'Burque Babble: La Raza and the Democrats-in-Hiding

The "National Day of Action" Immigration Rallies (AKA: "National Marches to Cause Lou Dobbs to Have a Brain Aneurysm") are interesting on a number of levels:

Where are the Democrats, especially New Mexico Democrats running for office at these things? In the wholly mortal words of 70s rock band UFO it's "Too...Too Hot...Too Hot to Handle" (and yes, I'm guessing that will be the only time I ever make a mention or even think of the band UFO again).

But what would Bobby Kennedy have done in this situation? Exactly.

I guess it's pretty obvious the Democratic Party could use a Bobby Kennedy or two right now.

Or a Hispanic Bobby Kennedy, and no I haven't seen hide, hair nor cowboy boot from Bill Richardson anytime lately. Only quotes from conference calls with reporters while he "explores" running for President. Here's the latest quote I've found from him:

"While they're debating in Congress, while we're talking on this conference call, illegal immigrants and drugs are crossing the border into New Mexico," Richardson said. "They're in our communities, they're in our hospitals, they're in our alfalfa fields, their children are in our schools."

And yes, the level of fear-mongering in that quote (especially the "they're in our....") is on a par with what you might expect from a description of Al Qaeda.

Local Report Interlude #1: Speaking of missing something, a co-South Valley resident just reported that the drive home down Bridge and over toward Central and Coors was a bit of a madhouse. The highlight: a woman pops through a car sunroof topless except for a scant Mexican flag bandana/chestwrap.

Local Report Interlude #2: A friend who works at Highland High School reports that the lunchtime protest was calm and orderly, perhaps made more so by the announced policy that no "calls to incite violence" would be tolerated. "Si, se puede!....well, we can if we keep our voices down, maybe to a whisper and then just shuffle off to Fourth Period".

Meanwhile, back in the world of making political sausage, that new moderate Republican Heather Wilson was one of 17 House Republicans who voted against the heinous Tancredo, et. al. House Bill passed last December. That's the one that included provision for 698 miles of double-layer border fence, and was significant in getting us to the marching we've seen the past few days.

Interestingly, even the good community activists at SWOP recognize that Wilson has consistently voted against anti-Immigration legislation, and her voting record on the issue is almost identical to that of Rep. Udall over the years.

Okay, enough Heather love...it's creeping me out.

My point is that I don't understand the complete avoidance of New Mexico Democrats at rallies such as these given that even the so-called enemy has voted the same way on the issue. What is so controversial about standing up for a sensible immigration policy that acknowledges and appreciates the Mexican and other Central American "citizens" that are at the center of the debate?

And why do I get the feeling the Left is somewhat uncomfortable with this whole "It's about Mexicans" thing? The Lou Dobbs foaming mouth old white guy arguments are sickening and overtly racist, but there's a vibe undercurrent to the Democratic response that doesn't feel quite right.

By the way, if you haven't seen the Lou Dobbs show on CNN, it's because you have a brain and are not sickeningly fixated on bad political shows like I am, especially when I am at the health club and stuck on a treadmill with nothing to do but either stare at a mirror (why the mirrors at these health clubs...aren't we there because we don't like how we look in the mirror?!?) or stare at Lou Dobbs frothing about our "Broken Borders".

But getting back to the Democrats...maybe in part the rather unsettling vibe is there because the Democrats are so obviously uncomfortable with the issue on some level, But why should they be?

And I reiterate...what would Bobby Kennedy do?

And lastly, speaking of feeling creepy....any series of marches in which the most prominent name/organization involved is Archbishop Michael Sheehan/The Catholic Church is gonna make me a little creeped out. Maybe the strong Church presence is one reason some on the farther Left are tip-toeing on the issues/rallies, but I'm just asking for a little more State and little less Church on this issue in the future. Especially State Democrats.