Locals join national "Stop Lou Dobbs" campaign

2009-10-22T03:28:05Z

Noon-hour visitors to Cesar Chavez Plaza were able to view more than just a farmer's market Wednesday.

They also witnessed about 20 activists and members of the media in a press conference announcing the "Stop Lou Dobbs" campaign created by the national Latino community group, www.presente.org.

The group formed as a response to anti-Latino sentiment in the media, starting with who they feel is the worst offender: CNN's Lou Dobbs. According to the group's website, www.bastadobbs.com, Dobbs uses his news program "Lou Dobbs Tonight" to spread false information about immigrants and Latinos.

Held only hours before CNN debuts a four-hour documentary called "Latino in America," the group came together to challenge what it called "CNN's hypocrisy."

"I think that CNN can't continue to present this dichotomous view of Latinos as strong people and then (have Dobbs) trash our heritage," said Rafael Aguilera of Sacramento's La Raza network.

Gathering around the statue of Cesar Chavez, several of the speakers included Sacramento's Chicano Consortium director Efren Guttierrez, CSUS ethnic studies professor Eric Vega and Sacramento's Council on American-Islamic Relations director Basim Elkarra.

"The location has always been symbolic of Chavez, a humanitarian who fought for all of us, at the center of our hearts," Guttierrez said.

"Lou Dobbs and others have been spreading hatred through the airways," he said in a speech to the small group of local media and gatherers.

A press release from www.bastadobbs.com said that out of 140 broadcast hours from Jan. 1 to July 23 of this year, 77 hours of "Lou Dobbs Tonight" included segments on immigrants. The website stated, "Dobbs helps popularize the myth that Latino immigrants flood the U.S. with disease (and) a third of our prison system is made up of illegal aliens." The website states both claims are not true.

It also said that Dobbs promoted extremist groups such as Federation for American Immigration Reform and The Minutemen on his show.

"Incitement (of hate) leads to hate crimes," Elkarra said. "Organizations like CNN have a responsibility not to support hate."

"Dobbs hides behind the first amendment, and his speech leads to an increase in attacks against Latinos," Vega said.

Local photographer Francisco Dominguez said he thinks Latinos have suffered racism since this country's inception.

"(Racism) has no business on television (posed) as news," Dominguez said. "There needs to be checks on the program, (especially when) the No. 1 victims of hate crimes are Latinos."

Rob Griffith, a local reporter from Capitol Television News Service, said that while he's never watched Lou Dobbs' show, the Stop Lou Dobbs campaign is misdirected.

"The people behind (Stop Lou Dobbs) misunderstand how the first amendment works," he said. "Efforts to silence opposition violates American freedoms."

Guttierrez explained that www.presente.org has already received 70,000 signatures on a petition to pull Dobbs off the air, but the goal is 100,000. Though Guttierrez urged Latinos and others to watch the CNN program airing tonight, Domiguez said that he was ready to boycott CNN entirely.

"CNN will understand that," he said. "It's the same thing that Chavez did with the grape growers. He was a master organizer."

Guttierrez said that he would watch "Latino in America" out of respect for the people whom the program features. He mentioned that CNN is the most trusted name in news, but added "if this is how CNN builds trust, (they) will lose it."

Local Businesses Celebrate Mexican Independence

2009-09-16T03:36:37Z

Sept. 16 marks the anniversary of Mexican Independence Day, the date in 1810 when Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, a Mexican priest, held an early morning mass and rang the bell of his church to encourage his people to fight against Spain for their freedom. The call signaled the official beginning of Mexico's war for independence. While Hidalgo was captured and executed the next year, Mexico won the war a decade later and became its own country.

The event is often confused with Cinco de Mayo, which is more popular in America. This date commemorates the Battle of Puebla, which the Mexican army won against the French on May 5, 1862. It is mostly celebrated in the state of Puebla, and though some other regions recognize it, Mexican Independence Day is the true nationwide holiday for Mexico.

To acknowledge the most important moment in Mexican history, several Sacramento restaurants and businesses will be holding their own festivals. Many are celebrating the event all week long. Here are a few activities happening in our community to in honor of Mexico's Independence:

Popular Mexican restaurant Zocalo is hosting a celebration starting at 5 p.m. on Wednesday.

"We're starting the party then because the holiday falls on a weekday and we know people have to go to work the next day," manager Gabriel Rodriguez said of the night's expected liveliness.

Zocalo is also hiring a mariachi band, a band playing norteño-style music, and folklorica ballet dancers performing traditional numbers.

"There will be a professional jimador [a farmer who harvests and prepares agave plants] from Mexico who will do a demonstration on how to carve agaves and produce tequila," said Rodriguez.

The main event of the night is a tasting hosted by Herradura, which will feature the maker's top-shelf tequilas. Tickets for the event are $10. Tasters can also sample other brands from Zocalo's selection.

Ernesto's Mexican Food is celebrating from Monday through Wednesday. The downtown eatery is having drink specials and live mariachi performances on the day of the event. Margaritas made with Cazadores tequila are $7.

"We will also have girls from Tecate who will be handing out free prizes like shot glasses," said general manager Mel Barzola.

"While we are offering the drink specials those days, Wednesday is the major party with the music and dancing," said Barzola.

The restaurant has been celebrating Mexican Independence Day for almost all of its 18 years in business.

"It seems like most of the places are sort of doing their own thing and not really having one big festival together," added Barzola.

The local art scene is also joining the festivities. Private collector Larry Hoover will be opening his exhibition on Tuesday to coincide with the date. Hoover will be showing 30 masks from his his collection of 150 at La Raza Galeria Posada, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. ending on December 31.

The exhibit, called Sacred & Shared, will also host numerous programs for the public, including workshops and demonstrations by master mask makers and lectures about their craft.

The masks are from all over Mexico, demonstrating the diversity and widespread importance of the medium to the nation's culture.

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Locals join national "Stop Lou Dobbs" campaign

Local Businesses Celebrate Mexican Independence