9.30.2009

Justice Sotomayor Throws 1st Pitch at Yankee Stadium

Hispanic Heritage Month: Watching Latino Politics Disappear

Randy Shaw notes (Hispanic Heritage Month: Watching Latino Politics Disappear, BeyondChron - 9/28/09) the "brown out" of wise Latino@ views from media and national policy discussions.

excerpt
For all of the justifiable excitement over Sotomayor’s appointment, recall how the Republicans’ main line of attack was her often-repeated comment that she brought to the bench the perspective of a “wise Latina woman.” Both the White House and the nominee herself had to backtrack from this statement, as it raised the troubling notion — for the white-dominated media world — that Latinos may bring a set of experiences and perspectives otherwise lacking.

How can a traditional media that itself excludes Latinos, and that limits its signature political talk shows to white men, countenance a claim that a Latina has special insights about public policies?

Sotomayor’s comment hit a bit too close to home, which is why the media harped on it repeatedly, eventually forcing her to recant.

Such is the state of affairs as we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month in 2009.
Randy Shaw is the author of Beyond the Fields: Cesar Chavez, the UFW and the Struggle for Justice in the 21st Century.

9.29.2009

Governor Luis Fortuño of Puerto Rico Flees Egg Attack

This man is being roughed by the bejeweled police officer for throwing an egg at Puerto Rico's rookie governor Luis Fortuño...who abruptly ended his press conference and scurried to safety.

But who should be the one arrested?

The egg thrower losing his job? Or the Republican governor who has fired 17,000 government employees (including class teachers) in the midst of Puerto Rico's worst recession/depression in recent memory?

In't Fortuño and his coddled class the real criminals here?

Clearly the ambitious Fortuño -- who snagged a primetime speaking slot in last year's national McCain-Palin convention -- is thinking ahead to a possible high level appointment in a future GOP presidency. Being tough on the people is clearly a requirement for high office as a Republican, right?

Meanwhile, Luis Raúl Torres, member of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives from the opposing Popular Democratic Party, has introduced an amendament to the Puerto Rican constitution allowing a recall election. A website poll shows 68% of respondents support the measure.

So while Fortuño's move may not be as crazy as it might appear to the rest of us, still firing people in this environment is beyond cruel even for a Republican.

However, it does prove that a lapdog Republican in the governor's mansion in San Juan, during a national recession, in a country led by the man you wanted defeated, is not good for island Borikuas.

Link: Posibles cargos contra manifestante

9.27.2009

Latino/a Authors

Author JoAnn Hernandez (White Bread Competition, The Throwaway Piece) is owner of BronzeWord, a website packed with helpful information, links and resources for Latino writers.

A resource for the rest of us is a list of published Latino/a writers, including links to authors websites. Now there's no excuse for not purchasing books by U.S. Latin@ authors.

The Authors
A.E. Roman
Aaron A. Abeyta
Aaron Michael Morales
Abelardo Lalo Delgado
Ada Limon
Adriana Lopez
Alberto Rios
Aldo Alvarez
Alex Espinoza
Alfredo Vea
Alicia Gaspar de Alba
Alisa Valdes Rodriguez
Alma Flor Ada
Alma Luz Villanueva
Americo Paredes
AmoxCalli
Ana Castillo
Andres Resendez
Angel Vigil
Anisa Onofre
Ann Hagman Cardinal
Aracelis Girmay
Barbara Renaud Gonzalez
Belinda Acosta
Benjamin Alire Saenz
Berta Platas
Blas Manuel De Luna
C.M. Mayo
California Poet
Caridad Pineiro
Caridad Ferrer
Carmen Agra Deedy
Carmen Lomas Garza
Carmen Tafolla
Carmen U. Bernier Grand
Cevile Pineda
Charley Trujillo
Cherrie Moraga
Christine Granados
Cindy Holby
Coe Booth
Cristina Garcia
Cristina Henriquez
Dagoberto Gilb
Dan Vera
Daniel A. Olivas
Daniel Alarcon
Daniel Chacón
Daniel Reveles
David A. Hernandez
David Rice
Demetria Martinez
Denise Chavez
Diana López
Dr. Ricardo Sanchez
Edgardo Vega Yungue
Eduardo C. Corral
Eduardo Santiago
Elaine Romero
Elena Nazzaro
Emma Perez
Emmy Perez
Esmeralda Santiago
Esteban Martinez
Estevan Vega
Evangelina Vigil-Piñón
F. Isabel Campoy
Felicia Luna Lemus
Felipe Davalos
Francisco Aragon
Francisco Jimenez
Francisco X. Stork
Gabriella Hewitt
Gary Soto
Gilbert Hernandez
Gina Franco
Gloria Vando
Gloria Velasquez
Gonzalo Barr
Graciela Limon
Guillermo Gómez-Peña – La Pocha Nostra
Guy Garcia
Gwendolyn Zepeda
Icess Fernandez
Ilan Stavans
Ink
Isaac Chavarria
Jaime Hernandez
James Canon
Jamie Martinez Wood
Jeff Rivera
Jennifer Prado
Jerry A. Rodriguez
Jimmy Santiago Baca
Joe Cepeda
Joe Loya
John Parra
John Rechy
Jorge Argueta
Jorge Ramos
Jose Antonio Burciaga
Jose Latour
Josefina Lopez
Joy Castro
Juan Felipe Herrera
Judith Oritz Cofer
Julia Alvarez
Julia Amante
Julie Larios
Juliette Dominguez
Junot Diaz
Kathleen Alcala
Kathleen DeAzevedo
Kathy Cano-Murillo
Kermit Lopez
L.M. Gonzalez
Lalo Delgado
Laura Gallego Garcia
laurasalas
Lauren Castillo
Lisa Alvarado
Liz Balmaseda
Lorena Siminovich
Lorna Dee Cervantes
Lorraine M. Lopez
Lucha Corpi
Lucia Gonzalez
Luis A. Lopez
Luis J. Rodriguez
Lulu Delacre
Lyna Sandoval
Magdalena Gomez
Malin Alegria
Manuel Munoz
Manuel Ramos
Margo Candela
Maria Amparo Escandon
Mario Acevedo
Marlene Perez
Marta Acosta
Martin Espada
Martin Limon
Mary Castillo
Mary Helen Lagasse
Matt de la Pena
Max Benavidez
Max Martinez
Mayra Calvani
Michael Jaime-Becerra
Michele Martinez
Michelle Serros
Micol Ostow
Miguel Algarin
Miriam Herrera
Mirta Ojito
Misa Ramirez
Mitali Perkins
Monica Brown
Nancy Castaldo
Nina Marie Martinez
Norma Elia Cantu
Ofelia Dumas Lachtman
Oscar “Zeta” Acosta
Paco Ignacio Taibo II
Pam Munoz Ryan
Pat Mora
Patrick Sanchez
Rafael Lopez
Rafaela Castro
Raul Colon
Raul Ramos y Sanchez
raulrsalinas
Rebecca Gomez
Rene Colato Lainez
Rene Saldana Jr.
Renee Fajardo
Reyes Cardenas
Reyna Grande
Ricardo Sanchez
Richard Blanco
Richard Vasquez
Rigoberto Gonzalez
Rolando Hinojosa
Rudolfo Anaya
Rudy Gutierrez
S. Ramos O’Briant
Salvador Plascencia
Sam Quinones
Sandra Cisneros
Sandra Maria Esteves
Sandra Rodriguez Barron
Sarah Cortez
Sarah Rafael Garcia
Sergio Troncoso
Severo Perez
Sherman Alexie
Sheryl Luna
Sofia Quintero
Sonia Nazario
Stella Pope Duarte
Steven Torres
Teresa Carbajal Ravet
Tino Villanueva
Tomas Rivera
Tracy Montoya
Victor Villasenor
William Nericcio
Yuyi Morales
Yxta Maya Murray