complete high school with area Whites and African Americans. Because of this historic lack of education, poverty is endemic throughout much the Houma community. "Most Houma found it easier to work on a boat or in the oil and natural gas industry than to own their own boats or move up the corporate ladder," relates United Methodist Pastor Kirby Verret of Dulac, 63, a Houma Native American.

Up the road from Ms. Lois' restaurant a Native American mass is held at Holy Family Catholic Church. The service is a communal prayer for the coast and the lands traditionally inhabited by the Houma. Near the alter a Houma drum circle beats a rhythm while at the pulpit a Houma woman says 10 Hail Marys, 10 Our Fathers and then entreats God to protect their homeland and homewaters. Holy herbs are burnt and presented to the congregation. Dancers in Houma clothes dance. Catholic priests sermonize in English and French. (French is the language the Houma first adopted as a trade language and then — over time — as a native language.)

Back at Annie's Restaurant Ms. Lois says she and her family are lucky. She owns the restaurant which was handed down to her by her mother (her mother was named Annie, the namesake of Anne's Restaurant). "My children have good jobs and they like to come out and visit me. They like that I run my own business," Ms. Lois states, "but they don't want to do this job."

Representatives from the U.S. Small Business Administration have approached Ms. Lois and explained that she is eligible for a loan to help raise the height of her restaurant in order to protect it in case of floods, hurricanes and coastal erosion. Yet, Ms. Lois feels that without an heir to pass the restaurant on to, "...taking a 30 year (S.B.A.) loan makes no sense... I'm in good health as far as I know but who knows what the future holds?"

And who knows what the next hurricane might bring?

Millions of barrels of oil sit stagnant on the Gulf or have been pushed down to the seabed by dispersants. Were a storm or hurricane to come ashore anytime this summer low lying communities like Dulac will be at risk of oil contamination. Says Ms. Lois, "With a hurricane, you wash out, come back, rebuild... but with oil (contamination) it could take years to get it all cleaned up."

Oil contamination coming with a hurricane is the sum of all fears for the people of this bayou land. Still with faith and resolve the Houma people stay here unshaken. They reason, without this place where else can their culture survive?

David Hobbs is a contributing writer to The Louisiana Weekly and the Editorial Coordinator of the NOLA Beez. Photographs by David Hobbs. Copyright Louisiana Weekly 2010.