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Shame on the insipid, weak coward who sent an anonymous email to expose this young man's status. That person should be ashamed of himself -- whereas Ramirez has nothing whatsoever to be ashamed of, and a great deal to be proud of.<br><br>The story confirms this: As a 22-year-old college student, it's not likely that he crossed over without papers in the four years since becoming a legal adult. Obviously, he came over as a child or an adolescent and not a legally responsible moral agent. To condemn or, God forbid, criminalize this enterprising young man is obscene. And while I understand the myriad reasons undocumented adults choose to bring their children to this country with them, and I will not condemn anyone solely for doing so, it's evident that even if there were moral culpability here, it's not Pedro's.<br><br>The DREAM act is one of the most humane, reasonable, intelligent -- I'd even say God-honoring, for any Christians reading -- pieces of legislation ever conceived in the United States. In fact, I think it embodies the very highest promise of this nation, and its non-passage should outrage all of us. Sadly, it won't, which is a sad reminder of how the reactionary politics of today is fueled less by intelligent debate than by fear, hate, and cowardice.<br><br><font style="" color="#8064a2"><font style="font-size: 12pt;" size="3"><font style="" face="Verdana">Keely<br>www.keely-prevailingwinds.com<br></font></font></font><br><br><br><br>> Date: Thu, 18 Nov 2010 06:18:28 -0800<br>> From: thansen@moscow.com<br>> To: vision2020@moscow.com<br>> Subject: [Vision2020] Student Leader is Undocumented Immigrant<br>> <br>> Courtesy of today's (November 18, 2010) Spokesman-Review.<br>> <br>> ---------------------------------------------------------<br>> <br>> Student leader is illegal immigrant<br>> Recently upheld law permits enrollment<br>> <br>> FRESNO, Calif. – The popular student body president at California State<br>> University, Fresno has publicly revealed a personal detail he long sought<br>> to keep secret: He is an illegal immigrant.<br>> <br>> Pedro Ramirez, 22, previously told campus administrators in confidence<br>> that he was concerned about going public with his immigration status after<br>> winning the top post in student government.<br>> <br>> But that changed Tuesday when the Collegian, the newspaper at the largest<br>> university in California’s prolific farming region, disclosed his status<br>> after receiving an anonymous e-mail.<br>> <br>> “I don’t want this issue to be about me,” Ramirez told the Associated<br>> Press Wednesday. “This is a big, big issue that should have been addressed<br>> a long time ago. My goal is to bring awareness to that.”<br>> <br>> Ramirez was expected to appear Friday at a campus rally in support of the<br>> federal “DREAM Act,” which would create a path to citizenship for young<br>> people living in the country illegally who attend college or join the<br>> military.<br>> <br>> Ramirez, who has a dual major in political science and agricultural<br>> economics, came to the U.S. with his family from a small community in<br>> Jalisco, Mexico, when he was 3. He went on to become valedictorian of his<br>> high school class in nearby Tulare County, where he prepared for his “long<br>> road in higher education,” according to his website.<br>> <br>> He said didn’t know he lacked proper immigration papers until high school,<br>> when he told his parents he planned to join the military before applying<br>> to college and they told him he wasn’t a citizen.<br>> <br>> “It’s a relief that I was able to come out in the open because I’ve been<br>> holding this for several years, and hearing stories from other students<br>> who have gotten deported or moved because of the fear,” said Ramirez, who<br>> hopes to open his own business or become a civil rights attorney.<br>> <br>> Ramirez said he is paying for college through private scholarships that<br>> don’t ask about residency status and odd jobs such as mowing lawns.<br>> <br>> He is enrolled at Fresno State under a state law that allows undocumented<br>> immigrants who have attended a California high school for three years to<br>> pay in-state tuition at public colleges. The state Supreme Court this week<br>> upheld the statute, which applies to an estimated 25,000 students.<br>> <br>> ------------------------<br>> <br>> Pedro Ramirez, Student Body President of Fresno State University.<br>> <br>> http://media.spokesman.com/photos/2010/11/18/ramirez1118_t620.jpg<br>> <br>> ---------------------------------------------------------<br>> <br>> The DREAM Act (Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act)<br>> would benefit students who are currently undocumented in the United States<br>> of America. The Dream Act is based upon earned legalization. The DREAM Act<br>> is education for our future generation of leaders. Please Support the<br>> DREAM ACT of 2010.<br>> <br>> http://www.facebook.com/DreamAct2010<br>> <br>> Seeya round town, Moscow.<br>> <br>> Tom Hansen<br>> Moscow, Idaho<br>> <br>> "The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to change<br>> and the Realist adjusts his sails."<br>> <br>> - Unknown<br>> <br>> <br>> =======================================================<br>> List services made available by First Step Internet, <br>> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994. <br>> http://www.fsr.net <br>> mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com<br>> =======================================================<br> </body>
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