--------------------------
Dear Amy:

I am writing as a concerned San Diego resident. I would like to report that there are many alarming and unjust things happening in the midst of this firestorm that are not being reported in the mainstream media. I am wondering if Democracy Now would be willing to break these stories nationally.

First, there are several indications that the Border Patrol is using this crisis as an opportunity to crack down on undocumented immigrants. According to the San Diego Union Tribune "fire blog," today, six illegal immigrants were stealing relief supplies from Qualcomm Stadium. Witnesses claim they were stealing supplies from the site. The blog then states "Because some members of the group spoke Spanish, officers called Border Patrol agents at the stadium for relief efforts, who then determined the thieves were in the country illegally and arrested them."(see: http:// fireblog.signonsandiego.com)

What is troubling about this is that the article does not qualify why these people were suspected of 'stealing' supplies. If they had been white, English speaking Americans, would they have been seen as suspicious and reported to the authorities? Also, how is somebody guilty of 'stealing' supplies that are basically dropped off by donors in the Qualcomm parking lot? Yesterday I took donations at Qualcomm and gave them to some unidentified civilians who were loading them unto a pick-up truck. There was no government presence or guidelines as to how the donation process was supposed to take place. This is a bit reminiscent of Katrina and how white residents of new Orleans were represented in the media as scavengers while black residents were demonized as 'looters.'

San Francisco Indymedia is reporting that ICE has set up checkpoints at Imperial Avenue in the south of San Diego and in San Marcos in the north. (see: http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/ 2007/10/23/18455637.php)

The Union Tribine's fire blog is reporting that Border Patrol agents are assisting with efforts to control the fires. Border Patrol agents are also "assisting local law enforcement officials with evacuations, traffic control, and perimeter control" (see: http://fireblog.signonsandiego.com)

Border Angels founder and immigration activist Enrique Morones who is heading the effort to help undocumented evacuees reports that some undocumented immigrants were told to work despite mandatory evacuation orders (good person to interview- tel. 619. 269.7865, email: enriquemorones@cox.net). This was confirmed in an ABC news story on this titled "Dangerous Dilemma for Illegal Immigrants Seeking Safety From Wildfires, Some Undocumented Workers Find Border Patrol Instead" (see: http://www.abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=3769989&page=1)

The other troubling thing happening in the midsts of this situation is that residents of the Rincon Indian Reservation are reporting that they got no help at all while 65 of their residences and buildings burnt down. According to the SD Union Tribune Fire Blog: tribal councilwoman Stephanie Spencer said "We were left behind, nobody here to help…we are doing evverything we can with our casino and all our resources here, but they don't last forever" (see: http://fireblog.signonsandiego.com)

Meanwhile, firefighters have been aggressively trying to save homes in more wealthier neighborhoods west of where the reservations are (San Diego is the country with the largest population of Native Americans in california; most live in areas affected by fires). This was also reported in the SD Union Tribune Fire Blog:

Most of the national and local television and press coverage has focused on the heroism of the firefighters and the tragedies suffered by residents of predominantly white, middle and upper class areas, who were evacuated and/or lost their homes. The Bush administration and Gov. Schwarzeneegger are aggressively trying to publicly paint the government's response to the firestorm as the "anti-katrina" (See Huffington Post article titled "Things We Lost In the Fire: 'Anti-Katrina' Efforts A Day Late and a Dollar Short" at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/10/24/things-we-lost-in-the- fir_n_69740.html ).

The people in this country need to find out that like Katrina, poor people of color in San Diego county (more specifically undocumented immigrants and Native Americans who are at the bottom of the social hierarchy here) are not getting the same treatment that white middle and upper-class residents are receiving (one of the areas that has received the most attention by authorities as well as press coverage is Rancho Santa Fe, one of the wealthiest areas in the nation). They are being neglected and persecuted.

Please send a correspondent here to cover this and/or do a story in your show to help us get these stories out nationally. I am available over email if you need assistance contacting people to interview or if you need us to do recorded interviews ourselves and send them to you via the web or by mail.

Sincerely yours,

José I. Fusté

Ethnic Studies Ph.D. Student
University of California, San Diego
619.400.9004

Young Immigrants Need Our Help

The bad news is that two years of military service would also qualify for permanent residency, making this vulnerable segment of our population fertile recruiting grounds for military recruiters.

If you’re appalled that this vulnerable population, undocumented immigrants, could be pulled into the Bush administration’s fiasco in Iraq, contact our Congress and ask them to remove the military service aspect of the DREAM Act, but at the same time support the basic Act.

It’s all About Money

More of the truth about what is happening in Iraq is showing up in the media, but some youth are enlisting anyway.

It’s all about money: The recruiting budget is now $4 billion, up from $2.4 billion in 2001. This increase pays for many more recruiters preying on youth and the bonuses they offer: $20,000, $40,000 and more.

Imagine what $4 billion could buy for our youth if it were spent on student loans and grants, on job training, or on work experience.