Fear of Being What We Are

Well, that is what it has come down to. Once again, in North Carolina. Again, I feel sorry for undocumented people living in this state. I’m glad I’m not there but I highly doubt my state is any better.

Anyway, it seems that Hispanic leaders have to be afraid because they are pro-immigrant. They have received the usual, profanity filled messages, hate messages, among others, I’ve received the same treatment. But now, they’ve received death threats. I mean, wow, how far are people willing to go.

This is from the News and Observer.

“This is not about immigration,” Bazán said. “This is not about debating policy. This has moved on to another sphere. This is hate.”

Rep. Pricey Harrison, a Greensboro Democrat who sponsored the bill (in-state tuition for undocumented students bill), said she received one phone message warning that “my days are numbered.” She said the message, which included profane insults, felt like a threat.

“I have not seen anything like what illegal immigration elicits,” Harrison said. “It’s revealing a very ugly side of humanity that I’ve never seen before.”

“When you describe immigrants as Third World invaders or murderers, or say that they are swarming or coming in hordes, this is dehumanizing language,” Lauter said. “That kind of rhetoric inspires others who might act out on hate.”

How low does this country have to go before things get better?

Of course, the comment section of the newspaper has comments like the following.

From Stonewall83.

Plain and simple get rid of those mexicans. We don’t need them. This is a country founded on wonderful anglosaxon traditions. Anything contrary is plain unamerican. Get out mexicans!

Buzzaw

People are sick and tired of non whites telling whites to conform to their cultures. This country was intended to be a european only country. Since we have strayed away from that, we have been on a sharp decline.

And I saw other recognizible names from an anti-immigrant website that I won’t mention, which leads me to believe that the rest of the comments are no better. It is sad that this is the norm. But at least we are not being killed on the streets–oh, wait.

It Continues

Again from North Carolina, what’s wrong with these people, I would NEVER want to live there. Anyway, back to the point, again from North Carolina, another sign of the GREAT job the police are doing.

It was another dangerous mother, doing the horrible crime of driving. I’ll just quote the rest of the story, because seriously people, I couldn’t make this shit up even if I was paid to. From the News and Observer.

An illegal immigrant arrested on a traffic violation last month was forced to leave her three children on the shoulder of Interstate 85 in the middle of the night — where they were alone and stranded for eight hours.

An Alamance County sheriff’s deputy pulled Maria Chavira Ventura over just before 2 a.m. on June 14, according to arrest records. He took her to jail for driving without a license and displaying a false license plate, and she was eventually put under a federal deportation order. He left her children, 14, 10 and 6, with a man they barely knew, according to the N.C. Justice Center and Maryland social workers. He was a fellow church member who had been catching a ride with the family.

I’m just shocked by all the hypocrisy in the matter of enforcement. Many anti-immigrant advocates say that their problem is not with immigration, just with illegals. No, that’s a lie. Their problem is with brown people because policies that give immigration powers to police that only go after Latinos. That’s the truth. There is no way to differentiate between legal and illegal residents unless the assumption that all Latinos are illegal is made, which is what the anti people do. And please, don’t say that’s a lie, this is discrimination and demonization of an entire group of people. I thought America was better than this.

My Xbox 360

And so I have an Xbox 360. I’m happy with my purchase but I guess I won’t be able to fully take advantage of it until I sign on to Xbox Live when I get back to school. I have no Ethernet connection.

So, I got two games to go with it for now. The Orange Box and Mass Effect. The visuals in both are great. Half Life 2 is great fun so far, except for this part that I’m stuck on now. As for Mass Effect, while it is good so far, I also think it could have done it well to stay in production for a couple of months more. There are problems with pop-ups and slow down, the game’s framerate is pretty bad. Other than that, it is all good.

I can’t wait to get on Live though.

The Orange Box trailer

Half-Life 2 trailer

Mass Effect trailer

Op-ed on recent immigration raid in Providence

Garcia Hernandez gives a good historical background & some really disturbing reflections on the judiciary’s involvement in this raid & on its implications for migrants’ ability to seek justice in the US.

read more | digg story

My Dark Knight review

I have a blog. I can write about whatever I want. I want to write about The Dark Knight.

Awesome. Amazing Stupendous. Great. Good. Best. And I’m running out of synonyms. The only thing I can tell you if you are reading this is the following. Close your laptop or turn of computer. Now, go to your car and turn it on and go to the nearest movie theater. See it. See it again afterward because it is that good. This might be the only movie I might see more than twice.

The acting of the late Heath Ledger is beyond anything I was expecting. It was funny and terrifying at the same time. We can only wonder how much more he could have done if he was still here. The rest of the cast, being Christian Bale, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, and Cillian Murphy all bring their A-game to the movie.

After the introduction of Batman and his origin story in the first movie, this movie follows it up with action and lots of it. Christopher Nolan, the director, doesn’t give a back story to the Joker but I think that is good, we don’t really want to know what it is that made him the monster that he is. And Nolan does something in the middle of the movie that I would have never imagined possible, the man has b***s.

So far, this is the best movie of the year. It transcends the superhero/comic book genre into something more. I really can’t describe it, go see it even if you don’t like these type of movies. You won’t regret it. It is amazing.

Why so serious? Does it depress you, how alone you really are…

Star Wars: Clone Wars

Ok, well, I’m a huge Star Wars nut. I love Star Wars, loved it since I lived in Mexico. I think lightsabers are kick-ass. And now there is a new movie coming out, albeit, an animated one. By the time this movie comes out I’ll be back in school so the chances of seeing the movie are pretty high. I wish though that Lucas would now focus on the events that happened after ep. VI. I mean, I think this movie is okay (blind Star Wars fan) but we know what is going to happen because we know how the Clone Wars end. EVERYONE DIES!

Trailer 1

Trailer 2. I can’t wait for the lightsaber action and yes, I’m a huge dork…

Nintendo E3 Conference

One word. Lame. Aside from Animal Crossing: City Folk, there was nothing there for me. Nothing. I supported Nintendo through the N64 and Gamecube eras. What did I ever do deserve the crap that they are offering now? Wii Sports 2? Wii Music? No, no, no. No Kid Icarus even????? So, it looks like I’ll be going over to the competition unless something drastic happens by the end of the week . What should I get? A Playstation 3 or an Xbox 360 is the question now…

HOLY SH*T: Final Fantasy XIII for 360!!!!!!!!

More to come soon, I can’t believe it! I just saw this and my jaw dropped. DAMN. More to come once I see it. It is confirmed, Final Fantasy XIII will be coming to the PS3 and Xbox 360 simultaneously. WOW, just…didn’t see that coming…

Hopefully some footage soon!

Update 1. Now that I’ve recovered from the blow of the news, it seems like a good strategy for Square-Enix to go against the exclusitivity they had with Sony. The 360 does have a bigger penetration in Europe and the US. Holy Mother of God though, I still can’t believe it. More official info to come!

E3 News: Wii MotionPlus

This is entirely from Nintendo, via IGN.

“Nintendo’s upcoming Wii MotionPlus accessory for the revolutionary Wii Remote controller again redefines game control, by more quickly and accurately reflecting motions in a 3-D space. The Wii MotionPlus accessory attaches to the end of the Wii Remote and, combined with the accelerometer and the sensor bar, allows for more comprehensive tracking of a player’s arm position and orientation, providing players with an unmatched level of precision and immersion. Every slight movement players make with their wrist or arm is rendered identically in real time on the screen, providing a true 1:1 response in their game play. The Wii MotionPlus accessory reconfirms Nintendo’s commitment to making games intuitive and accessible for everyone. Nintendo will reveal more details about the Wii MotionPlus accessory and other topics Tuesday morning at its E3 media briefing.”

Now, Nintendo is announcing this right before the Microsoft press conference which means something is up. Nintendo wouldn’t just reveal this today if they had no reason, after all, their press conference is tomorrow. So, this to me adds more fuel to the rumor fire of MS releasing a new controller with motion control. They are the only ones who haven’t done it, to Nintendo it was a great success with the Wii and to Sony, well, they are still failing with their gimped system. We will know for sure in less than an hour.

So, what does this new adapter mean to the average Wii owner like myself? This means I have better get my damn lightsaber game from LucasArts or a sword fighter game that will allow for one on one control. I’m sure NIntendo will reveal something that is compatible with the game tomorrow though, they wouldn’t just drop this with nothing. For instance, when Nintendo released their rumble pack back in the N64 days, it was released with Star Fox 64. Needless to say, things are getting interesting.

A Couragous Stand

Well, this is not about immigration but I’m going to blog about it anyways. It is kind of old too but I’m glad that some people do have b***s. The past 4th of July, the man known as Jesse Helms died. As far as I’ve been told and now read, he was one the most racist and homophobic individuals to ever wield power in this country. Seriously, to the people of NC, what the hell where you thinking in electing this guy? So much hate, destruction, it’s ridiculous and embarrassing. You people should be ashamed. Here are some of the quotes from the illustrious man himself.

“The New York Times and Washington Post are both infested with homosexuals themselves. Just about every person down there is a homosexual or lesbian.”
– 1995

“The University of Negroes and Communists”
– Reference to the University of North Carolina devised by Mr. Helms when he worked for Willis Smith’s 1950 U.S. Senate campaign.

“Your tax dollars are being used to pay for grade-school classes that teach our children that CANNIBALISM, WIFE-SWAPPING and MURDER of infants and the elderly are acceptable behavior.”
– Fund raising mailer, 1996

“All Latins are volatile people. Hence, I was not surprised at the volatile reaction.”
– After Mexicans protested his visit in 1986

“Homosexuals are weak, morally sick wretches.”
– 1995 radio broadcast

“She’s a damn lesbian. I am not going to put a lesbian in a position like that. If you want to call me a bigot, fine.”
– Explaining why he was opposing the appointment of a woman for a cabinet post.

“They should ask their parents if it would be all right for their son or daughter to marry a Negro.”
– In response to Duke University students holding a vigil after Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated, 1968

Anyways, back to the point. I read this article over at Alternet and decided to share it here. So, the governor of NC, Gov. Easley decided that all flags should fly half-staff in order to honor the memory of their dead ex-senator. One man said no. It was L.F. Eason, a 29-year veteran of the North Carolina Department of Agriculture. This is what he had to say about his choice.

“This is in no way a political decision. I simply do not feel it is appropriate to honor a person whose epitaph of government service was to have voted against or blocked every civil rights issue that came before the US Congress. His doctrine of negativity, hate, and prejudice cost North Carolina and our Nation much that we may never regain.”

All I can say is bravo good man, bravo. The man had to retire early from his post because of his decision Now, I say honor goes to the men who earned it. In my opinion, Jesse Helms didn’t earn any honor.

Resident Evil: Degeneration

Okay, now, this is the film I want to see. It is a CG film based on the series with characters that we all know and love. According to Wikipedia (yes, I’m quoting Wikipedia for this post) Claire Redfield and Leon S. Kennedy will be appearing on the film and it is supposed to come out this year. I don’t think it will come out this year, maybe in Japan first but I suspect a next year release for the US. Okay, well, Final Fantasy: Advent Children was delayed numerous times so I’m basing my opinion on that. Anyways, here is the trailer, hopefully the movie will be as good as the games and better than the live action films.

Obama Speech

So, I’m late to the party on the Obama speech. Others have said it and now I say it. This speech is awesome. Amazing. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I loved it. Tell me what you think!

Internet War

The immigration debate is gaining a large presence in the blogosphere. The rise of the pro-immigrant bloggers is upon us. Fellow blogger Open Borders Lobby is right in all the resolutions she wrote.

The need to combat hate speech that is now categorize as okay needs to stop. I’ve seen immigrants being called parasites, leeches, terrorists, infiltrators (on a side note, an immigrant friend said this one made him feel like Jack Bauer. I laughed a lot), dogs, scum and a lot more. All because the pundits who disagree with an immigration reform call them illegals. Illegals takes away the word immigrant transforming them from people looking for a better life to criminals and more. Without the word immigrant, illegals only becomes the beginning and all the other words follow because it is okay. That is the beginning of the dehumanization. The tide of 20 to 1 against in the immigration needs to stop. The pro-immigration movement and voices need to organize and rise to challenge those those who would deemed immigrants to be unworthy of compassion. Living in fear is something that shouldn’t happen in the 21st century, not in the country everyone considers the best, not in the nation of immigrants.

New Year Resolutions

Well, it is the start of a new year and I have some things which I want to do and complete. Since this will be a personal list, some of them will be serious and some of them not so serious, because life can be both. Hope everyone celebrated last night and are not too hung over.

1. Good grades: My grades need to continue their rise upward. This is the commandment above all others.
2. Get a new phone: My old phone is a piece of crap…*sigh*
3. Decide between a TV or lots of money: My dad wants to get me a new TV, and I’m indecisive as hell.
4. Go see Cloverfield.
5. Get the video game Super Smash Brothers Brawl. Well that isn’t much of a resolution, but a fact.
6. Not get addicted to the video game above.
7. Go see The Dark Knight.
8. If living with my mom, cry a lot because I know I won’t see The Dark Knight
9. Not buy anymore unnecessary video games. My roommate is probably laughing at this one…
10. Continue to spread the gospel on the fact that the Nintendo Wii is better than the competitors. You know it to be true roommate!
11. Slap myself on the face if I do get addicted to Brawl…
12. Finish at least a fourth of my video games on my collection.
13. Read more. Seriously…so many books to read.
14. Write the sequel to my novel.
15. Rewrite my first novel.
16. Ah, forget it. Just write short stories.
17. Go Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii more often.
18. Watch more soccer. By that I mean the Mexican soccer team that I cheer for.
19. Slap myself on the face AGAIN if I do get addicted to Brawl. Seriously…I know it’s going to happen.
20. Get drunk. Hahahahaha, I’m kidding or am I…?
21. Have a Lord of the Rings movie marathon.
22. Have another Star Wars movie marathon.
23. Continue this blog because it is important
24. Strive for perfection. Perfection is not achievable but striving for will make me a better person.
25. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, DON’T GET ADDICTED TO BRAWL!
26. And…thanks to my friend Jess for suggesting this one, have 24 hour Wii marathon. On the summer of course when there is no school. It will probably involve Brawl…