La Raza

SARASOTA, Fla. -- When the Orioles' Fred Uhlman Sr. told a USA Today reporter that "a genetic-type thing" caused Mexicans to lack foot speed and dance well, he made a terrible mistake. Stereotyping along ethnic lines is thickheaded, offensive and demands a response.But is there a right response this time?The Orioles apologized, but La Raza, an organization that lobbies for Hispanic causes, still demanded last week that Uhlman, a longtime scout, resign. You can't blame it. Stereotyping of Latins in baseball is institutionalized.

A national Hispanic organization has called for the resignation of Orioles scout Fred Uhlman, who was quoted as saying Mexican players lack speed and that it is a "genetic-type thing."The National Council of La Raza, which lobbies on Hispanic issues in Washington, yesterday sent a letter to Orioles president Larry Lucchino urging Uhlman's resignation and asking for an investigation into the team's treatment of its Hispanic personnel."If Mr. Lucchino is serious that Mr. Uhlman's remarks do not reflect the attitude of the Orioles organization, then we believe he should not be a part of the organization," said Lisa Navarrate, a spokeswoman for La Raza.

WASHINGTON -- The National Council of La Raza, the nation's largest Hispanic organization, announced yesterday that it will oppose Senate confirmation of Judge Clarence Thomas for a Supreme Court seat.La Raza, which represents 139 local organizations providing services to more than 2 million Hispanics, said it was opposing JudgeThomas because of what it called his "callous disregard" of Hispanics' civil rights during his tenure as chairman of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

WASHINGTON -- Two major Hispanic organizations, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund and the Hispanic Bar Association of the District of Columbia, announced yesterday that they will oppose Senate confirmation of Judge Clarence Thomas as a Supreme Court justice.Nevertheless, some leaders acknowledged that for the nation's 23 million Hispanics, there were signs of a dilemma in the issue of whether Judge Thomas should be seated.At a joint news conference of the defense fund and the bar association, Mario Moreno, the fund's regional counsel in Washington, said that the organization could not "in good conscience" support a nominee who would "severely undermine" civil rights, "particularly in areas of importance to Hispanics."

WASHINGTON -- A major national Hispanic organization issued a report yesterday indirectly but sharply criticizing Judge Clarence Thomas, President Bush's nominee for the Supreme Court.The report was the latest indication that Hispanic opposition to Judge Thomas' confirmation by the Senate is growing and becoming more severe.The Washington-based National Council of La Raza distributed here and at its annual convention in Houston a report describing as "extremely poor" and very nearly discriminatory the performance of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on behalf of Hispanics while Judge Thomas was the commission's chairman.