Adelfa Callejo Is No Leader And Has No Influence Over Progressive Latino Voters Today..
Dallas Hispanic leader's comments on Obama lead to look at old ethnic tensions
10:26 PM CST on Thursday, February 28, 2008By DIANNE SOLÍS /
The Dallas Morning News dsolis@dallasnews.com
A Dallas Hispanic leader's comments about Barack Obama are causing re-examination of old tensions between blacks and Latinos in a city whose demographic DNA has changed dramatically in 20 years.
Adelfa Callejo, 84, a lawyer and civil rights activist who supports Hillary Rodham Clinton, sparked controversy with remarks she made in an interview that aired Wednesday night on KTVT (Channel 11). "Obama simply has a problem that he happens to be black," she said.
The Clinton campaign said the New York senator "denounces and rejects" Mrs. Callejo's assertions about Mr. Obama. In an interview Wednesday night with The Dallas Morning News, Mrs. Callejo said many Hispanics have told her that they have reservations about voting for a black politician because of experiences in the Dallas area, including fights over funding in the Dallas school district.
"What I hear is that they do not trust that Obama will do something for Hispanics," Mrs. Callejo said. Mrs. Callejo called such feelings "unfortunate because blacks have a tragic history in the U.S." Mexican-Americans have had a history of lynchings and other abuses as well, and blacks should learn the history of Latinos in Texas, she said.
She acknowledged that some of the political tensions could be generational. Indeed, said many Latinos.
Rene Martinez, 61, a local leader with the League of United Latin American Citizens, was swung into the Obama camp when his 24-year-old son told him to make up his mind between Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Obama. "My peers are going with Clinton," he said. "I have to go with the future." Mr. Martinez, who works for DISD, said tensions within the district over school locations and resources are a thing of the past.
Some younger Hispanics expressed shock at Mrs. Callejo's remarks.
"This whole black and brown divide ... is one of the most exaggerated arguments in the country today," said Manuel Rendon, 19, who introduced Mr. Obama at last week's rally at Reunion Arena, which drew about 18,000 people. "In terms of the civil rights movement, we know that even though they were different, they were very equal and our struggles have been very much the same."
Synbad Ontiveros, 37, who works at hip-hop station KBFB-FM (97.9), said older Latino leaders are out of touch with the community. He is still undecided about whom to support for president. But Mrs. Callejo's remarks "just blew me away," he said. Latinos now make up about 43 percent of Dallas' population, double that from 1990, according to 2006 Census Bureau data. Blacks make up 24 percent, compared with nearly 30 percent in 1990.
Mrs. Callejo's remarks came as no shock to a prominent African-American Democrat who was in Dallas for a speech Thursday. "The only surprise is that someone would openly admit it," said former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown, adding that such exchanges force people to talk about the underlying issues of race and politics.
And in El Paso on Wednesday, comedian George Lopez made light of the tensions between Latinos and blacks in a campaign appearance for Mr. Obama. Surveying the crowd in a city that is 81 percent Latino, the 46-year-old Mr. Lopez drew laughter and applause when he took this swipe: "For all the people who say Latinos won't vote for African-Americans, I'm looking out in the crowd and 80 percent of us are darker than him, including me. Throw that out the window."
Staff writers Joanna Cattanach and Alejandro Martínez of Al Día contributed to this report.
A day after lecturing her presidential rival, Barack Obama for not rejecting a controversial minister's support, Hillary Rodham Clinton declined Wednesday to reject one of her hispanic backers who commented on Barack Obama's race. Senator Clinton did NOT initially denounce NOR reject these comments. She in fact said everyone has a right to their opinion. It was hours later when the Campaign realized the potential political fallout that she rejected and denounced them.