Excerpts of DNC Chairman Howard Dean's Remarks at Hispanic Prayer Breakfast
Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean addressed the 2007 National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast in Washington, DC this morning. In his remarks, Dean spoke of the shared values of Democrats and the Hispanic faith community, and how we can work together to find a compassionate and practical solution to immigration issues facing our nation. In addition Dean addressed the need for collaboration on other important issues, including fighting global poverty, and being responsible stewards of the environment.
Under the leadership of Chairman Dean the DNC's Faith in Action Initiative has worked to strengthen and build relationships with members of the faith community through regular outreach based on our shared values and priorities. These efforts include national and state level outreach to diverse faiths in coordination with the DNC's 50 State Partnership program.
Below are excerpts of Dean's remarks, as prepared for delivery:
On Esperanza USA
It's fitting that Esperanza means Hope. Esperanza USA's tireless work on behalf of the poor and the marginalized, while promoting civic participation of clergy in your community and defending civil and worker's rights is commendable.
The Democratic Party shares your values.
On empowering the Hispanic community
In the Democratic Party we also believe that empowerment is the key to create hope and opportunity for everyone in America. We have an informal program in our party called from the table to the ticket. It is not enough to ask for a seat at the table anymore, we need you on the ticket running for office. The ticket needs to look like the rest of America.
The Hispanic community has always embodied the values that make our country strong: devotion to family, a commitment to hard work, an entrepreneurial spirit and a deep and abiding faith.
We're honored that overwhelmingly Hispanics trusted Democrats with their support in 2006, and trusted us to change the tone in Washington. And we know we cannot take that support for granted.
On comprehensive immigration reform
Immigration reform has shed light on the difference in the Party's values.
While there are those on the otherside who have sought to scapegoat and divide Americans, Democrats understand that there is more that unites us than divides us.
The American people want leaders who will talk about their values.
Quieren líderes que hablan de sus valores, que ofrecen esperanza, y que prometen unir a la gente, no dividirla. [who will offer hope, and promise to bring people together, not tear them apart].
Los hispanos no son excepción. [Hispanics are no exception.]
Durante demasiado tiempo, la política en Estados Unidos ha sido dominada por el uso del miedo y el uso de 'puntos de ira'. [For too long politics in America have been dominated by the use of fear and the use of 'anger points'.]
Señalando a 'esa gente', ganaron elecciones, pero le han hecho gran daño a América. [By targeting 'those people', they won elections, but did incredible damage to America.]
That's why Esperanza's work on behalf of immigrants has been so important. The immigration rallies so many of you were a part of helped to put a human face on immigration.
You work on the frontlines all across America and are often the ones who witness the human consequences of a severely flawed immigration system. You see the faces of children separated from their parents. You hear the cries of workers who risk daily serious injury working in fields and factories. And you know the struggles of newcomers who are working hard to serve America, while seeking a basic livelihood for themselves and their families.
I commend you. And I commend those clergy and Americans of diverse faiths who have consistently and vocally lent their leadership to speaking out on immigration, and who stood up and said loudly, criminalizing families for seeking a better life, and criminalizing clergy for doing God's work is wrong.
Fortunately, under Democratic leadership in Congress we have changed the tone, and worked to move comprehensive immigration reform forward in a compassionate and bipartisan manner.
There are also leaders in the Republican Party who agree that it's time to not just talk about immigration reform, but to DO justly in enacting our policy.
But too many today, in the other party who continue to stand in the way, and it will take real leadership, not just hollow rhetoric, for the American people to get the reform that we need.
Candidates for President must be clear that they reject scapegoating and divisive rhetoric as tactics to win their primary, We are a nation of immigrants after all.
We must work together and work vigorously to produce a fair and just resolution to the immigration debate. We must restore order to the border, protect workers and their wages, stop dividing families, and allow the compassion and respect for human dignity that make America great. That means including a path to legalization for hardworking immigrants who are here, are willing to pay taxes, and obey the law, so that they can eventually earn the rights and privileges of citizenship.
On faith and the Democratic Party's values
Contrary to partisan rhetoric, the truth is that Democrats are people of strong faith and we are guided by our values. As a Democrat I believe that we should welcome the stranger, that no child should go to bed hungry, that housing and a path to homeownership should be accessible to all, that everyone in America deserves universal health care, that war should be a last resort only after diplomacy has been exhausted, that we should properly equip our troops before we send them to war, that we should take care of our veterans when they come home, that everyone deserves equal rights under the law, that we should be good stewards of the Earth, that hard working people should earn a living wage and be able to take care of their families, that we ought not pass debt onto our children, that faith should not be used to divide people but rather to bring us together, and that you and I have more in common than we have differences.
We approached Rev. Cortes early on in the immigration debate, and a dialogue began that brought the Democratic Party and the Hispanic faith community closer together.
We've made it clear that we want to work together on the issues that unite us.
As part of that effort the DNC has begun a faith outreach initiative led by our Chief of Staff who pastors a Pentecostal church and we have assembled a policy and organizing team to reach out to diverse members of the faith community to build coalitions around shared priorities.
We also formed a Faith Advisory Council to engage the Party on message and policy and we are glad to have Rev. Luis Cortes as a partner in this effort.
On shared priorities
We have a lot to work on together.
I'm proud that our Democrats in Congress are fighting for a new direction in Iraq. That we've passed the first minimum wage increase in a decade. That we've passed the recommendations of the 9/11 commission that for so long went unheeded. That we're making college more affordable. That we passed real ethics legislation. And that we're fighting to ensure America's energy independence.
But there are still many issues that Democrats can work with the faith community on.
I was very proud on Monday to endorsed the ONE Vote '08 initiative a campaign to fight global poverty. Global poverty remains one of the most pressing issues of our time. Through our global efforts we can send a message to the world that America's concern for the least of these is a core American value that reflects the goodness and greatness of our country's founding principles.
We must return America to its position of moral leadership throughout the world.
As we head into the 2008 election, Democratic Presidential candidates have made eradicating hunger, poverty and HIV/AIDS a cornerstone of their campaigns.
We know HIV/AIDS is the third largest killer in the Hispanic community as many traditional education and service delivery methods are not readily accessible to the community.
Esperanza USA's Education and Prevention Campaign against HIV/AIDS is a critical part of that fight.
We need to work together to make this country more energy efficient and address the issues of climate change. Again, I commend Rev. Luis Cortes and others for joining in support of the Evangelical Climate Initiative. As a nation guided by our values we share the same earth. And its stewardship is a moral value.
Empowering Young People
Before I close, I also want to encourage you not only as community activists to continue to lobby Congress, but to continue to reach out to young people. I recently spoke at Eastern University in St. Davids, PA, where you are spearheading an impressive educational partnership, Esperanza College, to aid young Hispanic students in admission and retention in higher education. It is the only Hispanic serving institution in Pennsylvania and the only Spanish to English curriculum of its kind in the nation. I urge you to continue the great work you are doing.
