One Year Later: Remembering Marcelo Lucero
Published November 05, 2009 @ 02:23PM PT
Where were you on November 8, 2008?
I clearly remember that I was smarting from the passage of Prop 8 and demonstrating out in the streets of San Francisco one week prior to the huge Join the Impact rallies in 16 states. The brutal killing of Marcelo Lucero in New York was not on my radar at the time but the hatred directed towards people who are deemed 'different' was certainly plaguing my conscience and affecting my choices.
While local law enforcement officials pledged ignorance to tensions in the community, an investigation by the New York Times established a clear pattern of white youths preying on Latino residents for several years. One of Lucero's attackers told law enforcement that they would routinely go "beaner jumping," which meant they would hunt down and assault Latinos.
I wish I could say that we have come a long way as a country since the election of the first Black person as President of the United States. However, it is wrong to make any such proclamation especially in light of the latest deportation of the Mejia-Perez family. The comments at Marin Independent Journal are vile and racist, one in particular calling for the execution of Gilbert Mejia--their DREAM-eligible Guatemala-born son still in the United States fighting for asylum.
The hate crime against Marcelo Lucero is not an isolated incident. It prompted a wave of killings against Latinos from Wilter Sanchez to Luis Ramirez to Brisenia Flores. A month after Marcelo was stabbed brutally, 31-year-old Jose Sucuzhanay, was beaten to death by three men, who yelled anti-gay and anti-Hispanic slurs as he walked home with his brother. Finally, almost a year later, a hearing is scheduled for this murder on Monday November 9, 9:30am – 12:30pm at Kings Supreme Court, 320 Jay St, Brooklyn, New York.
In the context of a highly polarized immigration debate, hate crimes against Latinos will continue to rise. Prominent media figures like Lou Dobbs scapegoating immigrants and blaming us economic downturn and the housing crisis only aggravates matters.
Have you spoke out against hatred? What have you done since Marcelo was killed to make sure that these atrocities do not happen in your neighborhood and on your watch?
Here is something you can do: Sign the petition in support of immigration reform, and do your part to prevent another tragedy like that of Marcelo Lucero.
(Image Credit: Long Island Wins)
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Prerna obtained her Masters degree in International Relations in 2007 and took a hiatus from academia. During this break, she co-founded DreamActivist.org and helped launch a program for immigrant youth in the Bay Area (S4FC). Currently, she is also a Managing Editor at The Sanctuary. Views expressed on this blog are her own and not that of any organization currently affiliated with her. Contact email - prerna@change.org
It prompted a wave of killings against Latinos from Wilter Sanchez to Luis Ramirez to Brisenia Flores.
Prompting a wave of killings? Sanchez seems to be a random act of violence as in robbery and assualt. Ramirez was also a random act that he had the opportunity to walk away from but chose to instead attack after the initial fight was over. Flores would be the only murder to fit your statment, and I think we all hope the perp is treated accordingly, an eye for an eye. (NOTE: You would have a better argument if you used the man in Florida whish shot the college students.)
In the context of a highly polarized immigration debate, hate crimes against Latinos will continue to rise.
According to FBI stats, the total hate crimes against latinos is still less than what it was in 2001 when there were fewer latinos here. Using info from 2008 and making a cliam without looking at 2009's stats, may make you look foolish.
Prominent media figures like Lou Dobbs scapegoating immigrants and blaming us economic downturn and the housing crisis only aggravates matters.
Only if you listen to Media Matters.
Posted by Liquid Reigns on 11/05/2009 @ 04:32PM PT
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Amazing how you nitpick and ignore facts all the way from NYT to Jose Sucuzhanay for your own convenience while never really answering what you have done to stop hate crimes against people deemed different.
Harping on hate crimes statistics from one year a decade ago while ignoring potential under-reporting that mitigates any increase in numbers makes you look foolish as well.
You are probably one of those who lurk on sites posting hateful comments while never revealing your own identity for your own safety. Do you also support the calls to execute Gilbert Mejia? People like you are part of the problem.
Posted by Prerna Lal on 11/05/2009 @ 05:34PM PT
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Jose's case could also be interpreted as against gays, not just his Latino ethnicity. A hate crime, yes, but to which is it you wish to use? ethnicity or lifestyle. Please show what facts I have ignored for my own convenience. Am I suppose to answer what I have done to stop hate crimes against someone? Are you now making this about me?
Under-reporting numbers? Sorry, you just don't get it. In 2001 there were far fewer Latinos in the USA as there are now. The number of hate crimes in 2001 were and are still higher than they are now with more Latinos in the country, whether they are under-reported or not.
Lurker? Hateful comments? Part of the problem? Sorry, I call them as I see them, it doesn't fit your agenda, so sad. Why would I want Gilbert Mejia executed? Its people like you who project, that are the problem. Your whole comment is a projection of attempting to dicredit me, not the points I pointed out. For a Master's in IR, you have a lot to learn about diplomacy.
Posted by Liquid Reigns on 11/05/2009 @ 06:53PM PT
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That's a dumb remark on what my education constituted. The likes of you don't require diplomacy much like any sort of consideration given your only purpose is to lurk around and spew hatred at others. Considering the fact that people of color, especially those that are immigrants and undocumented, report crime way less than anyone else, the increasing numbers is still a problem. You ignore that at your convenience to spew your ill-educated and misinformed nonsense that doesn't have anything to do with the topic at hand.
The point is to remember Marcelo and work towards ensuring that such acts don't happen. Pointing the finger at immigrants like me for crimes against us doesn't serve you well at all. It's called scapegoating. Look it up.
Posted by Prerna Lal on 11/05/2009 @ 11:28PM PT
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You know what's funny 'Liquid Reigns?' I am the undocumented person here while you hide in the shadows. My bio can be brought up at most social networking sites, including my home address, and you are the one that lurks. That really doesn't give anything you say any credibility at all.
Posted by Prerna Lal on 11/05/2009 @ 11:46PM PT
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Strike LR, do not use the slur 'illegal alien.' See the comment policy because I will make sure it gets you banned from Change.org. Your comments are never constructive and always meant to hijack and derail a post.
Second I did answer your baseless arguments. Your only point is to say that Latinos increased and hence hate crimes increased so the rise in percentages don't matter. Maybe it would be wise for you to consider that hate crimes also increased in a climate that perpetuates hate against immigrants. That also while ignoring that the undocumented probably don't report hate crimes.
Wait, you wouldn't know that because you don't agree that a climate of hate has anything to do with it. Then you turn a blind eye to the fact that some find it alright to call for the execution of immigrants. And finally you attack me by saying that my post is the reason people like Lucero are dying. Dissecting why Jose was killed is disgusting especially to another gay immigrant -- you would probably do the same if I ever get killed. You are the one that turned this post into a joke rather than a rememberance and you should be ashamed of that. But you wouldn't.
Your comments are baseless without any credentials. It's cowardly that you live in the shadows and spew nonsense. I refuse to waste any time on answering people like you.Posted by Prerna Lal on 11/06/2009 @ 09:21AM PT
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