PHOENIX (By Jon Garrido, Hispanic News and The Blue Dogs of the Democratic Party) March 9, 2007 — More that 30 years ago a group of Hispanics working for the City of Tucson had a daily ritual of eating lunch together usually in one of the many Mexican restaurants in the downtown area.

We were all very young. We only had a couple of years working for the City of Tucson being recently out of the University of Arizona. We spoke usually about nothing in particular, just enjoying the hot sun, great food and great camaraderie.

Two of my friends huddled together sharing with each other how we all had to be "super Mexicans" to be promoted. I tried not to listen. I just wanted to enjoy my food.

My two friends deep in conversation were both agreeing with each other: We had to deal with an unusual situation — the city manager was Hispanic.

One word from him and anything would happen at the city. He was powerful, well liked and we all highly respected him.

Yet, most of our group believed to be promoted — Hispanics had to be "super Mexicans" because we believed the city manager feared being accused of nepotism.

Human nature has it unless something directly has a personal impact; the subject is set aside for others to deal with.

This was the case with me for I had advanced up the food chain at a rapid pace to become economic development coordinator for the City of Tucson. It was Valdez who appointed me and placed me in his City Manager office.

I would have continued being unengaged in my friends' conversation but my friends were determined to interrupt me from eating my lunch. To draw me into the conversation, they asked a pointed question, “How do we deal with Valdez” (Translation: How do we deal with this superficial but real road block preventing promotions?")

I had no idea what the answer was so I simply said, “I have no idea.”

Later that afternoon I walked to the old Carnegie Library just down the street on Stone Avenue and started roaming through the stacks looking for something to catch my eye.

Miraculously, a book examining the tactics of radical community organizer Saul D. Alinsky just popped out of the stacks. I did not recognize this man's work but the book contents seem to provide a glimpse of a strategy we could use.

The next day at lunch I was ready. I had already gone through the Alinsky book the night before and told everyone at lunch, we needed to organize — and organize we did.

We carefully picked our battles and it worked.

We became the biggest Hispanic organization in Tucson starting with Hispanic city employees and then adding county, state and then anyone.

We used the Alinsky model of picking an issue we knew we could win. Alinsky pointed out this was key to recruitment for each victory would double membership. The secret behind Alinsky was picking the biggest issue we could win but never over reaching an issue we knew we could not win. Failure had just the opposite outcome in winning — loss of membership.

From a few young "Turks," within two years, we grew into a 1,000 member organization.

The biggest success was the City of Tucson implemented an Affirmative Action Office.

In those days, we never considered anyone's politics. The only requirement was one had to be Hispanic.

That was a very long time ago and up until now, Hispanic advancement into key positions has always been part of the Hispanic strategy.

When John Ashcroft resigned and Alberto Gonzales was appointed Attorney General of the United States, all Hispanics were elated a Hispanic had been appointed to one of the highest offices in the United States. It did not matter Gonzales was Republican or Democrat. It was a sign we were moving up the food chain.

I for one was more elated than others for Alberto Gonzales has the same name as I.

My mother was a Gonzales and when I bought a Maquilidora in Mexico, my Mexican permit required I use my entire name so I became Jon Garrido Gonzales.

The jubilation of an Attorney General being Hispanic was a milestone but an Attorney General with the Gonzales name was particularly gratifying for me.

On February 3, 2005, Alberto Gonzales was sworn in as the United States Attorney General with the appointment of a Hispanic to advance the well being of Hispanics being a monumental milestone.

That was then but today the Gonzales appointment rings hollow and high in a squandered opportunity.

Gonzales may be Hispanic but Gonzales has become the point man for Bush Cheney Republicans. Gonzales is only Hispanic on the outside and in fact, is no longer a member of the Kingdom of Conscience with the moral compass of doing the right thing to help all Hispanics — Democrat or Republican.

The Gonzales appointment has become one of the greatest disappointments of modern times, not just for Hispanics but even more important, for all Americans. Attorney General Gonzales has categorically diminished the civil rights of all Americans and all Hispanics living in the USA.

The Bush administration’s assault on some of the founding principles of American democracy marches onward despite the Democratic victory in the 2006 elections. The new Democratic majorities in congress can block the sort of noxious measures the Republican majority rubber-stamped. But preventing new assaults on civil liberties is not nearly enough.

Five years of presidential over reaching and congressional collaboration continue to exact a high toll in human lives, America’s global reputation and the architecture of democracy. Brutalities toward prisoners and the denial of their human rights have been institutionalized, unlawful spying on Americans continues, and the courts are being closed to legal challenges of these practices.

Three fundamental tenets of America diminished by Bush, Cheney and Gonzales need to be restored: Habeas Corpus, stop illegal spying, and ban torture.

Alberto Gonzales Attempts to Manipulate the Outcome of the 2006 Congressional Elections

The last straw was the firing of eight U.S. Attorneys, one of who is Hispanic, to manipulate the outcome of the 2006 congressional elections. No graver assault on the U.S. Constitution can take place enabling a democracy to evolve into a dictatorship by stuffing ballot boxes to win elections.

The stakes in the 2006 elections were at the highest level determining the direction of the United States. Had Attorney General Gonzales been successful in directing the U.S. Attorneys prosecute Democrats in eight states manipulating election outcomes, the congress may still be in the hands of Republicans enabling the Bush Administration to "stay the course" in Iraq and further diminish the civil rights of all Americans.

Hispanic News and the Blue Dogs of the Democratic Party call for the resignation of

Alberto Gonzales