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Posted on 10/02/2003 3:08:13 PM PDT by vikingcelt
In California recall politics, no one thinks a thing of going back a quarter of a century to an old Oui Magazine interview with Arnold Schwarzenegger to draw conclusions about his character today.
And labeling Pete Wilson, Proposition 187 and anyone of 5 million Californians who voted for it nearly a decade ago racist is all part of the hardball political process.
So if it is acceptable to go back nine years to attack Wilson and twenty five years to sling mud at Schwarzenegger, then it must be okay to use an old San Francisco Chronicle interview with Democratic Party Chairman Art Torres to define what he really thinks about immigration - legal and illegal - and California's wild population growth.
You'll never guess! Torres, circa 1993, was a strong proponent of curbing legal and illegal immigration.
Yes, you read it right. Torres wanted to strictly limit immigration.
In a July 13, 1993 story titled "Liberal Latino Wants Rougher Immigration Law" Torres told San Francisco Chronicle reporter Vlae Kersher that he favored tighter restrictions on immigration. This, according to Kersher, put Torres into "a growing chorus of politicians urging immigration reform..."
Incredible! A mere ten years ago California's politicians were united in their quest for sensible immigration policies. And Art Torres was the leader of the pack.
At a Sacramento news conference Torres, then a state senator from Los Angeles, told the gathered crowd that the government "must be more restrictive in terms of our legal and illegal immigration because it will create a drain on our economic and physical resources in the state of California."
When asked directly by a reporter for a more detailed comment, Torres replied that he could support a "moratorium" on immigration while a thorough review about its impact is conducted.
That's not all. Torres was also worried about the effects of massive immigration on population and California's natural resources.
Torres told Kersher that "we need to be aware and respectful of the resources we have in this state because there is only so much land that can be developed."
If you haven't fainted dead away yet, brace yourself. Kersher's story went on to quote John Gamboa, executive director of the Latino Issues Forum in San Francisco. Gamboa was on the same exact page as Torres.
Said Gamboa, "I don't think Art Torres is that far off with the views of our community." Gamboa added that when levels of immigration get too high, "antagonism builds up for the immigrants who are already here."
Even former California Senator Richard Polanco was on the reduce immigration bandwagon. Through his spokesman, Polanco issued a statement supporting Torres' moratorium stance.
Just think of it. In 1993, Art Torres and I had exactly the same opinions about immigration and population growth.
Whatever happened to Torres, et al? They had such a clear and accurate vision of the looming problems of over-immigration and soaring population.
In 1993, Torres and his fellow legislators understood that too much immigration hurts the immigrants who are already here. And they knew intuitively that as big and as grand as California is, the state has limited capacity to accommodate everyone who might want to move here.
So what did happen to Torres and the rest? Why did they take leave of their senses? They had it right; now they have it wrong.
What happened was a political power grab the likes of which are rarely seen.
Just two years after his San Francisco Chronicle interview, Torres made his infamous proclamation at the University of California at Riverside: "Power is not given to you. You have to take it. Remember Proposition 187 is the last gasp of white America..."
And it was at that exact instant that the Mexican leaders seized the moment. Activist Ricky Sierra at the same rally said, "We are here united and we're re-colonizing America, so they're afraid of us -- they're very afraid. It's time to take back what is ours..."
Sierra was right. Ever since, politicians and plain folk have been afraid. They have been afraid of being called racist and afraid of not winning the coveted Hispanic vote.
But thanks to Governor (for now) Gray Davis, a change is in the air. People can only be pushed so far. The blatant signing of SB 60 represents a new turning point.
You can be sure that the referendum to overturn the driver's license bill will be successful. The necessary 373,816 signatures will be collected by December 7th. And then SB 60 will be overwhelmingly defeated on the March 2004 ballot.
For the next three months, there will be the predictable accusations of racism, injustice and all the other empty charges.
But this time no one will be afraid.
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Uh, from above.
Yeah it would be if Torres still held that position. These days the impression he gives is he wants the gringos and blacks out of California, just like MECha boy Bustamante.
Torres is a lying piece of shiit, a real snake.....
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