Liz Thatcher asked me a question on RightOnSCV, which inspired this blog post so, thanks Liz but fair (pun intended) WARNING LONG BLOG POST.

There was a group called You Don’t Speak For Me, which was founded by retired Army Colonel Al Rodríguez in 2006 to represent Americans of Hispanic ancestry like him who are opposed to legalization for those who have entered the US illegally or overstayed their visas. The group was created after Colonel Rodríguez viewed media coverage of the 2006 United States immigration reform protests. According to Rodriguez, "Their leaders were saying it was a march for immigrant rights and a Latino/Hispanic movement. I thought to myself, 'Hey, those are illegal aliens, not immigrants!' I'm of Hispanic ancestry and those people are acting like they speak for me. Well, you don't speak for me!"

You Don't Speak for Me was launched with help from the Federation for American Immigration Reform whose acronym is FAIR. Less than three months after the launch, a vice chair of the group claimed that it had attracted about a thousand members. In 2007, group leaders participated in a rally for immigration reform outside of the White House.

I personally contacted FAIR a few months ago after learning of their existence, wanted to join the group, but was told via email by their representative Susan Tully, tullys@fairus.org, FAIR National Field Director that this group is no longer active. Needless to say, I was very disappointed.

There are many of us all over the USA, who continue to speak out against the abuses committed AGAINST the legal residents of the USA by illegal aliens. Amongst those in the political arena who publicly support LEGAL immigration and OPPOSE illegal immigration New Mexico Governor Susana Martínez, Florida Congressman Marco Rubio, Texas Congressman Francisco “Quico” Canseco, Washington State Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler, former California Lieutenant Governor Abel Maldonado are all Americans of Hispanic ancestry.

Unfortunately, we have a current administration led by President Barack Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder, which is suing individual states of the UNITED States of America for their efforts to stem the tide of illegal aliens draining their taxpayer resources and victimizing their legal residents. These states have only undertaken these measures because their/our Federal Government has failed to secure our borders and enforce the law. Even now, this administration is still attempting to pass the Dream Act although voted down by our elected Congress, and advance a national "amnesty by Presidential decree" agenda to circumvent the will of the people and American interests. To me this is in and of itself absolutely a travesty and incredible!

The United States of America is a sovereign nation, with lawfully binding immigration laws, which OUR Federal Government and ALL of our leaders at whatever government level and of whatever race or ethnicity swear an oath to uphold and defend. They have failed us miserably and it is no wonder states like Arizona, Alabama, Georgia, and Utah have already passed, and Lawmakers in Idaho, Maryland, Oklahoma, and Texas, have indicated that they will push to adopt measures related to Arizona’s hard new immigration laws when they reconvene their following legislative session. Additionally, Lawmakers in Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Pennsylvania and South Carolina have currently introduced “copycat” legislation. All of these states are trying to protect their citizens from the abject failure of our own federal government to secure our borders and enforce our lawfully enacted immigration laws.

I believe it is up to those of us eligible to vote to hold them accountable at the ballot box. Those of us who are Americans of Hispanic ancestry in my opinion have a special obligation to speak up in defense of our country and the right of this nation to enforce immigration laws. I personally have been called every name imaginable from both sides of this issues and it deters me not one iota. My immigrant parents understood the difference between right and wrong, our obligation to defend that which is right and speak out against what is wrong, and passed those values on to me. When and if the head of state of any foreign nation, which has a credible immigration policy in effect, that actually works, wants to give us advice I will listen but until that time comes, Felípe Calderón and the rest can shut up and concentrate on getting their own house in order.

Moreover, MY president, whoever he/she may be, needs to listen to, defend, and honor the wishes of the legal residents/voters of the United States of America. I have never, nor will I ever, vote for anyone who advocates for amnesty or any other REWARD for those breaking the law and entering the United States of America without permission. By the way, the only current presidential candidate scoring well on immigration issues is Michele Bachman with a “B-” grade. Governor Rick Perry’s current ranking is “D-” per http://www.numbersusa.com/content/action/2012-presidential-hopefuls-immigration-stances.html

In my opinion, political “leaders” such as Barack Obama, Eric Holder, Janet Napolitano, California Assembly member Gil Cedillo, Illinois Congressman Luis Gutierrez, and their ilk should be arrested and tried for treason against the United States of America. They show more concern for foreign nationals than the American taxpayers, who misguidedly elected them to office or the laws they swore to uphold. They are all violating their own sworn oaths to uphold and defend the laws and Constitution of the USA against ALL threats both foreign and domestic.

Historically the United States has actually been quite generous to foreigners on American soil. When Mexico gained California from Spain, the Mexican government confiscated property and DEPORTED all Spanish Citizens. When the United States of America won control of California, Mexican citizens were allowed to remain, keep their land if they could substantiate legal ownership, and become AMERICAN citizens. The La Raza folks (the race, which one again?), LULAC, MALDEF, MECHA, the ACLU, etc are seriously misinformed! Apparently, none of these folks recognizes the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. The land that the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo brought into the United States became, between 1850 and 1912, all or part of ten States. They are California (1850), Nevada (1864), Utah (1896), and Arizona (1912), as well as the whole of, depending upon interpretation, the entire State of Texas (1845) that then included part of Kansas (1861), Colorado (1876), Wyoming (1890), Oklahoma (1902), and New Mexico (1912).

The treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed by Nicholas Trist on behalf of the U.S. Fully authorized to represent the government as plenipotentiary and conferred with "full powers" representatives of Mexico Luis G.  Cuevas, Bernardo Couto and Miguel Atristain signed on February 2, 1848, at the main altar of the old Basilica of Guadalupe at Villa Hidalgo (within the present city limits) as U.S troops under the command of Gen. Winfield Scott were OCCUPYING Mexico City. WE AMERICANS WON SO THEY NEED TO GET OVER IT!

Legal immigrants are well represented by Ms. Salcedo’s comments:

http://www.frugal-cafe.com/public_html/frugal-blog/frugal-cafe-blogzone/2010/05/18/you-dont-speak-for-me-legal-mexican-immigrants-outraged-over-amnesty-for-illegals-standing-up-against-illegal-immigration-video/

While I am on my soapbox, you cannot be “Mexican American” since they are both individual nationalities unless you have dual citizenship and in that case, it would be American Mexican if you reside in this country, otherwise you are one or the other. The same applies to persons of Cuban, Italian, Irish, Polish, etc ancestry. Maybe this is part of the problem too, what country do these folks advocating for the “rights” of illegals actually pledge allegiance to?

I am giving serious thought to forming another “You Don’t Speak for Me” group as a counter to these folks who claim that “Hispanics” want amnesty for illegals, the Dream Act enacted, etc since they truly do not speak for me or any other AMERICANS of Hispanic ancestry that I am related to or know.

I hope I answered your question Liz.