Friday, May 23, 2008
Fidel “Butch” Montoya
One of the most pressing issues facing our cities is the “traditional problem” of community police relationships between minority groups, particularly African Americans and Latinos.
It is a problem that is growing more serious as the relationships continue to grow more desperate and with more open contempt toward the police. In New York City, we have the Sean Bell case where three NYPD officers were acquitted in a criminal court, but now along with four other officers are facing departmental charges of violating internal police rules.
The seven police officers are being charged for violating several departmental rules for misusing their police issued weapon and for failing to follow departmental rules in processing the crime scene.
This after Sean Bell was killed and two of his friends were wounded when 50 shots were fired at the unarmed men celebrating Bell’s upcoming wedding the next day.
In 2002 the United States Department of Justice investigated the Cleveland Police Department over issues of whether police officers engaged in a pattern of “unconstitutional conduct.”
In a subsequent follow up investigation by the Cleveland Plain Dealer from 2003 through 2006, not much had really changed. During that period of time, the newspaper found 4,427 incidents where the CPD reported use of force was used.
The Plain Dealer investigation found the police department reported 4,427 incidents where the use of force was justified. The newspaper did report however, the department found one case where the use of force was “inappropriate.” And that was after “reforms” were put in place.
The Los Angeles Police Department is legendary in the number of Federal Justice Department investigations or internal reviews on police misconduct. Unfortunately it shows how easily these audits can end up on the shelf.
From the corruption of the Rampart Precinct, the Gang Unit, and lack of command and control tactics used in crowd control, such as last year during a peaceful protest that turned violent only after the police department started what I call a “police riot.”
During that riot, police shot rubber bullets and high pressure pepper spray at peaceful demonstrators, including elderly and young children and the news media. To the credit of Chief William Bratton, several high command officers were demoted or chose retirement after a internal investigation.
Chief William Bratton in my opinion is perhaps one of the best police chiefs in the country. He is a very reform and open minded cop who enjoys working with community groups trying to resolve community relationships.
Yet, even with that strong commitment from Bratton, there is more mistrust today and turmoil among many Black and Latino activists in LA who blame the cops for every single act of use of force.
In Denver, developing its own reputation for shooting the unarmed mental health cases and doing a better job of making sure the victims are shot dead after multiple bullets into their bodies.
Two years ago, one police officer actually called for the fire department so they could use the ladder to make sure a suspect was not in the housing development. Fortunately for the suspect, he was gone, unfortunately for an elderly Latino gentleman drinking from a Pepsi can in his bed, and was shot dead because the officer thought the can was a gun.
A year before that, police shot and killed a young Black man who wielded a large knife “and lunged at the officer” and was shot dead. The family had called police because they could not control the 15 year old who had a history of mental illness.
Last week, after a Latino gentleman – apparently drunk, angry, diabetic, and who had cut a large gash in his arm, showed up at a confirmation party for his daughter, and then left the scene after the police showed up.
They insisted on calling the suspect back to the scene, where his neighbor stood between him and the police pleading with the police to stop the shooting of rubber bullets, tasher shots, and pepper spray at the suspect and at himself.
In the end, the victim was shot at least 8 times…dead in front of his family, friends and neighbors.
A week before, after police chased a young Latino teenager on the north side of Denver, no reason given, but after the officer caught the teen, jumped up and down on the back of the teenager, seriously injuring the teenager’s back,lacerating his liver, and causing serious kidneys injuries.
And we wonder why the Latino and Black clergy are up in arms in Denver. There has been no public comment from Mayor Hickenlooper, Manager of Safety Al LaCabe, or Chief of Police Whitman about either case.
At least Bratton has condemned police misconduct in his department repeatedly when he has seen it, and in the opinion of many leaders in the Denver community, which is what happened in both incidents without a single word of public condemnation or concern about the misconduct.
Last weekend in Denver/Aurora alone there were 7 gang related and police shootings.
Unless the Mayor, Police Manager, and Police Chief take control of the community discussion, it is going to be a long hot summer in Denver and in other cities across the USA where government leaders ignore the cries of injustice.
In Denver, Black and Latino clergy are demanding to speak with the Mayor, and thus far, this mayor is content to hide behind his 70% approval ratings, forgetting his city is made of up of 36% Latinos, and 20% Black populations.
As MLK said, "We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people."
Which person are you….the silent….or the bad?
Fidel “Butch” Montoya
H. S. Power & Light – Latino Faith Based Initiative
Posted by Hispanic Evangelicals at 5:15 AM 0 comments Links to this post
Latino Faith Initiative challenges Latino/a evangelical faith leaders to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves. Proverbs 31:8
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
A Hot Summer Looming on the Horizon
Executive Director of Latino Faith Initiative ~ H.S. Power & Light Ministries. Share commentary and information on issues of the day challenging and calling to action pastors and faith leaders to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves. Address concerns of justice and righteousness for the poor and marginalized. Strong advocate for comprehensive immigration reform. Licensed Minister 1972. Local government/news media Consultant/Advisor and Crisis Management. Deputy Mayor for City and County of Denver 1995 - 2000. Manager of Safety for City and Country of Denver 1994 - 2000 (Civilian manager of Denver Police Department, Denver Fire Department, Ex-Officio Sheriff Denver Sheriff Department. Deputy Manager/Revenue/DMV 2000 - 2003. News Broadcast Executive/news manager/Photojournalist for over 24 years 1970 - 1994. Executive Director Confianza ~ Multicultural Faith Alliance. Faith Alliance facing urban and inner city challenges and opportunities/crisis. Involved in civic policy issues & community committees and organizations.
Is Life a Bowl of Cherries?
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Fidel "Butch" Montoya
Far beyond the headline news of the largest Federal immigration raid totaling close to 400 individuals in the history of the United States, there is another important story not getting near the attention it should.
It is the sad story of lies and abuse of immigrants on the harvest trail. A story of expectations and hope promised, and nothing but uncertainty and fear delivered.
The United Farm Workers are trying to raise awareness about the plight of the workers and their families who recently left Washington State and who were promised jobs in the cherry orchards near Shafter, California. They left Washington State after Stemilt Growers Company promised them jobs in California. They packed what belongings they had, and traveled expecting to the find the jobs promised and to be able to provide for their families.
Now what would you do if you were promised a job in another state by the world’s largest supplier of freshly picked cherries? If I didn’t have a job, and Stemilt Growers Company promised me a job, I would take the company’s word and promise of a job and move to where I could take care of my family.
The problem is when they arrived in California, the jobs promised didn’t exist. There was no housing, places to shower or bathe, unless you wanted to bathe with the ducks and fish in a water hole?
As for sleeping arrangements, they did’t exist either. Some workers slept in their cars, others found cardboard boxes, and others simply slept out in the open. If you were lucky, you might have spelt in a tent.
To make matters worse, only a handful of the immigrants were hired and the rest were told to hang around and maybe more jobs would open up.
Now with no jobs, no expectation of getting one, little or no money left over from their trip, no housing, and nothing but uncertainty left, they were told they could camp out in the orchards.
They went public with their plight and complained to the news media which covered their story. Backed by the United Farm Workers, the news media exposed the problems facing the unemployed immigrants.
Angry and upset,representatives from Kyle Mathison Orchards/Stemilt Growers Company called the sheriff department to get the migrants out of the orchards. Now with the cherry growers throwing them out, there was no hope.
Now imagine this, this company claims to treat workers fairly. What is fairness when you provide no housing, no jobs, and broken promises and the company calls the sheriff department to throw you out or have you arrested?
This is what is wrong with companies that claim to take care of workers. First off, Stemilt Growers Company claims to take care of workers? When Kyle Mathison Orchards promises more jobs than they know they will be able to fill, yet they continue to promise jobs, when in fact, they knew there are really not enough jobs.
This is an abuse and the lack of very basic worker’s protections just allows companies to take advantage of workers with little or no regard for the worker. This is wrong, and in the scope of issues facing migrant workers, this one is very real to the workers traveling a great distance only to find out the promised jobs simply do not exist.
So while the nation watches the ramifications of the largest immigrant raid in our country in disgust and awkwardness, not knowing what to do, farmer workers far from the national headlines and public awareness, are left in a hopeless situation as well.
The sad part of this story is, that as long as immigration reform is ignored and worker protections laws are not put in place, immigrant workers will continue to be displaced in society, and will continue to suffer in a climate of fear, hatefulness, prejudices, and racism.
It is time for a reasonable resolution for comprehensive immigration reform. We cannot keep playing games with immigrant workers lives. We need a new national affirmation to work together to find a solution to this disgraceful stain of injustice on our Constitution.
Or maybe we need to start a boycott of cherries from the Mathison Orchards/Stemilt Growers Company – supposedly the “largest shipper of fresh-market sweet cherries in the world.”
Fidel “Butch” Montoya
H. S. Power & Light – Latino Faith Based Initiative
Posted by Hispanic Evangelicals at 1:59 AM 0 comments Links to this post
Fidel "Butch" Montoya
Far beyond the headline news of the largest Federal immigration raid totaling close to 400 individuals in the history of the United States, there is another important story not getting near the attention it should.
It is the sad story of lies and abuse of immigrants on the harvest trail. A story of expectations and hope promised, and nothing but uncertainty and fear delivered.
The United Farm Workers are trying to raise awareness about the plight of the workers and their families who recently left Washington State and who were promised jobs in the cherry orchards near Shafter, California. They left Washington State after Stemilt Growers Company promised them jobs in California. They packed what belongings they had, and traveled expecting to the find the jobs promised and to be able to provide for their families.
Now what would you do if you were promised a job in another state by the world’s largest supplier of freshly picked cherries? If I didn’t have a job, and Stemilt Growers Company promised me a job, I would take the company’s word and promise of a job and move to where I could take care of my family.
The problem is when they arrived in California, the jobs promised didn’t exist. There was no housing, places to shower or bathe, unless you wanted to bathe with the ducks and fish in a water hole?
As for sleeping arrangements, they did’t exist either. Some workers slept in their cars, others found cardboard boxes, and others simply slept out in the open. If you were lucky, you might have spelt in a tent.
To make matters worse, only a handful of the immigrants were hired and the rest were told to hang around and maybe more jobs would open up.
Now with no jobs, no expectation of getting one, little or no money left over from their trip, no housing, and nothing but uncertainty left, they were told they could camp out in the orchards.
They went public with their plight and complained to the news media which covered their story. Backed by the United Farm Workers, the news media exposed the problems facing the unemployed immigrants.
Angry and upset,representatives from Kyle Mathison Orchards/Stemilt Growers Company called the sheriff department to get the migrants out of the orchards. Now with the cherry growers throwing them out, there was no hope.
Now imagine this, this company claims to treat workers fairly. What is fairness when you provide no housing, no jobs, and broken promises and the company calls the sheriff department to throw you out or have you arrested?
This is what is wrong with companies that claim to take care of workers. First off, Stemilt Growers Company claims to take care of workers? When Kyle Mathison Orchards promises more jobs than they know they will be able to fill, yet they continue to promise jobs, when in fact, they knew there are really not enough jobs.
This is an abuse and the lack of very basic worker’s protections just allows companies to take advantage of workers with little or no regard for the worker. This is wrong, and in the scope of issues facing migrant workers, this one is very real to the workers traveling a great distance only to find out the promised jobs simply do not exist.
So while the nation watches the ramifications of the largest immigrant raid in our country in disgust and awkwardness, not knowing what to do, farmer workers far from the national headlines and public awareness, are left in a hopeless situation as well.
The sad part of this story is, that as long as immigration reform is ignored and worker protections laws are not put in place, immigrant workers will continue to be displaced in society, and will continue to suffer in a climate of fear, hatefulness, prejudices, and racism.
It is time for a reasonable resolution for comprehensive immigration reform. We cannot keep playing games with immigrant workers lives. We need a new national affirmation to work together to find a solution to this disgraceful stain of injustice on our Constitution.
Or maybe we need to start a boycott of cherries from the Mathison Orchards/Stemilt Growers Company – supposedly the “largest shipper of fresh-market sweet cherries in the world.”
Fidel “Butch” Montoya
H. S. Power & Light – Latino Faith Based Initiative
Posted by Hispanic Evangelicals at 1:59 AM 0 comments Links to this post
Executive Director of Latino Faith Initiative ~ H.S. Power & Light Ministries. Share commentary and information on issues of the day challenging and calling to action pastors and faith leaders to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves. Address concerns of justice and righteousness for the poor and marginalized. Strong advocate for comprehensive immigration reform. Licensed Minister 1972. Local government/news media Consultant/Advisor and Crisis Management. Deputy Mayor for City and County of Denver 1995 - 2000. Manager of Safety for City and Country of Denver 1994 - 2000 (Civilian manager of Denver Police Department, Denver Fire Department, Ex-Officio Sheriff Denver Sheriff Department. Deputy Manager/Revenue/DMV 2000 - 2003. News Broadcast Executive/news manager/Photojournalist for over 24 years 1970 - 1994. Executive Director Confianza ~ Multicultural Faith Alliance. Faith Alliance facing urban and inner city challenges and opportunities/crisis. Involved in civic policy issues & community committees and organizations.
Where are the Mighty Men of Valor?
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Fidel "Butch" Montoya
There is another story in the Arizona Republic today (May 8) about the ICE raid on April 12 against a group of men out on a religious retreat. But even after the April 12th arrests of the men who were part of a Christian men's retreat...the Latino Evangelical Church outside of Arizona remains outrageously silent.
Oh Church, where is the righteous indignation and condemnation of the injustice toward God's mighty men of valor?
Can we hear from churches from across this nation that will take a stand against the arrests and deportations...and the jailing of the Pastor Maldonado for almost two weeks in jail?
What about the pastor's 12 year old who witnessed the insensitive work of law enforcement and ICE? What a nightmare for this young man to have see. To watch ICE agents mistreat and disrespect his father...who is a Man of God? How can we not be shocked and angered?
Yes, they have the authority to arrest, but where is the discretion these officers could have used?? When we allow these agents to interfer with our religious worship, prevent others from singing and praying in public, and arresting and deporting the men straight from the campground and we remain silent and hidden from the authorities, something is terribly wrong?
What about the families that expected the fathers, husbands, brothers in the Lord to come back excited and inspired to serve the Lord? Instead the shock and fear of their loved one being detained and deported must have been a horrific shock for the families.
Now the whole valley of churches in this part of Arizona are stunned and afraid of further police action against them. And can you blame them? Not one other church outside of this valley that I have read has taken a public stand against this police action.
If it can happen in Arizona, it can happen to any church, in any city, or in any state in the Union!
We are facing perilous times...and with the silence of the good people against the evil committed against the Church, this is not acceptable anywhere!
I say stand up now and stand against this injustice and insane action by the county law enforcement and ICE in Arizona against the Church.
What has to happen to our Church before we stand up and say enough? Do we understand the ramifications this has across the country? We need to send the message loud and clear to ICE that they stay away from our Churches which represent the House of God.
Where are the mighty men of valor that will stand and be ready to defend the Gospel with the Churches in Arizona?
Pastor Maldonado said they were "terrified." We should all say we are "TERRIFIED and "rightiously angered and opposed" to this injust treatment of good people...good Christian people!
Wake up Latinos! Wake up Church!
Read the news story down below....after the SAVE Act news article,
Fidel "Butch" Montoya
H. S. Power & Light - Latino Faith Based Initiative
Posted by Hispanic Evangelicals at 1:45 PM 1 comments Links to this post
Fidel "Butch" Montoya
There is another story in the Arizona Republic today (May 8) about the ICE raid on April 12 against a group of men out on a religious retreat. But even after the April 12th arrests of the men who were part of a Christian men's retreat...the Latino Evangelical Church outside of Arizona remains outrageously silent.
Oh Church, where is the righteous indignation and condemnation of the injustice toward God's mighty men of valor?
Can we hear from churches from across this nation that will take a stand against the arrests and deportations...and the jailing of the Pastor Maldonado for almost two weeks in jail?
What about the pastor's 12 year old who witnessed the insensitive work of law enforcement and ICE? What a nightmare for this young man to have see. To watch ICE agents mistreat and disrespect his father...who is a Man of God? How can we not be shocked and angered?
Yes, they have the authority to arrest, but where is the discretion these officers could have used?? When we allow these agents to interfer with our religious worship, prevent others from singing and praying in public, and arresting and deporting the men straight from the campground and we remain silent and hidden from the authorities, something is terribly wrong?
What about the families that expected the fathers, husbands, brothers in the Lord to come back excited and inspired to serve the Lord? Instead the shock and fear of their loved one being detained and deported must have been a horrific shock for the families.
Now the whole valley of churches in this part of Arizona are stunned and afraid of further police action against them. And can you blame them? Not one other church outside of this valley that I have read has taken a public stand against this police action.
If it can happen in Arizona, it can happen to any church, in any city, or in any state in the Union!
We are facing perilous times...and with the silence of the good people against the evil committed against the Church, this is not acceptable anywhere!
I say stand up now and stand against this injustice and insane action by the county law enforcement and ICE in Arizona against the Church.
What has to happen to our Church before we stand up and say enough? Do we understand the ramifications this has across the country? We need to send the message loud and clear to ICE that they stay away from our Churches which represent the House of God.
Where are the mighty men of valor that will stand and be ready to defend the Gospel with the Churches in Arizona?
Pastor Maldonado said they were "terrified." We should all say we are "TERRIFIED and "rightiously angered and opposed" to this injust treatment of good people...good Christian people!
Wake up Latinos! Wake up Church!
Read the news story down below....after the SAVE Act news article,
Fidel "Butch" Montoya
H. S. Power & Light - Latino Faith Based Initiative
Posted by Hispanic Evangelicals at 1:45 PM 1 comments Links to this post
Executive Director of Latino Faith Initiative ~ H.S. Power & Light Ministries. Share commentary and information on issues of the day challenging and calling to action pastors and faith leaders to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves. Address concerns of justice and righteousness for the poor and marginalized. Strong advocate for comprehensive immigration reform. Licensed Minister 1972. Local government/news media Consultant/Advisor and Crisis Management. Deputy Mayor for City and County of Denver 1995 - 2000. Manager of Safety for City and Country of Denver 1994 - 2000 (Civilian manager of Denver Police Department, Denver Fire Department, Ex-Officio Sheriff Denver Sheriff Department. Deputy Manager/Revenue/DMV 2000 - 2003. News Broadcast Executive/news manager/Photojournalist for over 24 years 1970 - 1994. Executive Director Confianza ~ Multicultural Faith Alliance. Faith Alliance facing urban and inner city challenges and opportunities/crisis. Involved in civic policy issues & community committees and organizations.
"Remembering the Days of Old"
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Fidel "Butch" Montoya
In all of this debate surrounding Rev. Jeremiah Wright and Barack Obama, there is one interesting issue that some Latino religious leaders have failed to do and that is to raise their collective voices once again. Once again it seems we are comfortable sitting in the balconies of the 50’s and 60’s and watching the action.
During the early days before the Civil Rights Movement, I often heard stories about how we Latinos were mistreated as an ethnic group. How we were forced to use different bathrooms, drinking fountains, denied the use of our native language, and had to read the ugly signs posted around town “No Mexicans or dogs allowed.”
The personal burden of having to carry the perpetual battle of hate and discrimination and yes, open racism were no doubt emotionally and deeply felt pains and sorrows our parents and their parents had to endure.
I remember the turmoil around our country, reading the headlines, watching the Huntley Brinkley report on black and white television. We would watch the images from the South, we would see the Black ministers leading the fight and I watched in horror how law enforcement treated people as they beat them with batons, shields, and little lead weapons encased in leather called saps.
Yes, and who can forget the local fire departments using their water hoses to blow protestors off their feet with high water pressure hoses.
Yes, those were the days of the Civil Rights Movement. Very rarely did you see a Latino pastor or religious leader joining Dr. Martin Luther King or the Black Clergy in the streets. I have often thought about that as I grew up. Where were we in that movement? Why did our clergy not participate in an era when Civil Rights were needed in our country?
It took Dr. Martin Luther King and President Lyndon Johnson to push through the 1965 Civil Rights Act through one of the most prejudiced and mean spirited members of Congress. Imagine to pass the 1965 Civil Rights Act giving people who had been denied the right to vote, "the right to vote". How was it necessary to legislate Federal Legislation just to open more doors of greater opportunity for Blacks and Latinos and other minority groups just some 40 plus years ago??
But did we lift a hand in that battle? I mean do you remember seeing many if any of the pioneers of our movement or other significant role models in the streets?
Recently we met with a group of Black ministers in a Black/Brown Dialogue to see if we could find common ground on which to begin to work together.
Almost immediately early in the first meeting, a very well respected and well known Black minister asked, "Butch, where were your people when we fought in the streets of Alabama, Los Angeles, and other cities across this country?
Do you even understand the pain and agony we have had to carry in our hearts for generations, even from the days my people were brought over in slave ships, and treated with the indignity and hate of the white slave owners?
Do you know what it is like to trace your family tree to a slave ship and slave owners? This is the pain and sorrow we carry, even till today."
Those comments came back and are very real to me in light of the controversy over the Rev. Jeremiah Wright as his sermons are being scrutinized and still being taken out of context even though he has asked the reporters to listen to the whole sermon...not just selected voiatile sound bites. While the Gospel of Jesus Christ covers our pain, our agony, and our anger, does it mean that we have forgotten our history, our heritage and what may have happened to the blessed people in our past?
From our family’s perspective, I have heard the hateful stories of how Latinos or “Latins” as we called ourselves in those days were treated and how my parents had to endure the hate, the racism, the prejudice, and hateful people.
As I was growing up in elementary school, I always had the misfortune of attending schools where I was about the only "Mexican" in class. I always came from “the wrong side of the tracks” as they used to say.
Let’s be honest with ourselves and I mean sit back and think about the past for a moment.
This country as wonderful as it is, has not always been kind to our “ancestors,” my parents, to my generation, and certainly to my children. It is still a country with work in progress when it comes to race relations, forgiveness, and reconciliation.
There are times when I have spoken to a group of people when I have voiced these views along with the feelings of humiliation, anger, despair and hopelessness at the state of race relations in our country. And I always spoke the truth.
The one term I literary hated for people to yell at me was “to go back where you came from!” I have researched our genealogy along with the assistance of a professor who foot noted his work. We can trace our family ancestors back 17 generations to the Canary Islands off the coast of Africa and Spain to Northern New Mexico.
And guess what? I am where I came from right here in the Southwest.
On this land along with the Pueblo Indians of Northern New Mexico we lived together. Yes, there was conflict and rebellion on both sides. But look at the names of some Indians who hold Indian governmental positions within their tribes and there names are Romero, Rael, and other Latino last names.
When one looks back at the injustice of how this nation treated our people, how can we forget that history when there is still plenty to be angry about?
When a Tancredo demands that we be deported back to Mexico, just don’t forget, that this country has deported our people, some USA citizens many times in the past. The green INS vans of the early 30’s, Operation Wetback in the 50’s, and now the random raids and deportation of the 21st century, still detaining USA Latino citizens.
How can we not accuse this nation of injustice, land theft, mistreatment of our people, despised and forced to the “work no other American wants to do?” How can we judge Rev. Jeremiah Wright for his outrage and indignation of how the African Americans were treated?
In the Book of Deuteronomy in The Song of Moses in Chapter 32, Moses knew his time was near. He assembled the Elders of the Tribes and all the people and begins to recount the history of the nation’s journey through the desert.
At one point he admonishes his people “to remember the days of old: consider the long generations long past. Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders, they will explain to you. When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance, when he divided all mankind” To remember their history and how the Most High was always there to lead them and protect them.
There are times when I write, speak, or preach and I may use some of the examples of what this nation has done to our people. How we were mistreated even when our fathers went to war to defend this land. How when they came back from the war, they were no long “American heroes” but now just plain “ old dirty Mexicans.” These are stories my father used to tell me.
How can we not remember these indignities? How can we not recount this injustice to my father to my own children? Who will tell our churches to stand up for justice when we see it is needed. Rev. Martin Luther King said, “when there is injustice against one, it is an injustice against all.”
Remember your days of old? How then can you accuse Rev Jeremiah Wright of being un-American or a traitor because he preaches truth and justice and clearly has not forgotten his past?
Fidel "Butch" Montoya
H. S. Power & Light - Latino Faith Based Initiative
Posted by Hispanic Evangelicals at 6:50 PM 0 comments Links to this post
Labels: Wright Rev Jeremiah Wright racism MLK
Fidel "Butch" Montoya
In all of this debate surrounding Rev. Jeremiah Wright and Barack Obama, there is one interesting issue that some Latino religious leaders have failed to do and that is to raise their collective voices once again. Once again it seems we are comfortable sitting in the balconies of the 50’s and 60’s and watching the action.
During the early days before the Civil Rights Movement, I often heard stories about how we Latinos were mistreated as an ethnic group. How we were forced to use different bathrooms, drinking fountains, denied the use of our native language, and had to read the ugly signs posted around town “No Mexicans or dogs allowed.”
The personal burden of having to carry the perpetual battle of hate and discrimination and yes, open racism were no doubt emotionally and deeply felt pains and sorrows our parents and their parents had to endure.
I remember the turmoil around our country, reading the headlines, watching the Huntley Brinkley report on black and white television. We would watch the images from the South, we would see the Black ministers leading the fight and I watched in horror how law enforcement treated people as they beat them with batons, shields, and little lead weapons encased in leather called saps.
Yes, and who can forget the local fire departments using their water hoses to blow protestors off their feet with high water pressure hoses.
Yes, those were the days of the Civil Rights Movement. Very rarely did you see a Latino pastor or religious leader joining Dr. Martin Luther King or the Black Clergy in the streets. I have often thought about that as I grew up. Where were we in that movement? Why did our clergy not participate in an era when Civil Rights were needed in our country?
It took Dr. Martin Luther King and President Lyndon Johnson to push through the 1965 Civil Rights Act through one of the most prejudiced and mean spirited members of Congress. Imagine to pass the 1965 Civil Rights Act giving people who had been denied the right to vote, "the right to vote". How was it necessary to legislate Federal Legislation just to open more doors of greater opportunity for Blacks and Latinos and other minority groups just some 40 plus years ago??
But did we lift a hand in that battle? I mean do you remember seeing many if any of the pioneers of our movement or other significant role models in the streets?
Recently we met with a group of Black ministers in a Black/Brown Dialogue to see if we could find common ground on which to begin to work together.
Almost immediately early in the first meeting, a very well respected and well known Black minister asked, "Butch, where were your people when we fought in the streets of Alabama, Los Angeles, and other cities across this country?
Do you even understand the pain and agony we have had to carry in our hearts for generations, even from the days my people were brought over in slave ships, and treated with the indignity and hate of the white slave owners?
Do you know what it is like to trace your family tree to a slave ship and slave owners? This is the pain and sorrow we carry, even till today."
Those comments came back and are very real to me in light of the controversy over the Rev. Jeremiah Wright as his sermons are being scrutinized and still being taken out of context even though he has asked the reporters to listen to the whole sermon...not just selected voiatile sound bites. While the Gospel of Jesus Christ covers our pain, our agony, and our anger, does it mean that we have forgotten our history, our heritage and what may have happened to the blessed people in our past?
From our family’s perspective, I have heard the hateful stories of how Latinos or “Latins” as we called ourselves in those days were treated and how my parents had to endure the hate, the racism, the prejudice, and hateful people.
As I was growing up in elementary school, I always had the misfortune of attending schools where I was about the only "Mexican" in class. I always came from “the wrong side of the tracks” as they used to say.
Let’s be honest with ourselves and I mean sit back and think about the past for a moment.
This country as wonderful as it is, has not always been kind to our “ancestors,” my parents, to my generation, and certainly to my children. It is still a country with work in progress when it comes to race relations, forgiveness, and reconciliation.
There are times when I have spoken to a group of people when I have voiced these views along with the feelings of humiliation, anger, despair and hopelessness at the state of race relations in our country. And I always spoke the truth.
The one term I literary hated for people to yell at me was “to go back where you came from!” I have researched our genealogy along with the assistance of a professor who foot noted his work. We can trace our family ancestors back 17 generations to the Canary Islands off the coast of Africa and Spain to Northern New Mexico.
And guess what? I am where I came from right here in the Southwest.
On this land along with the Pueblo Indians of Northern New Mexico we lived together. Yes, there was conflict and rebellion on both sides. But look at the names of some Indians who hold Indian governmental positions within their tribes and there names are Romero, Rael, and other Latino last names.
When one looks back at the injustice of how this nation treated our people, how can we forget that history when there is still plenty to be angry about?
When a Tancredo demands that we be deported back to Mexico, just don’t forget, that this country has deported our people, some USA citizens many times in the past. The green INS vans of the early 30’s, Operation Wetback in the 50’s, and now the random raids and deportation of the 21st century, still detaining USA Latino citizens.
How can we not accuse this nation of injustice, land theft, mistreatment of our people, despised and forced to the “work no other American wants to do?” How can we judge Rev. Jeremiah Wright for his outrage and indignation of how the African Americans were treated?
In the Book of Deuteronomy in The Song of Moses in Chapter 32, Moses knew his time was near. He assembled the Elders of the Tribes and all the people and begins to recount the history of the nation’s journey through the desert.
At one point he admonishes his people “to remember the days of old: consider the long generations long past. Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders, they will explain to you. When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance, when he divided all mankind” To remember their history and how the Most High was always there to lead them and protect them.
There are times when I write, speak, or preach and I may use some of the examples of what this nation has done to our people. How we were mistreated even when our fathers went to war to defend this land. How when they came back from the war, they were no long “American heroes” but now just plain “ old dirty Mexicans.” These are stories my father used to tell me.
How can we not remember these indignities? How can we not recount this injustice to my father to my own children? Who will tell our churches to stand up for justice when we see it is needed. Rev. Martin Luther King said, “when there is injustice against one, it is an injustice against all.”
Remember your days of old? How then can you accuse Rev Jeremiah Wright of being un-American or a traitor because he preaches truth and justice and clearly has not forgotten his past?
Fidel "Butch" Montoya
H. S. Power & Light - Latino Faith Based Initiative
Posted by Hispanic Evangelicals at 6:50 PM 0 comments Links to this post
Labels: Wright Rev Jeremiah Wright racism MLK
Executive Director of Latino Faith Initiative ~ H.S. Power & Light Ministries. Share commentary and information on issues of the day challenging and calling to action pastors and faith leaders to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves. Address concerns of justice and righteousness for the poor and marginalized. Strong advocate for comprehensive immigration reform. Licensed Minister 1972. Local government/news media Consultant/Advisor and Crisis Management. Deputy Mayor for City and County of Denver 1995 - 2000. Manager of Safety for City and Country of Denver 1994 - 2000 (Civilian manager of Denver Police Department, Denver Fire Department, Ex-Officio Sheriff Denver Sheriff Department. Deputy Manager/Revenue/DMV 2000 - 2003. News Broadcast Executive/news manager/Photojournalist for over 24 years 1970 - 1994. Executive Director Confianza ~ Multicultural Faith Alliance. Faith Alliance facing urban and inner city challenges and opportunities/crisis. Involved in civic policy issues & community committees and organizations.
Rev. Jeremiah Wright - Wright On!
Friday, April 25, 2008
Fidel "Butch" Montoya
I was wondering how I would feel if a reporter from the news media went back and dug up some old sermons I may have preached several years ago, maybe a speech I gave a year ago and then taken them out of context to try to embarrass me or make me sound like a deranged person.
The reporters in the news media love to use short sentences or what they call “sound bites” out of an interview that maybe took 15 or 20 minutes to complete. The problem with reporters writing their news stories with only 5 or 10 second “sound bites” is that usually they end up taking parts if not all of the interview out of context.
I am sure you have had a conversation with someone who may have said they were interviewed by a reporter and when the story was printed or aired on television or radio, they claim that is not what they said.
But as for the reporter, it is possible the editor may have used only a shorter sound bite from the interview. The problem of editing down the response ends up making the interview mean something entirely different from what they didn’t say or mean.
Obviously in Wright's case, it was just simply a case of some reporters going back and looking for questionable comments from old sermons that very easily could have been taken out of context. They used these comments to create a contradictory impression about Rev. Wright, thus assailing his reputation and profession as a minister.
That is exactly what happened to the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, the former pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago and Barack Obama. In an interview that airs tonight (April 25), on PBS, Rev. Wright said, “I felt it was unfair. I felt it was unjust. I felt it was untrue. I felt – for those who were doing that – were doing it for some very devious reasons.”
I agree with Rev. Wright. I believe the reasons for those who tried to destroy the reputation of a pastor of over twenty years of a large reputable church, were devious, unjust, and unfair.
It was not right for a reporter to go back years ago when Rev. Wright may have been preaching about racism in America and said in his sermon, “God d*** America.” No doubt those are harsh words and perhaps words you may not have used.
But coming from an African American pastor preaching about racism, that comment in context with his sermon, may well have been the only way to make his point so the congregation members in his church sat up and paid attention. (And those of us who need to hear these words as well).
I have not read the sermon, but it seems highly reasonable to me that the sin of racism in this land has frustrated and hardened those activists and clergy members who founded the Civil Rights Movement along with Dr. Martin Luther King, and who have fought for freedom from racism and bigotry for years.
The Associated Press reviewed excerpts of the interview that airs tonight on PBS’s Bill Moyers Journal. The AP reporter wrote that Wright told Moyers, “The blowing up of sermons preached 15, seven, six years ago and now becoming a media event, not the full sermon, but the snippets from the sermon ... having made me the target of hatred, yes, that is something very new."
To make Wright a lighting rod in a presidential primary election is immoral and wrong. To take words out of his sermons and then claim the Rev. Wright is un-American, a racist, and as he says, a target of hatred is basically not right.
Wright does not hesitate to claim that he is an activist and accustomed to being “at odds with the establishment.” But I believe he was caught off guard by the responses to his old sermons by the purveyors of doubt and fear.
I believe the people or reporters who took Rev. Wright’s sermons out of context were not only trying to intimidate Wright on what he should preach from the pulpit, but you as well.
It is clear the message to pastors and preachers are to watch what you say, because there are some who will not hesitate to destroy or create a climate of doubt and incredibility about you and your messages from the Gospel.
We should not allow the news media to dictate what is preached from the pulpit as long as it is inspired by God and not taken of out of context from the Bible.
It is unfortunate that Rev. Wright was made a poster child for being honest, for preaching the truth, and for standing up for justice and righteousness in a land of racism and bigotry.
John the Baptist was no doubt mocked as well by the “news reporters” of the day back when John was out eating locusts and honey. But John was not intimidated, when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing.
In Matthew, the Bible says he looked at them and said, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with the repentance. And do not think you can say to yourselves, we have Abraham as our Father.”
Can you imagine taking that sermon out context? Headline would have read:
Angry Preacher calls top Religious Leaders: Vipers & Hypocrites!! More tonight at 11 p.m. news - HD.
Please click to see excerpt from the PBS Bill Moyers'Journal
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/04252008/profile.html
Fidel “Butch” Montoya
H. S. Power & Light – Latino Faith Based Initiative
Posted by Hispanic Evangelicals at 2:42 AM 0 comments Links to this post
Fidel "Butch" Montoya
I was wondering how I would feel if a reporter from the news media went back and dug up some old sermons I may have preached several years ago, maybe a speech I gave a year ago and then taken them out of context to try to embarrass me or make me sound like a deranged person.
The reporters in the news media love to use short sentences or what they call “sound bites” out of an interview that maybe took 15 or 20 minutes to complete. The problem with reporters writing their news stories with only 5 or 10 second “sound bites” is that usually they end up taking parts if not all of the interview out of context.
I am sure you have had a conversation with someone who may have said they were interviewed by a reporter and when the story was printed or aired on television or radio, they claim that is not what they said.
But as for the reporter, it is possible the editor may have used only a shorter sound bite from the interview. The problem of editing down the response ends up making the interview mean something entirely different from what they didn’t say or mean.
Obviously in Wright's case, it was just simply a case of some reporters going back and looking for questionable comments from old sermons that very easily could have been taken out of context. They used these comments to create a contradictory impression about Rev. Wright, thus assailing his reputation and profession as a minister.
That is exactly what happened to the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, the former pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago and Barack Obama. In an interview that airs tonight (April 25), on PBS, Rev. Wright said, “I felt it was unfair. I felt it was unjust. I felt it was untrue. I felt – for those who were doing that – were doing it for some very devious reasons.”
I agree with Rev. Wright. I believe the reasons for those who tried to destroy the reputation of a pastor of over twenty years of a large reputable church, were devious, unjust, and unfair.
It was not right for a reporter to go back years ago when Rev. Wright may have been preaching about racism in America and said in his sermon, “God d*** America.” No doubt those are harsh words and perhaps words you may not have used.
But coming from an African American pastor preaching about racism, that comment in context with his sermon, may well have been the only way to make his point so the congregation members in his church sat up and paid attention. (And those of us who need to hear these words as well).
I have not read the sermon, but it seems highly reasonable to me that the sin of racism in this land has frustrated and hardened those activists and clergy members who founded the Civil Rights Movement along with Dr. Martin Luther King, and who have fought for freedom from racism and bigotry for years.
The Associated Press reviewed excerpts of the interview that airs tonight on PBS’s Bill Moyers Journal. The AP reporter wrote that Wright told Moyers, “The blowing up of sermons preached 15, seven, six years ago and now becoming a media event, not the full sermon, but the snippets from the sermon ... having made me the target of hatred, yes, that is something very new."
To make Wright a lighting rod in a presidential primary election is immoral and wrong. To take words out of his sermons and then claim the Rev. Wright is un-American, a racist, and as he says, a target of hatred is basically not right.
Wright does not hesitate to claim that he is an activist and accustomed to being “at odds with the establishment.” But I believe he was caught off guard by the responses to his old sermons by the purveyors of doubt and fear.
I believe the people or reporters who took Rev. Wright’s sermons out of context were not only trying to intimidate Wright on what he should preach from the pulpit, but you as well.
It is clear the message to pastors and preachers are to watch what you say, because there are some who will not hesitate to destroy or create a climate of doubt and incredibility about you and your messages from the Gospel.
We should not allow the news media to dictate what is preached from the pulpit as long as it is inspired by God and not taken of out of context from the Bible.
It is unfortunate that Rev. Wright was made a poster child for being honest, for preaching the truth, and for standing up for justice and righteousness in a land of racism and bigotry.
John the Baptist was no doubt mocked as well by the “news reporters” of the day back when John was out eating locusts and honey. But John was not intimidated, when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing.
In Matthew, the Bible says he looked at them and said, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with the repentance. And do not think you can say to yourselves, we have Abraham as our Father.”
Can you imagine taking that sermon out context? Headline would have read:
Angry Preacher calls top Religious Leaders: Vipers & Hypocrites!! More tonight at 11 p.m. news - HD.
Please click to see excerpt from the PBS Bill Moyers'Journal
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/04252008/profile.html
Fidel “Butch” Montoya
H. S. Power & Light – Latino Faith Based Initiative
Posted by Hispanic Evangelicals at 2:42 AM 0 comments Links to this post
Executive Director of Latino Faith Initiative ~ H.S. Power & Light Ministries. Share commentary and information on issues of the day challenging and calling to action pastors and faith leaders to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves. Address concerns of justice and righteousness for the poor and marginalized. Strong advocate for comprehensive immigration reform. Licensed Minister 1972. Local government/news media Consultant/Advisor and Crisis Management. Deputy Mayor for City and County of Denver 1995 - 2000. Manager of Safety for City and Country of Denver 1994 - 2000 (Civilian manager of Denver Police Department, Denver Fire Department, Ex-Officio Sheriff Denver Sheriff Department. Deputy Manager/Revenue/DMV 2000 - 2003. News Broadcast Executive/news manager/Photojournalist for over 24 years 1970 - 1994. Executive Director Confianza ~ Multicultural Faith Alliance. Faith Alliance facing urban and inner city challenges and opportunities/crisis. Involved in civic policy issues & community committees and organizations.
Be Sure To Eat All Your Vegetables
Friday, April 18, 2008
Fidel "Butch" Montoya
One of the most disheartening stories that I have read was in The New York Times April 18th. It was a story about hunger – “Across Globe, Empty Bellies Bring Rising Anger” was the headline on the story. You need to read it if you can.
Hunger is so bad that actual food riots are breaking out in the streets Port-au-Prince, Haiti and in other countries. The price of the country’s main food staples have risen almost 45% according to the report. With such high food costs, there simply is not enough food in Haiti to feed the people, so that the only recourse left for some people is to battle against the police and even army soldiers demanding that their government feed the hungry masses.
For the life of me, I cannot comprehend the pain and hunger they must feel that is so bad that even the prime minister of the government had to flee the country. And it is not just in Haiti, it is a world wide crisis as never seen in the history of humankind.
In Haiti, the high food prices are creating the scarcity of beans, corn, and rice. These products are so readily available in our country it is hard to conceive people fighting over them. Here at home, even as food prices begin to rise, our pantry is full of food products and plenty of beans, rice, and corn.
Marc Lacy, The New Times reporter spoke to unemployed father with several children and the interview is riveting to read about his personal dilemma and left me feeling very guilty and sad.
The father said he gave each one of his children two spoonfuls of rice apiece and that was their only meal of the day. Two spoonfuls of rice each and the worse part, they went without food the next day!
Lacy reports that the father had not eaten himself feeling the aches and pains of hunger in his belly. But no doubt, the greatest pain this father felt was what he told The Times reporter. “They look at me and say, ‘Papa, I’m hungry,’ and I have to look away. Its humiliating and it makes you angry.” (Stop here and let that sink in…..)
Here in the United States, while we decide to buy “hybrid vehicles” which consume “biofuels,” essentially fuel made from corn and other food products, people in other countries around the world are rioting, dying of hunger, and simply downcast in hopelessness. As we divert more and more food products to fuel, there is no doubt we will continue to contribute to a growing crisis.
While the environment and global warming are real problems as well, we need to be as concerned about world hunger and poverty as well. Unfortunately we have painted ourselves into a corner because both issues are equally important.
As I read news stories on how people are suffering from the hunger pains because there is not enough food to eat, I am grateful for our country. And yes, we cannot forget there are thousands of homeless families and families affected by our troubled economy that go to sleep hungry every night, we better listen to those hunger gurgles as well.
For many of us, when we get hunger flashes, we drive into a fast food restaurant, stop at the grocery store full of food, or open a refrigerator full of fresh food.
But beyond feeling guilty which does nothing to change the worst food crisis in the world, it is time our government hears the cries of the hungry from around the world. Here we still pay farmers not to plant certain foods…and we pay millions in subsidies so that fields will lie idle.
Farm subsidies and food practices must be addressed with sound policy decisions not only from our government, but from the United Nations as well. This is a worldwide dilemma and crisis.
With economic uncertainty creeping slowly across our country, we have already seen food prices starting to rise here. In some countries because of ridiculously high food prices, people are beginning to horde food in their pantries.
While our presidential candidates bicker over whether or not people are “bitter” or whether someone was “under fire” when they landed at an airport years ago is irrelevant. Who cares what a preacher may have preached from his pulpit and if we believe the news reports which have taken many if not all of these sermons out of context, what does it matter?
We have many perplexing issues in our country like comprehensive immigration reform, the recession, and the war in Iraq just to mention three priorities for the next President to work on.
But we must not turn our attention away from a crisis that is going to affect every economy and well being of every nation in the world. Where is the debate on our responsibility as a compassionate world leader?
In The Times there is a picture that accompanies the article of people picking their way across the dump looking for something to eat or to feed their families.
World hunger and poverty are dangerous factors that can explode into a worldwide crisis beyond what we have ever experienced, and if you think it not going to affect you, think again.
The old cliché, “Hijo, finish your vegetables, there are children in China that are starving and would love to finish you food,” is becoming truer and truer everyday and we don’t even realize it.
Fidel "Butch" Montoya
H. S. Power & Light - Latino Faith Based Initiative
** Convoy of Hope responding to worldwide food crisis
Worldwide, food prices are escalating to previously unimaginable levels.
Though it's also affected by price increases, Convoy of Hope continues to move forward with ongoing worldwide feeding programs, which feeds more than 12,000 people each day.
For the second year in a row, Convoy of Hope just received International Food Relief Partnership grant from U. S. Agency for International Development for feeding programs in Haiti and El Salvador.
To learn more about Convoy of Hope in its response to the worldwide food crisis, see
http://www.convoyofhope.org/.
Posted by Hispanic Evangelicals at 2:12 PM 0 comments Links to this post
Fidel "Butch" Montoya
One of the most disheartening stories that I have read was in The New York Times April 18th. It was a story about hunger – “Across Globe, Empty Bellies Bring Rising Anger” was the headline on the story. You need to read it if you can.
Hunger is so bad that actual food riots are breaking out in the streets Port-au-Prince, Haiti and in other countries. The price of the country’s main food staples have risen almost 45% according to the report. With such high food costs, there simply is not enough food in Haiti to feed the people, so that the only recourse left for some people is to battle against the police and even army soldiers demanding that their government feed the hungry masses.
For the life of me, I cannot comprehend the pain and hunger they must feel that is so bad that even the prime minister of the government had to flee the country. And it is not just in Haiti, it is a world wide crisis as never seen in the history of humankind.
In Haiti, the high food prices are creating the scarcity of beans, corn, and rice. These products are so readily available in our country it is hard to conceive people fighting over them. Here at home, even as food prices begin to rise, our pantry is full of food products and plenty of beans, rice, and corn.
Marc Lacy, The New Times reporter spoke to unemployed father with several children and the interview is riveting to read about his personal dilemma and left me feeling very guilty and sad.
The father said he gave each one of his children two spoonfuls of rice apiece and that was their only meal of the day. Two spoonfuls of rice each and the worse part, they went without food the next day!
Lacy reports that the father had not eaten himself feeling the aches and pains of hunger in his belly. But no doubt, the greatest pain this father felt was what he told The Times reporter. “They look at me and say, ‘Papa, I’m hungry,’ and I have to look away. Its humiliating and it makes you angry.” (Stop here and let that sink in…..)
Here in the United States, while we decide to buy “hybrid vehicles” which consume “biofuels,” essentially fuel made from corn and other food products, people in other countries around the world are rioting, dying of hunger, and simply downcast in hopelessness. As we divert more and more food products to fuel, there is no doubt we will continue to contribute to a growing crisis.
While the environment and global warming are real problems as well, we need to be as concerned about world hunger and poverty as well. Unfortunately we have painted ourselves into a corner because both issues are equally important.
As I read news stories on how people are suffering from the hunger pains because there is not enough food to eat, I am grateful for our country. And yes, we cannot forget there are thousands of homeless families and families affected by our troubled economy that go to sleep hungry every night, we better listen to those hunger gurgles as well.
For many of us, when we get hunger flashes, we drive into a fast food restaurant, stop at the grocery store full of food, or open a refrigerator full of fresh food.
But beyond feeling guilty which does nothing to change the worst food crisis in the world, it is time our government hears the cries of the hungry from around the world. Here we still pay farmers not to plant certain foods…and we pay millions in subsidies so that fields will lie idle.
Farm subsidies and food practices must be addressed with sound policy decisions not only from our government, but from the United Nations as well. This is a worldwide dilemma and crisis.
With economic uncertainty creeping slowly across our country, we have already seen food prices starting to rise here. In some countries because of ridiculously high food prices, people are beginning to horde food in their pantries.
While our presidential candidates bicker over whether or not people are “bitter” or whether someone was “under fire” when they landed at an airport years ago is irrelevant. Who cares what a preacher may have preached from his pulpit and if we believe the news reports which have taken many if not all of these sermons out of context, what does it matter?
We have many perplexing issues in our country like comprehensive immigration reform, the recession, and the war in Iraq just to mention three priorities for the next President to work on.
But we must not turn our attention away from a crisis that is going to affect every economy and well being of every nation in the world. Where is the debate on our responsibility as a compassionate world leader?
In The Times there is a picture that accompanies the article of people picking their way across the dump looking for something to eat or to feed their families.
World hunger and poverty are dangerous factors that can explode into a worldwide crisis beyond what we have ever experienced, and if you think it not going to affect you, think again.
The old cliché, “Hijo, finish your vegetables, there are children in China that are starving and would love to finish you food,” is becoming truer and truer everyday and we don’t even realize it.
Fidel "Butch" Montoya
H. S. Power & Light - Latino Faith Based Initiative
** Convoy of Hope responding to worldwide food crisis
Worldwide, food prices are escalating to previously unimaginable levels.
Though it's also affected by price increases, Convoy of Hope continues to move forward with ongoing worldwide feeding programs, which feeds more than 12,000 people each day.
For the second year in a row, Convoy of Hope just received International Food Relief Partnership grant from U. S. Agency for International Development for feeding programs in Haiti and El Salvador.
To learn more about Convoy of Hope in its response to the worldwide food crisis, see
http://www.convoyofhope.org/.
Posted by Hispanic Evangelicals at 2:12 PM 0 comments Links to this post
Executive Director of Latino Faith Initiative ~ H.S. Power & Light Ministries. Share commentary and information on issues of the day challenging and calling to action pastors and faith leaders to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves. Address concerns of justice and righteousness for the poor and marginalized. Strong advocate for comprehensive immigration reform. Licensed Minister 1972. Local government/news media Consultant/Advisor and Crisis Management. Deputy Mayor for City and County of Denver 1995 - 2000. Manager of Safety for City and Country of Denver 1994 - 2000 (Civilian manager of Denver Police Department, Denver Fire Department, Ex-Officio Sheriff Denver Sheriff Department. Deputy Manager/Revenue/DMV 2000 - 2003. News Broadcast Executive/news manager/Photojournalist for over 24 years 1970 - 1994. Executive Director Confianza ~ Multicultural Faith Alliance. Faith Alliance facing urban and inner city challenges and opportunities/crisis. Involved in civic policy issues & community committees and organizations.
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