The latest development in the ongoing battle over Semler’s appointment by Mayor Mark Funkhouser came at a news conference local leaders called to launch new efforts to educate the public about their position.
They have sought Semler’s dismissal or resignation from the Board of Parks and Recreation Commissioners because of her membership in the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, a national anti-illegal immigration group.
Funkhouser has said that although his views often differ from Semler’s, he will not remove her from the park board because her work is not related to immigration and he doesn’t want to infringe on her freedom of speech. That position recently prompted the National Council of La Raza, a Hispanic advocacy group, to withdraw its convention scheduled for Kansas City in 2009.
Local leaders said Sunday they would continue to oppose Semler’s position on the park board because they think the Minuteman programs are divisive and contribute to racist attitudes against all Hispanics in the United States.
Also speaking on their behalf on Sunday was Dolores C. Huerta, a co-founder of the United Farm Workers of America. Huerta, 77, of Bakersfield, Calif., received an International Peace Award on Saturday from the Community of Christ Church in Independence. She also leads a foundation devoted to community organizing for civil issues.
Huerta said that efforts by groups such as the Minuteman’s to get anti-immigration laws passed are obscuring problems with federal immigration law that keeps workers America needs out of the country.
“This organization is creating so much hatred and divisiveness in our communities,†she said of the Minuteman group. “These hysterical attacks on the immigrants, particularly people of color, have turned into discrimination against the whole Hispanic community.â€
Rita Valenciano of Kansas City said Huerta’s presentation on the issue was the first of what will be ongoing efforts by local Hispanic leaders to state more clearly why they oppose organizations such as the Minuteman group.
Charles Lona, a Hispanic community leader, said: “The mayor is supporting a racist, violent organization. That’s the way we feel.â€
Funkhouser said Sunday that his position has not changed.
“They know what I think, I’ve discussed it at great length and in great detail,†Funkhouser said.
Valenciano said the Hispanic community was also asking Funkhouser for more help from City Hall on community services and an increase in the hiring of Hispanics for city jobs.
Funkhouser said he would continue to work on those issues, regardless of the Semler controversy.
“I’m going to do what I said I was going to do,†he said.
http://www.kansascity.com/115/story/337211.html
The NCLR (Nasty Communist Loudmouth Racists) have told another string of baseless, inflammatory tales. The Minuteman Org's are not violent. The press has done its worst to vilify them and found nothing more damning than Jim Gilchrist's gripes with members.
They are not divisive. If anything, they unite citizens of every heritage including many, MANY Americans of Hispanic ancestry (www.dontspeakforme.org).
They do NOT contribute to racist attitudes against Hispanics. That isn't racism at all; rather, it is justifiable anger which the community in question (by NO means representative of all Latin-America) has more than EARNED.
And can you imagine if the KKK went to any mayor "for more help from City Hall on community services and an increase in the hiring of [Anglos] for city jobs"?
Enough is ENOUGH!!!!
...
It seems we do still have freedom of speech, and the people in the story are quite adept at using that freedom.
I think this sort of way of thinking goes both ways. I mean seriously if it was known she belong to La Raza wouldn't there be a bunch of people demanding that she be kicked out still? Free speech should be allowed to go both ways. And i do agree that as long as she's not out promoting the minutemen and doing her job properly then she should be allowed to keep it.
"Funkhouser has said that although his views often differ from Semler’s, he will not remove her from the park board because her work is not related to immigration and he doesn’t want to infringe on her freedom of speech."
If something is not related to her work then why does it matter? The NCLR can go suck a ****. They are a racist group, it's about time that this is known.
If people really want to see hatred, then we need to round up illegal aliens and dump them in the middle of the desert, men, women, and children...seriously if there is so much hatred, then why don't we just deal with the way other countries would? Get rid of illegals!
Who cares what illegal Hispanic's want, I know I don't.
Shouldn't they be holding their conventions in mexico...
Yes, it would appear so. The sad thing is the Kansas City newspaper has presented an entirely biased article. They quote so called Hispanic leaders poison rhetoric that does not have a ring of truth to it. It is these Hispanic groups that are racist.
When was the last time you heard that a Minuteman was violent as Lona claimed? you can bet that if a Minuteman stepped out of line just one fraction of an inch the liberal media and the United Racists would be all over it.
How is it the Minuteman program creates hatred?
They stand on the Border and they call the Border Patrol when they spot illegal crossers. They have saved many of those border crossers lives when they became injured or disoriented.
Valenciano is demanding that they hire more Hispanics. Sounds very much like:
"For the race Everything, for all others nothing!!!"
The Kansas city Star is a liberal rag doing the bidding of the real racists here.
She she trying t keep them out of the park? As there are a ton of drug deals that go on in parks at night and they came here to make a good living. Nexus has the right idea and like that outfit.
Anyway if you took all the illegals out of KC there would be no problem and more parking spaces at the mall. Less gas fumes from cars, why can't people see this. many Mexican and Tex-Mex Americans are livid over them being here as they frequent their communites and do the crime. They must statrt to pay taxes and for services or go home. It's the American way.
To keep drugs out of a park around here folks got together and barred entry to drug dealers and when cops showed up drug dealer took off.
American Dream, Ripoff is more like it, what a liberal bunch of cr*p, take care all and Adios
It's about time we removed these right wing white only conservatives.
Open the border and let freedom ring! Selma we're commin' home baby!
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