I've longed argued that the Dream Act is one of the most important pieces of legislation for Latinos -- to be against the DREAM Act is to be anti-Latino. For me, the DREAM Act is what America is all about - giving hard-working people a chance. The DREAM Act essentially gives undocumented college students and military service members an opportunity to gain a path to US citizenship.
Senator Dean Heller (R-NV), representing a state with a sizable Latino population (nearly one-third), has come out against the DREAM Act and wants to change the 14 Amendment, so that automatic birthright citizenship is not given to any individuals born in this country unless one parent is a U.S. citizen. As usual with opponents to immigration reform, Heller didn't provide any solutions to the thousands of undocumented individuals who are working hard in this country, simply relying on voting NO on any reasonable measures to immigration reform. For that, Senator Heller receives a chanclaso.
Only 14- years-old and already a JERK! A California teen named Taylor has launched a national boycott of Girl Scout Cookies since a Girl Scouts USA (GSUSA) chapter in Colorado admitted a 7-year-old transgender girl into its troop. Not sure why Taylor has to make this her national cause instead of just leaving the Girl Scouts. She argues that the "GSUSA cares more about promoting the desires of a small handful of people than it does for my safety and the safety of my friends and sister Girl Scouts." Que? Can Taylor please explain how being in a Girl Scouts troop with a 7-year-old transgender girl endangers her and her friends? Taylor, get over yourself. Teenagers! I'm sending her a chanclaso. Needless to say, I will not be participating in the boycott of Girl Scout cookies, but instead will buy a "healthy" amount of their lemon cookies that I love so much.
Aplausos:
I'm giving a big aplauso to this older brother who came to the defense of his little brother who was being verbally abused by their father for wanting "girlie" toys. There are some good people out there, folks!
Now we're all grown up. But some people still deserve chanclasos. And we're going to let them have it here in our weekly column, El Chanclaso. Every Friday, Sergio, our resident chancludo, will turn a critical eye on political shenanigans, and current issues and events with his chancla firmly in hand. Depending on the severity of the misbehavior, being on the wrong end of the chancla could get you one or two chanclasos. Sergio will also give aplausos to those who make us proud.You've been warned. Now, behave!
Read more Chanclasos here.
Sergio Lopez hails from the great city of San Antonio and is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He thanks his mother for judiciously using her chancla to set him straight.