Thread: Critics Say Immigration Parody Song Is Racist

Mary Stewart
Reporting

(CBS 11 News) WACO A central Texas country music band has produced a song that they say is a humorous spoof on a serious subject - illegal immigration, but critics say its fueling racism.

In Waco the song is rubbing some Hispanics the wrong way.

At one club, its dance night and the audience is waiting for one song - "So Long Texas - Hello Mexico."

The song conjures up a Texas cowboy moving to Mexico to live off the Mexican government. The lyrics have the cowboy singing about how turn-about is fair play with Mexicans illegally moving here.

Singer Johnnie Bradshaw suspected the song could be controversial when no one else wanted to record it. “If 80-percent of the people feel the same way, why can't we write a song for that 80-percent? Doesn't the majority count?” Bradshaw asked.

Some people are more concerned about the message than the majority. “When I heard the song I realized it was playing into the national hysteria against immigrants,” said Ernesto Fraga, ‘Tiempo’ newspaper publisher.

Fraga, the publisher of the central Texas bilingual newspaper, has spoken out against the song and he's gotten hate mail in return.

“If it's not a racist song, then why are racists championing it now?” Fraga said.

But Bradshaw insists its humor and explains he even has Hispanics in his family.

DJ’s are playing the song on some central Texas radio stations and in just four weeks, more than 70,000 people have visited the website selling the CD.

Critics say they're offended by the lyrics, but Bradshaw is planning a sequel, with the imaginary Texas cowboy on the other side of the border.

The new song will have the cowboy singing about the changed landscape, with the lyrics, “What's this fence you built? I can't get back across, help, I want to go home.”


See the video
http://cbs11tv.com/topstories/local_sto ... 71847.html

Man I love that song!!!

And I don't give a damn if it's offending the Hispanics. This is a country based on free speech!!!!!!!!

The song is not offending Hispanics because the song is not about Hispanics.

The song is offending people like Fraga because Fraga makes his living off of people that can't or won't speak English.

Fraga needs the illegal aliens or he would be out of business.

Therefore Fraga screams RACISM and it works well with this piece of crap CBS affiliate that made the title of this story and the focus of this story on Fraga's attacks instead of the song.

W

This 'racism' card is getting old and weak. It's used when one doesn't have a strong argument. The popularity of the song speaks for itself, period! So much truth in it, love the song and obviously a lot of the silent majority like it too.