First Hispanic Featured as Keynote Speaker for Birmingham’s Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Unity Breakfast - La Raza’s Janet Murguía

Posted on: January 22nd, 2008
Filed Under: [ Hispanic News ] [ Latinas ] [ Tomás' Picks ]
Tags: children, crime, fbi, La Raza, Mexico, NCLR, parents, radio, television
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Birmingham, AL (January 21, 2008) – Calling herself “a child of Dr. King’s hope,” the first Hispanic to give the keynote speech at Birmingham’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Unity Breakfast drew upon the common history, struggle, and dreams of the African American and Latino communities to attack hate in the American political debate. The 22nd annual breakfast is one of the nation’s leading events celebrating the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Janet Murguía, President and CEO of the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), urged members of the Hispanic and African American communities to renew their commitment to realizing Dr. King’s dream of civil rights protections for all Americans. She challenged the two communities to confront injustice, specifically the recent rise in hate speech in the media and in the presidential primaries surrounding the issue of immigration.

Murguía criticized candidates and media personalities who are using a new generation of code words to demonize Latinos. She condemned the widespread use of inflammatory rhetoric that refers to immigrants as an “army of invaders” and as “a massive horde bringing crime and disease” to America. She faulted television and radio networks for handing hate groups and vigilantes a microphone to spread their anti-immigrant agenda.

“Immigrants are hardworking people who have risked much to provide for their families,” said Murguía. “Many hold down two or three jobs to make ends meet. They are churchgoers and people of faith. They are parents who care for their children and children who respect their elders.”

Murguía blamed the 20-year backlog to legal entry into the United States for crippling the American immigration system. “Every one of these people would prefer to be here legally.”

Murguía specifically went after commentators who have spread prejudice through their programming. Glenn Beck, a CNN commentator, was singled out for offering an offensive joke on his radio program which suggested building a giant refinery to produce “Mexinol,” a fuel made from the bodies of illegal immigrants coming here from Mexico.

Murguía said, “It is no coincidence that we are seeing the highest historical spike in hate crimes against Hispanics.” According to statistics provided by the FBI, hate crimes against Latinos have jumped 23% over the last two years.

“This country cannot reach its full potential,” said Murguía, “unless all of its people –regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, or sexual orientation – have a fair chance at the American Dream.””*