Arizona Rep. Rallies Against Climate Of Fear Facing Latinos

By Meagan Wiseley - University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) delivered the keynote closing address of Hispanic Month at the Library of Congress Tuesday where he attacked the harsh tone the immigration debate has taken.

Grijalva said the “irrational fear” being targeted on Latino immigrants has led to a general fear of “those with perceived differences” such as language difference, skin color, culture or national origin. He believes these fears are the origin for an English-only movement in U.S. schools, a larger number of hate crimes against immigrants and a vigilante border situation.

“The fear and the hatred being generated against immigrants has a direct impact on all Latinos,” Grijalva warned.

Grijalva added, “when you hear the Glenn Becks and Lou Dobbs of the world ... they’re building an America that so obviously has no room for tolerance for many other Americans.” He noted, “its a movement based on denial...it’s a movement based on exclusion.”

Grijalva also said the foundation of this immigration movement is education.

“I think that education continues to be the cornerstone, and that’s where the largest investment has to go”, Grijalva said.

The Arizona Democrat says he believes the successful future of the Latino community depends on legislators providing more educational opportunities.

“We have a responsibility to make sure the education system is responsive to all children”, Grijalva said.

Illinois Congressman Calls On Honduran Gov't To Allow Zelaya Back In Country

By Meagan Wiseley - University of New Mexico, Talk Radio News Service

In a press conference Thursday, Rep. Aaron Schock (R-Ill.) said that according to a report written by the Library of Congress, the removal of former Honduran President Manuel Zelaya was not a coup, and was, in fact, legal according to the Honduran Constitution.

“The nonpartisan Congressional Research Service concluded that the removal of former President Zelaya was Constitutional, and we must respect that," said Schock.

The report determined that while Zelaya's removal from power was legal, his removal from the country was illegal.

Shock believes Zelaya, who is being held in a Brazilian Embassy, should be released and allowed re-entry into Honduras.

"I call on the Honduran government to issue a general amnesty for everyone involved, including Manuel Zelaya, in his removal from power. With that said, that will require Manuel Zelaya and his supporters to obey the law and not advocate insurrection, the violent overthrow of the government or insight violence," Schock said.

Schock intends to work with the Honduran government to ensure that Zelaya is allowed back into Honduras and given the rights and responsibilities of a free citizen.

Lincoln making his way back

by Christina Lovato, University of New Mexico-Talk Radio News Service

The U.S. Library of Congress will open up its new “With Malice Toward None: The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Exhibition” for the public on February 12, 2009, in celebration of the 200th birthday of America’s 16th president. The Library of Congress holds the largest Lincoln collection in the world which is made up of 20,000 items.

The exhibit includes letters, photographs, political cartoons, period engravings, speeches, and artifacts of Lincoln. It also includes the 1861 inaugural Bible used by President Barack Obama for his swearing-in ceremony, contents of Lincoln’s pockets on the night he was assassinated, and photographs of the Lincoln family.

Dr. James Billington, the Librarian of Congress said “This exhibit is utterly unique... First and foremost, it represents the first opportunity the general public has had in 50 years to see the original versions in Lincoln’s own hand of his greatest and most transformative speeches.” The exhibition includes the reading copy of his Gettysburg Address, the first draft of the Emancipation Proclamation and his personal notebooks.

The Library of Congress Exhibition Director, Cheryl Regan, said that putting together the exhibition took a number of years. “The challenge for an exhibition is how to sort of focus what we’re doing to tell a story that’s coherent.” Regan also said that this concentration of Lincoln documents has not been shown since 1959 at the Library of Congress.

The exhibition will be open to the public this Thursday, Feb. 12th, and will be at the Library of Congress until May 2009 after which it will be at 6 other sites in the United States. The exhibition can be accessed online as well on the Library of Congress web site.

Library of Congress opens up Lincoln exhibition to the public

by Christina Lovato, University of New Mexico-Talk Radio News Service

The U.S. Library of Congress will open up their new “With Malice Toward None: The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Exhibition” for the public on February 12, 2009, in celebration of the 200th birthday of America’s 16th president. The exhibit includes letters, photographs, political cartoons, period engravings, speeches, and artifacts of Lincoln. It also includes the 1861 inaugural Bible used by President Barack Obama for his swearing-in ceremony, contents of Lincoln’s pockets on the night he was assassinated, and photographs of the Lincoln family.