We haven't seen Promise Arizona (PAZ) since the recall election when they were campaigning for Jerry Lewis. They must have had some of the $30,000 infusion they received from the union UNITE HERE and Campaign for Community Change left over, just burning a hole in their pocket.
So, they attended the "Occupy Phoenix: We Are One" rally sponsored by the MALF (Maricopa Area Labor Federation), a branch of the AFL-CIO. Our next installment will cover the speeches in the video.
The first 10 seconds show the big PROMISE AZ banners which were proudly displayed in their base camp for Jerry Lewis' campaign. It also serves as a backdrop when the speakers get up to the podium to blather on about the evil 1%.
Raquel Teran was there at the march as well along with a fellow SEIU friend. It is nice to see that aside from the signs, the yellow shirts are getting some mileage too.
Look for the "union" label, as seen on the photo above. This symbol means "I support union labor". The closeup on the right was from a Martin Quezada campaign poster from 2010.
A previous entry showed a luncheon sponsored by MALF (AFL-CIO) which was attended by Randy Parraz, Geoff Esposito and Carolyn Cooper.
Those who spoke included Senator Steve Gallardo and Rebekah Friend (Arizona Director for the AFL-CIO who replaced Randy Parraz).
Gallardo criticized the nerve of the TEA Party legislators for daring to talk about Obamacare by referring to it as "socialized medicine." He said,
They have the morality to cut 100's of thousands of people off our Medicaid system but they do not have the morality to cut their own health care. Folks, if we're going to cut my people off health care, we need to cut OUR health care first! Governor Brewer and members of the legislature including Senate President, Russell Pearce, have lived off government paid health care....let's call it what it is....government paid health care. If we have the morality to kick off 180,000 of our people off our health care system, we should have the morality to cut our health care first.
Let's break this down, shall we?
For starters, let's call it what it REALLY is which is NOT "government paid health care".
It is TAXPAYER PAID HEALTH CARE.
Secondly, unless it has been overlooked, we can't seem to find any legislation proposed by Senator Gallardo which would make it so that legislators would no longer be able to receive taxpayer funded health care. It is, according to Senator Gallardo, the "moral" thing to do. However, it is curious as to why he hasn't personally taken action to cut the health care perks that the legislature is afforded and paid for by the citizens including the union members in the room that day. So, really, by calling out the Governor and Senator Pearce as having lived off "government paid health care", he is also cleverly deflecting the fact that he, himself, is a partaker of the same government trough.
And by the way, who are "my people"?
At the same meeting was the Arizona AFL-CIO/lobbyist, Rebekah Friend.
She also piled on the "I hate Russell Pearce" bandwagon,
"I want to talk to you about Senate President Russell Pearce. This year, there is more anti-worker, anti-union legislation this year than any year in the history of the Arizona legislature and guess whose name is on it? Russell Pearce has signed onto every piece of anti-worker, anti-public employee, anti-education, anti-teacher, anti-ill person, anti-working mother and father in the state of Arizona. So, what do we do about that? (crowd yells "RECALL")
Randy Parraz....will you stand up for me? Randy Parraz is running an effort in LD18 to recall Russell Pearce. Russell Pearce hates everyone in this room. I guarantee you, there's no one in this room he likes. I need you to do something today. I need you, if you live in LD18 or know anyone in LD18. Randy has petitions here today. Find him and sign those petitions. If you don't live in LD18, give him five dollars."
"We've already talked about taking out Senator Russell Pearce. Randy and staff are doing a great job. We want to recognize Geoff Esposito who is field director. They are currently working out of our Union Hall over on 36th Street and McDowell. If you want to write a check, make it out to Citizens for a Better Arizona... We need a little extra help to get rid of Mr. Pearce."
Jim Parker, Geoff Esposito and Brenda Rascon celebrating at the Wright House the day they submitted the recall petitions in May 2011.
at 4:30, in the video, you can see Randy Parraz appear.
at 5:00, you can see his fellow progressive leftist, Carolyn Cooper, also appear to be in attendance with Parraz.
Yes. The SAME Carolyn Cooper who showed up to speak in front of the Guadalupe Town Council along with Randy Parraz and Steve Gallardo to beg the council to sign off on a resolution to force Joe Arpaio to resign.
And the Progressive Democrats of America Conference.
And with Lydia Guzman (who is helping the DOJ in their lawsuit against AZ and Arpaio) along with being an active member of CBA/Randy Parraz.
Suppose Senator Jerry Lewis and those self-proclaimed "Republicans" realize that by signing on to the Arizona Accord, they were aligning themselves with the IAF and Saul Alinsky?
Whether through ignorance or purposeful intent, shame on them.
The IAF is non-ideological and strictly non-partisan, but proudly, publicly, and persistently political. The IAF builds a political base within society's rich and complex third sector - the sector of voluntary institutions that includes religious congregations, labor locals, homeowner groups, recovery groups, parents associations, settlement houses, immigrant societies, schools, seminaries, orders of men and women religious, and others.
And then the leaders use that base to compete at times, to confront at times,
and to cooperate at times with leaders in the public and private sectors.
The IAF develops organizations that use power - organized people and organized money - in effective ways. The secret to the IAF's success lies in its commitment to identify, recruit, train, and develop leaders
in every corner of every community where IAF works.
Who are these IAF Affiliates? (note: All of the affiliates listed below signed off on the Arizona Accord)
MESPA
(Mesa Education Support Personnel Association for Mesa Public Schools)
The MEA website homepage gives the impression that they have nothing but the best interests of the children at heart.
We are a professional association advocating for quality public schools for every child.
Yet, most of what they REALLY do is for the benefit of the teachers themselves. Oh, and they are activists for liberal causes. Anything for the children, right?
President of MEA, Kathy Ray on right
-One of the members of the MEA Facebook page, Robert Unferth, who was also heavily involved in the Russell Pearce recall effort, posted last June:
Robert UnferthRECALL PEARCE - NEXT STEPS: 1) Make calls to over 10,000 supporters; 2) Continue to visit voters every Saturday to sign them up; 3) Voter registration and PEVL sign-ups; & 4) Raise $5,000 by the end of June. Please let your friends and family members know that our campaign is not over! Now is the time to recruit more volunteers and stay engaged, active and vocal!
-If you are looking for ways to make your voice heard, and show your support for your fellow teachers in Wisconsin (and other states), as well as support for all public workers, here are a few things you can do.
1. Visit the AEA website at www.arizonaea.org for more information on “Wear Red for Ed” and a link to sign NEA’s petition on Education Votes.
2. Visit moveon.org at this link: http://pol.moveon.org/event/events/event.html?event_id=112845&id= to sign up to attend the “Rally to Save the American Dream” being held TOMORROW (2/26) at the Arizona State Capitol at 12 PM.
3. Tell your friends and family, and encourage them to show their support for educators and public employees, as well as workers’ rights
-Hey teacher friends! Please support Mesa teacher, Mike Conway Monday night as he debates his opponents in Legislative District 18. HE NEEDS SUPPORTERS, so please support Mesa Education Association's own member!(We have discussed Mike Conway before)
-This month MEA has assisted several teachers with disciplinary issues as well as evaluation concerns.
-MEA has an amazing team assembled for bargaining and we have been meeting several times to prepare for the new process, but also to plan for our interests in making our working conditions better.
-Mesa teachers and support staff members have borne the brunt of a bad economy plus a legislature that has certain-ly not been supportive of public education, public educa-tion teachers and support staff. Our elected "leaders" have been especially punitive toward the concept that employees have participation in the decisions that affect our profession, our careers and the student learning for which we are tasked.
-Their upcoming meeting on February 28, 2012 at Mesa High School at 4:30pm will be featuring Joe Rubio from Valley Interfaith Project who will speak about "Organizing for Power."
"The accord focuses on common sense solutions, not demagoguery, and it shows that good economics and a humane approach to immigration are not only possible but very necessary.”
So, the MEA teacher's group is hosting a meeting with the Supervisor for the IAF? SAUL ALINSKY's IAF?
It sounds EXACTLY like something that would be useful
"for the children".
Just as I'm sure the strategies discussed in a leadership training meeting will help train them to be better teachers "for the children".
Like: ability to organize, we are activists, organizers, and my favorite....
"Educate so that the word ADVOCATE is seen positive"
So, we have the Mesa Education Support Personnel Association with the Mesa PUBLIC SCHOOLS who is affiliated with the IAF.
We also have the MEA (and the AEA and NEA) with Mesa Public Schools who have ties to the IAF. Suppose those teachers who work for Mesa Public schools and those who pay dues to groups like the MEA, AEA or NEA realize that they are directly supporting the IAF?
Former MEA President Kirk Hinsey and current President Kathy Ray (on right):
There is a certain TP Leader who apparently likes to do vanity Google searches for her name and her organization. And by TP we don't mean the TEA Party. But, in an effort to reduce the chances that this certain person will discover this blog and whine to her friends directing them with a link, we have abbreviated the name. Let's just say the name of the group isn't "tea" but rather an alcoholic beverage.
Seen here with Todd Landfried from the Arizona Employers for Immigration Reform:
This TP Leader said:
What a media day! Finished with Reuters, CNN Latino,
and now Al Jazeera who requested video of the tequila party movement
in action ...
Al JAZEERA?
Seems Al Jazeera has taken an interest in the immigration issue.
And they apparently got the memo about making sure to include "faith-based" leaders in their reporting.
"There are so many common denominations between immigrant Muslims and immigrant Hispanics who see the issues common to both of them. Immigration issues is a big discussion in the US and there are other issues of trying to find a job, keep a job, buy a home, all the same struggles two groups of people happen to be going through creates this bond between them.
Many who come from Central and South America come with conservative values and as well as Muslims come also with conservative values and here in the States, they find that those values are being challenged. It's common to see that Hispanic and Muslim working on similar projects in terms of family, education, reforms to protect their values. The conservative values they have."
Iranian smuggling ring busted near Mex border. A 39-year-old Iranian with permanent legal residency status who is suspected of having smuggled 60 other Iranians into the U.S. was arrested in Mesa, Ariz., according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The Republican Presidential candidates are coming to Arizona for the CNN debate. Dreamers and supporters will be there to hold them accountable for their anti-immigrant platform and remind them that the Latino community in Arizona has woken up!
If they want to win the Latino vote, they will have to support the DREAM Act and stop wanting to make us "self deport", as Romney said, if they win the presidency.
Dolores Huerta, a long time civil rights activist , and for many a role model, will be joining us as well.
Please bring your DREAM gear if you have it, and be ready to kick some butt!
Raquel Teran was there at the march as well along with a fellow SEIU friend. It is nice to see that aside from the signs, the yellow shirts are getting some mileage too.
