PA cops implicated in immigrant's killing go on trial

The must-read from the Southern Poverty Law Center blog is linked here.

Sigh. Pennsylvania isn't looking like much of a utopia these days, is it?

In the news: Gutierrez, Menendez and Ramirez

Three news items of note:

1. Yesterday, congressman Luis Gutierrez (Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus task force on immigration) along with a coalition of Asian American, African American, Latino and Anglo congressmen and women, introduced the Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America's Security and Prosperity Act of 2009 (CIR ASAP).
Read the New York Times report: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/16/us/politics/16immig.html

2. Three Catholic bishops who head committees on Migration, Domestic Policy and Pro-life Activities, sent a letter to senators urging support of the Menendez Amendment in Health Care Reform. Proposed by Rep. Robert Menendez, the amendment would give states the option to lift the five-year waiting period for legal immigrants to obtain Medicaid coverage. Download and read the statement in PDF format: http://www.usccb.org/healthcare/legalfiveyears.pdf.

3. Indictments were unsealed yesterday against three police officers in Shenandoah, Pa. including the chief -- thanks in large part to Gov. Ed Rendell -- on obstruction of justice and other charges in connection with the beating death of Luis Ramirez, an undocumented Mexican immigrant, in July 2008. Read the terrific blog report the Southern Poverty Law Center put together: http://bit.ly/8mm9A1

Ideology of hate

It is unusual for me to post twice in less than 24 hours ...

The tragedy yesterday at the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C. draws to the fore something the Southern Poverty Law Center has been writing about for the past year: the resurgence of hate groups and the proliferation of old and new hate-filled ideologies in our nation.

Here is their Hatewatch blog post on the shooting yesterday: http://www.splcenter.org/blog/,
For a map of hate groups active currently in the U.S. go here and to add your name to those who stand against hate or to report a hate crime go here.

It's on us, folks - let's make a difference.

Gov. Rendell asks DOJ to pursue civil charges for beating death of Mexican immigrant in Shenandoah, Pa.

From PRNewswire-USNewswire:

In a letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, Governor Edward G. Rendell has recommended that the Department of Justice pursue civil rights charges against two Schuylkill County individuals involved in the beating of Mexican immigrant Luis Ramirez in Pottsville on July 12, 2008.
[...]
"The evidence suggests that Mr. Ramirez was targeted, beaten and killed because he was Mexican," wrote Governor Rendell in the letter.

Read the full story here: http://bit.ly/jQGMM