U.S. Census
The future of our state is literally in our hands – it’s in the hands of the 86% of my students whose families live at or below the poverty level. It’s in the hands of the 80% who are Latino and African American. Let's be honest - it’s in the hands of those for whom society typically has the lowest expectations and those who perhaps aren’t convinced that they really count in this state, this country. In 171 days, we have an opportunity to change that perception by making sure that everyone is counted in the 2010 Census.
Not everyone agrees, unfortunately. Just last weekend, The Monterey Herald reported that a group of immigration reform activists is pledging to boycott the census. President of Hermandad Mexicana and supporter of the boycott asks, "Why should we cooperate with a government that does not cooperate with us, but continues to prosecute us and, under the Obama administration, we have enforcement only, rather than immigration reform? In the past, we've promoted the census, but now we're ardent promoters of 'Antes de contar, tienes que legalizar.' Until you legalize me, don't count me."
In response, the National Association for Latino Elected Officials, has launched a campaign to urge all Latinos to participate in the census, regardless of their immigration status. In Arizona, there is an understandable fear among our undocumented immigrants, that their participation will result in deportation, in spite of the fact that the U.S. Census Bureau requires its Census employees to take an oath to protect all information as confidential.
For me, as an immigrant, an advocate of comprehensive immigration reform, and a charter school principal in Phoenix, Arizona - often a flashpoint for the immigration debate - I plan to be counted, and I plan to do what I can to educate my students and their families to participate in the 2010 census. Monterey County immigrant-rights advocate Sabino Lopez points out that undocumented immigrants are people who are most definitely contributing to the economy. Each and every time they make a purchase, they pay sales tax - “We can’t, even if some want to, be invisible. This has also been part of the struggle, to stop being invisible. To be seen with respect.” Isn’t this what we educators and parents want for our children? To matter. To count. And, those undocumented children, who move among us every day, pledging allegiance to our flag, attending our schools, in this country through no fault of their own - they matter too.
So how can we make the 2010 Census more appealing? Share a simple, four-point message:
- It’s important. – Census data affect funding for your community, your community’s representation in Congress and your community leader’s planning decisions.
- It’s easy. – The census questionnaire is just 10 questions and takes 10 minutes to complete.
- It’s confidential. – Your responses are protected by law (Title 13, U.S. Code, Section 9). All Census Bureau employees have taken an oath to protect confidentiality and are subject to a jail term, a fine – or both – for disclosing any information that could identify a respondent or household.
- It’s required by law. – The information you provide is combined with responses provided by your neighbors and other households across the country, to provide summary statistical data that are used by various local, state and federal agencies.
Comments
This community suffers plenty ... They don't need to hearmuxed messages!!
The federal government has the prospect in proving to the American workers and legal population that they are wrong in thinking that politicians are catering to the open border parasites? Two laws could be imposed, that would assign employment to elderly citizens and others, as a vanguard in inspecting I-9's auditing forms for use with the E-Verify, computer verification software. Thousands of jobs could be created as an interior illegal immigration force, giving ICE more backing in investigating businesses hiring foreign labor? In all regions of the country these interior inspectors would listen to Whistle blowers and then investigate companies, such as with the apparel company in Los Angeles who had to jettison 1800 foreign nationals. To me it's very questionable that a company the size of that clothing company could be completely ignorant of its workers, specifically in a SANCTUARY CITY AND STATE like CALIFORNIA?
Another idea is in the commencing voting season next year? Instead of just taking the incumbents and clean faced lawmakers by their word? That when they swear an oath that they will protect and defend the American people, we should hold them to it? We should ensure their honesty by having them sign an agreement executed under perjury, that he/she will defend us from foreign and domestic enemies? Let's face it if you study the immigration enforcement grading at NUMBERSUSA, a highly regarded pro-sovereignty website, you will observe Sen. Harry Reid has a C- ? He and Nancy Pelosi, Janet Napolitano, Sen.Chuck Schumer (F- ) Diane Feinstein ( F ) and countless others have used their political influence to under fund, create obstacles and otherwise use Senate-House laws to collapse any worthwhile enforcement laws such as 287 G and the No-Match letter? Ask yourself? What do these politicians have to gain from keeping our border fence wide open?
Just type into Google each name followed by illegal immigration as many are brought and sold once they get to Washington, as out from the sleazy woodwork comes the lobbyists with bags of money. For an example type in Pelosi--illegal immigration--corruption. One headline reads--NANCY PELOSI CULTURE OF CORRUPTION! Nancy Pelosi, Dianne Feinstein Appropriated Federal Funds for San Francisco DA's Program that Expunged & Kept Illegal’s Criminal Records from the Feds: The diseased lists of political sleaze goes on and on. The rumors that Pelosi has vineyards in Central California have an abundant illegal alien labor? If you really want to know the--TRUTH--about the next path to citizenship for the 20 to 30 million foreign nationals, just surf the net.
GOOGLE--JUDICIAL WATCH and learn what your financial future has in store for you. Ordinary people have been crippled by financing illegal immigration? That's right! They bleed you for more and more taxes to supplement the poorly paid income of illegal workers? Remember it’s not the US government who pays for free health care, education for the millions of illegal kids brought over here. It's the US taxpayer who can hardly afford to balance their own budgetary needs. The only people who benefit from cut rate labor are the dishonest business owners. That's why we need mandatory E-Verify, to disrupt their hiring of cheap labor. Even our kids cannot get summer jobs any more, because fast food employers hire illegal workers?
If American workers don't get organized and run these political renegades out of town, we will have a BLANKET AMNESTY to deal with. We can stop this travesty by holding their feet to fire at 202-224-3121 and yelling they will not be reelected.
URGENT:
Today, Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) will be offering an amendment to the Commerce, Justice, and Science appropriations bill that would require the U.S. Census Bureau to add questions regarding immigration & citizenship status to the 2010 decennial census. If these questions are not asked it is certain that illegal aliens will be counted in the census and states will lose/gain Congressional seats (and electoral college votes) due to this counting of illegal aliens.DEMAND FROM YOUR SENATORS THAT SEN. VITTERS' AMENDMENT BE INCLUDED.
Amnesty is forgiveness. The children of immigrants who were carried across the border have committed no crime and need no forgiveness. They do, however, deserve a measure of humanity. They do deserve to be counted. There is no path to citizenship for them. What would you have them do, "Brittanicus?"
It's always sad when the vitriol of an anonymous blogger drowns out his or her humanity.
What you wrote is extremely important---I cannot believe that anyone would object to what you wrote! You're right---someone with too much time on his/her hands. We have to get rid of the hatred and be counted!
The likes of Brittanicus are being consumed by their own deluge of hatred. Anonymity is their shield but it will not protect them from the corrosive anguish in which they're drowning. How pitiful and how draining it must be to live a life where each day is absorbed in creating and communicating animosity towards fellow human beings.
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