LAREDO, Texas - Texas legislators and civil right representatives are calling on Gov. Greg Abbott to defend and fight for the rights of immigrants and minority groups.
During a press conference held at the state Capitol on Monday, the Hispanic and Black legislative caucuses remembered Martin Luther King’s words by stating “injustice anywhere is a threat to injustice everywhere.”
The groups mentioned various incidents that have taken place against minorities such as African Americans, Latinos, women, the LGBT community and others around Texas since the November 2016 presidential election. They agreed is important to ensure this doesn’t continue happening in the Lone Star State.
“All united, with one voice, we sent a message to the Governor and the leaders in this state that we are not going to tolerate that kind of conduct and behavior in the State of Texas towards anyone,” said state Senator Jose Rodríguez, D-El Paso.
Rodríguez chairs the Senate Democratic Caucus. “We are requesting that they (state leaders) use the authority and the power invested in them… and frankly common decency, to ensure that everyone is treated fairly, equally and without any discriminatory action.”
Along with Rodríguez there were representatives from the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, the Texas Legislative Black Caucus, Texas League of United Latin American Citizens, the Senate Hispanic Caucus, the Mexican American Legislative Caucus, and National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
In a letter sent to Gov. Greg Abbott, the group is requesting a commitment the he unequivocally disavows incidents and hateful rhetoric that has been happening in the country and in the state; direct law enforcement and the intelligence authority to investigate such cases; and publicly reject the narratives of racism, exclusion and misogyny.
Here is the letter:
January 9, 2017
The Honorable Greg Abbott
Office of the Governor
PO Box 12428
Austin, Texas 78711-2428
Dear Governor Abbott:
As civil rights organizations and state legisaltors that are focused on advancing the interests of Black, Latino and immigrant constituencies, we write to express concern for the safety and well-being of these communities of Texans. We seek your assistance in addressing the dozens of anti-Black, anti-Latino and anti-immigrant bullying and hate incidents in Texas public schools, college campuses, and public spaces in the wake of the divisive 2016 presidential election.
A recent Texas Observer article reported on dozens of racially-motivated hate incidents across the state, eg., threats of torture and violence, incidents of physical assault, chants and fliers encouraging deportation, racial slurs, and neo-Nazi propaganda. Our organizations have received and are monitoring a number of these reports. We are aware of reports in at least 17 Texas localities: Abilene, Austin, Cedar Hill, Coppell, Dallas, Fort Hancock, Galveston, Houston, Kingsville, McKinney, Nacadoches, Plano, Rowlett, San Antonio, San Marcos, Victoria and Waco.
These incidents cause Texans to feel unwelcome in their own state and unsafe in their learning environments. They also foster a climate of fear and disrespect that can seriously impair the physical and psychological health of its victims and create conditions that negatively affect learning and inhibit them from reaching their full potential.
Black and Latino Texans have always been central contributors to the progress of Texas. Together, they represent two of every three public school students in the state and will thus play an even more significant role in making the state thrive in the future. Our communities play an essential part in the state you govern, and we hope and ask that you support our communities in their critical roles.
Our organizations will continue to play a key role in protecting and defending the Constitution and the rights of Black, Latino and immigrant Texans against discriminatory practices by any level of government or by private actors. As you know, pursuant to the Texas and federal laws and constitutions, every Texas public school must act immediately to prevent and address bullying on any prohibited basis, including on the basis of race, ethnicity and national origin, presumed or actual.
We are encouraged by superintendents, principals, and university presidents who have sent out clear messages to their student bodies, parents and staff in the wake of bullyng and hate incidents, assuring them that such behavior will not be tolerated and will be disciplined.
Similarly, we ask you to commit to:
* Unequivocally disavow the aforementioned incidents and hateful rhetoric;
* Move swiftly to address any incidents of uncivil discourse, including using your authority to direct state law enforcement and intelligence agencies to thoroughly investigate these cases;
* Publicly reject the alt-right narratives of racism, exclusion, and misogyny;
* Refrain from engaging in the misinformed and dangerous rhetoric demonizing immigrants by equating them with criminals; and
* Take proactive steps to prevent hate incidents and bullying.
Please consider our organizations as resources as you move forward to address our concerns. We stand committed to working with you to make Texas a welcoming place for all Texans.
Respectfully,
Texas Senate Hispanic Caucus, Texas Legislative Black Caucus, Texas Mexican American Legislative Caucus, Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), Texas NAAPC, Texas State LULAC, Texas Associations of Mexican American Chambers of Commerce, Mexican American School Board Members Association, Texas Assoiciation of Black Personnel in Higher Education, Southwest Voter Registration and Education Project, Texas Association of Chicanos in Higher Education, Texas Hispanics Organized for Political Education (HOPE).
According to Celina Moreno, an attorney with MALDEF, her group has witnessed a lack of diversity in state leadership positions which “leads to harmful policies that are out of touch with the realities of most Texans.”
Moreno said the anti-immigrant rhetoric needs to stop.
“It is time for Texans leaders to stop perpetuating the myth that immigrants are criminals. Study after study shows that this is not true, but some continue to use that stereotype as a rhetorical legend,” Moreno said. “Let’s work together to build bridges and not walls.”
Lupe Torres, state director for Texas LULAC said she was disappointed there is no person of color on the Legislative Budget Board for the 85th Texas Legislature that began today.
“This board develops budget and policy recommendations from legislators’ appropriations. In essence, it establishes the financial priorities of the state. The absence of a person of color from the legislative budget board speaks to the lack of an understanding for ... diverse points of view,” Torres said.
She added that there’s a need for inclusiveness of diversity and policy decision making, a need to increase diversity in committee assignments.
According to Torres, 38 percent of Texas citizens are Hispanic, 12 percent are African American and three percent are Asian.
“Texas government must reflect the diversity of our state in order to truly serve its people. This lack of foresight must be corrected,” she concluded.
State Sen. Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston, chairs the Senate Hispanic Caucus. Garcia said the priority topics for her group are education, healthcare, jobs, because “these are the things that matter to all working Texans.”
Garcia explained a series of seminars that took place around the state. There, she said, people were focusing in having better neighborhoods, resources and schools, and also helping economically disadvantaged students, healthcare, jobs with good wages, and access to capital to start a new business.
“But unless we stay united, as we are here today, we won’t get to do any of this for all fellow Texans. Many of our colleagues are not at the table. What happens when you are not at the table? You are part of the menu,” Garcia said. “We stand solid today because we know that there is a minority population needing a representation to go with it, and we should be right there making sure their issues are addressed and their communities grow and they grow strong.”
State Rep. Helen Giddings, D-Dallas, chairs the Texas Legislative Black Caucus. Giddings said an environment needs to be created where everybody fights for everybody.
“Every day in public schools across the state there are people pledging allegiance to the Texas flags and in doing so we are promoting a simple notion that Texas is one state. One and indivisible,” Giddings said.
She said the Texas Legislative Black Caucus stands ready to work closely with the Speaker of the House to promote the kind of diversity that reflects the State of Texas.
“Every Texan must have the opportunity to be better in order for our state to reach its full potential. Not for just remaining competitive but for excelling competitively both domestically and internationally. Anything else is unacceptable,” Giddings said. “We must promote diversity, we must fight for fairness and we must work to serve all Texans, including those who have no voice. We must be their voice.”
There were also comments regarding Comptroller Glenn Hegar’s release of the biennial revenue estimate. State Rep. Eddie Rodríguez, D-Austin, chair of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus, explained that legislators will have $104.9 billion to spend in the two-year state budget.
“The biennial revenue release today is only one of the major challenges we will be facing. It is a lot of money but is actually a three percent decrease of the Comptroller's estimates back in 2015,” Rep. Rodríguez said. “We have much more important issues facing the state than repealing the DREAM Act or bathroom regulations.”
One of those issues is the rate of uninsured for children, Rodríguez said, and the lack of fair and equitable school funding.
Rep. Rodríguez added that “for better or worse this session will have a massive impact on the minority communities around the state.”
Also, Janis Max of Texas NAACP, revealed that at least 71 incidents have occurred in the country since the November election in Texas.
“We are actually third behind California and New York for incidents that have been occurring since November,” Max said. “We want to see something done about that, where this doesn’t become the norm in the State of Texas.”
State Representative Ron Reynolds, D-Missouri City, expressed the challenge nowadays is to be an advocate and listen to the voice of the least, the last and the lost. “I am asking my colleagues to rise above the politics and unite and make sure to get rid of the divisive rhetoric,” Reynolds said.
The various minority groups said those responsible for violent incidents must be held accountable.
In his wrap-up remarks, Sen. Rodríguez expressed how racism is alive and well in the United States. “I think Mr. (Donald) Trump has done us a favor, he has woken us in realizing that our job still not done,” the El Paso senator said. “I think if we learn anything from this election is that it unleashed and brought to the surface what we as minority, as women, as members of the LGBT community, as immigrants and others, know to be true.”
Editor's Note: Reporter Ron Whitlock contributed to this story from Austin, Texas.
