RioGrandeGuardian: VELA CRITICIZES TRUMP AT PARTY CONVENTION
San Antonio,
June 18, 2016
Congressman Filemon Vela of Brownsville criticized Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in a speech at the State Democratic Party convention. In the speech, Vela referred to an open letter he recently sent to Trump which told the billionaire businessman where to shove his border wall proposals. Vela referenced the letter in his speech. “I wrote that letter because Donald Trump derogatorily referred to Federal Judge Gonzalo Curiel as a Mexican. Judge Curiel is an American jurist with a distinguished record of service as a United States prosecutor who has served on the bench with honor and distinction,” Vela said. Trump has said he will not get a fair trail in a lawsuit concerning Trump University because Curiel is Mexican. Vela pointed out that Curiel was born in in Indiana and that his parents came from Mexico. “I know something about that heritage. My great, great grandfather – Macedonio Vela came to this great country in 1857, 30 years before Donald Trump’s family ever set foot on this soil. And my grandparents, Maria Luisa Cardenas, Luis Sanchez and Cuca Guerrero, same from Mexico in the early 1900’s,” Vela said. Here, in full, is Vela’s speech: My thoughts and prayers go out to all of the victims of the Orlando massacre Thank You Chairman Hinojosa for inviting me here this evening. Thank you to every delegate here today for your commitment to the Texas Democratic Party The State of Texas And to the World’s Greatest Democracy The United States of America ***** To our state and local officials Thank you for your Public Service ***** I would like to specially thank my congressional colleagues Who since I was elected to Congress have mentored me, shared their wisdom and their time ***** I will be forever grateful to: Eddie Bernice Johnson from Dallas Sheila Jackson Lee Al Green And Gene Green from Houston Lloyd Doggett from Austin Henry Cuellar from Laredo and Ruben Hinojosa from McAllen On behalf of the colleagues in my class: Beto O’Rourke, Marc Veasey and Joaquin Castro – THANK YOU ****** And to our two democratic congressional nominees Pete Gallego from Alpine and Vicente Gonzalez from Mcallen We look forward to seeing you in Washington in January 2017 ****** So you may have heard About a letter I wrote to Donald Trump A letter in which I thought I was “diplomatically” telling him exactly where I thought he could put his wall But tonight I am here Because I join all of you in an effort to deliver this great state to the Democratic Presidential Nominee for the first time since Jimmy Carter in 1976 in an effort to make Hillary Clinton the first woman President of the United States of America ******* I congratulate Senator Bernie Sanders and his supporters for his inspirational and hard fought campaign You have energized the American electorate and for that the entire Democratic Party thanks you ****** To Secretary Clinton, I know you have a big decision to make And I know you will choose a Vice President that will make us all proud But let me just say, that here in San Antonio Texas We are with you and We are with Julian Castro For Vice President of the United States ****** Now About that letter - I wrote that letter because Donald Trump Derogatorily referred to Federal Judge Gonzalo Curiel As a Mexican Judge Curiel is an American Jurist With a distinguished record of service as a United States Prosecutor Who has served on the bench with honor and distinction Born in Indiana from Parents who came from Mexico Well I know something about that heritage My great, great grandfather – Macedonio Vela Came to this great country in 1857 30 years before Donald Trump’s family ever set foot on this soil And My Grandparents Maria Luisa Cardenas, Luis Sanchez and Cuca Guerrero Came from Mexico in the early 1900’s. ****** I also know something about the federal judiciary Because in 1980 President Jimmy Carter made my father Filemon B. Vela a federal judge who by the way was smart enough to marry my mother Blanca Sanchez Vela the First female mayor of Brownsville Texas. ***** But I also knew my father’s mentor, on of the first Americans of Mexican descent ever appointed to the Federal bench - The great Reynaldo G. Garza appointed by President John F Kennedy in 1961 When he was appointed President Kennedy told Judge Garza “It is up to you to do a job, so that others can follow” And I also know the first female of Mexican descent ever appointed to the federal bench My friend, Judge Hilda Tagle from Robstown Texas ****** As a judge my father always said that the most enjoyable part of his job what gave him the most pride was when he exercised his authority to make immigrants of all backgrounds Citizens of the United States of America. And let me tell you quickly about one of those citizens whom I recently met at an event in San Benito Texas. Mikson Ehimika, a citizen of Nigerian descent
Walked up to me Literally in tears In 1992 he had fulfilled all of the necessary requirements to become an American citizen when news came that his father had died. In Nigeria, custom requires that the oldest son be present for the father’s burial but Mickson still had no passport as he still needed to take the oath of citizenship somehow my father learned of the situation, called Mickson, administered his oath and the next day Mickson was on his way to Nigeria to bury his father. Mickson recalls that several years later he heard that my father would be at a public event Mickson, forever grateful walked up to him to express his appreciation and as Mickson describes it Judge Vela hugged me like a long lost son – like he knew me for a long time. ****** So Mr. Trump . . . Down here in Texas We don’t look at our fellow citizens and call them Mexicans We don’t call them Nigerians We don’t call them Asian We don’t call them Europeans We don’t call them Jews We don’t call them Muslims WE CALL THEM AMERICANS ***** Tonite, Leo Zuniga is in the Audience Mr. Zuniga was raised in Brownsville A United States Navy Veteran He is the associate vice chancellor of communications at Alamo Colleges here in San Antonio Last week Mr. Zuniga wrote me a letter ***** Dear Congressman Vela, I support your position and statements regarding Donald Trump. Below is a list of names of young men from Brownsville who died in Vietnam. You will note that most are of Mexican descent. All were American and all died fighting for our country. Benito Alaniz Francisco Arroyo Albert Avalos Albert Dunes Albert Estrada Robert Flores Francisco Garcia Atanacio Gomez Gordon Gullet Jesus Mejia Tony Morales Steve Mullen Jimmy Myers Israel Perez Manuel Perez Tony Perez Teofilo Rios Robert Rocha Miguel Ruvalcaba Jose Santos Abelardo Vera David Williams Daniel Zachary The list does not include Vietnam veterans from Brownsville, like Israel Garcia, who lost both legs up to his hips when he stepped on a land mine in Viet-Nam or Abelardo Longoria, who was one of two survivors after a battle with the regular North Vietnamese Army. The battle was so fierce that both sides ran out of ammunition and continued to battle in hand to hand combat with fixed bayonets until the last North Vietnamese soldier was killed. Thank you for taking a stand for us proud Americans of Mexican descent. Signed – Leo Zuniga ****** I am reminded about that moment in American Political History When Senator Lloyd Bentsen turned to Dan Quayle and said “Senator . . . I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you’re no Jack Kennedy. Mr. Trump, I knew Reynaldo G Garza and you are no Reynaldo G. Garza I know Hilda Tagle and you are no Hilda Tagle I know Annise Parker and you are no Annise Parker I knew Henry B Gonzales and you are no Henry B Gonzales I knew Hector P Garcia and you are no Hector P. Garcia You are no Barbara Jordan You are no Mickson Ehimika You are no Leo Zuniga You are no Gonzalo Curiel ****** Now, Paul Ryan who is third in line to the Presidency Says that Donald Trump’s comments about Gonzalo Curiel were textbook racist But he is still endorsing Donald Trump Speaker Ryan, you cant have your cake and eat it too And I know you are in a box But You either support a racist or you don’t Its time to do the right thing and Retract your endorsement of Donald Trump ****** We cannot let Donald Trump lead our country down a road of bigotry, racism and hate. We have to work as hard as we ever have before to make sure he doesn’t get anywhere near the White House ****** You often repeat that today’s politicians are too politically correct That is one point we can agree on So, Mr. Trump You can take your racism You can take your bigotry and you can take your wall and shove it… https://riograndeguardian.com/vela-criticizes-trump-at-party-convention/ |