The exchange can be seen around 19 minutes in...
A few observations:
1. Why was Mr. Parraz, who admittingly lives in Scottsdale, allowed to take up time from those who actually LIVE in Mesa?
2. Notice how "civil" and calm Mr. Parraz acted throughout his speech in order to give credibility to his cause. It was as though he was on some anxiety medication because he wasn't NEARLY as fired up as we've seen in the past. His attempt at comedy regarding his previous time spent in Mesa during the recall and the "signs" that have finally been taken down, obviously fell flat. His performance continued with statements regarding the Mesa Compact,
Again, it's just an idea. It's not a legal binding contract. It doesn't tie your hands. It's really just a statement of values....So tonight, I don't think it's whether you support or do not support the Mesa Compact, it's whether you do support the right for this issue to come from the bottom up from actual citizens who would like you to consider it. And if you all on an up or down vote don't believe the values that are laid out very simply do not resonate with your values or your constituents that you represent, I think these adults could accept a "no" vote on it.
How very PASSIVE AGGRESSIVE.
3. East Valley Patriots for American Values is a "faith-based" organization? I wonder why most of the articles written about this organization don't mention they are "faith-based".
Except for an article on AZ Central back in January. Of course, it mentions a few other interesting facts and insights into their group as well.
Ready for some more BUZZWORD BINGO?
Ready for some more BUZZWORD BINGO?
In a quest to soften the tone of Arizona's immigration debate,
an East Valley group is targeting the home turf of Arizona's fiercest immigration hawk.
"Mesa is a test case because that's where Russell Pearce is from," said
Daniel Martinez, a retired educator who has asked the Mesa City Council to endorse an immigration-policy statement adopted
by political, business and religious leaders in Utah.
Daniel Martinez, a retired educator who has asked the Mesa City Council to endorse an immigration-policy statement adopted
by political, business and religious leaders in Utah.
The faith-based group recently changed its name from the
Coalition for Immigration Reform-East Valley. Martinez said
the name change was a deliberate reaction to "tea party" groups that use "patriots" in their names.
"They have no monopoly on those terms," Martinez said.
"We feel we are just as entitled to espouse those kinds of values in our own way."
The group has changed its tack from last summer,
when it asked the Chandler City Council to directly oppose SB 1070.
That request went nowhere. But Martinez said he thinks that asking
Mesa to endorse the so-called Utah Compact may get a little more traction.
Martinez said that some phrasing needs to be tweaked to make it applicable
to Arizona but that he wants its five main points to remain intact.
Mesa Mayor Scott Smith said he will meet with Martinez this month.
An AZ Central article written back in June 2010 discusses how the Coalition for Immigration Reform - East Valley approached the Chandler City Council in an attempt to get the council to pass a resolution opposing Senate Bill SB1070 and vowed to take the campaign to Mesa, Tempe and Gilbert. Remember, these groups like to change their names either to confuse or reinvent themselves. No where in the article does it state they were a "faith-based" group. In fact, it says,
Barabe said his organization is an informal group of about
30 longtime friends and many are supporters of local Latino arts and culture.
Apparently, they weren't very well received.
Keep in mind, the Utah Compact made headlines in November, 2010.
This group reorganized and reinvented themselves around the same time only this time, they learned from their past mistakes. They needed to take a softer tone and approach and cloak themselves as "faith-based" in order to shame others into accepting their cause. By early December 2010, they had the Mesa Compact prepared, modeled after the recently signed Utah Compact, and paraded it in front of the Mesa City Council.
Clever.
4. Dr. Carolyn O'Connor from the EVPAV claims "severe immigration laws have tarnished the image of Mesa and also the state of Arizona" yet these same members acknowledged in the article above that "they'll face a tough battle on some issues, especially since polls show Arizonans broadly support SB 1070". I would love to know what circles she is hanging out with seeing that the reality is quite the opposite.
We know that Dennis Kavanaugh was not in attendance at the Council meeting. We're curious to know how Kavanaugh feels about the Compact coming to his town.
Oh wait. I think we already know.
..."if groups around Arizona supported something like the Utah Compact,
lawmakers would likely reconsider how they speak about immigration
and even which laws they would try to pass,"
Mesa Councilman Dennis Kavanaugh said.
"Quite honestly, if local communities step up to the plate
and endorse the compact, that's an important statement for
policymakers to consider," Kavanaugh said.
"I understand that often municipal governments don't
find a lot of friends in the Legislature,
but when it's your
businesses groups, your faith communities, your neighborhood groups, your educational groups -
that's an important coalition that's difficult to ignore."
So, it's true that getting other policymakers to change their tone and laws in favor of illegals using the Compact as a stepping stone is really the end-game, isn't it?
