DREAM Act activist, Pedro Ramirez, is now facing deportation because of a vendetta by a right wing Fresno State classmate. Details below from the Change.Org website.
DREAM Activist Targeted For Deportation By Vengeful Classmate
If you're looking for a hero, look no further than 22-year-old Pedro Ramirez, the California State University, Fresno student body president who came out about his undocumented status last year to fight for the DREAM Act.
The Huffington Post named him one of 2010's Top College Role Models. Fresno State's President, John D. Welty, praised Ramirez for his activism. And to many, Ramirez became the public face of the DREAM Act, the proposed bill that would have given undocumented students a path to legal citizenship.
What did these accolades get him? Targeted, bullied and harassed by a fellow student who is now launching a one-man vendetta to get Ramirez deported.
Masquerading as a "citizen's advocate," fellow Fresno State student Neil O'Brien has created a hateful website alleging that Ramirez has been working, driving and politically organizing while illegal.
He details "investigations" he's done of Ramirez's social media accounts and accuses him of secretly working against the U.S. government. He's posted Ramirez's personal e-mail address and tells his website visitors to "E-mail Pedro EXACTLY how feel about him" (sic). He's asking Fresno State alums to hold off donations until Ramirez is gone, and asking Fresno State's President to speak out against Ramirez.
Creepy, no? That's not the worst of it. Posting phone numbers for the FBI and ICE (Immigrations and Customs Enforcement), he's urging others to call ICE and report Ramirez.
That's right: He's trying to get Ramirez deported.
Fresno State's honor code requires that the "academic community adhere to principles of academic integrity and mutual respect while engaged in university work and related activities."
I'm pretty sure creating a stalkerish, bullying website designed to intimidate a fellow student doesn't qualify as "mutual respect." Call on Fresno State to take a stand against racism and intimidation and publicly denounce this student's dirty tactics. Pedro Ramirez is a leader on campus and for DREAMers everywhere. Don't let him be silenced by a personal vendetta.
Deport Pedro, HE IS BREAKING THE LAW. End of story. Doesnt matter what good or precedent he has set. He is breaking THE LAW
ReplyDeleteStupid laws are meant to be broken. He's harming no one and his contributions to society and the tax base outweigh his costs to society.
ReplyDeleteHowever, Let's consider your argument. If everyone who breaks the law should be punished to the fullest extent, then virtually every member of Congress, the president and virtually all Wall Street bankers and corporate CEOs should be filling our jails--Something that would be far more beneficial to the well being of the majority of us than the deportation of this individual.
Also, the primary reason for immigration to this country, whether legal or not, is economic necessity, a necessity caused by and exacerbated by U.S. policies, like NAFTA, designed entirely to benefit rich corporations, like petroleum, agriculture, pharma., etc. The legality of the immigration is entirely arbitrary, too. Immigrants from countries that are enemies of the U.S. tend to get higher quotas. Dark skinned immigrants tend to be picked out and jailed, prosecuted or deported far more than light skinned immigrants because of racism, racial profiling and right wing media hysteria.
Also, if you were punished fully every time you broke the law, where would you be? Jay walking? Speeding?