Racism and Abuse

[Bea]

Fellow Educators,
This item was brought to my attention today by a colleague. As
educators of World Languages we should be outraged and perhaps we
should bring this item to the attention of our students as well.
These are the kinds of things we are trying to eliminate in our
teaching of World Language Classes. Please join me in petitioning for
justice for Luis Ramirez and his family. 'MALDEF' is the Mexican
American Legal Defence and Education Fund. Please read on:

It is time for the United States Department of Justice to intervene
and conduct an independent and comprehensive investigation of the
brutal murder of Luis Ramirez in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania. The Justice
Department must send a strong message that violence targeting Latinos
will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the full extent of the
law.

We need you, and so does Luis Ramirez’s family. Will you join me in
making sure the DOJ does its job and brings justice to Shenandoah,
Pennsylvania?

Click here now and urge the DOJ to investigate this hate crime today.
http://maldef.org/r/2245/485/0

If you’re still not convinced let me give you the facts point by
point:

On July 12, 2008, Luis Ramirez, a 25-year-old Mexican immigrant
residing in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, was tragically beaten and
stomped to death by a group of teens as he walked through the town.
Witnesses overheard anti-Mexican and ethnic epithets shouted by his
assailants during the violent attack. A retired Philadelphia police
officer testified during the recent trial that she heard one of the
defendants yell, "Tell your [expletive] Mexican friends to get the
[expletive] out of Shenandoah or you’ll be [expletive] laying next to
him."

On Friday, May 1, 2009, a jury in Schuylkill County found two of the
defendants accused of beating the 25-year-old father of two, not
guilty. Despite the mounting evidence of a hate-driven attack, the
jury acquitted the defendants of third-degree murder and ethnic
intimidation and only convicted them of simple assault. The jury's
conclusion is an outrage. Most shocking is the recent news article
describing the Jury Foreman’s view that Ramirez did not receive a fair
trial because of the racism and prejudice he noted among his fellow
jurors. Luis Ramirez was brutally murdered and witnesses testified
that the assault was racially motivated as a result of hate and
intolerance. Even in death, Ramirez remains a victim of extreme
racism, which denies his family the justice they deserve.

Now, MALDEF needs your help in calling upon the Civil Rights Division
of the United States Department of Justice to conduct a thorough and
comprehensive federal investigation surrounding the fatal beating of
Luis Ramirez and to bring appropriate criminal charges against his
assailants.

Click here now and urge the DOJ to investigate this hate crime today.
<http://maldef.org/r/2246/485/0>

Sincerely,


Henry Solano
President
MALDEF

P.S. Please help spread the word and get others to sign as well. We
are relying upon you to help bring justice to Shenandoah,
Pennsylvania.



<http://maldef.org/r/2247/485/0>

<http://maldef.org/r/2248/485/0>

<http://maldef.org/r/2249/485/0>





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MALDEF NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS
Los Angeles Regional Office
634 S. Spring Street
Los Angeles, CA 90014

Tel: 213.629.2512

[Oggel, Ynes]

Thank you, Bea. I passed to my colleagues and students.

Ynes M. Oggel, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair of Spanish
Briar Cliff University
Heelan Hall 376
3303 Rebecca Street
Sioux City, IA 51104
Phone (712) 279-1638
Fax (712) 279-5486
YNES....@BRIARCLIFF.EDU

A teacher can but lead you to the door,
learning is up to you. Chinese proverb
________________________________________
From: iw...@googlegroups.com [iw...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Bea [Beatrice...@mywitcc.com]
Sent: Thursday, May 07, 2009 10:32 AM
To: IWLA
Subject: [IWLA] Racism and Abuse