PRESIDENT OBAMA, YOU ARE INVITED TO VISIT ARIZONA’S OPERATION STREAMLINE AT THE FEDERAL COURTHOUSE

SPECIAL INVITE TO OBAMA & HOLDER RE OPERATION STREAMLINE: Please sign and share this far and wide... 24 human rights activists put their lives and liberty on the line to end this for-profit scheme called Operation Streamline.
http://www.notonemoredeportation.com/2014/01/24/streamline/ 

To: President Barack Obama
To: First Lady Michelle Obama
To: Honorable Attorney General Eric Holder
We are writing to you regarding an urgent situation taking place in Tucson, Arizona. Every weekday, Monday through Friday at 1:30 PM Operation Streamline takes place at the Federal Court House. Every day, 70 or so Mexican and Central American men and women are processed, charged, convicted, sentenced and sent to a private for-profit prison, before finally being deported.

We invite you and members of your administration to step inside this operation.

In the courtroom, you will witness a most dehumanizing court procedure: Dozens of brown men and women, inexplicably chained from the ankles, waist and wrists, all waiting to be criminally charged at incredible speeds. You will come to know that prior to this judicial procedure, each person gets but a few minutes of consultation with an attorney, on the same day they see the judge. There is no time for adequate counsel, no deliberation, and no contemplation of justice. The daily proceeding takes about 90 minutes

The operation is so flawed that the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has already ruled twice against it.

Operation Streamline is purportedly designed to give non-violent undocumented immigrants criminal jail sentences before they are deported, as a deterrent to keep them from trying to reenter the country in the future. However, we see this as a for-profit operation that criminalizes non-violent migrants, who are only trying to survive and improve the lives of their families.

Last October,  24 people have risked their freedom, taking part in actions of peaceful civil disobedience, in attempts to both shut down this abhorrent program and bring attention to the injustices that take place every day in that court room. Their willingness to risk their freedom comes from understanding the urgency of the situation, and the injustices that are imposed on migrants.

Mr. President, this is why we invite you, your family,  and members of administration, including Attorney General Eric Holder. We are convinced that if you witness Operation Streamline, you would be offended by the program, and would know that the right decision is to immediately shut it down. 

Thank you for your time,

to sign, go to: http://www.notonemoredeportation.com/2014/01/24/streamline/ 

Smiling Brown: Gente de Bronce – People the Color of the Earth

Re the Smiling Brown: Gente de Bronce – People the Color of the Earth Project:  A draft of a preliminary article appears in Truthout.org: http://www.truth-out.org/speakout/item/17461-smiling-brown-people-the-color-of-the-earth

It has been reworked and updated and submitted as an academic article for the spring of 2014. It is slated to become a book, play and videologues. This week, I’ve received about ten more contributions, adding to the 75 or so previously received. This is an ongoing project, so feel free to contribute at any time. Looking for vignettes re color consciousness, primarily first memories of when people became conscious of their skin color. People of all colors can submit contributions… the color brown is emphasized because in this country, that is the color that is generally left out of the discussion re race/color. Looking for vignettes/testimonies/memories of any length, but recommended; 300-1200 words. You can also record into your smartphone and send the file or you can also videotape yourself. While the topic of racial profiling is perfect for this project, looking primarily for childhood memories … and how people came to realize that there was never anything ever wrong with our skin color, though contemporary stories also welcome. Inbox or (for more info), send to: XColumn@gmail.com There will soon be an interactive website. Currently, there's an FB Page by same name.

* I should add that the stories that have been sent in, as expected, are extremely powerful because the stories I have been looking for are more internal, than external, which includes the self, family, neighbors, schoolmates – all from our formative years. This means there is a historical silence associated with this topic. The objective of this project is to change the dynamics within our communities that for some 500 years has favored light-skin preference.  The objective is to teach children that all shades of the human spectrum are good – none better than the other. Again, no deadline, but please send in when you can. Dr Cintli

MAIZ ORIGINS & MIGRATIONS HISTORY CHANNEL SEGMENT

MAIZ ORIGINS & MIGRATIONS: I got interviewed for a program below by the History Channel. It will be airing Saturday January 18th at 9PM EST/8PM CST on the H2 network. They did not give me a script about the rest of the program. They asked me about Aztlan... but O told them that was not my primary research, rather, maiz. Think they were more interested in Aztlan, but I did get to speak about the origins of maiz and its spread throughout the continent. See what happens. 

More info below.

http://www.history.com/shows/america-unearthed.