SoCal Latinos on the whole in terms of political sophistication are way out ahead of Lone Star State Latinos. Fifteen or so years ago when California GOP Governor Pete Wilson went after paperless folks, players in SoCal made a huge investment in Latino political empowerment and the political landscape was altered for the better. Latino political empowerment is a huge factor in the success of California Dems.
SoCal Latino political leaders and organizations have now set their sights on MLB Commissioner Bud Selig and the way he’s treating the owner of the LA Dodgers. Here is from a press release yesterday:
A growing number of Latino organizations are speaking out in support of embattled Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt, arguing that McCourt and the Dodgers have done more for the Latino community and communities of color than the last Dodger owners combined. Citing the building of one dozen “Dream Fields” in inner-city neighborhoods throughout Los Angeles and the Dodger’s philanthropic efforts to literally thousands of organizations, Latino leaders spoke out in support of McCourt.
“In seven short years, Frank McCourt has improved previously weak relations with the Latino community by being accessible and by investing his money in our community and other communities of color,” said former Congressman Ambassador Esteban Torres. “He has built a dozen state-of-the-art “Dream Fields”, and has donated to literally thousands of worthwhile organizations. He didn’t have to do these things, he chose to, and that’s what separates him from a number of folks, including previous Dodgers owners.”
Here are the organizations that are going after Selig: William C. Velasquez Institute, MALDEF, Mexican American Political Association (MAPA), Community Union (CU), Central American Resource Center (CARECEN), Anahuak Youth Sports Association, National Alliance of Latin American and Caribbean Communities (NALACC), National Day Laborers Organizing Network (NDLON), Council of Mexican Federations (COFEM), and Centaur North.
Here is what they also put out:
Latino leaders were quick to draw a comparison between McCourt’s responsiveness and accessibility to the Latino community with Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig’s record of turning a blind eye to the concerns of the community. Leaders also pointed to the NBA and its willingness to allow the Phoenix Suns to change their jerseys to “Los Suns”, in opposition to Arizona’s SB 1070. When communities across the country called upon Selig to move baseball’s All-Star game from Phoenix (scheduled for July of 2011), Selig refused.
“Selig has turned a cold shoulder to the Latino community,” said Antonio Gonzalez, President of the William C. Velasquez Institute (WCVI). “He was silent on SB 1070. He refused to even consider moving the All-Star game from Phoenix, Arizona. He sat silent while Carlos Santana was booed in Georgia for taking a stand in opposition to Georgia’s version of SB 1070, and his generic response to our May 13, 2011 letter to him was inacceptable. We formally request a meeting with Commissioner Selig.”
In their letter to Selig, Latino leaders asked that Selig rescind his receivership of the Dodgers, approve the capitalization plan proposed by Dodger owner McCourt, and engage the Dodgers in an open and transparent dialogue that will lead to a fair and equitable long-term resolution between Selig and the Dodgers, its fans, and the Latino community. To date Selig has not substantively addressed the requests.
“The Dodgers are too important to our community and to the greater Los Angeles community. We aren’t going to go away. We will fight for our Dodgers against this unwelcome and unwarranted attack by such an insensitive interloper as Bud Selig,” concluded Nativo Lopez, President of Mexican American Political Association (MAPA).
If I’m Bud Selig, I don’t know if I want this problem. SoCal Latinos definitely know how to play hardball. Stay tuned!
What a difference a couple of time zones make. SoCal Latinos are taking on the MLB while Lone Star State Latinos are taking on GOP Tea Baggers that think we ARE THE PROBELMO!
The Pirates visit The Yard for three starting this evening. Who was the last Pirate to win the NL MVP Award and when?
I am sure GOPers from the Clear Lake area weren’t too happy with last night’s GOP Prez debate. Here is what Newt said about NASA:
“NASA has become an absolute case study in why bureaucracy cannot innovate. What we have is bureaucracy after bureaucracy, failure after failure.”
When asked for a show of hands on who would continue to spend money on NASA’s human space flight program – none of the GOP wannabees raised their hand. Uh-oh!
Barry, Barry, Bonds of course won the 1992 NL MVP Award as a Pirate.
Hunter Pence went 3 for 4 last night with a two run dinger and four RBIs. He is the top ten in five major MLB offensive categories today: 88 hits, 19 doubles, .325 average, 138 total bases, and 50 RBIs.
Dante and I sat in Pam-In-Charge’ s seats last night and Dante had a couple of balls tossed to him by Pence and Michael Bourn. We finally got a win over The ATL – whew!
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