The case of Juana Villegas DeLaPaz in Nashville points to the kind of political doubletalk in public policy that has justified America's continued involvement in Iraq. And likewise, the list of victims just continues to grow.
This nation invaded Iraq to find and dismantle threatening weapons of mass destruction. No such weapons were found. Yet the public policy was continued there under new justifications: this time to provide freedom to another people and democracy to another region.
The 287g deportation program was sold to Nashvillians as a way to deport a criminal element among undocumented workers and their families that threatened the safety of you and me. Sheriff Daron Hall cited a DUI offense by an undocumented worker that resulted in a traffic collision taking the lives of a Mt. Juliet couple. The DUI offense was the 12th or 13th by the undocumented worker. The federal government should have flagged his name on its own and deported him. A system was in place to do so. But the Feds failed to do their job.
Hall also has pointed to a double murder committed by an undocumented worker for the need of 287g in Nashville.
Now let's consider Ms. DeLaPaz. She was operating a vehicle without a Tennessee's driver's license. Officials like Hall and Richard Rocha with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security have fallen back on that fact to claim that criminals are still being targeted. Besides, to be illegally in this country, also is a crime, they say.
Yet these offenses cannot automatically be considered a threat to you and me. The only reason an undocumented worker in Tennessee does not have a license is because the state removed the ability of undocumented workers to get one. With a license comes a test on the rules of the road and the requirement of insurance. A license or not, however, does not mean someone will drink and drive. We've seen people with licenses like members of the Tennessee Titans get stopped for this offense. And of course, there are several country music stars.
Illegal presence in this country is not a felony. Rocha calls it an administrative offense. Yet undocumented workers and their families are not even being arrested by local authorities for being in the country illegally. Only the Feds can do that. They're being stopped and arrested for state and local offenses, like fishing without a license, operating a vehicle without a license or operating a vehicle with a broken tail light.
It is only when the person gets under the sheriff's custody that their name is processed through a federal data system to determine legality in the country or any legal proceedings connected to their status. Then the sheriff holds them until the Feds arrive.
For any offense, committed by a citizen or not, the police do the arresting, not the sheriff's department. And Metro Nashville has several police departments operating within its county borders.
When stopped for an offense, every person must produce needed identification to ensure the police that he or she can be depended on to appear before a court for the ticketed offense. Without needed identification that shows the person has established a residence and presence in Nashville, the police must arrest and take the person into custody. Then the alleged offenders are taken for a hearing on their offense before a local magistrate.
Metro Police Chief Serpas has given his officers the discretion to consider something more than a driver's license with a picture ID to prove reliability to appear in court. Car registration and a Matricula card together are considered worthy ID by Metro Police.
But it appears to be a subjective decision for each local police department to set its own ID standards. And there is the rub. This inconsistency results in the kind of inhumanity Ms. DeLaPaz faced. Whether her background after checking included something that caught the attention of Berry Hill Police is unknown. But I'll be inquiring and reporting as much in my next piece on this case. Ms. DeLaPaz, however, apparently had a car registration and a Matricula card. A Matricula card is an ID issued by the country of Mexico and also its nearby consulate in Atlanta.
What is known from at least one advocate source is that she was very pregnant, was stopped outside a prenatal clinic and ended up giving birth under custody at Metro General Hospital. Then she had to give up her newborn baby and go back to jail.
At 3 a.m. today, she was released.
While the law is the law, we hope it will be written in hearts and minds and not on stone. Arresting and then holding a very pregnant woman with three children for a non-violent offense of driving without an operator's license goes beyond a basic sense of human decency. We'd hope law enforcement would use common sense along with consistency.
Yet like the war in Iraq, the 287g program is full of contradictions and on-the-run rationalization to cover up for promises not kept and inhumanity that ravages so many. More than 3,000 people have been deported by Sheriff Hall's 287g program. Families continue to be devastated. Business owners and managers call advocates for help to rescue their workers. They usually are mothers whose husbands have been detained somewhere in the United States for weeks after arrest and holding in Nashville. These women can't support a household -- that includes American citizens -- on their own.
Is Nashville a safer place?
Is it also a better place?
Do we need to have both for a progressive city of more than 1,000 places of worship?
We need to stand up, speak up and be counted before more very pregnant women are arrested and separated from their little ones after birth. Do it now, or Nashville's image of Music City may soon become noise to a more tolerant nation.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
BREAKING NEWS ... Outrage! Mother and newborn child separated and hurt by 287g in Nashville
Of all the inhumanity and devastation heaped upon immigrant families by Metro Nashville’s 287g deportation program, the very worst has been leveled this week against a pregnant woman pulled over, handcuffed and forced to have her baby under custody.
Then, to add insult to this grevious injury, the infant was taken from its mother’s arms as she was taken back to jail.
If this is not enough of an outrage for Nashvillians to finally speak up and demand the end to this punitive program, then let the heavens fall on each of us. … for we have deserted the God we believe in and a nation of fairness and family values we cherish.
Here is all that Juana Villegas DeLaPaz did wrong in the 2800 block of Bransford, according to one advocate:
“She was pulled over by the Berry Hill Police Department as she left a prenatal clinic. She had her three other children with her. She showed a current car registration but had no license. She also showed a matricular card.
“ The police asked her to call someone who could come and drive them and the car home. She called her husband's brother, he came, spoke to police, and then was ready to drive the car home when the cop decided that the pregnant mom was going to jail. He handcuffed her and drove her to jail. Another cop who was nearby … came to speak with the uncle after the mom was driven away.
“The cop said he would have never arrested her, and that it was wrong to arrest her. But that he couldn't do anything about it.”
This afternoon, Metro Police spokesman Don Aaron sent out an electronic press release stating that Metro Police were not involved in this outrage. I believe him. Aaron has always been honest with me. And Chief Serpas has viewed Sheriff Daron Hall’s 287g program as a burden to his fine forces trying to fight real crime committed by real criminals.
“The arrest report and the arrest warrant were both completed by Berry Hill Police Officer Coleman,” Aaron said. “As some of you are aware, the Berry Hill Police Department is a completely separate agency with its own Chief and staff.”
After arrest and incarceration, Ms. DeLaPaz had her baby at Metro General Hospital.
The advocate says: “Its staff called the father to ask him to pick up the baby. They did this, but couldn't see the mom because she was sent back to jail. The mom has some type of hearing ... (the family doesn't know if it is for migration or for whatever charges they booked her on.). The mom hasn't been able to call home. And now the two-day-old baby is without its mother, and who knows what the medical condition of the mother is.”
At 3 a.m. today -- under the cover of darkness and stain of embarrassment -- local legal authorities released Ms. DeLaPaz to return home and tardily nurse her child.
But the outrage remains, burning deep underneath a skin already rubbed raw by previous inhumanity under 287g in Nashville.
Every mother knows that every moment your newborn can receive the immunizing milk from her breast, then the child’s lifetime will be more protected. Beyond the physical, what is the mental damage and anguish to the mother and child from incaceration and separation?
I don’t know, but I sure hope a jury of Nashville mothers determines the amount.
The outrageous treatment of Ms. DeLaPaz and her newborn is only the latest inhumanity devastating Nashville immigrant families. Many advocates have been trying to get Nashville’s attention to the wrong that have been transpiring the past 14 months in this city of more than 1,000 places of worship.
If these hallowed places and their believers still cannot summon a voice of indignation about 287g with their knowledge of what has happened to Ms. DeLaPaz and her newborn, then each of these sacred sites should be turned into a bowling alley. That way, at least, they would serve some noticeable good. Right now with 287g, they are just four walls. God is not there. He is with people like Ms. DeLaPaz and their families.
Here is what you can do if you are moved by what has happened to this innocent mother and newborn child:
Contact Sheriff Daron Hall, the person who sponsored the program for Nashville, and Congressman Jim Cooper, the man whose district this plan has been allowed to operate. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security gives approval to counties like Davidson to adopt such programs dealing with immigration law -- which is a federal responsibility. The department also gives congressional members -- whose districts will be affected -- the ability to object to the approval of the program.
Richard Rocha, DHS spokesperson for ICE and 287g, told me last week that Cooper has not filed any objection to 287g in Nashville. If he did, that would carry some political weight. Hall and Cooper are both Democrats, which is ironic considering that their party says it favors steps toward legalization of all undocumented immigrants -- not punitive action like arresting pregnant women outside prenatal clinics, making them have their children under police custody, then ripping their babies from them after birth and sending the mothers back to jail.
Sheriff Hall sold the program to Nashville about two years ago, promising to only go after undocumented criminals who were a threat to each of us. Instead, he has assisted in deporting more than 3,000 heads of households -- the vast majority having no criminal record at all. The only threat they pose is to Hall's re-election.
With the outrageous treatment of a mother and her newborn, Sheriff Hall will try and dance around this matter as he has with 287g's malfunction in Nashville. He'll say that officially Ms. DeLaPaz was not in his custody because her state charges of driving without a license were still being adjudicated. But we know that people like Ms. DeLaPaz are automatically a target because of the presence of 287g, at least that is what Hispanics and their advocates of all races and citizenship say. Hall brought 287g to Nashville. He should now be made to accept its consequences. Nashville is in Cooper's district. He should no longer be allowed to hide his eyes.
Nashville, wake up!
Call Sheriff Hall at (615) 862-8170. Call Congressman Cooper at (615) 736-5295 or (202) 225-4311.
Or send an e-mail at sheriff@dcso.nashville.org or go to http://www.nashville-sheriff.net/contact_us.htm. For Cooper, go to http://www.cooper.house.gov and click "Contact."
Nashville, please see the outrage!
Do you not care for your mothers and their newborn children of all races and ethnicities?!
WWJD?
Mothers who love their children, please speak up for one of your own!
Act!
Tell Sheriff Hall and Congressman Cooper to stop the 287g program in Nashville, lest more mothers be handcuffed outside of prenatal clinics and more newborns ripped from their arms.
Then, to add insult to this grevious injury, the infant was taken from its mother’s arms as she was taken back to jail.
If this is not enough of an outrage for Nashvillians to finally speak up and demand the end to this punitive program, then let the heavens fall on each of us. … for we have deserted the God we believe in and a nation of fairness and family values we cherish.
Here is all that Juana Villegas DeLaPaz did wrong in the 2800 block of Bransford, according to one advocate:
“She was pulled over by the Berry Hill Police Department as she left a prenatal clinic. She had her three other children with her. She showed a current car registration but had no license. She also showed a matricular card.
“ The police asked her to call someone who could come and drive them and the car home. She called her husband's brother, he came, spoke to police, and then was ready to drive the car home when the cop decided that the pregnant mom was going to jail. He handcuffed her and drove her to jail. Another cop who was nearby … came to speak with the uncle after the mom was driven away.
“The cop said he would have never arrested her, and that it was wrong to arrest her. But that he couldn't do anything about it.”
This afternoon, Metro Police spokesman Don Aaron sent out an electronic press release stating that Metro Police were not involved in this outrage. I believe him. Aaron has always been honest with me. And Chief Serpas has viewed Sheriff Daron Hall’s 287g program as a burden to his fine forces trying to fight real crime committed by real criminals.
“The arrest report and the arrest warrant were both completed by Berry Hill Police Officer Coleman,” Aaron said. “As some of you are aware, the Berry Hill Police Department is a completely separate agency with its own Chief and staff.”
After arrest and incarceration, Ms. DeLaPaz had her baby at Metro General Hospital.
The advocate says: “Its staff called the father to ask him to pick up the baby. They did this, but couldn't see the mom because she was sent back to jail. The mom has some type of hearing ... (the family doesn't know if it is for migration or for whatever charges they booked her on.). The mom hasn't been able to call home. And now the two-day-old baby is without its mother, and who knows what the medical condition of the mother is.”
At 3 a.m. today -- under the cover of darkness and stain of embarrassment -- local legal authorities released Ms. DeLaPaz to return home and tardily nurse her child.
But the outrage remains, burning deep underneath a skin already rubbed raw by previous inhumanity under 287g in Nashville.
Every mother knows that every moment your newborn can receive the immunizing milk from her breast, then the child’s lifetime will be more protected. Beyond the physical, what is the mental damage and anguish to the mother and child from incaceration and separation?
I don’t know, but I sure hope a jury of Nashville mothers determines the amount.
The outrageous treatment of Ms. DeLaPaz and her newborn is only the latest inhumanity devastating Nashville immigrant families. Many advocates have been trying to get Nashville’s attention to the wrong that have been transpiring the past 14 months in this city of more than 1,000 places of worship.
If these hallowed places and their believers still cannot summon a voice of indignation about 287g with their knowledge of what has happened to Ms. DeLaPaz and her newborn, then each of these sacred sites should be turned into a bowling alley. That way, at least, they would serve some noticeable good. Right now with 287g, they are just four walls. God is not there. He is with people like Ms. DeLaPaz and their families.
Here is what you can do if you are moved by what has happened to this innocent mother and newborn child:
Contact Sheriff Daron Hall, the person who sponsored the program for Nashville, and Congressman Jim Cooper, the man whose district this plan has been allowed to operate. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security gives approval to counties like Davidson to adopt such programs dealing with immigration law -- which is a federal responsibility. The department also gives congressional members -- whose districts will be affected -- the ability to object to the approval of the program.
Richard Rocha, DHS spokesperson for ICE and 287g, told me last week that Cooper has not filed any objection to 287g in Nashville. If he did, that would carry some political weight. Hall and Cooper are both Democrats, which is ironic considering that their party says it favors steps toward legalization of all undocumented immigrants -- not punitive action like arresting pregnant women outside prenatal clinics, making them have their children under police custody, then ripping their babies from them after birth and sending the mothers back to jail.
Sheriff Hall sold the program to Nashville about two years ago, promising to only go after undocumented criminals who were a threat to each of us. Instead, he has assisted in deporting more than 3,000 heads of households -- the vast majority having no criminal record at all. The only threat they pose is to Hall's re-election.
With the outrageous treatment of a mother and her newborn, Sheriff Hall will try and dance around this matter as he has with 287g's malfunction in Nashville. He'll say that officially Ms. DeLaPaz was not in his custody because her state charges of driving without a license were still being adjudicated. But we know that people like Ms. DeLaPaz are automatically a target because of the presence of 287g, at least that is what Hispanics and their advocates of all races and citizenship say. Hall brought 287g to Nashville. He should now be made to accept its consequences. Nashville is in Cooper's district. He should no longer be allowed to hide his eyes.
Nashville, wake up!
Call Sheriff Hall at (615) 862-8170. Call Congressman Cooper at (615) 736-5295 or (202) 225-4311.
Or send an e-mail at sheriff@dcso.nashville.org or go to http://www.nashville-sheriff.net/contact_us.htm. For Cooper, go to http://www.cooper.house.gov and click "Contact."
Nashville, please see the outrage!
Do you not care for your mothers and their newborn children of all races and ethnicities?!
WWJD?
Mothers who love their children, please speak up for one of your own!
Act!
Tell Sheriff Hall and Congressman Cooper to stop the 287g program in Nashville, lest more mothers be handcuffed outside of prenatal clinics and more newborns ripped from their arms.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
List of top 20 places in U.S. to raise families does not include the state of Tennessee
Don't get angry.
The factors constituting the best environment in which to raise children is quite subjective. New rankings by reputable sources come out all the time. So if you don't like the latest one -- such as the Top 20 ranking by Forbes magazine -- just wait a few more months.
At http://www.forbes.com/, the latest ranking advertised great schools, low crime and a desirable cost of living as the factors determining which U.S. county is the best place to raise a family. Go to that website to review the list and weigh the validity of the reporting.
These counties significantly beat the national average of 28% for locales putting property taxes into their public schools. That was the big standard for Forbes and its corporate readers. And for Tennessee counties with great schools, it is no wonder that the headquarters for North American Nissan has landed in Williamson County. The first workers are expected to show up this week.
The No. 1 best place is Hamilton County, just north of Indianapolis. Homes there sell for an average of $200,000. Nearly all the places on the top 20 list are suburban counties of big cities in the North.
Now swallow hard before reading further. The state of New Jersey has six counties on the top 20 list.
Pennsylvania had several counties outside of Philly on the list.
Wisconsin got two.
The only two Southern counties on the list are in Florida.
The state of Kansas got one, along with California, Texas, Rhode Island, Ohio, Virginia, Maryland, Massachuseets and South Dakota.
I can hear you shouting as you read this, since a lot of the new people we know in Tennessee have come here from the North. Take time to read the comments section under the Forbes story for some great entertainment from outraged former Northerners.
As for the social history molding the Forbes' rankings, you can cite white-flight over school desegregation or fatigue of parents in poor urban schools. Which came first is up to debate. But it certainly appears that corporations and long-time homeowners deserted the cities and their schools first.
So the acclaim these counties are now receiving for livability, low crime and schools is not grounded in as much heroism and visionary planning as they might like us to believe. And the current involvement of corporations in these school districts begs the question "why now?" and "why did you desert the cities and children-at-risk there in the first place?"
Still, the education bar has been set. And people of all races and ethnicites are buying into these suburban counties and the quality of life. The cities will never be able to jump as high because their property values -- particularly on residential properties -- will never reach that of the suburban counties. In addition, they have more education responsibilities with a more diverse student population.
Yes, urban districts do receive additional dollars from the federal government. But funds are no replacement for patrons of the district -- represented by long-time homeowners, local grocers and neighborhood manufacturers. That sense of stability and reliability is irreplaceable. If you don't believe this contention, go rent a copy of the movie, "It's A Wonderful Life."
Conversely, the lending scandal that has gripped the nation and mushroomed foreclosures has reduced property values in the suburbs, too. So their school budgets will be under stress like those in the city. But the suburbs will be forced to meet expectations, no matter if less revenue is coming in.
Yes, we all know that Tennessee is a good place to raise families. But the best? If that comparison must be made, then read who's hot and who's not. And perhaps, just perhaps, consider what more could be done in your county and state along with reforms to rattle the public education bureaucracy that wastes more money than it uses to actually help.
As for all the former Northern folks shouting at the computer screen, they might have to admit that the superior education they received in their highly taxed hometowns perhaps allowed them to pursue their professional careers and be able to move wherever they wanted in their later years. Just because they no longer have children in public schools does not make higher taxation directed toward better schools wrong.
At least that is what one of the bibles of the corporate world is saying.
Please don't kill the messenger ... just wait and think, if you want all the jobs from corporate HQs like Nissan.
The factors constituting the best environment in which to raise children is quite subjective. New rankings by reputable sources come out all the time. So if you don't like the latest one -- such as the Top 20 ranking by Forbes magazine -- just wait a few more months.
At http://www.forbes.com/, the latest ranking advertised great schools, low crime and a desirable cost of living as the factors determining which U.S. county is the best place to raise a family. Go to that website to review the list and weigh the validity of the reporting.
These counties significantly beat the national average of 28% for locales putting property taxes into their public schools. That was the big standard for Forbes and its corporate readers. And for Tennessee counties with great schools, it is no wonder that the headquarters for North American Nissan has landed in Williamson County. The first workers are expected to show up this week.
The No. 1 best place is Hamilton County, just north of Indianapolis. Homes there sell for an average of $200,000. Nearly all the places on the top 20 list are suburban counties of big cities in the North.
Now swallow hard before reading further. The state of New Jersey has six counties on the top 20 list.
Pennsylvania had several counties outside of Philly on the list.
Wisconsin got two.
The only two Southern counties on the list are in Florida.
The state of Kansas got one, along with California, Texas, Rhode Island, Ohio, Virginia, Maryland, Massachuseets and South Dakota.
I can hear you shouting as you read this, since a lot of the new people we know in Tennessee have come here from the North. Take time to read the comments section under the Forbes story for some great entertainment from outraged former Northerners.
As for the social history molding the Forbes' rankings, you can cite white-flight over school desegregation or fatigue of parents in poor urban schools. Which came first is up to debate. But it certainly appears that corporations and long-time homeowners deserted the cities and their schools first.
So the acclaim these counties are now receiving for livability, low crime and schools is not grounded in as much heroism and visionary planning as they might like us to believe. And the current involvement of corporations in these school districts begs the question "why now?" and "why did you desert the cities and children-at-risk there in the first place?"
Still, the education bar has been set. And people of all races and ethnicites are buying into these suburban counties and the quality of life. The cities will never be able to jump as high because their property values -- particularly on residential properties -- will never reach that of the suburban counties. In addition, they have more education responsibilities with a more diverse student population.
Yes, urban districts do receive additional dollars from the federal government. But funds are no replacement for patrons of the district -- represented by long-time homeowners, local grocers and neighborhood manufacturers. That sense of stability and reliability is irreplaceable. If you don't believe this contention, go rent a copy of the movie, "It's A Wonderful Life."
Conversely, the lending scandal that has gripped the nation and mushroomed foreclosures has reduced property values in the suburbs, too. So their school budgets will be under stress like those in the city. But the suburbs will be forced to meet expectations, no matter if less revenue is coming in.
Yes, we all know that Tennessee is a good place to raise families. But the best? If that comparison must be made, then read who's hot and who's not. And perhaps, just perhaps, consider what more could be done in your county and state along with reforms to rattle the public education bureaucracy that wastes more money than it uses to actually help.
As for all the former Northern folks shouting at the computer screen, they might have to admit that the superior education they received in their highly taxed hometowns perhaps allowed them to pursue their professional careers and be able to move wherever they wanted in their later years. Just because they no longer have children in public schools does not make higher taxation directed toward better schools wrong.
At least that is what one of the bibles of the corporate world is saying.
Please don't kill the messenger ... just wait and think, if you want all the jobs from corporate HQs like Nissan.
Thank you, Williamson County churches
Because of its affluency, Williamson County often receives a negative eye from its brothers and sisters in Nashville and Davidson County. Its residents are seen as only white-flighters, intolerant, too-money and too self-concentrated.
Yet consider the following fact to dispel that untruth. The only two Catholic churches in Tennessee -- to officially contribute the past two months to keep the doors open at the new Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Nashville -- are located in Williamson County. And Our Lady's is devoted to serving Hispanic Catholics in the Spanish language.
We pray more churches will answer the call. And we believe they will, as Our Lady continues to inspire and encourage her good people.
Based on that assurance, an intensive campaign beginning in May to solicit donations from churches and individuals produced these two remarkable donations:
St. Philip Catholic Church in Franklin,TN. and its then-pastor Father Kirk, gave an astonishing $100,000. The church there has also been most welcoming to the city's growing Hispanic population.
Holy Family Catholic Church in Brentwood and its pastor Father Ed Alberts gave an incredible $25,000 despite being in the middle of their own building project. Outstanding.
These gifts have made the stress of the two-month campaign during an economic recession much easier to take.
St. Edward Catholic Church in Nashville does not officially count as a big donor in the two-month campaign. Its congregation's involvement goes back for several years. They helped open Our Lady's on Dec. 12, 2007. It is the sponsor church of Our Lady's, and members have given more than $325,000 the past two years. And its pastor, Father Joe Pat Breen, has devoted his entire being to getting Our Lady's up and going.
St. Edward also will be financially responsible for a loan from the Diocese of Nashville to pay for the remaining part of Our Lady's debt. Our campaign still came up short by $400,000 by the June 30 deadline. The original debt was $1.5 million. About $930,000 had been raised by the start of the two-month campaign.
Now the working poor congregation of Our Lady's will have to try and pay monthly loan payments in addition to expenses for church operations, staff salaries and community services. That is a burden the church's members are ready to take on. They've raised $75,000 of their own money to cover the debt.
Last week, a loan agreement from the diocese was supposed to be signed by Father Breen. But there were delays. So until that agreement is transacted, we continue to pray for more donations from churches and individuals to reduce the debt. We believe Our Lady of Guadalupe will inspire and encourage, even at this late moment.
The wonderful nuns on the Dominican Campus in Nashville have made their own donation. In addition, they educate Nashville's children, including some young ones from Our Lady's, at Overbrook School.
If you or your congregation or business or organization would like to give, please e-mail me timchavez787@yahoo.com, and I'll give you the information on how. You do not have to identify yourself. I handle no money or donation, except from my own family. Your gift does not have to be large. Any amount will be a great blessing and most appreciated.
There is little more, however, that we can expect from Williamson County believers. Two Catholic churches there have made an incredible difference for some of the most vulnerable people in Nashville and Davidson County. Their giving has touched and blessed our lives. And it is indicative of the ongoing work and generosity of many Williamson County churches of all denominations in reaching out to their brothers and sisters in need in Nashville.
Yet consider the following fact to dispel that untruth. The only two Catholic churches in Tennessee -- to officially contribute the past two months to keep the doors open at the new Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Nashville -- are located in Williamson County. And Our Lady's is devoted to serving Hispanic Catholics in the Spanish language.
We pray more churches will answer the call. And we believe they will, as Our Lady continues to inspire and encourage her good people.
Based on that assurance, an intensive campaign beginning in May to solicit donations from churches and individuals produced these two remarkable donations:
St. Philip Catholic Church in Franklin,TN. and its then-pastor Father Kirk, gave an astonishing $100,000. The church there has also been most welcoming to the city's growing Hispanic population.
Holy Family Catholic Church in Brentwood and its pastor Father Ed Alberts gave an incredible $25,000 despite being in the middle of their own building project. Outstanding.
These gifts have made the stress of the two-month campaign during an economic recession much easier to take.
St. Edward Catholic Church in Nashville does not officially count as a big donor in the two-month campaign. Its congregation's involvement goes back for several years. They helped open Our Lady's on Dec. 12, 2007. It is the sponsor church of Our Lady's, and members have given more than $325,000 the past two years. And its pastor, Father Joe Pat Breen, has devoted his entire being to getting Our Lady's up and going.
St. Edward also will be financially responsible for a loan from the Diocese of Nashville to pay for the remaining part of Our Lady's debt. Our campaign still came up short by $400,000 by the June 30 deadline. The original debt was $1.5 million. About $930,000 had been raised by the start of the two-month campaign.
Now the working poor congregation of Our Lady's will have to try and pay monthly loan payments in addition to expenses for church operations, staff salaries and community services. That is a burden the church's members are ready to take on. They've raised $75,000 of their own money to cover the debt.
Last week, a loan agreement from the diocese was supposed to be signed by Father Breen. But there were delays. So until that agreement is transacted, we continue to pray for more donations from churches and individuals to reduce the debt. We believe Our Lady of Guadalupe will inspire and encourage, even at this late moment.
The wonderful nuns on the Dominican Campus in Nashville have made their own donation. In addition, they educate Nashville's children, including some young ones from Our Lady's, at Overbrook School.
If you or your congregation or business or organization would like to give, please e-mail me timchavez787@yahoo.com, and I'll give you the information on how. You do not have to identify yourself. I handle no money or donation, except from my own family. Your gift does not have to be large. Any amount will be a great blessing and most appreciated.
There is little more, however, that we can expect from Williamson County believers. Two Catholic churches there have made an incredible difference for some of the most vulnerable people in Nashville and Davidson County. Their giving has touched and blessed our lives. And it is indicative of the ongoing work and generosity of many Williamson County churches of all denominations in reaching out to their brothers and sisters in need in Nashville.
Tennessean schools' investigative series scores well today, except with ELL students
Give The Tennessean a lot of credit for all the hard work that went into today's part of its continuing investigative series on saving Metro Nashville Schools.
Well done.
But today's part automatically threw up a red flag for some of us when the two, above-the-fold graphics had no mention of children with problems in English language proficiency. Officially, these youngsters are called English Language Learners. I profiled these children and their problems early this decade for The Tennessean in a long series of columns that ultimately produced the needed change. The Bush administration's Department of Education came in and declared the school district out of compliance with a Civil Rights agreement signed during the Bredesen mayoral tenure to correct the inadequate education of ELL children.
The great John Seigenthaler, editor emeritus of The Tennessean, was gracious enough to call me at home to express appreciation for my columns. Yet the best thing he ever did for me was personally bring over David Halberstam at a First Amendment Center gathering. I was able to shake this great journalist's hand and talk with him. What a thrill! Halberstam's passing last year was a great shock, and I include him in my prayers each day.
With today's part of the series, I would have liked to have seen immigrant children included in the statistical graphics. I would like to know how they are faring with the needed teachers of good training based on years of experience. The Tennessean did note in a condensed piece in how it got the information needed for the series. There was, however, no explanation about the lack of English Language Learner students in the data request.
If the state could not provide such data, and simply rolled ELL student information into that for white students, then we have a problem with the state of Tennessee. The greatness of No Child Left Behind is in its requirement of school districts to compile information on ELL students and other classifications simply cast in the statistical shadowns. This is called disaggregation.
Either way, it would be helpful if The Tennessean could explain from where the problem emanates in not breaking out graphic numbers for ELL students.
My two older brothers are teachers. So I know the wonders and integrity that an experienced teacher offers. There also is my good friend, Charlene Grinder, who retired this past school year after a long career in Metro and areas schools. Her compassion for ELL students struggling in her history classes was moving. I believe other Metro teachers act accordingly, and God bless each of them. They see the deprivation and tragedy each day. I know it breaks their hearts.
In my years of conversations with the great Sister Sandra Smithson, she pointed to the training in university education programs for the difficulties in retaining experienced teachers in the most needy classrooms. The teachers are taught by theory and not hands-on experience, except for perhaps a short period of teacher aide assignments. The shock then as a new professional of enterting a classroom filled with significant academic and social needs becomes overwhelming. Today's Tennessean cited that. Also well done. Thank goodness for the extraordinary instructors who successfully overcome the classroom's social and academic obstacles.
Yet, if Nashville leaders are looking for a place to start for the future, they need to also be in more contact with the universities training the teachers before they ever get close to a Metro classroom.
Smithson, for those of you not familiar with her miracles, heads a charter school for at risk children in Nashville. Her sister is a Tennessee Hall of Fame instructor. They ran Project Reflect off Charlotte Avenue for years. The children they took in had fallen behind in regular public school classrooms, many during the forced march days of Phil Bredesen's Core Curriculum program.
In closing, I do not offer this assessment of Today's Tennessean to criticize. It is well done with the exception of leaving out a big group statistically that is affecting Metro score numbers.
I offer this web post to add to the necessary compilation of voices that will be needed to help turn Metro schools around. Besides Seigenthaler's compliment, the only other credentials I can offer are from the National Education Reporting Awards offered annually by the Education Writers Association in Washington, D.C. In the large newspapers' competition, my commentary beat out entries from newspapers including The Washington Post. And I won the commentary awards for three consecutive years.
I also have an investment in Metro schools, including two computer labs and a revitalized school music program at one place. I hope they still exist. Metro schools must succeed for a better Midstate. We need each of their students -- most particularly ELL students who can bring down a district's performance numbers in falling behind -- to come out prepared to contribute as citizens, leaders and professionals.
Some critics may say the problem belongs with the parents. Yes, an involved, educated parent can make the biggest difference. But what if the parent was failed by the same school system one year away from state control? Somewhere and at some time, the cycle must be broken. The Education Trust, a non-profit and non-partisan think tank in Washington, D.C., has found that a good, qualified teacher can catch up a child from a bad learning environment in five years. Yes, five years.
The same contention was made to me by a conservative Republican and Tennessean, who has been put in charge of going around the country into deprived areas to find education initiatives that worked. In interviews with disadvantaged families in Chattanooga, he found the same cyclical problem of failed parents trying to help their children who were being failed by the school system. So instead of working with the system, these parents distrusted it even more for what they believed it was doing to their children. A horrible history was being repeated.
ELL students face the difficulty of learning in a language many of their parents don't know. Critics will say that the parents should not come to this country without English language proficiency. But hungry mouths and stunted futures cannot wait. Any parent wants to provide better for his or her child, not wait 12 years to get into the legalization process line, raise thousands of dollars for fees and help they can't get from their nation's depressed economy, then watch many of their children reach adulthood and lose hope.
And besides, American business throughout our history has wanted these kind of people, because they are hungry to succeed and will work tirelessly for their dreams of better for their children. They contribute enormous energy and labor to our economy, pay sales taxes and buy homes. We need them, and most especially their children in our graying nation.
The voices of business men and women are most important in bettering public schools. The idea of incentives to recruit better teachers to more challenged schools is not new, even though the Metro school board will vote on it Tuesday. Early this decade, a businessman on the board often pointed to the lack of teachers in the most challenged schools and proposed ways to alleviate the imbalance. But his proposals did not gain enough discussion or needed traction on the board or in Nashville political circles -- partly because of his businesss, conservative credentials.
So there you have it. There are no easy solutions but the long, dedicated road back of forward steps and missteps without losing sight of the goal on the horizon. Best of luck and prayers, Nashville, on this most important trek. Those of us rooting for you will be looking for opportunities to contribute. And we'll most appreciate coverage like that provided today by The Tennessean.
Well done.
But today's part automatically threw up a red flag for some of us when the two, above-the-fold graphics had no mention of children with problems in English language proficiency. Officially, these youngsters are called English Language Learners. I profiled these children and their problems early this decade for The Tennessean in a long series of columns that ultimately produced the needed change. The Bush administration's Department of Education came in and declared the school district out of compliance with a Civil Rights agreement signed during the Bredesen mayoral tenure to correct the inadequate education of ELL children.
The great John Seigenthaler, editor emeritus of The Tennessean, was gracious enough to call me at home to express appreciation for my columns. Yet the best thing he ever did for me was personally bring over David Halberstam at a First Amendment Center gathering. I was able to shake this great journalist's hand and talk with him. What a thrill! Halberstam's passing last year was a great shock, and I include him in my prayers each day.
With today's part of the series, I would have liked to have seen immigrant children included in the statistical graphics. I would like to know how they are faring with the needed teachers of good training based on years of experience. The Tennessean did note in a condensed piece in how it got the information needed for the series. There was, however, no explanation about the lack of English Language Learner students in the data request.
If the state could not provide such data, and simply rolled ELL student information into that for white students, then we have a problem with the state of Tennessee. The greatness of No Child Left Behind is in its requirement of school districts to compile information on ELL students and other classifications simply cast in the statistical shadowns. This is called disaggregation.
Either way, it would be helpful if The Tennessean could explain from where the problem emanates in not breaking out graphic numbers for ELL students.
My two older brothers are teachers. So I know the wonders and integrity that an experienced teacher offers. There also is my good friend, Charlene Grinder, who retired this past school year after a long career in Metro and areas schools. Her compassion for ELL students struggling in her history classes was moving. I believe other Metro teachers act accordingly, and God bless each of them. They see the deprivation and tragedy each day. I know it breaks their hearts.
In my years of conversations with the great Sister Sandra Smithson, she pointed to the training in university education programs for the difficulties in retaining experienced teachers in the most needy classrooms. The teachers are taught by theory and not hands-on experience, except for perhaps a short period of teacher aide assignments. The shock then as a new professional of enterting a classroom filled with significant academic and social needs becomes overwhelming. Today's Tennessean cited that. Also well done. Thank goodness for the extraordinary instructors who successfully overcome the classroom's social and academic obstacles.
Yet, if Nashville leaders are looking for a place to start for the future, they need to also be in more contact with the universities training the teachers before they ever get close to a Metro classroom.
Smithson, for those of you not familiar with her miracles, heads a charter school for at risk children in Nashville. Her sister is a Tennessee Hall of Fame instructor. They ran Project Reflect off Charlotte Avenue for years. The children they took in had fallen behind in regular public school classrooms, many during the forced march days of Phil Bredesen's Core Curriculum program.
In closing, I do not offer this assessment of Today's Tennessean to criticize. It is well done with the exception of leaving out a big group statistically that is affecting Metro score numbers.
I offer this web post to add to the necessary compilation of voices that will be needed to help turn Metro schools around. Besides Seigenthaler's compliment, the only other credentials I can offer are from the National Education Reporting Awards offered annually by the Education Writers Association in Washington, D.C. In the large newspapers' competition, my commentary beat out entries from newspapers including The Washington Post. And I won the commentary awards for three consecutive years.
I also have an investment in Metro schools, including two computer labs and a revitalized school music program at one place. I hope they still exist. Metro schools must succeed for a better Midstate. We need each of their students -- most particularly ELL students who can bring down a district's performance numbers in falling behind -- to come out prepared to contribute as citizens, leaders and professionals.
Some critics may say the problem belongs with the parents. Yes, an involved, educated parent can make the biggest difference. But what if the parent was failed by the same school system one year away from state control? Somewhere and at some time, the cycle must be broken. The Education Trust, a non-profit and non-partisan think tank in Washington, D.C., has found that a good, qualified teacher can catch up a child from a bad learning environment in five years. Yes, five years.
The same contention was made to me by a conservative Republican and Tennessean, who has been put in charge of going around the country into deprived areas to find education initiatives that worked. In interviews with disadvantaged families in Chattanooga, he found the same cyclical problem of failed parents trying to help their children who were being failed by the school system. So instead of working with the system, these parents distrusted it even more for what they believed it was doing to their children. A horrible history was being repeated.
ELL students face the difficulty of learning in a language many of their parents don't know. Critics will say that the parents should not come to this country without English language proficiency. But hungry mouths and stunted futures cannot wait. Any parent wants to provide better for his or her child, not wait 12 years to get into the legalization process line, raise thousands of dollars for fees and help they can't get from their nation's depressed economy, then watch many of their children reach adulthood and lose hope.
And besides, American business throughout our history has wanted these kind of people, because they are hungry to succeed and will work tirelessly for their dreams of better for their children. They contribute enormous energy and labor to our economy, pay sales taxes and buy homes. We need them, and most especially their children in our graying nation.
The voices of business men and women are most important in bettering public schools. The idea of incentives to recruit better teachers to more challenged schools is not new, even though the Metro school board will vote on it Tuesday. Early this decade, a businessman on the board often pointed to the lack of teachers in the most challenged schools and proposed ways to alleviate the imbalance. But his proposals did not gain enough discussion or needed traction on the board or in Nashville political circles -- partly because of his businesss, conservative credentials.
So there you have it. There are no easy solutions but the long, dedicated road back of forward steps and missteps without losing sight of the goal on the horizon. Best of luck and prayers, Nashville, on this most important trek. Those of us rooting for you will be looking for opportunities to contribute. And we'll most appreciate coverage like that provided today by The Tennessean.
The lack of diverse voices on WKRN's This Week continues
Anchor Bob Mueller's and WKRN's This Week Sunday political program continues to reflect a sad and inaccurate view of the kind of voices needed to present opinions in the Nashville aea.
Three white men -- while knowledgeable from their experiences and disabled by their poverty of diverse experiences -- just doesn't cut it. Viewers should receive a diversity of ethnic and racial opinions that will determine the winner of the White House in 2008. For goodness sake, an African-American will be the Democratic Party presidential nominee. And African-Americans represent 25% of Nashville's population. So on This Week, their views really are not represented on common issues and more importantly issues Mueller's is not asking about because of his poverty of experiences.
And then there was the latest show's lack of a woman, the gender that does most of voting in this nation. Poor Liz Murray Garrigan. She can't keep bailing out the show each week, sitting between the political polar extremes as they utter apologistic views for people of their political leanings. Surely Mueller knows someone female who has political opinions of credibility. If he doesn't, that says more about him.
I reruited the Rev. Enoch Fuzz -- who I wrote about yesterday on this website -- for This Week. I was privileged to join Rev. Fuzz. He did great. and I was proud. That's the last I've seen of him on the show. My absence is no loss to viewers. There are more credible people to appear. My gas miles are devoted to Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Nashville and shopping for groceries.
The lack of the Nashville area's real reflection on the show's panel of experts is sad to watch. I hope it will improve.
Three white men -- while knowledgeable from their experiences and disabled by their poverty of diverse experiences -- just doesn't cut it. Viewers should receive a diversity of ethnic and racial opinions that will determine the winner of the White House in 2008. For goodness sake, an African-American will be the Democratic Party presidential nominee. And African-Americans represent 25% of Nashville's population. So on This Week, their views really are not represented on common issues and more importantly issues Mueller's is not asking about because of his poverty of experiences.
And then there was the latest show's lack of a woman, the gender that does most of voting in this nation. Poor Liz Murray Garrigan. She can't keep bailing out the show each week, sitting between the political polar extremes as they utter apologistic views for people of their political leanings. Surely Mueller knows someone female who has political opinions of credibility. If he doesn't, that says more about him.
I reruited the Rev. Enoch Fuzz -- who I wrote about yesterday on this website -- for This Week. I was privileged to join Rev. Fuzz. He did great. and I was proud. That's the last I've seen of him on the show. My absence is no loss to viewers. There are more credible people to appear. My gas miles are devoted to Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Nashville and shopping for groceries.
The lack of the Nashville area's real reflection on the show's panel of experts is sad to watch. I hope it will improve.
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Blackburn's toughening primary fight
Politicial reporter John Rodgers' piece in the July 3rd City Paper provides a good in-depth analysis on the toughening Republican primary race between incumbent "Congressman" Marsha Blackburn of Brentwood and former GOP state Sen. Tom Leatherwood of Shelby County.
Go to: http://nashvillecitypaper.com/news.php?viewStory=61227.
Being a Republican incumbent even in the South is difficult these days as the Democrats strengthen their hold on Congress in sweeping special elections of open seats, even in Mississippi. President Bush's slumping approval rating is sinking many GOP boats or beaching them on sandbars.
Blackburn's problem, however, is more unique and telling.
Her office bureaucracy has improperly reported hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions since 2002. And a significant part of the cash has gone to services rendered by her relatives. For a lawmaker who has been critical of the state's and Washington's management of money -- and rightly so -- it is difficult to swallow her failures in her own congressional office. She had financial problems when she previously ran the State Film Office.
If you're going to talk the talk, you have to walk the walk.
Yes, she reported her failings to the public herself. But that was only after dozens of letters of warning from the FEC.
People hate hypocrites in politics. And so Blackburn's challenger, Tom Leatherwood, has been turning up the heat. Does that mean he deserves my or anyone's endorsement? For me, not until I explore his proposals and background more thoroughly.
But that's enough about and from me. Rodgers does a much better job of analysis for us to make the call.
I'll close, however, with this advice for his employer. Some of us believe John Rodgers is the star of The City Paper. So whenever he does an in-depth poiltical piece like on the Blackburn-Leatherwood race or examining the ethics pullback at the General Assembly, please at least feature a mention of the guy's work on the newspaper cover even if his story is inside.
And most certainly on your opening web page, feature Rodgers' work amid the assortment of your items. I had to really search for his Blackburn piece this morning. I originally read it in print. He merits better, or you may find him soon working somewhere else.
His kind of talent is attractive to readers, because we leave his work each time better informed.
Go to: http://nashvillecitypaper.com/news.php?viewStory=61227.
Being a Republican incumbent even in the South is difficult these days as the Democrats strengthen their hold on Congress in sweeping special elections of open seats, even in Mississippi. President Bush's slumping approval rating is sinking many GOP boats or beaching them on sandbars.
Blackburn's problem, however, is more unique and telling.
Her office bureaucracy has improperly reported hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions since 2002. And a significant part of the cash has gone to services rendered by her relatives. For a lawmaker who has been critical of the state's and Washington's management of money -- and rightly so -- it is difficult to swallow her failures in her own congressional office. She had financial problems when she previously ran the State Film Office.
If you're going to talk the talk, you have to walk the walk.
Yes, she reported her failings to the public herself. But that was only after dozens of letters of warning from the FEC.
People hate hypocrites in politics. And so Blackburn's challenger, Tom Leatherwood, has been turning up the heat. Does that mean he deserves my or anyone's endorsement? For me, not until I explore his proposals and background more thoroughly.
But that's enough about and from me. Rodgers does a much better job of analysis for us to make the call.
I'll close, however, with this advice for his employer. Some of us believe John Rodgers is the star of The City Paper. So whenever he does an in-depth poiltical piece like on the Blackburn-Leatherwood race or examining the ethics pullback at the General Assembly, please at least feature a mention of the guy's work on the newspaper cover even if his story is inside.
And most certainly on your opening web page, feature Rodgers' work amid the assortment of your items. I had to really search for his Blackburn piece this morning. I originally read it in print. He merits better, or you may find him soon working somewhere else.
His kind of talent is attractive to readers, because we leave his work each time better informed.
The voice of a prophet on Nashville and the nation
The most courageous social and political voice in Nashville is that of the Rev. Enoch Fuzz of Corinthian Missionary Baptist Church.
To single him out as simply a pastor would be wrong. He is involved across racial and ethnic lines in making for a better Nashville. He also was one of the leaders behind bringing the Rev. Billy Graham to Nashville for one of his last revivals. Fuzz took some criticism for that, considering Graham's less vocal stance during the Civil Rights movement. In turn, he has confronted the state Legislative Black Caucus for its failure to lead in fighting Gov. Phil Bredesen's TennCare cuts.
I received the following e-mail earlier this month from Rev. Fuzz, asking him to recap his sermon to a revival sponsored by eight Nashville churches early last month. He invited me to the event, but it feel on my heavy chemo day, which wipes me out for 12-16 hours. Then the death of my marvlous mother interrupted by publication of his message on my website.
So here is Fuzz's synopsis for me, as he speaks to the congregations and places of worship that are part of the Vatican of the South, Nashville:
"I always have felt curious that Tim Chavez understood Enoch Fuzz for doing service to people and supporting efforts that promote societal peace and prosperity.
Psalms 122 prays for the City of God asks; "Peace within thy walls and prosperity within thy palaces".
I love to apply that verse to Nashville as the city of God, nicknamed by some The Jerusalem of the Western Hemisphere and it's Religious Epic Center. As many as ten Christian demoninations have their National Headquarters here; National Baptist USA, inc; National Missionary Baptist Of America; Southern Baptist Convention; United Methodist Church, African Methodist; Original Church of God, intl'; The House of God Worldwide; and The Church of God Santified from the top of my head. Then there are; Seven Day Adventists, Nazarenes, Primitive/Freewill Baptist, the Churches of Christ, and no doubt others; who have significant corporate and academic operations in Nashville.
More than a few times I've imagined that my clergy peers were modern day Pharisees and Sadducees because of their failure to call for social justice and to more fervently advocate for all the people in the city. I see no better explanation for the religious leaders lack of outrage over the way the people we love; and the sheep we are charged to cautiously guard; are ravaged and razed by addictive greed and materialism; the financial moneychangers ungodly high interest rate credit products like credit, debit, and Golden, VIP, or Special Priviledges, Membership Cards, and the financial industry marketing of predatory loan instructments and it's arrogance to rewrite the National Bankrupcty Laws to assist their unholy plot.
Our leaders will hold strategy sessions with church ministry leaders about the high cost of Oil and Gas. Never will they notice that gas over past 35 years has lagged enormously behind the rates of the inflation in other products including, housing, automobiles, travel, sporting events, cable TV, and eating out have all shown 3 to 5 fold increases.
Health care though many times more advanced, is a thousand times more unaffordable than it was in the 1970s. But if the religious leaders cannot see with prophetic eyes that are inherently gifted towards societal discernment of Justice and Righteousness in humanity, or their heart's compassion extend not to all Peoples; how can we require a greed-driven, self-serving, and a brainwashed public, to do justice and love mercy, and to walk rightly with God?
The greatest precepts ever taught to me are: Love thy enemy and those who for no reason hate you" and "Do not return evil for evil, but overcome evil by doing good."
Well, Tim there is sooooo much EVIL to overcome. The listings in this letter above are enough tragedy to at least cause a Renting of the Prophet's clothes and the Priest to cry continually. But their coporate silence astonish natural elements of the wind, fire and the waters in the sky. Upon hearing the human ridiculous injustices and wreckless abandon of human worth, the sky shut off the rains to cause drought, wild fires unquenchable, and record numbers of the wind storms.
The most appalling American evil is the criminalization of the inner cities male youth and the creation of prisons-for-profit. Maybe you've seen the news about the accidental shooting of a 16-year-old female on Acklen Street two weeks ago(late May) by Anton Rucker. The shooting occurred after Rucker went to car supposedly driven by his wife Cassandra, got a gun out of that car and went on a violence rampage shooting into crowd of high school students celebrating the end of school.
He is in jail after being convinced to surrender a day after police arrested and charged his wife with the same crime as his, attempted criminal homicide.
Husband and wife, mom and dad in prison and no state agency has ever inquired as to the guardianship of their 3 children, ages 8, 5 and 1 years old. Ms. Rucker is a life-long Nashvillian, a home-owner, beautician, insurance clerk and taxpayer. Her bond is 150k.
Five weeks now her family and friends been trying to find ways to secure the 15K dollars required to secure this bond, or the have bond amount reduced to an amount affordable so she can get out of jail until her days in the courts. She is in no way a danger to the public and is not a flight risk. She had no idea of her wrongdoing until police informed her in a meeting she volunteered to attend that they had a warrant for her arrest and that she would have to go to with police for questioning.
She is not a criminal but a citizen of our community who deserves her day in court before being presecuted financially or prosecuted publicly. Her 150K bond and the court and D.A. refusal to consider reduction of it is a miscarriage of justice. Mary Winkler murdered his pastor husband with a shotgun while he slept; fled the state, but upon capture was out of jail on $75k bond to await trial.
Enough.
Do good; always.
You can hear Rev. Fuzz on his radio program 5 p.m. Sundays on WVOL-AM1470 or online http://www.wvol1470.com/ .
To single him out as simply a pastor would be wrong. He is involved across racial and ethnic lines in making for a better Nashville. He also was one of the leaders behind bringing the Rev. Billy Graham to Nashville for one of his last revivals. Fuzz took some criticism for that, considering Graham's less vocal stance during the Civil Rights movement. In turn, he has confronted the state Legislative Black Caucus for its failure to lead in fighting Gov. Phil Bredesen's TennCare cuts.
I received the following e-mail earlier this month from Rev. Fuzz, asking him to recap his sermon to a revival sponsored by eight Nashville churches early last month. He invited me to the event, but it feel on my heavy chemo day, which wipes me out for 12-16 hours. Then the death of my marvlous mother interrupted by publication of his message on my website.
So here is Fuzz's synopsis for me, as he speaks to the congregations and places of worship that are part of the Vatican of the South, Nashville:
"I always have felt curious that Tim Chavez understood Enoch Fuzz for doing service to people and supporting efforts that promote societal peace and prosperity.
Psalms 122 prays for the City of God asks; "Peace within thy walls and prosperity within thy palaces".
I love to apply that verse to Nashville as the city of God, nicknamed by some The Jerusalem of the Western Hemisphere and it's Religious Epic Center. As many as ten Christian demoninations have their National Headquarters here; National Baptist USA, inc; National Missionary Baptist Of America; Southern Baptist Convention; United Methodist Church, African Methodist; Original Church of God, intl'; The House of God Worldwide; and The Church of God Santified from the top of my head. Then there are; Seven Day Adventists, Nazarenes, Primitive/Freewill Baptist, the Churches of Christ, and no doubt others; who have significant corporate and academic operations in Nashville.
More than a few times I've imagined that my clergy peers were modern day Pharisees and Sadducees because of their failure to call for social justice and to more fervently advocate for all the people in the city. I see no better explanation for the religious leaders lack of outrage over the way the people we love; and the sheep we are charged to cautiously guard; are ravaged and razed by addictive greed and materialism; the financial moneychangers ungodly high interest rate credit products like credit, debit, and Golden, VIP, or Special Priviledges, Membership Cards, and the financial industry marketing of predatory loan instructments and it's arrogance to rewrite the National Bankrupcty Laws to assist their unholy plot.
Our leaders will hold strategy sessions with church ministry leaders about the high cost of Oil and Gas. Never will they notice that gas over past 35 years has lagged enormously behind the rates of the inflation in other products including, housing, automobiles, travel, sporting events, cable TV, and eating out have all shown 3 to 5 fold increases.
Health care though many times more advanced, is a thousand times more unaffordable than it was in the 1970s. But if the religious leaders cannot see with prophetic eyes that are inherently gifted towards societal discernment of Justice and Righteousness in humanity, or their heart's compassion extend not to all Peoples; how can we require a greed-driven, self-serving, and a brainwashed public, to do justice and love mercy, and to walk rightly with God?
The greatest precepts ever taught to me are: Love thy enemy and those who for no reason hate you" and "Do not return evil for evil, but overcome evil by doing good."
Well, Tim there is sooooo much EVIL to overcome. The listings in this letter above are enough tragedy to at least cause a Renting of the Prophet's clothes and the Priest to cry continually. But their coporate silence astonish natural elements of the wind, fire and the waters in the sky. Upon hearing the human ridiculous injustices and wreckless abandon of human worth, the sky shut off the rains to cause drought, wild fires unquenchable, and record numbers of the wind storms.
The most appalling American evil is the criminalization of the inner cities male youth and the creation of prisons-for-profit. Maybe you've seen the news about the accidental shooting of a 16-year-old female on Acklen Street two weeks ago(late May) by Anton Rucker. The shooting occurred after Rucker went to car supposedly driven by his wife Cassandra, got a gun out of that car and went on a violence rampage shooting into crowd of high school students celebrating the end of school.
He is in jail after being convinced to surrender a day after police arrested and charged his wife with the same crime as his, attempted criminal homicide.
Husband and wife, mom and dad in prison and no state agency has ever inquired as to the guardianship of their 3 children, ages 8, 5 and 1 years old. Ms. Rucker is a life-long Nashvillian, a home-owner, beautician, insurance clerk and taxpayer. Her bond is 150k.
Five weeks now her family and friends been trying to find ways to secure the 15K dollars required to secure this bond, or the have bond amount reduced to an amount affordable so she can get out of jail until her days in the courts. She is in no way a danger to the public and is not a flight risk. She had no idea of her wrongdoing until police informed her in a meeting she volunteered to attend that they had a warrant for her arrest and that she would have to go to with police for questioning.
She is not a criminal but a citizen of our community who deserves her day in court before being presecuted financially or prosecuted publicly. Her 150K bond and the court and D.A. refusal to consider reduction of it is a miscarriage of justice. Mary Winkler murdered his pastor husband with a shotgun while he slept; fled the state, but upon capture was out of jail on $75k bond to await trial.
Enough.
Do good; always.
You can hear Rev. Fuzz on his radio program 5 p.m. Sundays on WVOL-AM1470 or online http://www.wvol1470.com/
I especially invite the news media to listen in. I will be working with Rev. Fuzz to address the questions in Ms. Rucker's case, raise money for her bond and find her a good and hopefully pro bono attorney for this case.
I put a lot of stock in Rev. Fuzz's words because they have always been backed with action. My leukemia interrupted our relationship almost three years ago. But I am most grateful to be reunited with his fight. He is a mentor to me about what it means to be a believer and doer of social justice.
If it were not for Rev. Fuzz and his support of Sen. Obama, I would start giving up on the Democrat's campaign for president due to the flip-flop disappointments of the past two weeks on Iraq withdrawl and campaign finance reform.
So I remain tremendously influenced by Rev. Fuzz and several other leaders of faith in Nashville. Besides being with my wife and supporting Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Nashville, working with these faith leaders on their agendas is the greatest joy of my life.
Please listen to them.
Friday, July 4, 2008
Gov. Bredesen's busy week
Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen had a busy week before the holiday weekend --- interviewed at a Democratic leadership gathering up North and then back home during more legal proceedings surrounding disgraced former state Sen. John Ford.
Bredesen belonged in both places. On a blog with RealClearPolitics.com, he represented himself well and quite honestly in an interview. He put it on the line about Obama and his chances here and other places in the South. It was a good read, darn it.
The governor also handled himself well in court testimony regarding Ford. I'm not going into all the new details concerning this disgraced politician. For a more ethical and credible General Assembly, if that is possible, Ford's ouster has been most welcome.
Bredesen was simply asked about a conversation Ford tried to have with him concerning a deep-pocketed company possibly doing more business with the state. Bredesen is in no way directly connected to the scandal of Ford or Operation Tennessee Waltz. He's way too smart for that, and he's a walking mega-million dollar corporation himself.
Yet indirectly, Bredesen was connected to the ethical problems that befell the General Assemby this decade by retiring Rep. Frank Buck. The General Assembly's conscience told me he met with Bredesen early in the governor's first term to tell him about all the shenanigans. Buck said he felt that a new governor with a reputation of being tough with legislative bodies could wrangle real ethical reform out of the General Assembly before another scandal hit.
Well, we all know what happened, much to this state's shame. The FBI had to come in and straighten out our own house. Bredesen's office, in a reply for my Tennessean column several years ago citing Buck's meeting with the governor, remembered the conversation differently. It only said that the governor respectfully disagreed with Buck's recollection.
Frank Buck is as honest a politician I've ever met, even to a fault. The first time I wrote about him, it was to criticize him for using the word "wetback" in discussion of legislation. Buck apologized, but added that the term was just frequently used in his upbringing and in his locale.
To his credit, Buck never used it again, and we became friends as much as professionals can and should. He never treated me with disrespect. And my wife would grumble when the cell phone would ring before 7 in the morning as Rep. Buck was driving to Nashville from Dowelltown.
Taxpayers should know that Rep. Buck could have used your money and stayed the night during legislative session in Nashville and go out to drink with lobbyists and get some campaign donations. But he didn't believe in feeding the incumbency monster, so it was turned on him regularly by Democratic Party leaders in the House. And yes, Frank Buck was a true Democrat.
Each re-election, the leadership would turn the machine on Buck and field a string of primary candidates. So Buck would drive around his district, tell folks about the opposition faced, and told them if they wanted him representing them for another two years in Nashville, he probably would need some financial support. This story is kind of like Davy Crockett did -- or we'd like to think -- in his day representing Tennesseans in Congress. These examples are indicative of real populism, not the kind of stuff we get now from Tennessee Democrats.
I depended on Buck for direction sometimes in the different world of General Assembly, in addition to encouragement that there were still some elected representatives left who would take on a bureaucracy that was hurting taxpayers and the vulnerable alike. My leukemia cut short our relationship as he was trying to fill in the loopholes left by the Naifeh/McMillan after-the-fact effort reform effort. As reporter John Rodgers of the City Paper reported earlier this year, the General Assmebly is starting to return to its old tricks.
But Buck won't be there to watch out for us anymore. This rural, Sam Ervin-style attorney of candor and strength will return to run his law office and take care of his grandchildren simultaneously.
Meanwhile, Bredesen has more than two years left in office, Naifeh is thinking about running for governor in 2010 and Bill Purcell has retreated to Harvard. So this is what we mostly have left for Democrats in Tennessee. There are bright spots like Congressman Steve Cohen and several folks in the General Assembly -- but there are from enough to stem the descending darkness. No wonder the celebrated, GOP muckraker Bill Hobbs is having a field day. Tennessee is losing a distinctive and effective two-party system of choices.
Voters should demand change or run up a white flag.
In my Tennessean column, Buck said Bredesen told him that he really didn't have the political capital and time to tackle ethics in the General Assembly. Remember the old Civil Rights' slogan? If not now, when? If not us, then who?
And so it goes -- a busy week for the governor in which Real Clear Politics did not once ask him if he was on the short list to be Sen. Obama's VP choice and testimony about a meeting that was symptomatic of the ethics problem at the General Assembly.
Despite all the fireworks this weekend, I just kind of feel flat.
To read the Bredesen interivew, go to:
http://time-blog.com/real_clear_politics/2008/07/notes_from_the_dlc_bredesen_un.html
Bredesen belonged in both places. On a blog with RealClearPolitics.com, he represented himself well and quite honestly in an interview. He put it on the line about Obama and his chances here and other places in the South. It was a good read, darn it.
The governor also handled himself well in court testimony regarding Ford. I'm not going into all the new details concerning this disgraced politician. For a more ethical and credible General Assembly, if that is possible, Ford's ouster has been most welcome.
Bredesen was simply asked about a conversation Ford tried to have with him concerning a deep-pocketed company possibly doing more business with the state. Bredesen is in no way directly connected to the scandal of Ford or Operation Tennessee Waltz. He's way too smart for that, and he's a walking mega-million dollar corporation himself.
Yet indirectly, Bredesen was connected to the ethical problems that befell the General Assemby this decade by retiring Rep. Frank Buck. The General Assembly's conscience told me he met with Bredesen early in the governor's first term to tell him about all the shenanigans. Buck said he felt that a new governor with a reputation of being tough with legislative bodies could wrangle real ethical reform out of the General Assembly before another scandal hit.
Well, we all know what happened, much to this state's shame. The FBI had to come in and straighten out our own house. Bredesen's office, in a reply for my Tennessean column several years ago citing Buck's meeting with the governor, remembered the conversation differently. It only said that the governor respectfully disagreed with Buck's recollection.
Frank Buck is as honest a politician I've ever met, even to a fault. The first time I wrote about him, it was to criticize him for using the word "wetback" in discussion of legislation. Buck apologized, but added that the term was just frequently used in his upbringing and in his locale.
To his credit, Buck never used it again, and we became friends as much as professionals can and should. He never treated me with disrespect. And my wife would grumble when the cell phone would ring before 7 in the morning as Rep. Buck was driving to Nashville from Dowelltown.
Taxpayers should know that Rep. Buck could have used your money and stayed the night during legislative session in Nashville and go out to drink with lobbyists and get some campaign donations. But he didn't believe in feeding the incumbency monster, so it was turned on him regularly by Democratic Party leaders in the House. And yes, Frank Buck was a true Democrat.
Each re-election, the leadership would turn the machine on Buck and field a string of primary candidates. So Buck would drive around his district, tell folks about the opposition faced, and told them if they wanted him representing them for another two years in Nashville, he probably would need some financial support. This story is kind of like Davy Crockett did -- or we'd like to think -- in his day representing Tennesseans in Congress. These examples are indicative of real populism, not the kind of stuff we get now from Tennessee Democrats.
I depended on Buck for direction sometimes in the different world of General Assembly, in addition to encouragement that there were still some elected representatives left who would take on a bureaucracy that was hurting taxpayers and the vulnerable alike. My leukemia cut short our relationship as he was trying to fill in the loopholes left by the Naifeh/McMillan after-the-fact effort reform effort. As reporter John Rodgers of the City Paper reported earlier this year, the General Assmebly is starting to return to its old tricks.
But Buck won't be there to watch out for us anymore. This rural, Sam Ervin-style attorney of candor and strength will return to run his law office and take care of his grandchildren simultaneously.
Meanwhile, Bredesen has more than two years left in office, Naifeh is thinking about running for governor in 2010 and Bill Purcell has retreated to Harvard. So this is what we mostly have left for Democrats in Tennessee. There are bright spots like Congressman Steve Cohen and several folks in the General Assembly -- but there are from enough to stem the descending darkness. No wonder the celebrated, GOP muckraker Bill Hobbs is having a field day. Tennessee is losing a distinctive and effective two-party system of choices.
Voters should demand change or run up a white flag.
In my Tennessean column, Buck said Bredesen told him that he really didn't have the political capital and time to tackle ethics in the General Assembly. Remember the old Civil Rights' slogan? If not now, when? If not us, then who?
And so it goes -- a busy week for the governor in which Real Clear Politics did not once ask him if he was on the short list to be Sen. Obama's VP choice and testimony about a meeting that was symptomatic of the ethics problem at the General Assembly.
Despite all the fireworks this weekend, I just kind of feel flat.
To read the Bredesen interivew, go to:
http://time-blog.com/real_clear_politics/2008/07/notes_from_the_dlc_bredesen_un.html
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Could both campaigns lose the election? For now, McCain is gaining an edge
Ah, what a good shot at the U.S. presidency a strong Independent candidate would have after the past several days.
This shortened holiday week has shown Republican and Democratic campaigns making critical mistakes so early that September and October will be nothing but daily gaffes and clarifications. Polls will see saw like the Dow Jones. Using the old football analysis on two mistake-prone teams, "no one seems to want to win this game".
Let's do some play-by-play of a very frightening week that left voters shaking their heads in indecision:
Sen. John McCain added to the baggage of his record of flip-flops when he claimed he voted for Ronald Reagan's immigration amnesty law in 1986. Records showed he didn't. McCain also has drawn fire for switching from a position of moderate in supporting immigration policy reform in Congress but becoming a "secure the borders first" hardliner on the campaign trail.
Bobble. Fumble. Turnover!
Sen. Barack Obama showed up unusually large on the flip-flop radar for telling a veterans group that he may change his mind about his 16-month pledge to get troops out of Iraq when he gets on the ground and assesses the situation by talking to the military commanders. What?!?!
That's a much different approach than the one he used to repeatedly batter Sen. Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primaries for voting in favor of the conflict. Now he has moved closer to McCain, who will stay in Iraq from indefinitely to 100 years in the future. Someone needs to tell the Republican that his authority on troop deployment is only good for eight years at most if he wins and then is re-elected.
Pass. Dropped. Fourth down!
Obama emerged later in the day to backtrack from his statements before the veterans to say he was not backing away from his 16-month pledge. Still, the Democrat reiterated that he always has said he reserved the right to change his mind based on new evidence. At least that's what I think he said. I'm open to a different interpretation. This latest flip, flop or firming of an existing position comes after Obama last month rejected campaign finance reform he initially supported.
Fake punt. Errant pass. Interception!
One thing for sure, he has pundit Arianna Huffington mad at him for moving toward the center politically. I really can't figure out how Huffington has gained enough credibility to appear on shows like ABC-TV's This Week, other than she had enough money from a divorce settlement to build a big, liberal political website and take important politicos to lunch at expensive eateries. Perhaps that's how Hispanic pundits finally could get on This Week's roundtable. Most certainly, their intelligence and insight on the most pivotal electorate in the general election is not enough to break the show's barrier on brown.
Tweeeeeeeeeet! Clock runs out. Halftime!
Yet while Obama was retreating from his moral summit against the war, McCain was shaking up his campaign's leadership by phone from Colombia and Mexico. Republicans have been extremely critical of his efforts. Deep down, they really don't like him. They know if McCain gets in office, he could go maverick and cooperate with the Democratic Congress on matters other than the war to pay back these GOP pains-in-ass like Rush Limbaugh. Heck, he almost went Democrat after he lost to a cheap-shot opportunist named George W. Bush in the 2000 Republican primaries.
As the campaign now stands, I believe, but don't hold me to this, that I am leaning ever slightly toward McCain. He is tilting left as Obama goes right. I don't know whom will pass the other in the center. I endorsed Obama in the Hispanic press before the Texas primary. I did not endorse on the GOP side, because McCain already had things pretty much sown up.
I won't endorse for the general election until it is apparent whose ship is heading in which direction on eliminating the 287g deportation program and ICE raids in the first phone call on the first day of his first term in the White House.
Real immigration policy reform will take much longer. Hispanics -- citizens and non-citizens -- want respect and relief now. Remember the urgency of the times, as Sen. Obama has cited for his candidacy? Ditto for the Hispanic electorate.
As it now looks -- and that could change depending on where Gen. Clark or some Catholic-hating televangelist is speaking -- I am counting on McCain being petty and angry enough if he gets into office to follow his history and pay back all the staunch Republicans for all the barbs hurled at him. He did it to Bush by trashing Rumsfield. Thankfully, he was right. I believe that immigration will be the best and most available issue for President McCain to give Limbaugh and his lackeys hell.
Bad note. Tuba player faints. Second half begins!
Obama starts on defense. McCain is making big yards on the national security sweep. That issue will ultimately determine the game ... er, the election as Israel and Iran prepare to duel amid the world's primary oil supply and the Afghanistan war on terror escalates..
For the past several days, McCain has been in Latin America as Obama's spokespeople had to tell writers like myself on a Tuesday teleconference that they didn't know when their candidate would get south of the border. He is busy preparing to get to Europe and the Middle East, places McCain has already traversed several times.
Finally, one team has made it just inside the 30. But McCain doesn't have a good kicking game. The offense sputters.
Fourth down!
The long July Fourth Weekend descends on the game as McCain is deciding whether to pin Obama deep inside his own ineptness, or go for a 40-plus yard field goal to take the lead.
Go for it!
Keep Obama pinned down in hopes of another turnover!
The fans just can't decide. Meanwhile, the polar icecap continues to melt as the clock runs down on the good ol' planet Earth.
Ah, what fans, I mean voters, wouldn't do for another choice ... like a strong Independent candidate. Until then, McCain appears on the move on this July Fourth Weekend.
This shortened holiday week has shown Republican and Democratic campaigns making critical mistakes so early that September and October will be nothing but daily gaffes and clarifications. Polls will see saw like the Dow Jones. Using the old football analysis on two mistake-prone teams, "no one seems to want to win this game".
Let's do some play-by-play of a very frightening week that left voters shaking their heads in indecision:
Sen. John McCain added to the baggage of his record of flip-flops when he claimed he voted for Ronald Reagan's immigration amnesty law in 1986. Records showed he didn't. McCain also has drawn fire for switching from a position of moderate in supporting immigration policy reform in Congress but becoming a "secure the borders first" hardliner on the campaign trail.
Bobble. Fumble. Turnover!
Sen. Barack Obama showed up unusually large on the flip-flop radar for telling a veterans group that he may change his mind about his 16-month pledge to get troops out of Iraq when he gets on the ground and assesses the situation by talking to the military commanders. What?!?!
That's a much different approach than the one he used to repeatedly batter Sen. Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primaries for voting in favor of the conflict. Now he has moved closer to McCain, who will stay in Iraq from indefinitely to 100 years in the future. Someone needs to tell the Republican that his authority on troop deployment is only good for eight years at most if he wins and then is re-elected.
Pass. Dropped. Fourth down!
Obama emerged later in the day to backtrack from his statements before the veterans to say he was not backing away from his 16-month pledge. Still, the Democrat reiterated that he always has said he reserved the right to change his mind based on new evidence. At least that's what I think he said. I'm open to a different interpretation. This latest flip, flop or firming of an existing position comes after Obama last month rejected campaign finance reform he initially supported.
Fake punt. Errant pass. Interception!
One thing for sure, he has pundit Arianna Huffington mad at him for moving toward the center politically. I really can't figure out how Huffington has gained enough credibility to appear on shows like ABC-TV's This Week, other than she had enough money from a divorce settlement to build a big, liberal political website and take important politicos to lunch at expensive eateries. Perhaps that's how Hispanic pundits finally could get on This Week's roundtable. Most certainly, their intelligence and insight on the most pivotal electorate in the general election is not enough to break the show's barrier on brown.
Tweeeeeeeeeet! Clock runs out. Halftime!
Yet while Obama was retreating from his moral summit against the war, McCain was shaking up his campaign's leadership by phone from Colombia and Mexico. Republicans have been extremely critical of his efforts. Deep down, they really don't like him. They know if McCain gets in office, he could go maverick and cooperate with the Democratic Congress on matters other than the war to pay back these GOP pains-in-ass like Rush Limbaugh. Heck, he almost went Democrat after he lost to a cheap-shot opportunist named George W. Bush in the 2000 Republican primaries.
As the campaign now stands, I believe, but don't hold me to this, that I am leaning ever slightly toward McCain. He is tilting left as Obama goes right. I don't know whom will pass the other in the center. I endorsed Obama in the Hispanic press before the Texas primary. I did not endorse on the GOP side, because McCain already had things pretty much sown up.
I won't endorse for the general election until it is apparent whose ship is heading in which direction on eliminating the 287g deportation program and ICE raids in the first phone call on the first day of his first term in the White House.
Real immigration policy reform will take much longer. Hispanics -- citizens and non-citizens -- want respect and relief now. Remember the urgency of the times, as Sen. Obama has cited for his candidacy? Ditto for the Hispanic electorate.
As it now looks -- and that could change depending on where Gen. Clark or some Catholic-hating televangelist is speaking -- I am counting on McCain being petty and angry enough if he gets into office to follow his history and pay back all the staunch Republicans for all the barbs hurled at him. He did it to Bush by trashing Rumsfield. Thankfully, he was right. I believe that immigration will be the best and most available issue for President McCain to give Limbaugh and his lackeys hell.
Bad note. Tuba player faints. Second half begins!
Obama starts on defense. McCain is making big yards on the national security sweep. That issue will ultimately determine the game ... er, the election as Israel and Iran prepare to duel amid the world's primary oil supply and the Afghanistan war on terror escalates..
For the past several days, McCain has been in Latin America as Obama's spokespeople had to tell writers like myself on a Tuesday teleconference that they didn't know when their candidate would get south of the border. He is busy preparing to get to Europe and the Middle East, places McCain has already traversed several times.
Finally, one team has made it just inside the 30. But McCain doesn't have a good kicking game. The offense sputters.
Fourth down!
The long July Fourth Weekend descends on the game as McCain is deciding whether to pin Obama deep inside his own ineptness, or go for a 40-plus yard field goal to take the lead.
Go for it!
Keep Obama pinned down in hopes of another turnover!
The fans just can't decide. Meanwhile, the polar icecap continues to melt as the clock runs down on the good ol' planet Earth.
Ah, what fans, I mean voters, wouldn't do for another choice ... like a strong Independent candidate. Until then, McCain appears on the move on this July Fourth Weekend.
Good news for Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church
Catholic Charities for the Diocese of Nashville has signed a lease to open an office at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in south Nashville on Nolensville Road.
This move will provide an additional $25,000 in annual rental income to help with loan payments that will have to be made to cover a $400,000 debt left on the property and buildings. About $1.1 million was raised to pay the debt by the June 30 deadline.
The Catholic Charities' lease was signed with Father Joseph Patrick Breen and St. Edward Catholic Church, which is ultimately responsible for Our Lady's debt.
Catholic Charities executive director William Sinclair said in an e-mail to CC chairman of the board Gregg Ramos: "We are excited and we are moving forward as of today with plans to paint, carpet, install phones and computers, and office equipment. The truly exciting aspect is that we will be located on the campus in a couple weeks rendering great services to the Hispanic community."
This development truly is a blessing at a very difficult time for Hispanics in Nashville with the English Only referendum petition and the ongoing 287g deportation program. Our Lady truly is making miracles happen in what continues to be Nashville best "good news" story of the past 12 months.
Father Breen was slated this week to sign a loan document with the diocese to cover Our Lady's remaining debt. St. Edward's will ultimately be responsbile for the church's debt and survival. Monthly loan payments will still place a significant burden to pay on Our Lady's working poor congregation. It also has to pay for church operations and community services.
So donations from those who believe in the good news of Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church and its mission for Nashville's most vulnerable can still make a big difference. Go to http://www.stedward.org/ to read more about this ongoing miracle and possibly donate. Click on the box entitled "Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church" on the left side of the web page.
In other news aimed at making Nashville a more welcoming city, Catholic Charities received a proposed lease after much delay for the space for the Tennessee Office for Refugees on White Bridge Road, Sinclair said.
So from the evil of 287g and the English Only petition, good can still survive and even prosper. Please help to expand on this good news with your donation to Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church.
This move will provide an additional $25,000 in annual rental income to help with loan payments that will have to be made to cover a $400,000 debt left on the property and buildings. About $1.1 million was raised to pay the debt by the June 30 deadline.
The Catholic Charities' lease was signed with Father Joseph Patrick Breen and St. Edward Catholic Church, which is ultimately responsible for Our Lady's debt.
Catholic Charities executive director William Sinclair said in an e-mail to CC chairman of the board Gregg Ramos: "We are excited and we are moving forward as of today with plans to paint, carpet, install phones and computers, and office equipment. The truly exciting aspect is that we will be located on the campus in a couple weeks rendering great services to the Hispanic community."
This development truly is a blessing at a very difficult time for Hispanics in Nashville with the English Only referendum petition and the ongoing 287g deportation program. Our Lady truly is making miracles happen in what continues to be Nashville best "good news" story of the past 12 months.
Father Breen was slated this week to sign a loan document with the diocese to cover Our Lady's remaining debt. St. Edward's will ultimately be responsbile for the church's debt and survival. Monthly loan payments will still place a significant burden to pay on Our Lady's working poor congregation. It also has to pay for church operations and community services.
So donations from those who believe in the good news of Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church and its mission for Nashville's most vulnerable can still make a big difference. Go to http://www.stedward.org/ to read more about this ongoing miracle and possibly donate. Click on the box entitled "Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church" on the left side of the web page.
In other news aimed at making Nashville a more welcoming city, Catholic Charities received a proposed lease after much delay for the space for the Tennessee Office for Refugees on White Bridge Road, Sinclair said.
So from the evil of 287g and the English Only petition, good can still survive and even prosper. Please help to expand on this good news with your donation to Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Time to make deals with McCain ... just in case
I was part of a Tuesday teleconference by the Hispanic outreach folks with the Obama campaign for bloggers. I am a blogger, but I’ve tried to tell these good people that I am also a print columnist to English and Spanish language newspapers across the country through the Scripps-Howard News Service.
I hope they have heard of Scripps-Howard and also Hispanic Link News Service in Washington, D.C. Charlie Ericksen, my professional mentor, was one of the founders of Hispanic Link in 1980 to provide news on Latino and non-Latino issues from inside the Beltway. It provides commentary to Scripps-Howard for distribution besides sending out its own newsletter.
Charlie has been in the news business since 1948 and was friends with the late, great Ruben Salazaar, columnist of The LA Times and owner of his own radio station. Mr. Salazaar was martyred for his people and profession almost four decades ago in covering a Hispanic protest against the Vietnam War. He was hit by a tear gas cannister fired by police. It punctured his head. A U.S. postal stamp was issued in his honor earlier this year.
I write all this seemly unimportant background in the beginning, because it is important for all of us to learn about our roots in this profession. And Charlie has been a great teacher as a person and editor. But in yesterday’s teleconference, I could detect a definite lack of know-how in reaching out to the Hispanic press or authority to reach out as needed to the Hispanic press. We also intermingle with Anglo and other readers. Besides my print columns, many of my blog readers are Republican and conservative. I can tell from the anger in some responses – but far from all -- when I write about 287g and ICE raids.
The guys who ran the teleconference are definitely good fellows and their passion is in the right place. But the question asked by my good friend Marisa – publisher of http://www.latinalista.net/ – showed a terrible flaw in the Obama’s campaign’s attempt to connect with Hispanic voters.
She asked why we couldn’t just sign up for e-mail press releases from the campaign with the regular press office and officials available to the mainstream, still white-dominated, mainstream news media.
The answer to her question was one of uncertainty but a promise to do future teleconferences and contact e-mails and sharing of phone numbers by the Hispanic media outreach folks.
I’m really a nobody in the Hispanic media and mainstream one as well. Yet I still do write for both. I’ve sent two e-mails asking to get on the Hispanic media e-mail list of regular updates on the Obama campaign, particularly but not limited to what he said to NALEO on Saturday. And these poor guys still haven’t followed through, or the people they've assigned the task haven't follow through.
I don’t consider any of this situation their fault. I go to where the buck stops, as Harry Truman always stated. The candidate, Sen. Barack Obama, still does not understand the Hispanic electorate and how to communicate his message to it.
And it will cost him the election.
That means we as Hispanic advocates need to make sure our people are politically covered. Set aside your political affiliations and start working with both campaigns. Get answers and guarantees on a variety of issues that include comprehensive immigration reform.
We need relief on the first day of the first term of the new president from the 287g deportation program and ICE raids of workplaces. That can be done with a simple phone call from the Oval Office or signing of an executive order. At least I hope. If we can get that promise from McCain, then were are being wise in hedging our bets.
Now the Obama people point to polls that give the senator a big lead in the Hispanic vote – something like 62% to 28%. But all that McCain needs to win the presidency is another seven percentage points to match GW Bush’s take in 2000. That’s definitely doable, particularly if people like Gen. Clark keep speaking out for him.
Political analysts are pointing to the West as the region that will determine the election. That gives McCain an edge without even considering California, Oregon or Washington. And if he picks Mitt Romney as his VP – and Romney has been campaigning hard for that spot -- then McCain will pick up more votes in that region.
While some Latino advocates downplay McCain’s visit to Mexico and Colombia this week, it means a lot to me that he’ll view the Tilma of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. She is the protector of the Hispanic people. She has reached into hearts and minds for almost five centuries. I am praying that she’ll do the same with Sen. McCain on the humane treatment of her people. She has the power. And his act of paying respect to her means a lot to me as a Mexican-American and someone who has been deeply involved in raising money to keep open the doors of a church dedicated to her and the Hispanic people in Nashville, TN.
Respect is something that has been missing from this nation in the treatment of Latinos – citizens and particularly undocumented workers and their families. The mainstream news media virtually ignores our issues except if the event is negative. Political panels on TV rarely include us.
So any act to go with words means something in this intolerant environment. Meanwhile, Obama remains one step and one week behind McCain’s schedule. He is just going to Europe and the Middle East to visit leaders. McCain can say: “been there, done that ... several times.”
Monday, Obama had to clean up the mess on patriotism left by Gen. Clark in his appearance on Meet the Press. Still, Clark is not backing away from his comments. So Obama ended up mostly defending McCain and not propping up himself in what was supposed to be a major speech about his patriotism.
These failings are also reflected in the Obama outreach to Hispanic media. Most Latino writers want to herald his credentials and worthiness to be president. But the lack of questions on the teleconference – I asked about President Uribe of Colombia and Marisa asked about access to the main press office for the campaign – denoted a lack of excitement among Latino writers about Obama. For me, I felt a sense of resignation and disappointment. And it's not these guys fault.
It is kind of like you see in Division A college football. The programs like USC, Florida and LSU have the support from the top of school leadership and across the alumni to field the best squad. They also have the best coaches and recruit the best players. Finally, deep pockets make sure all the equipment and facilities are the best.
From Obama's Hispanic outreach efforts so far, it is apparent that the candidate is not willing to provide that kind of support to woo the Latino electorate -- despite the good and passionate people involved in his Hispanic efforts. That means he doesn't respect the Latino electorate enough, just like the mainstream media on its Sunday morning TV political shows.
Sen. Hillary Clinton’s endorsement is not going to be enough to keep McCain from getting those seven additional percentage points from the Hispanic electorate.
So I encourage my fellow advocates and journalists to connect to both campaigns and ask the needed questions to get relief from 287g and ICE raids on the first day of the new president’s term.
I hope they have heard of Scripps-Howard and also Hispanic Link News Service in Washington, D.C. Charlie Ericksen, my professional mentor, was one of the founders of Hispanic Link in 1980 to provide news on Latino and non-Latino issues from inside the Beltway. It provides commentary to Scripps-Howard for distribution besides sending out its own newsletter.
Charlie has been in the news business since 1948 and was friends with the late, great Ruben Salazaar, columnist of The LA Times and owner of his own radio station. Mr. Salazaar was martyred for his people and profession almost four decades ago in covering a Hispanic protest against the Vietnam War. He was hit by a tear gas cannister fired by police. It punctured his head. A U.S. postal stamp was issued in his honor earlier this year.
I write all this seemly unimportant background in the beginning, because it is important for all of us to learn about our roots in this profession. And Charlie has been a great teacher as a person and editor. But in yesterday’s teleconference, I could detect a definite lack of know-how in reaching out to the Hispanic press or authority to reach out as needed to the Hispanic press. We also intermingle with Anglo and other readers. Besides my print columns, many of my blog readers are Republican and conservative. I can tell from the anger in some responses – but far from all -- when I write about 287g and ICE raids.
The guys who ran the teleconference are definitely good fellows and their passion is in the right place. But the question asked by my good friend Marisa – publisher of http://www.latinalista.net/ – showed a terrible flaw in the Obama’s campaign’s attempt to connect with Hispanic voters.
She asked why we couldn’t just sign up for e-mail press releases from the campaign with the regular press office and officials available to the mainstream, still white-dominated, mainstream news media.
The answer to her question was one of uncertainty but a promise to do future teleconferences and contact e-mails and sharing of phone numbers by the Hispanic media outreach folks.
I’m really a nobody in the Hispanic media and mainstream one as well. Yet I still do write for both. I’ve sent two e-mails asking to get on the Hispanic media e-mail list of regular updates on the Obama campaign, particularly but not limited to what he said to NALEO on Saturday. And these poor guys still haven’t followed through, or the people they've assigned the task haven't follow through.
I don’t consider any of this situation their fault. I go to where the buck stops, as Harry Truman always stated. The candidate, Sen. Barack Obama, still does not understand the Hispanic electorate and how to communicate his message to it.
And it will cost him the election.
That means we as Hispanic advocates need to make sure our people are politically covered. Set aside your political affiliations and start working with both campaigns. Get answers and guarantees on a variety of issues that include comprehensive immigration reform.
We need relief on the first day of the first term of the new president from the 287g deportation program and ICE raids of workplaces. That can be done with a simple phone call from the Oval Office or signing of an executive order. At least I hope. If we can get that promise from McCain, then were are being wise in hedging our bets.
Now the Obama people point to polls that give the senator a big lead in the Hispanic vote – something like 62% to 28%. But all that McCain needs to win the presidency is another seven percentage points to match GW Bush’s take in 2000. That’s definitely doable, particularly if people like Gen. Clark keep speaking out for him.
Political analysts are pointing to the West as the region that will determine the election. That gives McCain an edge without even considering California, Oregon or Washington. And if he picks Mitt Romney as his VP – and Romney has been campaigning hard for that spot -- then McCain will pick up more votes in that region.
While some Latino advocates downplay McCain’s visit to Mexico and Colombia this week, it means a lot to me that he’ll view the Tilma of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. She is the protector of the Hispanic people. She has reached into hearts and minds for almost five centuries. I am praying that she’ll do the same with Sen. McCain on the humane treatment of her people. She has the power. And his act of paying respect to her means a lot to me as a Mexican-American and someone who has been deeply involved in raising money to keep open the doors of a church dedicated to her and the Hispanic people in Nashville, TN.
Respect is something that has been missing from this nation in the treatment of Latinos – citizens and particularly undocumented workers and their families. The mainstream news media virtually ignores our issues except if the event is negative. Political panels on TV rarely include us.
So any act to go with words means something in this intolerant environment. Meanwhile, Obama remains one step and one week behind McCain’s schedule. He is just going to Europe and the Middle East to visit leaders. McCain can say: “been there, done that ... several times.”
Monday, Obama had to clean up the mess on patriotism left by Gen. Clark in his appearance on Meet the Press. Still, Clark is not backing away from his comments. So Obama ended up mostly defending McCain and not propping up himself in what was supposed to be a major speech about his patriotism.
These failings are also reflected in the Obama outreach to Hispanic media. Most Latino writers want to herald his credentials and worthiness to be president. But the lack of questions on the teleconference – I asked about President Uribe of Colombia and Marisa asked about access to the main press office for the campaign – denoted a lack of excitement among Latino writers about Obama. For me, I felt a sense of resignation and disappointment. And it's not these guys fault.
It is kind of like you see in Division A college football. The programs like USC, Florida and LSU have the support from the top of school leadership and across the alumni to field the best squad. They also have the best coaches and recruit the best players. Finally, deep pockets make sure all the equipment and facilities are the best.
From Obama's Hispanic outreach efforts so far, it is apparent that the candidate is not willing to provide that kind of support to woo the Latino electorate -- despite the good and passionate people involved in his Hispanic efforts. That means he doesn't respect the Latino electorate enough, just like the mainstream media on its Sunday morning TV political shows.
Sen. Hillary Clinton’s endorsement is not going to be enough to keep McCain from getting those seven additional percentage points from the Hispanic electorate.
So I encourage my fellow advocates and journalists to connect to both campaigns and ask the needed questions to get relief from 287g and ICE raids on the first day of the new president’s term.
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