LULAC convention to address 'anti-Hispanic movements'
PHOENIX--The president of one of the nation's largest Hispanic organizations said Friday he's bringing the group's national convention to Phoenix in June to combat a rising tide of anti-Hispanic sentiment in Arizona. Rick Dovalina cited voter rejection of bilingual education, growing vigilante violence on the Mexican border and a lack of Hispanic representation in the Legislature as problems the League of United Latin American Citizens hopes to address. "It is not so much one issue as it is a combination of anti-Hispanic movements here in Arizona," Dovalina said. "Being here and having these forums will bring attention to some of these problems." LULAC officials said the group was particularly concerned Arizona voters passed Proposition 203 in November. The law, which takes effect at the beginning of the 2001-02 school year, replaces traditional bilingual education with an English immersion program. The organization also became alarmed last year when armed ranchers in southern Arizona began capturing illegal immigrants and turning them over to Border Patrol agents. "Vigilantes have no place in this great country," Dovalina said. "A lot of people have no idea of some of the atrocities that happen on the border." Dovalina also mentioned the Arizona Legislature's sparse Hispanic representation. "It's hard for me to believe that in the city of Phoenix, you don't have any Hispanic representatives," Dovalina said. "Out of 90 legislators, only 10 are Latinos. How are you going to address these issues when there are no Hispanics at the table?" Art Othon, chairman of the Greater Phoenix Convention & Visitors Bureau and himself a Hispanic, countered that "Phoenix is not a racist city, and Arizona is not a racist state." "There have been a lot of events that appear to be anti-Hispanic, but the majority of people here are not that way," Othon said. LULAC, a 115,000-member organization, had planned to bring its convention to Phoenix in 2003. The timing changed after plans for this year's convention in San Juan, Puerto Rico, fell through in December. "I'm so proud they've chosen Phoenix for their convention," Sen. Joe Eddie Lopez, D-Phoenix, said. "The discussions that are going to be held are very important for our community." Dovalina expects the June 3-9 convention to draw 7,000 delegates. "I think Latinos in Arizona need our help," Dovalina said. "We need to be here." |