Blogamole › SB 1070

By Michael Lopez

If you thought SB 1070 was harsh, wait'll you hear about HB56! Singled out as one of the most racist laws in the country, Alabama's new initiative can allow schoolchildren to be yanked out of class if their teachers suspect they are undocumented. Thankfully the backlash is growing fast and, with your help, it can be repealed soon.

Voto Latino has already created an online petition that will help spread the word to Alabama State Senator Bill Beasley. Beasley himself calls the law "mean spirited" and is pushing hard to shut HB56 down.

An appeals court has also stepped in and temporarily blocked the law, but it is extremely important to have a voice in this issue and let lawmakers know these initiatives won't fly. Particularly because to get HB56 permanently overturned, we'll need the support of the federal government.

Voto has been aggressively Tweeting and Facebook messaging their followers to increase support. All their form requires is your name, email, and zip code. You can also attach a personal message if you feel impassioned to do so.

We think Voto Latino summed the movement up perfectly with their closing statement on the site. "We Can Stand Up To Hate," so click that form and make a difference!

What do you think about Alabama's HB56 law? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Alabama, Bill Beasley, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Cultura, HB56, Immigration, Politics, SB 1070, Voto Latino

By Michael Lopez

It takes a lot of guts to tell a crowd of thousands that they should be "ashamed of themselves." But that's exactly what legendary guitarist Carlos Santana did at Atlanta's Turner Field on Sunday, responding to the state's recent immigration legislation.

It all went down at baseball's Civil Rights Game between the Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies. Santana was actually being honored for his humanitarian work, but took the opportunity to speak out against a Georgia law that sounds very similar to Arizona’s SB 1070.

"The people of Arizona, and the people of Atlanta, Georgia, you should be ashamed of yourselves," Carlos exclaimed on the field. "This law is not correct. It's a cruel law, actually. This is about fear. Stop shucking and jiving. People are afraid we're going to steal your job. No, we aren't. You're not going to change sheets and clean toilets. ..."

Not surprisingly, the unplanned statement led to huge boos from the crowd. Santana, who himself hails from Mexico, has been a passionate spokesman against anti-immigrant laws. The Georgia bill, signed by Governor Nathan Deal, would give police in the state the right to check citizenship status of people they suspect to be undocumented.

And even though the Atlanta Field crowd may not have all been behind him, it's clear that the world wide web has got Carlos' back! Hundreds of bloggers, tweeters, and social media gurus pledged their support for Santana after the incident.

What do you think about Carlos' impromptu speech? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Atlanta Braves, Baseball, Carlos Santana, Immigration, MLB, Politics, SB 1070

By Michael Lopez

When Blogamole first heard about this story, we thought it was a joke. Do disenchanted Latino voters across the country really want to launch a Tequila Party? In the same way that the Tea Party formed its own movement within the Republican realm, rumors are flying that Democratic Latinos may form their own sect, too.

Although he didn't come up with the concept, Fernando Romero, president of Nevada’s Hispanics in Politics, recently told Fox News Latino that support for a Tequila Party movement is growing fast in his home state:

“We don’t have immigration reform. And by the looks of it, it isn’t going to happen. We were impressed, like I think everyone else was, by the strength the Tea Party showed. And we thought, ‘Why not do, basically, the same thing?”

Why? To begin with, the Senate's failure to pass the DREAM Act last September was a major blow to immigration reform activists. We all knew conservative Republicans would vote against the measure —  which would allow undocumented immigrants who are under age 30 and came to the U.S. as children to remain in the country pending two years of college or military service — but some Latinos felt disappointed with Democrats, too. Could the Dems have fought a little harder? It depends who you ask. Some Dems, including President Barack Obama, are trying to push the bill through Congress before the end of the year, but it continues to be an uphill battle.

Then, there’s that other situation in Arizona. The state stirred up tons of controversy this summer when it passed SB 1070, an anti-immigration law that made it a state crime for non-U.S. citizens to be there without their papers and cracks down on anyone who shelters illegal immigrants. Although a judge issued a federal injunction to block the most controversial parts of the law, many Latino voters felt their voices were ignored throughout the legislative process. And don’t get us started on Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s “illegal alien hunting posse.”

In all honesty, the Tea Party may not be the best political role model to follow. In case you forgot, they were the strongest supporters of SB 1070 and have taken strong stances against amnesty for undocumented immigrants. Plus, is it really wise to call it a Tequila Party? We love Cuervo as much as the next blog, but if you want to be taken seriously in Washington, that may not be the best name for your cause.

So, while we definitely agree that it's time to tackle these big issues, we don’t think you need a kitschy name or polarizing spokesperson to do it. Learn about the issues and hit those politicians where it hurts — at the voting booths!

What do you think of forming a Tequila Party? Sound off below or @MTV3!

Tags Cultura, Deep Thoughts, Politics, SB 1070, Tea Party, Tequila Party, the DREAM Act

By Michael Lopez

It looks like Arizona isn’t any closer to resolving its immigration tensions. For one thing, the state re-elected controversial governor, Jan Brewer, in November. And beyond that, Sheriff Joe Arpaio (who’s had plenty of SB 1070 protests outside his office) is trying to recruit high-profile celebrities for a so-called “illegal-alien hunting posse!"

Image : Getty Images

So far Arpaio has sworn in actor Steven Seagal, Lou Ferrigno from the old Incredible Hulk TV show, and a star from the 1960’s version of Mission Impossible. We were actually a bit surprised to hear Seagal’s name in the mix, seeing how he recently starred in Robert Rodriguez’ anti-SB 1070 movie, Machete.

Ferrigno is another story entirely. A former bodybuilding rival of Arnold Schwarzenegger, he’s spoken out very harshly against illegal amnesty, even going so far as to make threats during his “swearing in” speech,

"I am here because of my strong stance. This posse is the power of the county. I must warn you that we are in for a rude awakening, because this country right now is in a lot of danger.”

It seems to us that there’s more of a danger in publicly preaching intolerance. And Arpaio is looking to spread that negative message even further. So far, he’s recruited 55 volunteers to sign up for his “posse” and we have no doubt that he’s eager to add more.

Source: [Terra]

What do you Arizona's newest anti-immigrant stunt? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags arizona, Cultura, Immigration, Joe Arpaio, Lou Ferrigno, SB 1070, Steven Seagal

By Michael Lopez

Now we know you’ve all seen our politically charged documentary 9500 Liberty, right? Seeing how it explicitly details the immigration issues America is facing (and it’s free on our site), there is really no excuse not to. But just to sweeten the deal, we’re now offering 20% off t-shirts from Surropa.com to everyone who visits the video page!

Don’t worry, all of you who’ve seen the movie already (and helped spread the word) get to enjoy the discounts too. And these aren’t just bland run-of-the-mill tees. Surropa’s fashions include hot colors, innovative designs, and important messages about political change.

You can grab stylish jabs at Arizona and SB 1070, fun Chilean miner designs, and hot pink Dia de los Muertos imagery designed to fight discrimination. And seeing how the tees are pretty reasonably priced anyway (no $80 Ed Hardy stuff here), 20% off means even less dollars out of your pocket.

So remember, keep getting the word out about 9500 Liberty and flex your political muscle every chance you get (you DID vote, right?). Together, we can make a difference in immigration reform and, thanks to Surropa, we can look even more stylish doing it.

Click here for more info on the 20% off coupon!

What’s your favorite Surropa T-shirt design? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags 9500 Liberty, Cultura, Discounts, Hot Stuff, Immigration, SB 1070, Surropa

Sonia, an undocumented student attending NYC's Hunter College, sat in the back of a room at the New York Times building on the night of September 7 and listened to a politically and culturally diverse panel discuss a subject that impacts her life every day: immigration. Tr3s and Blogamole were there for a screening of the documentary film 9500 Liberty, in which filmmakers Annabel Park and Eric Byler were able the capture what can happen when words instill fear in a small community and political ambition leads to controversial policies. You can catch 9500 Liberty premiering simultaneously on Tr3s, MTVU, and MTV2 on September 26 at 8 PM.

Co-sponsored by VOCES and MTV Networks, a forum discussion about 9500 Liberty and the topic of immigration took place after viewing the film. Contribuyendo al tema were actor/comedian Paul Rodriguez, ABC News Primetime anchor John Quiñones, Executive Director of the Police Executive Research Forum, Chuck Wexler, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Voto Latino, Maria Teresa Kumar, Chairman of Prince William Board of County Supervisors in Virginia, Corey Stewart, and director/producer of the film Annabel Park. The discussion was moderated by NY Times reportera Fernanda Santos, who ensured that everyone had a fair chance to voice their opinions both on the immigration issue and 9500 Liberty.

photos by Bashira Webb

Y como surgió la película? Fué curiosidad lo que motivó la pareja when Park and Byler first started documenting the tensions that were evolving in Prince William County, Virginia in 2007. There was a growing fear and divisiveness taking place in Byler’s hometown that was being used as a political tool to get local county chairmen like Corey Stewart re-elected into office. The filmmakers began recording the growing debate and posting videos on YouTube, which brought nationwide attention to this federal issue being handled at a local level.

Watch the trailer for 9500 Liberty below and get more info on the ground-breaking documentary after the cut!

Read more...

Tags 9500 Liberty, Annabel Park, Chuck Wexler, Corey Stewart, Eric Byler, Fernanda Santos, Greg Letiecq, Immigration, John Quiñones, Liberty Wall, Maria Teresa Kumar, MTV2, mtvU, paul rodriguez, SB 1070, the DREAM Act, Tr3s, Voces, Voto Latino

By Michael Lopez

We’ve been hyping “Machete” for some time, but now it's finally arrived in theatres. And in a very BIG way. Though it didn’t quite top the box office this weekend, it did hit #2 with $11.5M (not too shabby). And to keep up with the promotion, Team Blogamole sat with Danny Trejo, Jessica Alba, and Robert Rodriguez to talk immigration.

Obviously the hotly debated SB 1070 law is still on everyone’s minds. And going back to May, the “Machete” crew made no qualms about how they felt about the issue, when they released that “special” trailer strictly addressing the Arizona controversy.

So what’s the cast have to saw about immigration now? Star Jessica Alba dubs SB 1070 as “very racist.” She went on to say, “We need immigration reform, but that is absolutely not the answer.”

Danny Trejo and Robert Rodriguez also chimed in on how they felt the government was doing a poor job of handling the immigration situation. Rodriguez said “people think about these issues which are real and hopefully Washington won’t ignore any more.”

And Danny was quick to point out “I think ‘Machete’ deals with corruption on both sides. It deals with the politicians that every time the want votes, they’ll say…Let’s go take on immigration.”

So yes, “Machete” has made a good deal of headlines for throwing in immigration issues into its plot line, but isn’t that what great art is about? Expressionism. We’re happy Robert and his crew were able to make their voices heard. Whether it’s about SB 1070, huge explosions, or giant knife fights, that’s their opinions and they’re sticking to it!

Did you get a chance to see “Machete” yet? What did you think? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags Danny Trejo, Interviews, Jessica Alba, Machete, Robert Rodriguez, SB 1070

By Michael Lopez

If you attended screenings at year’s Latino International Film Festival (LIFF) in Los Angeles, you’ll notice they all seemed to have one thing in common: powerful messages. And none is more prominent this year than the immigration debate, particularly about what’s going on in Arizona.

In fact, the topic was so prominent that the organizers held a panel to discuss it on August 24. A Dialogue on Immigration Issues: We Are America/Nosotros Somos America was the centerpiece of the film festival and Team Blogamole was right there in the front row!

Presented in by the UCLA Latin America Institute and moderated by one of our favorite Latinos, Lalo Alcaraz, the panel featured 6 notable speakers ranging from activists, to attorneys, to LIFF filmmakers. Each presented a unique perspective on why SB 1070 and other anti-immigration laws were a bad move.

Lalo Alcaraz at L.A.'s LIFF

Read more...

Tags arizona, Cultura, Dolores Huerta, Immigration, Lalo Alacaraz, Latino International Film Festival, LIFF, Politics, SB 1070

By Elis T. Ortiz

El Presidente Barack Obama firmó una nueva reforma this Friday (August 13), alongside U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, to put $600 million into securing the border between the U.S. and Mexico.

This bipartisan immigration bill would employ an additional 1,000 agents to patrol la frontera, as well as more Immigration and Customs enforcement agents. La Casa Blanca dijo that Obama’s new immigration bill aims “to enhance technology at the border, share information and support with state, local and tribal law enforcement, and increase (federal) presence and law enforcement activities at the border."

Arizona’s Senator John McCain has said that the bill falls short in excluding a program that charges illegal immigrants with a low-level crime. El estado de Arizona ha estado en el centro de esta discusión, ever since Governor Jan Brewer’s SB 1070 immigration bill was signed and has since gone into effect.

The bill has stirred up much controversy, specifically because it is believed to encourage racial profiling on the part of the police officers who are forced to request documentation from anyone they “suspect” may be in the state illegally.

Though certain key parts of the law were blocked by District Judge Susan Bolton a few weeks ago, arrests have already been made and Border Patrol has been called upon to detain said suspects.

The entertainment world has been very vocal about their disagreement with SB 1070, whether it’s artists joining The Sound Strike and boycotting Arizona venues, o otros como Lady Gaga who voiced her opinion during a Phoenix concert, y Wilmer Valderrama quien compartió su punto de vista during an exclusive interview with Tr3s.

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Tags Barack Obama, Immigration, latin, MTV NEws, SB 1070, Tr3s

By Elis T. Ortiz

Recent arrests have been made under Senate Bill 1070 and the debate over how it will continue to be enforced is far from over.

Recientemente hablamos con el actor venezolano Wilmer Valderrama acerca de este tema,
and he has a very clear opinion on the matter. Miren este videoclip of Valderrama during his interview with Tr3s at the New York International Latino Film Festival:

Born in Miami, Wilmer moved to Venezuela with his family at the age of 3 and came back to the U.S. a decade later. Con mucho trabajo y esfuerzo, Wilmer ha logrado captar ese sueño americano . He feels it's "shameful" that "we are called the United States of America, but we are not United." He also cites that, with the exception of Native Americans, we are all immigrants or can trace our roots to immigrants.

Wilmer isn't the only celeb who opposes Arizona's SB 1070. Many entertainers have joined The Sound Strike (minus Lady Gaga), refusing to perform in the state as long as this law continues to exist as written. Artistas latinoamericanos han dejado en claro que apoyan a los inmigrantes de Arizona y se han unido al esfuerzo. There are those who've posed the question of whether the same policies would be taken up with regards to our neighbors to the North.

Many feel that it isn't possible to enforce this law without racial profiling and violating basic civil rights when the only thing officers require in order to detain someone is to have "reasonable suspicion" that they're in the state illegally. On July 28th, District Judge Susan Bolton ruled to modify the law, but activist group Copwatch has reported that Tucson police are enforcing banned portions of SB 1070 anyway.

Activist group Cuéntame, which boasts a membership of close to 40,000, funded and set up a billboard in Pheonix on August 9 that reads "Have Your Papers Ready, Racial Profiling Just Ahead." They intend to send a strong message to the governor and those who have consistently supported the law.

What's your take on this? Weigh in below or @MTV3!

Tags Cultura, Exclusive Entrevistas, Immigration, new york international latino film festival, Politics, SB 1070, Video, Videos, Wilmer Va