May Day Speech — Not Delivered

Posted May 6, 2010

The May 1st rally in defense of immigrant rights in Los Angeles was one of the largest, but Nativo Vigil Lopez, president of the Mexican American Political Association (MAPA), was unable to deliver his speech — apparently he was viewed as too militant.

MAPA is an organization that has most recently focused on the right of all immigrants to have driver’s licenses. The denial of licenses to undocumented immigrants is an attempt to drive them into the shadows, but it is also a safety issue for everyone!

Below is the speech he had planned to deliver, first in English, then in Spanish.

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LEGALIZATION OR NO RE-ELECTION

(This is the speech that the “May Day Unity Coalition” in Los Angeles did not allow Nativo Vigil Lopez pronounce at the May Day march. They say that he is too much of a red rooster and makes the politicians feel uncomfortable).

We are free men and women or we are slaves. We are the ones who must choose who we are and who we want to be. No matter all that they do to try and humiliate us, they cannot humiliate him who has built his own dignity by himself and with close friends and family; knows who he is, knows from whence he came, and knows where he is headed.

Our people are a working class people and we have built the economy of this country and that of our own country of origin. In reality, we are the real heroes of the nations. We support two countries at the same time even though we are a people that is persecuted, attacked, detained, jailed, isolated by this society, poorly paid, denied services and ignored by the political leaders – the so-called governing class.

We are loyal workers. We are loyal voters. We are persons of faith. We are family men and women, responsible and dedicated to progress.

We deserve a fair and just treatment, and an immigration reform for which we have been searching and struggling for years to crown as a golden prize.

The struggle has not been easy, but it has not been impossible to build a new life in this country. They say that God squeezes but does not strangle.

The new anti-immigrant, anti-Mexican, and anti-Latino law in Arizona is an infamy that comes fifteen years after a similar experience in California with Proposition 187. And, as we defeated it in California there is no doubt that we will also defeat it in Arizona. If we must shut down the state of Arizona to defeat SB1070 with boycotts, strikes, economic shut-downs, student strikes, judicial litigation, boycotts of sports teams and events, and most important, that the people of Arizona refuses to cooperate with the authorities – this is what we are called upon to do. Without the cooperation of working people with the governing political regimen in Arizona, there can be no public order or social peace. This is the power that we have and we must apply it. We must know who we are, have no fear to defend ourselves peacefully and with intelligence, and force the authorities to obey God’s law.

Legalization or NO re-election is a slogan that begins to be heard throughout the nation since an immigration reform does not appear on the horizon according to the most recent comments by President Obama and the leaders of his party. We say that there must be consequences for promising much and delivering so little. This is the first basic lesson in politics and no one knows this better than the very politicians. Not only have they not delivered, but worst, they have unleashed a wave of repression and persecution against our families not seen in two generations.

Much criticism has arisen towards Arizona by politicians of the opposing party to the Republican Party, and well deserved, however, a good judge must begin with his own house, according to an old Mexican adage. We make a call to all municipal and state elected officials to declare an immediate halt to all seizures and robbery of the vehicles of our people, a halt to all detentions and deportations, a halt to unjust firings due to the lack of documents or a legitimate social security number, a halt to foreclosures on homes caused by the vil fraud committed by the banks.

These are the demands of our people and we will do all that is possible to be true to them. This is our mission. This is our destiny, and our commitment to you.

DOWN WITH ARIZONA!
DOWN WITH THE ROBBERY OF OUR CARS!
LEGALIZATION OR NO RE-ELECTION!
LONG LIVE THE FREE AND SOVEREIGN MEN AND WOMEN!

LEGALIZACION O NO RE-ELECCION

Discuros por Nativo Vigil Lopez, PRIMERO DE MAYO – Los Angeles 2010

(Este es discurso que no le permitieron a Nativo Vigil Lopez pronunciar en la marcha del Primero de Mayo en la ciudad de Los Angeles por la “Coalicion de Unidad 1ro de Mayo.” Dicen que es demasiado gallo rojo y incomoda a los politicos )

Somos hombres y mujeres libres o somos esclavos. Nosotros somos quienes tenemos que escoger quienes somos y quienes quieremos ser. No obstante todo lo que hacen para tratar de humillarnos, no se puede humillar a aquel que edifica su propia dignidad por si solo y con sus companeros y familia, y sabe quien es, sabe de donde viene y hacia adonde va. Nuestro pueblo es un pueblo trabajador y hemos edificado las economias de este pais y nuestro pais de origen. En realidad somos los verdaderos heroes de las patrias. Sostenemos a dos paises a la misma vez a pesar de ser un pueblo perseguido, atacado, detenido, encarcelado, y orillado por esta sociedad, mal pagado, negado servicios, e ignorados por los lideres politicos – los llamados gobernantes.

Somos trabajadores leales. Somos votantes leales. Somos personas de fe. Somos hombres y mujeres de familia, responsables, y dedicados a progresar.

Merecemos un trato igual y la reforma migratoria que ya llevamos años buscando, luchando por coronar como el premio dorado.

La lucha no ha sido facil, pero tampoco ha sido imposible edificar una nueva vida en este pais. Dicen que Dios aprieta pero no ahorca.

La nueva ley anti-inmigrante, anti-mexicana, anti- latina en Arizona es una infamia que viene quince años despues de semejante experiencia en California con la ley 187. Y como la derrotamos en California no cabe ninguna duda que igualmente la derrotaremos en Arizona. Si tenemos que cerrar el estado de Arizona para derrotar la ley SB1070 con boicoteos, huelgas, paros economicos, huelgas estudiantiles, demandas de corte, boicoteos a los equipos de deportes y mas importante que el pueblo de Arizona rehusa cooperar con las autoridades – esto es lo que estamos llamados a hacer. Sin la cooperacion del pueblo trabajador con el regimen politico gobernante de Arizona no puede haber orden publico y no puede haber paz social. Esta es nuestra fuerza y la tenemos que aplicar. Hay que saber quienes somos, no tener miedo de defendernos pacificamente y con inteligencia, y obligar a las autoridades obedecer a la ley de Dios.

Legalizacion o NO re-eleccion es la consigna que resuena ahora por toda la nacion ya que no se vislumbre una reforma migratoria este año de acuerdo a los ultimos comentarios del Presidente Obama y los lideres de su partido. Decimos que tiene que haber consecuencias por prometer mucho y cumplir poco. Esta es la primera leccion basica en la politica y nadie lo sabe mejor que los mismos politicos. No solo no nos han cumplido, sino peor es que han desatado una ola de represion y persecusion contra nuestras famiilisa jamas visto en dos generaciones.

Se ha levantado mucha critica hacia Arizona por politicos del partido opositor al partido republicano ,y bien merecida, sin embargo, un buen juez por su propia casa empieza. Hacemos un llamado a todos los politicos municipales y estatales de declarar un alto inmediato al decomiso y robo de los carros de nuestra gente, alto a las detenciones y deportaciones, alto a los despidos injustos por faltar documentos o un seguro social legitimo, alto al embargo de las casas causado por el fraude vil cometido por los bancos. Estas son las demandas de nuestro pueblo y haremos todo lo posible por ser leales a ellas. Esta es nuestra mission. Este es nuestro destino y compromiso ante ustedes.

Abajo con Arizona! Abajo con el robo de los carros! Legalizacion o NO re-eleccion!
Que vivan los hombres y las mujers libres y
soberanos!

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Join us in this prolonged campaign for driver’s licenses and visas for our families. The first step in making change is to join an organization that pursues the change we desire. We welcome you to our ranks.

Other organizations leading this movement include: Hermandad Mexicana Latinoamericana, Mexican American Political Association (MAPA), MAPA Youth Leadership, Southern California Immigration Coalition, Liberty and Justice for Immigrants Movement, National Alliance for Immigrant’s Rights, and immigrant’s rights coalitions throughout the U.S..

CONTACT:
Nativo V. Lopez, National President of MAPA (323) 269-1575