Thread: Illegal immigration vs. the First Amendment

November 21, 2009 12:00 AM

Letters: Illegal immigration vs. the First Amendment

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Clearly Yvette Cabrera does not believe in First Amendment rights, or she does, but just not for those who disagree with her socialistic agenda ["Dobbs exit at CNN is temporary relief," Nov. 19]. In the past, Cabrera has been a strong advocate for the rights of illegal aliens (she calls them undocumented workers) as well as for their need for universal health care at the cost of the U.S. taxpayer. She has never demonstrated why illegal aliens have any "rights" whatsoever in this country or what the basis is for her assertion that they have rights.

The U.S. Constitution? Surely not. Her latest diatribe ["Dobbs' exit at CNN is temporary relief," Local, Nov. 19], cites Lou Dobbs' assertion that unscreened illegal immigrants were partly to blame for an alleged 7,000 cases of leprosy in the United States. That is, in all likelihood, untrue, but so are many of unscientific assertions of Al Gore regarding global warming. Cabrera seems not to know that if you own a TV and Dobbs comes on the channel you're watching you may change channels.

You really don't have to watch or listen. But channel changing is not what Cabrera has in mind. She wants him silenced. Apart from the leprosy thing, Dobbs does make some valid points about illegal immigration, which Cabrera cannot stand. She wants her First Amendment rights, but her desire clearly does not extend to Dobbs. Ideologues never change.

Ron Gleason
Orange


Should Cabrera be fired for writing a hit piece on Lou Dobbs on the front page of the Register's local edition as opposed to the Op-Ed page? Should the editor who allowed this hate filled article to be printed as news also go?

There is nothing fair and balanced about Cabrera's story. Dobbs wasn't perfect. He had strong views on illegal immigration (a term not to be found in Cabrera's article), and surely stepped over the line occasionally. The air ways are filled with hate filled left wing voices. Shall we fire them? Shall we fire everyone who gives offense? We do ourselves a great disservice by shutting down free speech, however much we disagree.

Martin Brenner
Laguna Niguel


No objectivity

Over the course of time, I somehow I have come to hold the romantic belief that newspaper reporters, held to a special code of ethics, to put truth in their writing as sort of a pristine mantra never to be compromised.

If there was ever an event to make me give up that belief it was finalized when I read the Thursday column Yvette Cabrera wrote about Lou Dobbs. If there was any more trash in that column it would have turned to paper to the color of vomit.

I will bet a large sum that Cabrera did not do one minute of objective research on the validity of the allegations she so freely passed on to us as truth.

Jon Koskoff
Huntington Beach


Hate speech against Dobbs

Once again, Yvette Cabrera spews her brown pride hate speech about a man who may now run for elected office, possibly the Senate. Lou Dobbs has never spewed the bile I see coming from Cabrera, La Raza, and the Southern Poverty Law Center, an organization so vile it makes the ACLU look like angels with halos.

So, Ms. Cabrera, go ahead and gloat about helping get Dobbs kicked off CNN because it may be a much more difficult task removing him from the U. S. Senate, one of many choices available to Dobbs, and now without the constraints of the open-borders zealots at CNN. Dobbs wasn't fired ... he was liberated.

David Kendrick
Buena Park


Anti-Latino he's not

Yvette Cabrera's column, "Dobbs' exit at CNN is temporary relief" overtly mischaracterizes Dobbs' position. Lou Dobbs espouses the enforcement of our immigration laws. Cabrera uses inflamed rhetoric, racist name calling, and spinning of Dobbs as "anti immigration." Dobbs' position is aimed at illegal immigration, which has absolutely nothing to do with legal immigration. Is being anti-illegal immigration an extremist, racist, or even violent ideal, as Cabrera's article states?

I find it hard to believe that Dobbs is anti-Latino, considering he is married to a Latina woman. In addition, Lou Dobbs was not ousted from CNN, he resigned his position with a year and a half to go on his $12 million contract, although he received some of that in severance pay. The left would have you believe he was fired. Cabrera's column, implying that those who do not support illegal immigration are somehow racist, is irresponsible journalism.

Alan Cherow
Laguna Niguel


It's about consequences

"And the beat goes on" with Yvette Cabrera, constantly lamenting the plight of immigrants in this country. Noteworthy, the absence of the ignominious title "llegal" ["Dobbs exit at CNN is temporary relief," Local, Nov. 19]. Lou Dobbs attempted to enlighten the American public about the resultant consequences of illegal immigration whereas, she persistently attempts to "defend the indefensible."

Anita Bass
Costa Mesa

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Letters to the Editor: E-mail to letters@ocregister.com . Please provide your name and telephone number (telephone numbers will not be published). Letters of about 200 words will be given preference. Letters will be edited for length, grammar and clarity.

http://www.ocregister.com/opinion/dobbs ... legal.html

Great letters!

Terrific letters! As one of them said, "Dobbs wasn't fired, he was liberated". This might be the best decision he's made in a long time - for him and us! Really hope Dobbs runs for office!