Let us (not) pray… Baylor University prof re: immigration

Dr. Juan Hernandez, a Texas Republican Party activist, is consistently referred to in news articles and on cable TV news shows as “a former member of the Vicente Fox cabinet”. 

Hernandez, a dual national, WAS head of something called the “Presidential Office for Mexicans Abroad” (in other words, a special advisor to the President) for around for a year or so, until the office was abolished after came under investigation by the Mexican elections commission for having been a front to raise campaign contributions in the U.S. for PAN candidates.  Foreign campaign contributions are illegal in Mexico. 

Maybe it’s that whiff of electorial chincanery that makes Dr. Hernandez one of the few — make that the only — Mexican you’ll see on the same program with Lou Dobbs and Pat Buchanan. He’s no idiot and not a push-over, but comes across as sunny and positive… which may be the reason he’s never identified as a Texas Republican.  He just doesn’t fit the image.  But he is the conservatives favorite “go to guy” when they need a “clean and articulate” Mexican.   

A friend of George W. Bush and “acceptable” to folks like Lou Dobbs, it’s a natural that Dr. Hernandez would be asked to speak at at a Southern Baptist institution like Waco’s Baylor University.  And even in their chapel.  He wasn’t smitten (smited? smote?), but something about Southern Baptists and Mexicans (ok, half-Mexicans) that make for an uncomfortable mix:

 Juan Hernandez, former cabinet member for Mexican President Vicente Fox, visited Chapel Feb. 12. He began his speech by asking students to accompany him in his prayer for the illegal immigrants in danger. He said the United States is in need of 400,000 employees every year and about 320,000 immigrants cross the border from Mexico to work in the United States. Later Hernandez encouraged students to take out their cell phones and call Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to voice their opinions on immigration reform laws.

(Economics Professor John) Piscotti said it was inappropriate for Hernandez to speak and pray the way he did. He also said asking the students to pray for the mistreatment of illegal immigrants was “utterly absurd.”

Uhhh…. I think the Baylor Lariat meant Hernandez was praying for the immigrants who are mistreated, but… what’s so bad about praying?  In chapel? Did he make a sign of the cross or something?  I’ll never understand Southern Baptists, I guess.  But, then Waco isn’t part of the normal universe, even by Texas standards.