Yet elsewhere on Memorial Day, some politician will probably demand that America "stop the invasion" and send troops to protect America from people who look like Ramirez.

One veteran isn't afraid.

"The children of Mexican immigrants have a proud history of fighting to defend this country," said Tony Morales of Fort Worth.

He is the national commander of the Colorado-based American GI Forum, the primary national organization for Hispanic veterans and their families.

In a time when some American veterans join border-patrol militias, GI Forum strongly favors legal work permits for immigrants and opposes the U.S. House immigration bill as a "racial discrimination effort by those who fear change."

Complaints about an "invasion" are simply "a rallying cry for people who don't like Hispanics," Morales said. "They don't like Mexicanos, in particular."

If somebody says, "I'm only against illegal immigrants," Morales said, "that's just sugar-coating."

Often, the same complainers call anyone of Hispanic descent "illegals."

"I think deep down, they still have this racist attitude embedded in them," Morales said. "They don't want to accept somebody who might be different."

Morales, 66, served in France and Germany in the 1950s with the Air Force's 417th Tactical Fighter Squadron.

He is serving his second term as commander of the 145,000-member GI Forum, founded by a Corpus Christi doctor in 1948. The organization took up the cause of defending Hispanic veterans' rights in 1949, after a South Texas funeral home turned away the body of a Hispanic soldier.

Soldiers of Hispanic descent not only fought proudly in World War II, they fought heroically, earning 12 Medals of Honor -- more per capita than any other demographic group.

"History shows that we have always been there to fight for freedom," Morales said.

"Veterans should remember who has been fighting alongside them in World War I, World War II, Korea and Vietnam. Our people die for this country. We are proud of it." . . .