LatinaLista — Actually, if GOP senators continue to play mean politics tomorrow and prevent passage of the DREAM Act, they will frankly be seen as far worse than the green-skinned outcast who eventually found his heart.
A blockage by the GOP would be seen as not just a heartless move but a direct challenge to the U.S. Latino community. It will also underscore a clear message that the GOP is not for Latinos who care about equality, compassion, fairness and justice.
Some in the Latino community are already predicting that if the GOP Senate obstructs passage of the DREAM Act they have doomed themselves for re-election in 2012.
Yet, the anger and hurt won’t wait until the 2012 campaigns to manifest. It will happen as soon as it’s known that the GOP Senators stood in the way of granting these young people a chance at a normal life for no other reason than to be politically vicious.
One has to wonder why the GOP leaders feel so emboldened that they aren’t taking seriously the backlash that would occur from Latinos if this vote doesn’t go through. The only conclusions that can be drawn is that they either feel Latinos don’t pose a threat politically to them or that the Latino community will forget in two years what happened.
Both of those assumptions can’t be more wrong.
The Latino community won’t forget because hurting children/students/young people is something we take seriously — very seriously.
We also take being spit in the face seriously. If the GOP obstructs this bill, there’s no other way to read this than as an unforgiving insult to this community, especially since this bill is truly nothing more than showing compassion to some young people of whom the majority are Latino.
An obstructive move by the Senate GOP would be a foolhardy strategy to say the least and further proof (Senate GOP blocked vote for repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell) of how deep racism and discrimination have penetrated the Grand Old Party.
It would indeed be a sad day for everyone.
