To Pledge or Not

Since fourth or fifth grade, I've chosen not to participate in the pledge of Allegiance, for a number of reasons. First off, through La Raza Unida Youth Cmte. I learned of what the conquistadores, and other European voyagers did to the people who lived on this continent.

Mostly it was that my father, a veteran, taught me that freedom of speech meant that I had a choice. It was not mandatory. He made sure we learned our history, our rights, and our responsibilities.

Also, the response that teachers had made me more determined to practice my freedoms. Here they are supposed to teach me to be an active member of society and they would tell me that the pledge was mandatory. In fact it is not. My parents would have to meet with principals and teachers almost every school year. My father would often just tell them, "This is her freedom of speech and you are not forcing her to do something she doesn't want. Kids are forced to do too many things already."

This fighting spirit is what makes our communities great. It helped me get through school. And it makes me who I am.

FMLN at Peace and Justice Center

Hola, lovers of music and justice!
This Friday, June 19, Albuquerque will host a representative of the newly-elected government of El Salvador, William Hernández of the FMLN, and L@SOTR@S will sing.

The event will be a potluck supper at the Center for Peace & Justice, 202 Harvard, SE (at the corner of Silver), 6:30 PM. The suggested donation at the door is $5.

Most of you know that the FMLN has fought for justice for the people of El Salvador for many decades, and were probably bowled over and moved to tears like me when they won the presidential election in March.

Elated that we will host such an event here in Albuquerque, L@SOTR@S offered to play, and we will close out the evening with music.I hope you're able to come to this wonderful, heart-filling event. To put you 'in the mood,' here are some videos that have been making Mayr and me cry with joy since March, photos of the FMLN campaign and victory set to some appropriate music - incredible to see joy-filled rallies in places whose names we associated for so long only with massacres and heart-breaking oppression.

All the best,
Dair

domingo rojo:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ppigpVcUco

todo cambia:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQUAJNXP3z0&feature=related

sombrero azul:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ef8sXZ94Ef8

RAZA UNDIA at PRIDE 2

RAZA UNDIA at PRIDE 1

Policy Changes for Drop Off

One of the things La Raza Unida has been doing is supporting the policy changes for how the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) drops people off. Often people are released in the middle of the night into downtown Albuquerque. Whether they are disabled, having mental health problems, or substance abuse issues.

Kalpulli Izkalli and Young Women United have been doing great work around this. And it is paying off!

David Vs. Goliath

How David beats Goliath - from the New Yorker. It is important to think outside the box. Especially as a third party in a two party system.

Wellstone has an article as - David vs. Goliath as a Winning Strategy for Campaigns.

Please read and leave some thoughts. Democracy needs some new thinking!

June 4, 1989

It was twenty years ago today...

Grassroots Policy

"Conservatives have been very serious about building their power — to govern, to dominate the political agenda and to shape the ideological context in which issues and agendas are contested. Progressives have not had this clarity of purpose, nor have we grasped the importance of harnessing the power of ideas. We are hesitant to define a progressive agenda, let alone a progressive worldview. And only recently have some progressives begun to say that they are aiming for the power to govern as a prerequisite for sustained, fundamental change. If we cannot name transformational social change goals, then we will not aim for them and we certainly will not achieve them."

From Grassroots Policy Project