On July 3rd, a community event was organized by many community activists for the Santa Ana Library to honor the birthday of our great nation, the United States of America. Korean War Veteran Fred Bella led the effort to put this event together. Several veterans were honored including Francisco Barragan, President of the United Mexican American Veterans Association(UMAVA). There were activities for young children including a “history walk” to teach Santa Ana children about our nation’s history. Many children were given booklets with the Constitution of the United States. Senator Lou Correa even dropped in and spoke at this event. For many years, the 4th of July has not had a formal celebration in Santa Ana, and I believe this was a great idea for Mr. Bella to put together. Many of the organizers were set to be honored last night before the City Council, but that was put to a stop after two Councilmembers, Claudia Alvarez and Sal Tinajero threatened to walk out.
Some people may say, WHAT!, how unpatriotic is that for those two Councilmembers to walk out of a presentation honoring those who were honoring our country. Well, there is another side of the story, and I do hope Fred Bella, Thomas Gordon and other organizers take this as a learning experience that if you “roll with dogs you get fleas” and unfortunately there were four “dogs” among the organizers that caused some concern. Those folks were Lupe “an illegal immigrant knocked me up at 13 and now I hate them all” Moreno, Rosie “AIDS is God’s punishment to gays” Avila, Anita “Obama was born in Kenya” Hynds and her husband Gary Hynds who caused the loudest uproar.
It all started when a group of Chicano activists showed up looking to pick a fight with Lupe Moreno, which is one of my favorite pasttimes as well. They were pushing buttons of the nutcases who were there. It should be noted the overwhelming majority of the Minutemen were in San Juan Capistrano teabagging with White Supremacists. That was when Gary Hynds referred to the videographer as a “wetback.” Now there are people that say he was goaded, but I reject that defense, because how many of us are goaded into calling someone the N-word in anger at someone who is African American, or the F-word for someone who is gay. I know I would not be goaded into saying such a hateful word if someone of those groups was making me mad. I would probably call them a jerk or an a$$Hole, but those insults can extend to anyone of any group. To refer to Naui as the “W” word does reflect on Gary’s mindset on people of that group as a whole. I believe anyone who resorts to racial epithets at all has a derogatory view of that race or group in general. The video went viral, a letter penned by OJ Blogger Sean Mill went to the Council and of course Claudia and Sal were rightfully outraged. I too was bothered to hear that word.
So my message to Fred and other organizers, do not involve those four people again. They are firebrands who bring nothing good to the table, only trouble, kind of like a certain NAMBLA linking blogger from Park Santiago. I can see where Sal, knowing firsthand how he has stood up to Rosie Avila’s intolerance on the school board, was upset and thought twice about honoring this group. Unfortunately the baby got thrown out with the bathwater. There were many good community activists involved who deserved to be honored like Fred Bella, Pastor Noe Granados and Thomas Gordon. I also would like to see this event continued in the future sans Lupe, Rosie and the “Birther” Hynds. Again folks, think twice before involving people like them.
Now back to Sean Mill’s letter. I know we have had some bad differences late, but I would like to take a minute to thank Sean for bringing the video to our attention. Seriously, thanks. And I would like to thank Sal Tinajero for taking such a passionate stance in the face of some bigoted comments caught on camera. I understand why Sal threatened to walk out and I know for a fact he would again threaten to walk out if the City Council were to ever honor someone who made the following statements towards the GLBT Community, such as:
 I see you put another piece-of-shit article in the Weekly about Ted Moreno (“No Sex! Alleged Lies? Videotape?” Sept. 18). I know you and your little queer art friends have it in for Ted, but this is yellow journalism at its worst. This is just ridiculous. If you and the rest of your little queer buddies are going to make attacks on Ted, well, go ahead.
OR
You and your f_cked up immune system
The last comment was directed at a gay man who is HIV positive. Considering Sal’s spirited response to Rosie Avila’s gay bashing in 2004, I am sure Sal would approach any Councilmember who was about to honor someone who said the above comments and make the same demand to stop the presentation or he and Claudia would walk out. Right!
WRONG!
Sal Tinajero is the man who honored the person who said the quotes above, Sean Mill. I agree the comments said by Gary Hynds are inexcuseable, but like the W-word comments by Gary reflecting his overall view of Mexicans, I do believe Sean’s words above reflect is overall view of the GLBT community, which seems much more in line with hard core right winger Rosemarie Avila or Fred Phelps. As for Sal Tinajero, why is is ok for you to honor a GLBT hater before the Council, but not ok to honor a group of community activists even after David Benavides offered to uninvite the four bad folks(Moreno, Avila, and the Hynds.)? Please advise.
so per Sean Mill, Senator Correra spoke at a Klan rally.
“Now there are people that say he was goaded …”
10 to 1 Naui introduced the “W” word into the exchange – the video appeared edited to delete the portion of the back and forth that led up to that word being used by Hynds.
Both individuals behaved in an incivil manner.
Doesn’t change the fact that Gary said the word. Like I said before, the fact that anyone would resort to using a racial epithet when goaded only demonstrates their feelings towards that group as a whole. And I have had an exchange with Anita Hynds before and can tell you, even though she is Peruvian, she clearly has a prejudice towards Latin Americans with any Native American ancestry. Unfortunately that is a mentality that already exists among many pure Spanish descendents in Latin America. She doesn’t even realize her own mindset is what has caused Latin America to have so many third world nations and that her worldview that is meant to hold down those of any Native American descent has forced those same people to try to come here in order to feed them and their families. She wants to cast blame on the illegal immigration problem, Anita need only point the finger at herself and her family and her Spaniard heritage.
So don’t blame Naui, he did not put a gun to Gary’s head and make him say the W-word. Just as nobody put a gun to Sean Mill’s head and make him say the Q-word. And my point is the same standard applies to Sean as it applies to Gary, you resort to derogatory statements about groups of people and it only reflects their view of those people as a whole. As Gary’s comment to Naui reflects his view of Latinos, so does Sean’s comment reflect his overall view of the GLBT community.
How about Naui? Show us the entire exchange between you and Hynds.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHkjwqATZfU
Claudio – I don’t understand why you would think that the bad behavior of two people would cause an event attended by scores of Santa Ana residents to be “ruined” – most event attendees were not aware that this conversation took place.
And further, I don’t understand why the bad behavior of two individuals would overshadow the work and effort of the people who set up this event to celebrate Independence Day – July 4th.
Where is the coverage of this event as a whole – not just one editted conversation between a couple of people?
Those who ran this event deserve the recognition of their work and effort by the Santa Ana City Council.
Naui did use the “w” word first, and encouraged Gary to repeat it. The tape was edited and doesn’t tell the true story.
It should also be noted that these latino hatemongers, Naui and his accomplice, came trying to cause trouble, and only showed up at the very end of the event.
The police had to be called to have these thugs removed from the event after they harassed the pastor of Liberty Baptist Church. They were trying to start fights, dropping “f bombs” in front of children, and doing everything they could to be disruptive. When the police showed up (about 10 minutes later), Naui and his friend ran away.
For some schmuck to call this event a klan rally is way out of line, and clearly that person didn’t bother to attend. Or maybe he did. Was the blog post written by Naui’s accomplice?
To suggest that Lou Correa and the City of Santa Ana took part in a klan rally or minuteman event is shameful, and I hope most people are smart enough not to believe that garbage.
I find it interested our friends at the Orange Joke surmise this event was to promote Thomas Gordon; Gordon was attending a memorial service in the midwest for a family member this past weekend.
And does Lou Correra know he spoke at a Klan rally,per Sean Mill? And Claudio, I’m interested in how someone who isn’t Latino at all (Sean) defends Latinos by branding you our “half-Latino” blogger. Does that count as a half-slur?
Looks like Sean foreclosed on common sense to me.
There goes SM lying again.
Lupe Moreno was not “identified as a known hater” by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
She was referenced as an “activist” against illegal immigration.
SMIZFE
Junior:
1) Per Lupe Moreno’s own website she identifies herself as a Member, Vice-President and SPOKESPERSON for California Coalition For Immigration Reform (CCIR) – of unconstitutional Prop 187 infamy, which has been identified by SPLC as a hate group,and which is one of about 13 organizations that were funded and founded by John Tanton, a white racial supremacist.
Lupe’s Bio:
http://www.smartvoter.org/2008/06/03/ca/or/vote/moreno_l/bio.html
Per SPLC:
John Tanton’s network which includes CCIR.
http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-report/browse-all-issues/2002/summer/the-puppeteer/john-tantons-network
John Tanton bio:
http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-files/profiles/john-tanton
2) She associates herself with Barbara Coe, also a founder of CCIR, and she is also identified as a white racial supremacist by SPLC
http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-files/profiles/barbara-coe
http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-files/groups/california-coalition-for-immigration-reform
So if she associates and surrounds herself with known haters, and she identifies herself as a Spokesperson for a known hate group, it seems logical to conclude that she represents an ideology of hate.
@XicoTancoEstrada
Gary Hynds was not “encouraged”…he voluntarily said that he could call Naui a “Mother F—-er”…and then he proceeded to call him a “”Mother f—-er W–back”…listen closely to the video…he was all non-chalant about it…Gary did not seemed egged on…he seemed to enjoy calling them names.
Naui did not show up at the end…he came by at the middle of the event.
He also came up to Barbara Coe and a couple of her Minutemen buddies and asked something to the effect of “Hey Barbara Coe what do you think of this event?…” She and her buddies did not say anything so he let them alone.
I agree with you though…this was not a Klan rally. Seemed that people left their extremist differences or extremist opinions aside except for the Gary guy.
Then Naui should let us see the entire exchange – I doubt that he will.
It’s clear Mill and Pedroza love to slam Benavides…a person I dare say they THINK they know, but have maybe said 10 words to.
Thing is, they can’t pigeonhole Benavides and it frustrates the hell out of them. He doesn’t play their game. And if they think that Benavides can be taken down, it just shows how clueless they are.
Can you imagine what they’d say if Benevides called 9/11 “an accident”?
And since Sean reads us and Art does too, nice cherry picking of Thomas Gordon’s Twitter feed; readers should click through and read Thomas’ tweets as most of them are pro-Santa Ana.
*TO MY STALKER I’M WRITING THIS FROM MY WORK COMPUTER BUT MY EMPLOYER IS OK WITH ME STEALING WHILE I SHOULD BE WORKING*
Quit picking on my best pal Sal Tinajero while we are about to head out to Angels Stadium to sit in the expensive seats for the All Star Game. I’m just glad that Sal was on a really expensive vacation last week and did not attend the 4th of July event. I sure hope all those slurs against anchor babies and Vietnamese and the GLBT community don’t come back to haunt Sal Tinajero.
Well, the Vietnamese seem to be voting more for Republican candidates these days, so maybe Sal has already written them off. An expensive vacation on a teacher’s salary? There’s a story
I’d be happy if Sal decides to wear a tie (like everyone else did) the next time the Speaker of the House comes to Orange County.
Dan,
When the new Speaker of the House comes to the OC – the appropriate color for your tie will be Reagan Red.
So at the end of the day, the knuckleheads at the Orange Joke completely misrepresented this event, and tried to use a video from a racist Latino as justification.
Claudio even bought into their nonsense in the title of the post. The event was not ruined, and since this abusive jerk showed up at the end, almost no one (except for those he harassed) even knew about it.
Looks like the council members (except for Benavides who actually did go there to see for himself) prefer to read and believe the blogholes, and make council decisions based on what they write. That’s pretty pathetic leadership.
According to an informed Santa Ana resident, what they did was also a violation of the ethics code, not that the council majority cares about those pesky ethical issues.
Don’t believe the lies that come from another blog, and maybe bloggers here can show up for the event if you’re planning to write about it, or get input from trusted sources that were there.
I do think it’s hilarious that the Orange Joke’s rant fueled the assertion that Lou Correa was involved in a Klan rally. That’s truly funny, and I hope Lou kicks their butts for it.
“ Independence Day Library Event Ruined by One Bigot â€
You are right Claudio.
That Naui is one un grande bigot.