Oppose Drug War Mexican President Calderon giving Stanford Commencement

Hundreds of thousands throughout Mexico marched Sunday May 8, 2011. Thursday a Press Conference announcing Opposition to Drug War proponent Mexican President Felipe Calderon's giving commencement address to Stanford was held.


Press Release
We oppose Stanford University Invitation to Felipe Calderon’s to give the University’s prestigious commencement address.
Contact: 415 3681891
Wednesday May 11, at 11:00
450 Serra Mall Stanford University
Stanford, CA 94305
On the 11th of May 2011, members of the larger Bay Area Mexican community, as well as immigrants and human rights organizations—(listed below), will meet to deliver to John Hennessy, President of Stanford University, a letter of opposition to the invitation of Felipe Calderon Hinojosa to give the prestigious end of school year speech in June.

We invite all media, radio and television to come to the press conference we have organized in order to hear the reasons for the dissatisfaction that this invitation has generated amongst the Mexican community in northern California and explain why the University should reconsider the invitation.

Attached is a letter. We will send a copy thereof to the standing committee of the Congress of the Mexican Republic, in which we demand not to permit Felipe Calderon Hinojosa to leave the country in character of acting president.

Sincerely,

Miguel Robles
Coordinator's Front for Democracy in Mexico
Miguel Robles
Coordinador del Frente por la Democracia en México
Comité de San Francisco California
Comité de Santa Rosa California
Comité de Stockton California
Comité de San Jose California
Organizaciones de apoyo:
ANSWER Coalition
Bay Area Latin American Solidarity Coalition BALASC
Comité in Solidarity with the people of El Salvador
Fellowship of Reconciliation
FMLN Northern California
Haiti Action Comité
Marin Task Force in the Ameritas
Nicaragua Center for Community Action
Revolutionary Poets Brigade
School of the Ameritas Watch West
Voluntarios de la Comunidad

To Whom it may concern,

The signers of this letter (Students, Alumni, Staff, and members of the larger Bay Area and Academic community, as well as immigrants and human rights organizations) urge Stanford University to reconsider the highly controversial invitation issued to Mexican President Felipe Calderón Hinojosa to give the University’s prestigious 2011 commencement address.

While it is not unheard of to honor a sitting president with this sort of invitation, the actions and accomplishments of such an honoree should be consistent with the democratic mission and spirit as well as the high standards of Stanford University.

President Calderón, who is struggling to complete a disastrous presidential term, exhibits none of these qualities. Indeed, the invitation signed by Dante DiCicco, Pamon Forouhar, Mona Hadidi y Molly Spaeth conveys the impression that the University is uncritically giving one of its most prestigious platforms to a politician whose anti-democratic expediency and bad policy choices have plunged his nation into crisis.

It may not the place of Stanford University to pass judgement on the conduct of a foreign president, but neither should it be Stanford’s role to give accolades to a deeply flawed and failing leader.

Front for Democracy in Mexico
Alianza Latinoamericana por los Derechos de los Inmigrantes ALIADI