Wednesday, April 02, 2008

In "Ready to rumba," my comprehensive 2003 story on increasing political activity by Latinos in Rhode Island, I looked at how the national GOP was trying to make inroads among Hispanics, and what it meant locally:

A popular East Providence politician once told Dan Garza that being a Republican in Rhode Island is like trying to pee up a rope. And as Garza knows, trying to cultivate Latino Republicans is even more difficult. Even with the chairman’s steady work and articulate manner, the Rhode Island chapter of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly has only about five members. But Garza, a pithy Ohio native and former Democrat who traces his heritage to Texas and Mexico, believes the GOP message of family, church, and self-reliance still has a lot of resonance for Latinos in the US.

Now, however, while Governor Carcieri's recent executive order on immigration has ginned up his support among critics of illegal immigration, Matt has the story of how it could erode backing for the GOP in Rhode Island:

Former Republican candidate for the RI House in District 73 and current chairman of the RI Hispanic Republican Assembly, David A. Quiroa has penned a scathing letter announcing his resignation from the RI Republican Party:

Adios RI GOP 

It is with great pain and sadness that I write this public announcement to state that I officially resign from my affiliation to the RI GOP and any other RI Republican committee, subcommittee, and appointments that I hold.

Effective on April 2, 2008 I become an unaffiliated voter thus seeking “Political Asylum” in the independent column. As an American citizen of Hispanic heritage I cannot remain as a member of a party where the leadership lacks vision for an integral inclusion of points of view – the tent is small and empty.

The Immigration Issue is an important issue for me, my family, my church, my friends and my brothers and sisters of the immigrant community. Not because I want open borders or want the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations to become a sanctuary State, but rather because I want the American spirit to be free of political correctness and opportunism – We need solutions.

These are times that need leadership. We need leadership with a foundation of solid political valor not political demagogy or speeches full with hypocrisy or cries of change that hide behind political correctness.

The current actions of the RI GOP have set the party back 50 years in the eyes of minorities. I make this statement as a proud American who has lived firsthand the unfortunate effects of discrimination. As such, I can tell you that racial profiling is REAL and it does take place everyday. Making our local and state police departments ICE venues does, at the subconscious level, put duress on our good and brave officers to engage in racial profiling. This added burden on our officers does not bring any solutions but rather complicates matters for the worse – Public safety will suffer.

I will remain active in civic public service, as I believe it is my duty as an American to better my country. However, I say Adios to the RI Republican Party and enter the independent field riding my brown elephant into the fields of independence.