One Reporter's Opinion: 'You Don't Speak For Me!'

One Reporter's Opinion: 'You Don't Speak For Me!'

George Putnam
Friday, July 21, 2006

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It is this reporter's opinion that as our struggle over immigration – legal and illegal – proceeds on Capitol Hill and throughout the nation, perhaps we should take a moment to salute a small but growing and determined coalition of Hispanic Americans opposed to liberalized immigration policies and who are actually urging Congress to secure our borders.

Recently we met Col. Al Rodriguez, a retired Army member of a family that has served in three of our wars. Rodriguez has organized a group known as "You Don't Speak for Me!" The colonel became fed up watching the media coverage of the mass protests on the streets of America. Rodriguez says: "The leaders were saying they were marching for immigrants' 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!"

The colonel was infuriated when a mob of young hoodlums tore down the flag at a local high school campus, replaced it with a Mexican flag, then ran up the shredded American flag upside down. Said the colonel, "This is enough." And he asked others to join him in the movement dubbed "You Don't Speak for Me!"

These are concerned Americans of Hispanic/Latino heritage, some first- or second-generation, others recent LEGAL immigrants who believe illegal immigration harms America and a guest worker amnesty will do the same. Says Col. Al: "We are Americans of Hispanic heritage who believe in America. We believe in the governmental institutions and laws that make this country the greatest in the world. It is because of this strong belief in the principles of freedom, individual liberties, the rule of law, and democracy that we have formed 'You Don't Speak for Me!'"

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He continued: "American Hispanic voices are being shouted down by the hate and race-directed rhetoric of those who do not appreciate the laws of our country. We are standing together to say to those who come here ILLEGALLY and those who would give AMNESTY to those who have broken our laws, you are wrong! You should not be claiming to speak for all American Hispanics. YOU DON'T SPEAK FOR ME!"

The colonel says, "We of 'You Don't Speak for Me!' give voice to those without a voice and those whose opposition to illegal immigration is drowned out by illegal aliens and their supporters marching in the streets demanding undeserved RIGHTS of U.S. citizens."

The principles of Al's group are simple:

All immigration should be LEGAL.
Illegal aliens from any country should never be rewarded with benefits or privileges. The LEGAL route to becoming a citizen is not easy; it requires patience and hard work.
No amnesty – no way! Amnesty rewards people who break the law. Granting amnesty leads only to increased illegal immigration.
Secure our borders and fully enforce immigration laws. Build a high-security fence along our southern border and vigorously enforce our existing immigration laws.
Employers who hire illegal workers should be heavily fined. If a pattern of practice is established, owners/corporate officers should be fined and jailed for the offenses and their corporate charters revoked.
Identification documents must be limited, and security measures like biometrics should be applied to documents of foreign workers.
And, above all, learn to speak English! Learning the language of this country is the very least an immigrant can do. Learn the history of this country. Learn the Constitution and civics. Learn and practice the principles that have made America the greatest country in the world.

And, finally, this remarkable American, Army Col. Al Rodriguez, chairman of "You Don't Speak for Me!," says, "If Congress chooses to selectively apply the law and reward the people who have broken the law, they are tearing down – illegal alien by illegal alien – the greatness of this country.

This is an American Hispanic whose family fought in three of our wars who is speaking out against illegal immigration and amnesty! Says the colonel to his fellow Hispanic Latinos, "You Don't Speak for Me!"

RELATED LINKS:

http://dontspeakforme.org/

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/05-12-200 6/0004360569&EDATE=

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