Defendamos los Derechos de Los Inmigrantes!

How can you refer to us, being those of Mexico, El Salvador, Nicaragua, etc as "immigrants," when a good 95% of us are of some indigenous nation, whether it be Mixteco, Pipil, etc... We never crossed the border, the border crossed us and to say that we are immigrants, only trivializes our identity here as indigenous peoples. the only immigrants, per se, are those who do actually migrate from some other country, like those whose ancestors hopped over on the Mayflower, wound up at Ellis Island, i.e. England, Germany, China, etc.

its not any less worse than calling us "hispanic" or "latino" and those Nixon-era melting pot labels have to go.

We were always moving around, as many other native cultures did, and our culture today reinforces that, for many reasons and on all levels.

Xochiyohua,

No offense meant. It's certainly true that the descendents of the indigenous peoples of las Americas are much less "immigrants" than anyone who traces all of their ancestry to another continent. It's especially offensive that many whose ancestors lived in Aztlan for millenia (such as the majority of the residents of the Mission District) are under such vicious attack by colonizers of the historic homeland.

At the same time, I don't think there's anything negative about being an immigrant-- it's racist propaganda that's given the word any negative connotations. The coalition of organizations who put on the above protest (which has since taken the name "Deporten a la Migra") is inclusive of and defends the rights of all people labeled "immigrants" in our society, whether their ancestors hail from Aztlan, South America, Asia, Africa, etc., and we're aiming for the broadest, simplest and most-inclusive language.

From my experience working in the movement, the leaders of this struggle proudly call themselves "immigrants" because they share with all immigrants the experience of relocation, of crossing a border and remaking a new life. I honor their self-determination by using the language they use for themselves.

I think we're on the same side of struggle here. Hopefully you're pushing this revolutionary analysis in on-the-ground work in an organization fighting for justice. Stay tuned to indymedia for info on the next action by the Deporten a la Migra coalition.

Peace,
--Jeff G