Hungry for a Dream

Protesters on a hunger strike in San Antonio, Texas, were arrested this week (Nov. 29) on charges of criminal trespass for their sit-in and presence in the office of US Senator from Texas Kay Bailey Hutchison. UT San Antonio students, one professor, a Methodist minister, and a former San Antonio city council member occupied Hutchison's office to demand that she vote for the Dream Act. Hutchison has said she will not vote for the action because it goes too far beyond allowing high school and college students attain their "dream" of becoming an American citizen.

My (humble, of course) opinion of the legislation is that it sounds fairly conservative - especially in terms of funding that higher education - and seems to fit the bill of allowing citizens-in-all-but-papers to reach the logical conclusion of their presence in the US. You can read the text of the senate bill here. Should it move you can find it here by typing in S 729 for the bill number.

In a final note (and my last bit of parting snark), Senator Hutchison issued the following statement about the protesters, saying she, "appreciates these students' passion for their cause but hopes they can find safer and more peaceful ways to voice their opinions." I was pleased to hear that sit-ins and hunger strikes will now be the cut-off point for acceptable violence in this country.