"THE TRUTH"

BY: FOREST LEWIS, Ph.D.

The name Herman Badillo is not a household name to many in this country. However, to those of us who lived in New York City in the early 1960's, Badillo was a path finder. Congressman Badillo, a democrat from Manhattan, was one of five individuals who helped create today's Congressional Hispanic Caucus.

Badillo was a liberal democrat, but not the type of liberal that you will find today. He had the good manners to listen to "the other side." He was not mean-spirited, and did not engage in the game of "Gotcha Politics". No, Badillo would not be in good standing with "Grandma Pelosi".

The "Beauty Queen" would probably take Herm to the woodshed for being out of step with liberalism.  While giving him a tongue lashing, "Grandma Pelosi" would no doubt remind Badillo that liberals are suppose to:

- Be uncompromising with the other side

- Bitch about everything republicans do

- Agitate, agitate; and after resting, agitate some more

- Proffer no ideas or solutions to what ails America

Badillo is retired now. However, he recently authored a book entitled, "One Nation, One Standard:An Ex-Liberal On How Hispanics Can Succeed Just Like Other Immigrant Groups". To put it mildly, Badillo has created a firestorm within the Hispanic Community. Many are aghast over his comments. Like many African-Americans who have seen the light, Badillo has called on Latinos to stop looking for the government to solve all of their ills.

In other words, Badillo is calling on Hispanics to be, (1) Critical Thinkers, (2) Critical Readers, (3) Self-Reliant. Well, the nerve of Herman Badillo, to call on Latinos to stop looking to democrats, as the "GREAT WHITE FATHER". The nerve of this "Free Man" to encourage Latinos to flee the "Democratic Political Plantation".

Those complaining about the new Herman Badillo are stuck. These people either stick to the democratic party because of monetary reasons, or they are too emotionally crippled to do the things that Badillo suggests. These people are victims of the psychological paradigm known as "Learned Helplessness".

Badillo is simply asking Hispanics to "Think". Surprisingly, that suggestion is considered an insult by some in the Latino community. A fellow by the name of Ed Morales, wrote in my liberal local newspaper, "LATINOS ARE UNDER ATTACK-BY ONE OF THEIR OWN". I chuckled when I read that line. I laughed because it is the same, tired, worn out line used by African-Americans when someone from this ethnic group wakes up, and seeks his/her freedom from democrats. It is designed to accomplish two things:

- Try to get the person back into the box

- Try to stop others from joining other "freedom fighters"

Freedom fighters in this case, are people who are fighting to maintain control of their brain(s). They are also attempting to show others the light.

Ed Morales is a typical liberal naysayer. By the way, he too is a published author. The title of his book is, "Living In Spanish". The title of this book speaks volumes for Mr. Morales; and why he is so adamantly opposed to Herman Badillo. Process with me if you will, what it means to write a book on "Living In Spanish". I thought we lived in America.

So, why is Morales so anal retentive? For one, he charges Badillo's book serves neo-cons more than it does the Hispanic community. Why is that? Well, Morales quotes Badillo:

"Hispanics, as a culture, do place less stress on the importance of education than do other, more economically and socially successful immigrant groups"

Morales says Congressman Badillo is:

"grossly generalizing about a culture made up of more than 20 distinct nationalities with varying levels of social class and educational backgrounds"

Nice try Morales, but the Congressman is right, at least according to statistics from the Manhattan Institute For Policy Research. In November, 2001, the Institute released its findings on the "High School Graduation Rates In The United States".

Data was collected from the 50 largest school districts in the United States. The graduation rate for Latinos in all but 15 districts had graduation rates well below 50%. Six districts had the Latino graduation rate below 40%. Those districts were:

- Cleveland (26%)

- Dekalb County, Georgia (29%)

- Gwinnett County, Georgia (33%)

- Cobb County, Georgia (34%)

- Clark County, Nevada and Dallas, Texas (39%)

Of the 50 Largest district in the U.S., only five districts could boast of having more than 66% percent of its Latino students finishing high school.

Facts are facts Mr. Morales. This was a reliable study; meaning, if Mr. Morales would like, he could use the same instruments used by the authors of this study, and he would come up with the same results. But, that would go against this lib's agenda; and that is to keep Hispanics dependent on the democratic party.

Morales is like most of today's liberals.  They talk, but their discussion lacks substance. In his case, Morales not only lacks substance in his pseudo-argument, he lacks the scholarly research needed to buttress his flimsy argument.

Liberals love to pull at the heart strings of people. They are good at getting a viseral reaction from the masses.

However, at the end of the day, a viseral reaction will not help those stuck on the democratic political plantation.

These folks are in need of free thinkers like Congressman Badillo, not those who follow the dems talking points like Ed Morales.

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