"El ttespeto a Derecho

"West Texas' oldest Hispanic Owned Weekly Newspaper"

A.jeno es la Paz" Lic Benito uarez SOUTHWEST COLLECTION

Texas Tech University /__

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) Hispanics in the United States had a harder time finding work during the economic recession than America's non-Hispanic population, according to a study released on Tuesday. Using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Census Bureau (news - web sites), the Pew Hispanic Center found that 500,000 Hispanics failed to get jobs because of the recession and "an extended period of slow economic recovery" in the two-year period that started in the fourth quarter of 2000. That worked out to 3.5 percent of the Latino workforce. About 3 million non-Hispanics, or 2.5 percent, could not find jobs. "The economic slowdown has had similar effects on Latinos and non-Latinos in many ways, but the distinctive characteristics of the Hispanic work force, such as the fact that it continues to grow rapidly and

Comentarios de Bidal Aguero

poquito de todo Un esta semana. The biggest news this week has been the Schwarzcncggcr cicction in California. Experts are saying that the election of the movie star is proof that voters are fed up with regular politicians. Their frustrations are inflated by the economy and especially the lack of jobs. Let's hope

that these feelings will continue when it come to electing a new president. City fathers are keeping the upcoming sales tax election quiet. Many people don't even know that there will be an election in less than 30 days. Their tactic of keeping it quiet is quite a change from other times when powers that be organize strong efforts to pass their endeavors for what they call a "better Lubbock". Next week we will feature an analysis of the

TX USA

Week of October 9 thru October 15, 2003

i Vol. XXVII No. 2

By Pablo Bache let

that it is concentrated in certain niches of the economy, have produced some particularly difficult setbacks," said Roberto Suro, director of the Pew Hispanic Center. The report used historical employment and demographic numbers to estimate what employment levels would have been if the recession had not happened.

Earlier this year, the National Bureau of Economic Research said the U.S. economy emerged from an eight-month recession in November 2001 and is now recovering. The 39 million-member Hispanic community is the United States' largest minority group and also the country's fastest growing. Hispanics make up about 13 percent of the 'U.S. work force, but were responsible for more than 50 percent of the increase

La tasa anual de crecimiento del empleo entre los latinos aumentb a un ritmo muy por debajo de los aflos anteriores a la recesif n, afirmb un estudio nacional sobre el empleo revelado ayer. Aunque Ia ocupacibn aument6 para ese grupo en un 2% en el periodo critico 2001-2002, la tasa de crecimiento de puestos de trabajo para los hispanos subia el 5% un aho antes de que se declarara la ultima recesi6n, segun la investigaci6n realizada por el Centro Hispano Pew, una organization de anilisis con sede en Washington D.C.

Segtin Rakesh Kochhar, director del estudio, los latinos se encuentran

loam MINUI medio millbn de empleos por debajo sobre el estudio que, "desde que de los niveles anteriores a la ultima George W. Bush asumi6 la crisis economica, lo que represents un Presidencia, la situacibn de los 3.5% por debajo de la medida hispanos en Estados Unidos ha registrada en el ultimo trimestre de declinado dramiticamente. Los latinos 2002. El anilisis se enfoc6 en el no s6lo han Perdido empleos, sino periodo que media entre la recesibn tambien la oportunidad de tener acceso que empezo en marzo de 2001 y la a cuidados medicos costeables y de subsiguiente recuperaci6n de finales de comprar casa. Las unicas cifras que 2002. aumentan para los latinos en esta El analisis del Centro Hispano Pew, Administracion son las de la tasa de Trabajos perdidos, trabajos ganados: la pobreza". experiencia latina en la recesi6n y la Los hispanos, por otro lado, a pesar recuperation, establecio ademas que de la recesion, experimentaron un solo los caucasicos han logrado incremento en el valor real —poder recuperar los niveles de empleo adquisitivo real, independientemente previos a la ultima recesion. de la tasa de inflation y otros Terry McAullife, presidente del factores— de su salario, aunque a una Comite Nacional Democrata, declarb tasa inferior a la que se venia dando

Hispanic Link News Service staff writer Jake Rollow took a seat aboard one of two Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride buses traveling Sept. 26-Oct. 4 from Houston. Texas. through the South to the nation's capital and New York City. Here Is his account of the experience.

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seems to be the norm as a method of

getting rid of people that mess up. Such is the case for Lubbock County's hief

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medical examiner Dr_ leery Spenser. His

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generous retirement package was not available at press time but one can be sure

that it will give him a lot of money to leave.

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Lubbock City Fathers took the first step towards supposedly working to improve north and east Lubbock by approving a

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plish the much needed work_ Let's hope that whoever is hired to do the study

Lubbock Speaking of receptions by the Charn-

ber, they will host a reception for Texas Tech's new president Whitmore. We can expect more back

patting and hand shaking at the event when some serious questions need to be

asked concerning diversity, tuition hikes, minority faculty retention and recruitment and most importantly minotity student enrollment. Facts are that although the amount of Hispanic student enrollment went up to 12% from 10%, the actual amount of Hispanic students dectined. This might be an issue that LULAC needs to scrutinize. n**n* sss»»»sss»sssnsssssssaassss

Readers if this column might take a little time to read the thoughts expressed in this issue by Abel Cruz on page two. He talks a lot of sense relating to the Tommy Gorvalez issue.

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Es todo for now. Write me your comments on any of these thoughts to cicditor(a`llano.nct iHasta la Proxima!

2003.

(Continua Pagina 3)

gotten healthy retirement package that

study and proposed work for north

antes de 2000: un 2.5% comparado con el 2.9% pare los blancos no latinos y un -.5% para los afroamericanos. Los latinos componen actualmente el 13% del total del eje'rcito laboral. La actual recuperaci6n econ6mica se caracteriza por la existencia de crecimiento acompallada de desempleo. Segun Scott Anderson, economista de Wells Fargo & Cia, aunque se espera un crecimiento econ6mico del 6% en el tercer trimestre de este atio, el desempleo continua siendo notablemente elevado. Esta depresion en el trabajo, explica Anderson, viene acompai ada de un aumento de la productividad, que fue del 6.8% en el segundo trimestre de

Riding With the Freedom Immigrant Riders

Well another bureaucrat seems to have

receptions to pay close attention to the

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Los latinos necesitan medio millon de empleos

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realizes the need for improvements sorely needed in Arnett Benson and north Lubbock. We can only wish that the Lubbock Hispanic Chamber of Commerce might take a little time away from hosting their banquets, luncheons and -

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in the U.S. labor force over the two-year period covered by the study. The report said more than half of the immigrant Latino workers that joined the labor force during the slowdown could not find jobs. Employment growth for nonHispanic whites has returned to pre-recession levels, while growth rates for Hispanics have lagged, according to the study. Hispanic real wage growth has also trailed behind that of nonLatino whites, it said. Latinos also tend to be less educated, making them more vulnerable to a weaker economy. About half of Hispanics in the United States lack a high school education. Latinos with college degrees did well during the recession, according to the report.

upcoming election.

contract for a study on how to accom-

LUBBOCK, TEXAS 7 ,,

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In 204 hours, we -- my fellow peregrinos, or pilgrims, and I -- visited 16 cities in 10 states. We were blessed and thanked, hugged and cheered. Countless elected officials, clergy, civil rights leaders, union workers, students, academics, everyday people and hotel owners welcomed us with wide smiles and open arms. Twice we met small groups of antiimmigrant protesters, between eight and 15 people. But we shook off their heckles and translated a song that had worked well for our freedom-riding predecessors of 1961, Vamos a venter, "We shall overcome." Organized by the AFL-CIO, its various affiliates and advocacy

organizations across the country, the Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride sought to rouse public support and push legislators to pass policy that guarantees a clear path to citizenship, expedient family reunification, workers' rights and civil liberties for everyone. Our two buses held 80 of the more than 900 riders who started from 10 cities, including Chicago, San Francisco and Miami. The 18 buses were welcomed in 101 cities by tens of thousands of people before converging in Washington, D.C., to lobby legislators and then head off to a mass rally in New York City on Oct. 4. (Continued Page 3)

Sc esperaban mss votos que e1 52% que obtuvo el vicegobernador entre los suyos Rdger Lindo La gran sorpresa del martes, en lo que respecta al voto latino, fue que apenas el 52% de este bloque del electorado se pronunci6 a favor del candidato de su etnia, Cruz Bustamante. Es mss, tres de cada 10 Latinos, segun datos de encuestas disponibles ayer, se inclinaron por Arnold Schwarzenegger. El anilisis de la votacibn indica asimismo que los latinos votaron mayoritariamente en contra de la destitution del gobernador Gray Davis, mas no de manera contundente. "Para los latinos la election fue un exito si se considera el humero de los que votaron" declar6 Efrain Escobedo, investigador de Ia Asociacibn Nacional de Funcionarios Latinos Elegidos y Nombrados (NALEO). Los votantes

latinos alcanzaron el martes el 18% del total del electorado —casi un millon y medio de votos—, cifra superior al 13% que seg6n Escobedo acudi6 a sufragar en Ia eleccibn anterior. Esta vez votaron 7.9 millones de californianos, Seg6n la misma organization, uno de cada seis votantes empadronados para votar antier era latino. Para.Escobedo, Ia elecci6n demostr6 que el latino es un voto que este en disputa y que los latinos son un contingente electoral muy diverso. "No es un cuerpo que se mueve en una sola direction. Los latinos son muy parecidos a Ia mayor parte de los califomianos". En cambio, Art Torres, presidente del Partido Democrata de California, se mostr6 desalentado. (Conirrrkira Pagina 3)

El Editor, Lubbock, Tx.- October 9, 2003

LOS HISPANOS SE FUNDEN EN UNO Este es el cuarto en una serie de ensayos personales relacionados entre Si, escritos por el pionero de lqs derechos civiles, Raul yuirrc, presidente y CEO del Concijio Nacjonal de La Ram 'el ,'Up° de electores ~' Jnw latinos mis grande de la naci6n poblacional con mayor certeza El Por Raril Yzaguirre problema era cual sello, o mas El debate entre to latino y to especificamente, cual hispano me recuerda las "identificador" habria de utilizarse. interminables batallas de los alias A peticibn de un comite asesor 60 con relacion al uso del tbrmino compuesto por activistas y chicano versus mexicanoacademicos latinos/hispanos, la americano. Hay sentimientos muy Oficina del Censo Ilevo a cabo una fuertes en ambos lados y ambos serie de pruebas para determinar argumentos tienen su merito. cual identificador producia la mejor Aquellos quienes optan por el t@rmino, "latino" enfatizan cl hecho reaction. Entre los identificadores se encontraban: un apellido de que deberiamos reconocer espafol, Los torminos nuestras raises indigenas, asi como hispanoparlante y latinoamericano nuestra herencia africana, y por y de ascendencia espafola. El supuesto quc deberiamos. Estos tdrmino "hispano" produjo la mejor tampoco estAn muy inclinados a reaction en aquel entonces, tal identificarse con los usurpadores como to hace ahora. espadoles. Aquellos que prefieren Este hecho per si solo no da por el termino "hispano" argumentan terminado el debate. De seguro que no solo es el termino correcto porque identifica to que tenemos en continuari- La identidad es un comim, sino que cl termino "latino" concepto que fluye y con el liempo habra mas cambios. Al principio, csta contaminado porquc cra cl quc los opresores franceses le imponian los norteamericanos de color se resistieron al temuno a los mexicanos que habian sido "afroamericano", pero con el capturados temporeramentc antes tiempo to aceptaron. de que Benito Juiuez expulsara a Probablemente pase to mismo con los franceses del pals. Yo opto por no ser combativo en este asunto, no el termino `latino`. Su uso parece solo porque nos divide, sino porque tener un fuerte arraigo en California Yo solamente pido dos cosas: como cosa de principios, creo que una, tener respeto y tolerancia por la gente debe llamarse a si misma como mejor le parezca. Pero hay un aquellos que difieren de ti cn cuanto a Ia forma en que prefieren mito que me gustaria aclarar. Hay que se les conozca, y dos, quienes reclaman quc el tErmino alegramos de que como latinosf hispano fue una creation del hispanos ahora reconocemos que gobierno. Eso no es verdad y no hay una afinidad entre nosotros. tiene validez. Esto es algo muy esperanzador. La verdad es mas complicada. Mis de 40 millones de personas se En los altos 70, las organizations estan dando cuenta de que sus nacionales latinas/hispanas estaban identidades estan entrelazadas. ejerciendo presion para que la Hace poco mas de diez afos, el Oficina del Censo de EEUU desarrollara Los procedimientos que Sondeo Politico National Hispano revelo que en su gran mayoria, los garantizaran el contar a este grupo

entrevistados se identificaban con un subgrupo. Solo un punado se identificaba como hispano o latino. En otras palabras, decian que eran mexicoamericanos, salvadoreilos o puertorriqueros. Sin embargo, en tin sondeo que llevo a cabo hace unos meses el Centro Hispano Pew, se encontro que el 81 per ciento de los entrevistados se identificaba a si mismo como hispano o latino. Ha estado de mothentre los que se oponen a la agenda hispana decir que no hay tal cosy como una comunidad hispana o latina. Como mucho, nos representaban como una comunidad balcanica, con muy poco en comtin. Estaban equivocados y van a estarlo mis aitn en el futum. Estamos siendo testigos de un

proceso caracteristico de la historia de aculturacion de los Estados Unidos que conduce a forjar la identidad de un grupo. La experiencia de los italoamericanos es un ejemplo Italia, tal como la conocemos hoy dia, no exnstia

hasta el 1871. Nuestros primeros inmigrantes "italianos" nunca utilizaron ese termino para referirse a si mismos. Elks can sicilianos, romanos, venecianos; no italianos. Entre los mismos grupos y en la madre patria, los italianos tenian diferencias significativas. Pero en cste pais, otros vicron sus simili-

poder en to numerosos que son. Este patron de minimizar las diferencias regionales en su nueva tiara tambien caractcrizo a los judios, chinos y otros grupos etnicos.

Lo mismo ha estado sucediendo boy dia entre los mcxicoamcricanos, puertorriqueiios, salvadoredos, cubanoamericanos y otros de esta nacion. La gente esta notando a

quien oficialmente es la minoria diferencias, sino que nos ven como hispanos o Latinos. Pero mis importante ann,

nosotros tambien nos vemos de laws forma. Nuestros las comunes son fuertes; no solo nuestro idioma, nuestra cultura y nuestra herencia, sino tambien nuestro insistente optimismo, nuestra interminable etica del trabajo, nuestros inalterables valorcs familiarcs, y nucstra etea fe en este pals. Finalmente, entendemos que nuestros asuntos en comtin no solo son en extremo similares, sino tan vitales que debemos unimos para lograr el Sucno Amcricano pa rstodos en

convcrtirse en `americans`, parte de la corriente de EEUU, requcria que trabajaran juncos. Atrajeron la

atencion y encontraron fortaleza y

downplay anything overtly related to my background. [just wanted to fit in like everyone else.

Then I came east to attend an Ivy League college, where I have never felt so "ethnic" in my entire life. After walking into my dorm one day with a friend, we parted and she continued upstairs. From below, I overheard her roommate ask, "Who's that dark guy?" I almost went to check myself in the mirror; it was'a shock that she looked at me and only saw the color of my skin. Over the next four years, I was routinely asked what language I spoke at home (English); if I was from the barrio (no); and whether I was the first person in my family to attend college (no). People seemed disappointed by my answers. Maybe I wasn't the walking billboard for affirmative action they expected. I grew up in the '70s and '80s trying to figure out my place not only in mi familia but also in mi cultura. At times, being Latino was a source of great pride; other times, it made me feel selfconscious. I was uneasy about my heritage because I wasn't sure how to relate to it.

If I was "good" at being Mexican, did that make me less American? I was well into adulthood before I was comfortable accepting my ethnicity on my own terms. My experiences are not unusual among Hispanic Americans. Unlike past generations, we no longer feel pressure to assimilate and give up cherished traditions. Yet we continue to seek a balance between two cultures. We're simultaneously proud of our heritage and wary of being defined by it. Earlier this year, the Census Bureau announced that Hispanics have become the nation's largest "minority group," now totaling 13 percent of the population. I was glad to hear the news, because Pmhopeful that our growing numbers will eventually translate into increased educational and employment opportunities. However, I shudder to think of the political parties, corporations and media conglomerates that view Latinos in the aggregate. We are so much more than a niche market, let alone the latest demographic trend. From the lowly restaurant worker to New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson to J. Lo,

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