When the government launched a nationwide campaign to register cellphones, millions of Mexicans refused.
Some said they were convinced that the government would use the information to spy on dissidents or anyone else out of favor. Others said they feared the information would end up in the wrong hands.
They were proved right last month when the confidential data of millions of Mexicans from official state registries suddenly became available for a few thousand dollars at Mexico City's wild Tepito flea market.
See, now I understand why they prefer to remain undocumented. No reconquista, they just want to be left alone . . .
All kidding aside, I think the Mexicans are on to something. Giving personal data to el gobierno is asking for trouble.
I still haven't returned my census forms.
16 comments:
Hey, Hairshirt! Someone told me that they mentioned my name to your for some reason, and that a sour look spread across your face? Now, why would that be?
Gustavo,
Don't start no shit with Digi - you will regret it.
Besides, (and Digi knows this) you are just looking to pump up your hits and comments.
Well, given the fact I cannot remember anyone in the recent past mentioning your name to me, I don't know. If you can tell me who and when, that might help.
BTW, the fact that your name links directly to OC Weekly, that doesn't convince me this is the real Gustavo Arellano making this comment. The real Gustavo - author of "Ask a Mexican!" and once even feted by Stephen Colbert - would be too busy harassing Matt Cunningham and the Diocese of Orange to read my little blog.
Unless it's a different Gustavo, like the one up for a domestic violence restraining order in the OC courts. Good thing that went off calendar, eh?
Oh, it's not Gustavo . . . it's his SO, Delilah Snell. Hi, Delilah!
Well, with the census form....state number of people and send it in....that's all you're required to do.
i.e. "5 people live here...now, go away."
they DO actually have need of that bit of info in order to make sure your area gets the right number of congress critters. i.e. Cali deserves more House members than, say, North Dakota.
Oh, and when those "basserds" hand out stuff (our stuff) you want to try and get back what you put in....i.e. get allocated monies....for "whatever." Now, do I think the feds doling out monies for what should be state/city should be picking up? No. [Feds SHOULD be picking up the tab for things they mandate...or refuse to enforce.]
Okay, losers, YOU FEDS are the ones not building fences and kicking the illegal aliens out -- YOU FEDS should have to pick up the tab for the extra it cost us in increased prison costs, busted hospitals etc.
If we start by sending a few dozen left wing politicians to the guillotine, I'll bet there will be some very significant changes in how our current politburo operates.
Gustavo,
I told you that you would regret starting any shit with Digi.
Junior: Oh, please.
Hairshirt: No, it's me. Nice of you to try and figure out if I have a criminal past, though! The person who told me this calls himself El Gringo, if that helps you any. I do read your blog from time to time, but only to see what you say about the Orange diocese. Is that weirdo cult still at that Costa Mesa parish?
The ISP shows Delilah's computer, Gustavo, and I figured you would have your own at OC Weekly. But hey, I understand, some employers don't want you using company machines for personal use.
"El Gringo?" Oh, please. You saying that is like me telling you "Masputo" told me to say hi to you. We live in SanTana, baby, and a nickname like that is, uh, fairly common. So you can either remind me with an actual name, because really, I don't remember any specific conversation. People really don't talk about you, per se, as much as they talk about the OC Weekly in general. Sour look? C'mon, Gustavo, you're a muckracking winchell and you make it your business to be the bad boy of indie press - since when does a sour look or a bilingual epithet bother you?
No criminal past - someone told me (let's call them El Veterano) that a Gustavo Arellano had a pending DV restraining order against him by a Sandra Martinez in OC Superior and that it was you. I checked it on line and saw it had been dropped.
As for Magnificat, I suppose they are. You can stop by St. Joachim's yourself and see if you can get a private healing with Ms. Beckman and Fr. Steve. Who knows? You might even go through a conversion of heart.
BTW, I don't think Bishop Brown will get his request. I am trying to find out today from my own sources as to its likelihood.
Oh, and the invitation is always open to attend Mass with me and my family at St. Joseph's. If you are going to make it your trademark to write about the Diocese of Orange, you owe it to your readers to see the good within it and, hey, maybe write about that. Maybe you can even give us a donation to remove the mural of Boner Jesus from the back wall. It's on the to-do list but other things, like keeping the school functioning so the los ninos in the area have a shot at the better high schools while learning in a safe environment, pretty much pushes that to the bottom. But come by - maybe you have some ideas as to how we can raise money and continue the ministries there.
HOW FUNNY! People spreading rumors about my past—sorry, but the only time I've broken the law was two speeding tickets and two seatbelt infractions. You can look them up.
A Winchell? Sorry, he told lies; I merely report the truth. Sorry you don't appreciate those inconveniences!
El Gringo ain't from SanTana, so that might limit your scope. Oh, I do write about wonderful OC Catholics—they're called the Catholic Worker. But I think your strain of Catholicism might think them heretics...but maybe I'm wrong? Anyhoo, no way I'd ever help a school system that employs a two-time pedophile apologist (Tracy Brennan)
Walter Winchell told lies and told the truth and in either way, he senasationalized it - just like you do. So, yes, you're men of the same caliber. Except he was better known. After a while, the cabron persona will grow somewhat pathetic with age and you'll still be working for a local indie whose revenue comes from ads for cosmetic surgery docs and medical marijuana attorneys. Mind you, not to say that the stuff written in the OC Weekly is bad - some of it is actually pretty good, but it will never be the big time that Winchell achieved. I remember once reading the blog Orange Juice and you're cheering on Art Pedroza saying, "Connect the dots, Art, connect the dots!" about some perceived conspiracy by Miguel Pulido, and he's replying, "I will, my friend!" and . . . nada. I just laughed - you and Art railing against the system on a blog that's practically unreadable for all the spam advertisements on it and Miguel remains as mayor of our fine town. Hey, at least you'll have "Ask a Mexican!" as your legacy. You have to be proud of that.
I have a lot of admiration for the Smiths at the Catholic Worker and have met them and have been at Isaiah House - while I can be conservative politically, when it comes to individuals, I really don't care about politics. The person is what matters. But the Smiths are two of 1 billion + Catholics - you ought to get out more, Gustavo, and come hang out with people who are poor but proud of their faith. You know the Linnerts? You should. You know Andy Saavedra? You should. You ever come have a meal with Jovenes Para Cristo? I'll introduce yout to Juan Lopez, he's a giant of a man. As is Ed Thaete.
Tracy Brennan? No, don't know her - is she diocesan? I don't know many people there, but I know Sr. Michelle who has been teaching for 50+ years. See, I don't have time to focus on what Brown & Co. is doing when we want to make sure our school is open for its 100th anniversary in 2013. Query: what can you do for a small parish school? Because if you can appreciate what the Smiths are doing, you can damn well set your sights further up the road and find out what working folks are trying to do for their kids.
And stop with your nicknames. If El Gringo has a name, say it. Otherwise, I am justified in saying you're simply blowing smoke from your ass. Limit my scope? Hmmm, I've lived in New York City; San Antonio, TX; Lawton, OK; Long Beach, CA; Bienne, Switzerland; and the OC. And you know . . . there are a lot of gringos out there, so no, it still doesn't ring a bell.
You can use kiddies as a shield all you want to sing the praises of St. Joseph's, but tell me: have any of the individuals you mentioned ever publicly criticized the pedophile apologists and protectors among you? Any of you ever protest Brownie? Any of you fine that one of the people in charge of diocesan schools tried to cover up for pedophiles TWICE in the public school system? Or is all of that okay because, hey: out of sight, out of mind? If you can't stand with the least among you (and I know you've criticized SNAP in the past because they're so darn vocal), then all your posturing is on a house of cards. But, hey: 100 years!
"You can use kiddies as a shield all you want to sing the praises of St. Joseph's . . ."
No, not a shield at all - I mention our kids because they are wonderful children who deserve help with keeping their school viable. And St. Joseph's is a great parish of fone people.
I think your response is flawed because you tie it in with Bishop Brown and the scandal in the Church - Gustavo, what has that got to do with the ministries at St. Joseph? As an example, you demand to know if the people I mentioned ever publicly denounced Bishop Brown or joined in a demonstration against him. Let's say someone like Andy Saavedra has not - by your position, then, the large amount of work that he has put into feeding and clothing the poor with the St. Vincent de Paul Society is negated because either he does not feel the same way about Brown as you do, or he does but is not as vocal as you. No, there is no logical connection with that.
(And, may I point out again, you could meet these people and ask them their opinions re: Brown and the scandal. I can arrange that, and it would be friendly.)
The scandal does bother me - by the way, you point out that I have been critical of SNAP but also fail to mention the criticism I have expressed here of Brown and Mahoney - but it does not lead me to a wholesale condemnation of all things in the Diocese. Of course, you may not realize that each parish enjoys a degree of autonomy so while there may be corruption in Villa Park, our focus is more local. We have a good school that is providing a good education. Our problem is that the majority of our kids cannot attend without tuition assistance and we want them to have that opportunity. Cesar Salazar is no longer at St. Joseph Church and we simply do not have the funds to remove Boner Jesus from the back wall - but there is a great amount of good we do for the local community and even abroad. But hey, 100 years . . . yessir, and I hope our school sees 100 more.
Now, I think your statement about "hiding behind the kiddies" can be turned around - are you possibly hiding behind the pedophilia scandal to mask a hatred for the Catholic Church? If everything goes back to the scandal, you're missing out on a lot the Church does well. You know that - you acknowledge the work at the Catholic Worker. Is it because they are not with the Diocese? And if Brown retires and His Holiness sends someone like Gomez who comes in and cleans house, what then for you?
Gustavo, this is why I extend an invitation to come to Mass or at least come and visit our school. Expand your scope beyond Marywood.
No, I don't like Tod Brown. As well as some of his cronies. My husband and I do not contribute to his PSA Fund, and instead focus our contributions for our parish. But I am not going to let Brown drive me from MY church.
And you still haven't told me El Gringo's name, so I have to assume you were just looking for an opening to contact me. Shy, aren't you?
Yes, Magnificat still meets every 2nd and 4th Friday of the month at St. Joachim church in Costa Mesa. Come hear the Holy Spirit descend upon these, such pious people, on cue! Music included!
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