I wonder why La Raza raises "eyebrows"?? Is it because they are somehow liberal"?? 10 or 15 years ago the organization nationally did seem pretty Democratic But now they are much more non-partisan, they actually welcomed Alberto Gonzalez' nomination as AG.
If it is the issue of immigration, if over 70 percent of Latinos nationwide are opposed to the Sensenbrenner Bill there better be a lobbying group out there.
They are no longer operating under the same old-school civil rights agenda, they are much more pragmatic. There are a lot of young, professional Latinos who are active supporters of the organization. I have met a lot of these folks, and many of them are hardly "liberals".
And the organization itself does a lot of really good work at the local level, like providing healthcare, job re-training, language instruction. They also do stuff like give classes to help people who are looking to buy a house, or support organizations that help Latinos start small business.

What is it that Jack Kemp was saying about empowerment some 10 years ago?

So they give money to some nutcase running a small elementary school IN EAST LA!! Who cares if they chant in Nahuatl and dress like frickin Montezuma if they learn how to read and write? Beats local public school, which seems to be a half-way house to Juvi Hall and prison (also on our dime).
Boli-Nica | Homepage | 06.11.06 - 9:35 am | #