Thread: Rhetoric of illegal-immigration opponents is disturbing, cri

Rhetoric of illegal-immigration opponents is disturbing, critics say
By SUSAN FERRISS
The Sacramento Bee

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- A local TV crew was shooting a live morning report about Lisa Dupre's Sacramento preschool, where toddlers can learn yoga, etiquette and Spanish as a second language.

The phone rang -- the first response, Dupre thought, to an on-air invitation for parents to get more information. She let her answering machine pick up.

"I thought this was America, not Mexico. This is English only," a voice growled when she listened later. "That's why we've got a problem with illegal aliens -- because people like you are trying to change California into Mexico."

A stunned Dupre -- whose school also offers French -- said she remembers thinking, "This guy is not the sharpest tool in the shed."

Several more callers complained to her after the August TV report that she was catering to Mexicans, and a neighbor struck up a conversation with her to blame Mexicans, Dupre said, for everything wrong -- including grocery prices.Whether it's in conversation, on Web sites or flowing from cable TV and radio talk shows, the shrillness of the anti-illegal-immigration debate has become disturbing, say groups that monitor hate speech.

The Alabama-based Southern Poverty Law Center has produced reports on anti-Latino rhetoric, and the Anti-Defamation League, founded to expose anti-Semitism, issued a report in October called, Immigrants Targeted: Extremist Rhetoric Moves Into the Mainstream.

Their point is that rational debate over immigration has been drowned out by the noise of unfounded accusations that illegal immigrants are the driving force behind problems such as identity theft and rising health insurance costs.

Activists who oppose illegal immigration say they are just holding the line against opponents they accuse of wanting "open borders." And they believe they represent the will of the majority.

"There is no doubt that immigration is a necessary debate," said Deborah Lauter, the Anti-Defamation League's civil rights director. "But it must remain civil."

ADL researchers reviewed Web sites, news reports and activists' media appearances for the report.

CNN's Lou Dobbs comes under fire for what the group calls "false propaganda" about illegal immigrants and disease that he refused to recant. TV pundit Pat Buchanan is criticized for spreading xenophobia in his book, State of Siege, in which he describes Latino immigration as a mortal cultural threat.

Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, is cited by the ADL for calling illegal immigration a "slow-motion terrorist attack."

The ADL cites comments by D.A. King of Georgia, who founded an anti-illegal-immigrant group called the Dustin Inman Society. He has appeared on CNN and testified before a congressional committee.

In April, a newspaper report said, King told a gathering of Georgia Republican Party members that illegal immigrants are "not here to mow your lawn -- they're here to blow up your buildings and kill your children, and you and me."

Online: Southern Poverty Law Center, www.splcenter.org

Anti-Defamation League, www.adl.org

Dustin Inman Society, www.thedustininmansociety.org
http://www.star-telegram.com/226/story/319710.html

and their point??? Did anybody notice they did not refute any of the accusations? All they said is that it was mean.

Originally Posted by cayla99

and their point??? Did anybody notice they did not refute any of the accusations? All they said is that it was mean.

Actually the article stated

Their point is that rational debate over immigration has been drowned out by the noise of unfounded accusations that illegal immigrants are the driving force behind problems such as identity theft and rising health insurance costs.

But considering it is a news reported one would think that they would know that they aren't unfounded.

The only thing these pro-illegals have to fall back on is, blame the 70% of our citizens for HATING immigrants, NOT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, just immigrants. If you are against ILLEGAL ALIENS, you are xenophobes, racists, anti-American, you name it, we are IT!!!!

They can take their rhetoric and stick it where the sun "don't" shine........ILLEGAL ALIENS are NOT good for America. LEGAL IMMIGRANTS are welcome!

http://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/index.ph ... _amendment

The most basic component of freedom of expression is the right of freedom of speech. The right to freedom of speech allows individuals to express themselves without interference or constraint by the government. The Supreme Court requires the government to provide substantial justification for the interference with the right of free speech where it attempts to regulate the content of the speech. A less stringent test is applied for content-neutral legislation. The Supreme Court has also recognized that the government may prohibit some speech that may cause a breach of the peace or cause violence. The right to free speech includes other mediums of expression that communicate a message.

Certain groups are attempting to regulate the content of free speech and public opinion by labeling it "hate speech" because it disagrees with their position on the topic.

Jesus Christ was crucified by the Romans--his crime......the Romans viewed his teachings as "hate speech".

Such groups--if they existed back then--would have labeled the likes of Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Patrick Henry, Paul Revere, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, etc. as a 'hate group' and the Constitution as a 'hate document'.

Truth is not hate. To oppose illegal immigration is not hate.

Pro illegal immigrant groups--heed Harry Truman's advice, "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen"

The tide is rising against against illegal immigration and the pro illegal immigration groups are getting desperate, willing to resort to whatever means they can....but the truth of the matter is that the tide cannot be stopped.

The truth is incontrovertible, malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end; there it is.
Winston Churchill

Their point is that rational debate over immigration has been drowned out ...

Nobody's debating immigration! The debate is about people breaking laws to enter the country illegally!! Where's the rationality behind that??? Do we debate whether it's ok or not to rob a convenience store or mug somebody?? Why is there a debate over obeying the law or not??? Get it right! If lawbreakers find the rhetoric "mean", then that's just too bad because that's what happens when people ignore our laws and then flaunt it in our face!

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You can find the following definitions in the "Liberal Dictionary"


rational: Agreeing with 100% of our points of view

irrational: Disagreeing with us in any way, shape or form.

cayla99 wrote:

You can find the following definitions in the "Liberal Dictionary"


rational: Agreeing with 100% of our points of view

irrational: Disagreeing with us in any way, shape or form.

So true cayla.

“If you can't convince them, confuse them.â€