Latino issues subject of summit
Karen Boothe, 8/8/96

As Minnesota Public Radio's Karen-Louise Boothe reports...National Latino leaders are countering what THEY say are rising anti-immigrant sentiments with a summit meeting of their own in San Diego next week.

Defeated Presidential candidate Pat Buchanan and the party's social conservatives have signaled more problems for Bob Dole and organizers of next week's National Convention in San Diego. They vowed to fight to keep language that's more tolerant of views on abortion, supressed...and WON. Buchanan is ALSO promising to push for an anti-free trade, anti-immigration and isolationist stance at platform committee meetings leading up to the convention which begins MONDAY.

Buchanan's anti-immigration stance is expected to futher exacerbate what's ALREADY a hot political issue this election year...one that's going to get an additional spotlight in San Diego...a city located a mere 30-miles north of Mexican-American border.

The outcome of U.S. elections has ripple effects on political situations and economies in countries around the world. This year, Latin Americans are watching cautiously because of what MANY say are the blending of anti-immigrant rhetoric with praise for free trade. These mixed messages are not only creating a sense of unease for Latin political leaders, but many Chicano-Americans and Latino-Americans are equally ill at ease.

David Viadalid (via-dah-LEED) is vice chair of the Chicano Federation Board of Directors based in San Diego. He says the Republican Party National Convention is going to be closely monitored by groups like HIS, particularly because San Diego is serving as the backdrop to the political event:

Bite:7007 :05-secs "the fact we're a border community, a central focus is going to be immigration." Viadalid says leaders from more than 25 Latino organizations across the country are conducting a Summit Meeting in San Diego on TUESDAY. In addition to helping sponsor bus tours to the border for delegates to meet impoverished workers, the MAIN reason for the meeting is to counter what HE says is an anti-immigrant stance within the party platform.

OTHER Issues concerning him are the anti-immigrant provisions found in the newly passed Welfare Reform bill. Among OTHER things, the measure prohibits most non-citizens from recieving SSI or food stamps and prohibits FUTURE legal immigrants who are not citizens from receiving most federal benefits the first five years they're in the country. Another provision would make some illegal alien children ineligible for school lunch programs and states could bar them from public classrooms all-together if they choose.

Viadalid bristles over the House approval of a Republican-backed bill designating English as the official language and provisions that overhaul immigration law.

Bite:7059 :22-secs "hope to denounce."

Viadalid says his organization, and others, are working hard to get out the vote among Latino-Americans this election year. Nationwide, there are Nine-Million eligible Latino voters, but only Five-Million are registered to vote. But the Latino Vote U-S-A registration program is attempting to change that. Volunteers coast-to-coast are hoping to register another One Million and get six-million to the polls in November.

Bite:7063 :22-secs "all americans"

Viadalid says this year's registration drive is expected to DOUBLE the Latino voting bloc this election over the last Presidential election.

Here in Minnesota, volunteers with Latino Vote U-S-A are door knocking, attending parades and festivals and even registering voters at the Mall of America. Mario Sanchez is a native of Mexico...and while he's not a U.S. citizen HIMSELF yet...he sees there's power at the voting booth. Sanchez says Latinos HE approaches are often skeptical of him at first: Bite:7022 :22-secs "to get registered." Maggie Zalamea is director of the Minnesota Chicano/Latino Affairs Council. SHe says what goes on in Washington, and what happens at ANY political convention...whether it be the Republican gathering in San Diego or the Democratic Gathering later this month in Chicago...translates into what kind of climate of tolerance is experienced here in Minnesota.

Bite:7029 :24-secs "it's about education the public."

Zalamea says regardless of what transpires in either party platform this month, she will press ahead with state legislative policies here in Minnesota..working with what SHE says are a slate of Minnesota lawmakers sympathetic to issues relating to immigrants, latinos and other people of color. But the other half of the equation, she says, is to convince Latinos that their voice must be heard in the political process and at the voting booth:

Bite:7416 :23-secs "about these issues."

Zalamea, and other Latino leaders, plan to keep abreast of events at the political conventions this month but they know it's only a single microcosm in the vast political landscape.

Nevertheless, Minnesota Delegates to the National Republican Convention attend it with their OWN state platform positions on immigration matters laying the groundwork for them. The Minnesota Republican party's platform seeks to discontinue affirmative action policies. Delegate, and platform committee member, Moonyeen Bongaards says she and the others are attending the convention with firm footing in the republican party's agenda as mapped out state by state and by the national platform committee:

Bite:#7414 24-secs "in fact, you rarely see that."

Bongaards and the other Minnesota Delegates will be hard pressed NOT to notice many of the counter demonstrations. A counter demonstration speech podium is being set up across the street from the main convention hall. Such events will no doubt will gain a certain amount of media coverage...and delegates will be receiving courtesy copies of the local newspaper each morning at their hotel room door.

SOC