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Blinded by demagogues Raoul Lowery Contreras
September 1, 2005 In modern America, demagogues have
from time to time blinded the decent people of this nation by manipulating the
media.
Many have handled the media with ease, and to their credit, have manipulated
themselves into celebrities and believable spokespersons relied upon by national
news organizations. Examples of the Reverends Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton come
to mind, as does Ku Klux Klan Imperial Wizard David Duke.
Hispanics have such a person among them: his name, Nativo (real name-Larry)
Lopez, former head of the discredited Hermandad Mexicana Nacional. Lopez
currently heads the tiny California Mexican American Political Association (MAPA).
He portrays himself as a leader of Hispanic America. However he represents
himself in a ! carbon copy manner of Sharpton, Jackson and Duke.
Intelligent people reject demagogues like Lopez. He does not represent many
Hispanics. He is rejected for his causes and for his own beliefs. He is not good
for Hispanics – instead, his actions and rhetoric betrays them.
For example, on the Iraq War, Lopez makes up statistics to bolster his anti-war
views on what he calls an "unjust war" claiming that over "3000 Americans have
been killed in the war" despite the fact that the figure widely reported in the
media -- less than 1900 -- is much less.
His call for "immediate withdrawal" of American troops flies in the face of
reality and of the very "sovereignty" he refers to for the people of Iraq; the
vast majority of whom support American efforts to bring democracy to their
country, something Iraqis have never experienced.
Lopez also demonstrates tortuous thinking on the effort by Californians to force
public employee unions to seek signed permission from members to spend their
dues on partisan political campaigns. His organization, in defending the
"privacy" of workers, opposes giving those same workers the right to decide how
their own union dues are spent.
Lately Lopez has set his sights on private business in a campaign that attacks
companies that actively help Hispanics buy homes. Lopez claims Hispanics are
taken advantage of by legitimate home mortgage lenders because many Hispanics
who do not qualify for the most favorable loan rates may have to pay higher fees
and interest than those with perfect credit. This could be due to either poor
credit histories or low incomes. In truth, millions of people pay more than
others when buying cars, getting loans, or getting a new roof. That is not
limited to Hispanics. That’s life.
Lopez forgets that in America, its’ good business to do business with everyone
regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or political ideology.
Home ownership is the great equalizer of men and the up-lifter of those who want
to come to America and live the American dream. He goes after those companies
willing to do business with minorities, and just when they need a break Lopez,
Jackson, Sharpton and the rest try to yank the dream away.
Because Lopez knows little of what he complains about he once again betrays the
very people he claims to represent. Hispanics, just like everyone else want to
own their own house, not rent. Companies that help Hispanics buy houses should
be praised not criticized, not boycotted and certainly not called racist.
Nativo Lopez would do well to keep his own house in order. Recently, the
Washington DC based watchdog organization Public Interest Watch called on
Attorney General Bill Lockyer to follow through on warnings issued to Hermandad
Mexicana Nacional for abusing its tax-exempt status.
According to Public Interest Watch, Hermandad Mexicana Nacional, formerly under
the guidance of Lopez, has failed to file its IRS tax forms or submit a renewal
fee to State of California since 2003, and has ignored notices of a pending tax
assessment from the Attorney General's office. According to IRS tax documents,
Hermandad Mexicana Nacional took in over one million dollars in gross receipts
in 2004. Rumor has it that Lopez pays himself over $60,000 a year.
With self-proclaimed H! ispanic "leaders" like Larry Nativo Lopez copying the
tactics of Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, the Hispanic community must draw its
own line in the sand and reject his rhetoric and his actions.
Not to long ago, in Santa Ana, California, Hispanic voters unceremoniously threw
Lopez out of his Santa Ana Board of Education seat by a 70 percent margin. All
Hispanics should follow suit and reject his latest radicalism out of hand; Lopez
and his ilk drag the Hispanic community down, not up.
Contreras’s newest book—THE ILLEGAL ALIEN: A DAGGER INTO THE HEART OF
AMERICA published by Floricanto Press is available and reviewed at
www.amazon.com and
www.barnesandnoble.com
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Raoul Lowery Contreras'
is a regularly featured columnist at CalNews.com
The New American Majority
Hispanics, Republicans &
George W. Bush: Accession to The White House
by CalNews.com's
Raoul Lowery-Contreras
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