DNC Chairman Howard Dean and DNC Hispanic Caucus Chair Ramona Martinez Commemorate Hispanic Heritage Month
Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean and DNC Hispanic Caucus Chair Ramona Martinez issued the following joint statement today commemorating the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month, which is celebrated September 15 through October 15:
"We are honored to join the millions across America who will begin celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month tomorrow. Hispanics have made, and continue to make, America stronger through their contributions to everything from the economy, to agriculture, to sciences and the arts.
"With our nation at war it is also important to recognize the contributions Hispanics have made with honor and valor not just in the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan, but in conflicts big and small including World War II, Korea, and Vietnam to name a few. And with immigration reform still unresolved, it's important to remember the many undocumented immigrants who have earned their legalization on the battle fields of the Middle East, with some having made the ultimate sacrifice.
"Today, with growing political clout, the nation's 44.3 million Hispanics are poised to help move America in a new direction. That's why we're proud that the Democratic Party's field of Presidential candidates is not just the strongest but most diverse ever, perhaps including the first woman, African American, or Hispanic President in our nation's history. That's also why the refusal of Republican Presidential candidates to address the Hispanic community at national forums and gatherings in recent months is so appalling. The politics of division, hatred, and fear should not and cannot continue to define the political debate in America.
"As Democrats we will celebrate this Hispanic Heritage Month by reaffirming our commitment to diversity and to reuniting America by changing the tone of the political debate, and to ensuring greater opportunities, improved health care access, and the protection of civil rights for everyone in our great nation."
