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  1. #1
    Senior Member zeezil's Avatar
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    Anti-illegal immigration groups reject ‘racist’ label

    Anti-illegal immigration groups reject ‘racist’ label
    Kathleen Miller, The Examiner
    2007-08-07 14:00:00.0
    Current rank: # 26 of 11,373
    http://www.examiner.com/a-868053~Anti_i ... label.html

    BALTIMORE -
    Brad Botwin, founder of the anti-illegal immigration group Help Save Maryland, said he has been called a Nazi, a racist and a member of a hate group when he’s organizing protests of day labor centers.

    Botwin said he’s frustrated that his efforts to get Montgomery County government leaders to crack down on illegal immigrants make people think he’s worthy of those labels.

    "We get people calling us KKK members and racists all the time," Botwin said. "As a Jew, the Klan wouldn’t have me for a member any day. I find it very insulting to hear these things shouted at me by people on megaphones who have never spoken to me."

    But immigrant-advocacy group members say they believe the actions of anti-illegal immigration groups are often racist. Alicia Ruiz, an organizer with Virginia’s Tenants and Workers United, said when Minutemen come to area day labor centers, they only target Latinos for harassment and intimidation methods.

    "When they talk about immigration problems, they don’t talk about illegal immigration from Europe," Ruiz said. "They’re always talking about Latin America. It is a color issue, because if they really just oppose illegal immigration, they’d think about other areas. There are illegal immigrants from Russia and Australia, too."

    Hessie Harris, a black member of Botwin’s group, said she’s not afraid of the racist label.

    "People want to say anybody who’s against illegal immigration is a racist," Harris said. "Well, if supporting the enforcement of laws makes someone a racist, so be it.

    "People throw the term racist out there as if it’s putting a crucifix before a mythical Dracula."

    Botwin agreed.

    "We are anti-illegal immigration, not anti-immigration," he said.

    Gustavo Torres, executive director of CASA of Maryland, an immigrant-advocacy group, said while he believes some tactics used by anti-illegal immigration groups are racist, he does not think they should be silenced.

    "I also believe they have the right to express themselves," he said.

    kmiller@dcexaminer.com
    Join our efforts to Secure America's Borders and End Illegal Immigration by Joining ALIPAC's E-Mail Alerts network (CLICK HERE)

  2. #2
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    and by racists they mean they have no other course of action to deal with the fact that they are supporting criminals so they are calling us names.

  3. #3
    Senior Member crazybird's Avatar
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    Gustavo Torres, executive director of CASA of Maryland, an immigrant-advocacy group, said while he believes some tactics used by anti-illegal immigration groups are racist, he does not think they should be silenced.

    "I also believe they have the right to express themselves," he said.
    Oh gee....thanks so much for your permission.

    I like what one of WLS radio talk people said......if the best you can do is call me a racist as your defense....then I've already won. He is a legal immigrant from Canada and is very much for support of our immigration laws.
    Join our efforts to Secure America's Borders and End Illegal Immigration by Joining ALIPAC's E-Mail Alerts network (CLICK HERE)

  4. #4
    Senior Member IndianaJones's Avatar
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    "I also believe they have the right to express themselves," he said.
    I don't happen to think that it is expressing oneself. When they call us kkk is that expressing themselves? I call it slander.
    We are NOT a nation of immigrants!

  5. #5
    Senior Member fedupDeb's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by IndianaJones
    "I also believe they have the right to express themselves," he said.
    I don't happen to think that it is expressing oneself. When they call us kkk is that expressing themselves? I call it slander.
    You are absolutely right! Funny, it's ok for them to call us names, but if we reciprocate, we are evil xenophobes.

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