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02-09-2007, 04:25 PM #1
CA: Immigration remarks by governor draw outcry
http://link.toolbot.com/contracostatimes.com/60061
Posted on Fri, Feb. 09, 2007
Immigration remarks by governor draw outcry
Comments about Latina lawmaker released last fall only tip of 3 hours of tape
By Anna Gorman
LOS ANGELES TIMES
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's off-the-cuff comments in recently released audio recordings about illegal immigration and the inability of Mexicans to assimilate into American society have drawn angry responses this week from the Latino community and political leaders.
"I made an effort," the Austrian-born Schwarzenegger told aides in conversations last April that touched on assimilation. "But the Mexicans don't make that effort."
The governor also used an expletive to disparage the 1986 law that granted asylum to more than 2 million illegal immigrants.
"His comments were highly offensive and outrageous," said California Assembly Assistant Majority Leader Kevin de Leon, a Democrat. "It's just mind-blowing that he continues to put his foot in his mouth."
If Spanish-language newspapers and radio are any guide, others were angered as well. The headline in of one La Opinion piece this week: "Governor attacks Mexicans."
Even a former campaign aide weighed in. "Those comments are disturbing to many of us," said Arnoldo Torres, who worked for the governor during the campaign and was a former political adviser to the League of United Latin American Citizens.
The controversy is the latest flap for the governor arising from casual conversations that were not intended to become public.
The recordings were made by a speechwriter and temporarily stored on the governor's Web site. A six-minute excerpt was first made public by the Los Angeles Times in September. The remaining 31/2 hours of recordings were recently obtained by the Times.
In the recordings released last fall, Schwarzenegger referred to a Latina lawmaker as "hot," casually saying that her fiery personality was the result of mixing "black blood" and "Latino blood."
The more recently released recordings provide the governor's most candid statements yet on illegal immigration.
The conversations were brainstorming sessions designed to help the governor talk out ideas, his communications director Adam Mendelsohn said Thursday.
"I think everyone in this state struggles with how to manage an issue as large as the immigration issue," Mendelsohn said. "The governor is working through that issue as anyone else, and he is trying to come up with a responsible position."
Mendelsohn said the recordings, however, fail "to reflect his deep respect for the Mexican culture. ... He has a strong belief and understanding of what immigrants have contributed to this state in terms of economic growth."
The governor's frankness is what worries immigrant rights groups, who say they now have a much clearer view of his true beliefs.
At one point, to illustrate immigrants' lack of assimilation he described a shopping mall in the City of Lynwood called Plaza Mexico.
"Literally I felt I was in Mexico City," he said. "Everyone only spoke Spanish, every shop was in Spanish, every sign was in Spanish. They create a Mexico within California."
And he compared the United States to a home where some guests help out and others don't.
"Look, you want to come in here as a guest, but then behave as if you are a guest," he said. "But what do we see in return? We see protesters carrying the Mexican flag. ... And stepping on the American flag, and speaking in Spanish and talking about, 'We are here and we're going to stay.'"
Immigrant rights groups said the governor is simply wrong about the lack of integration.
"Integration is in the eye of the beholder," said Angelica Salas, executive director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles. "Somebody might say that because of his accent, the governor hasn't integrated fully."
Salas added that the governor should be "more careful about what he says about the very people who are sustaining the economy."
"He needs to be much more appreciative of all the opportunities he himself has had as an immigrant," Salas said, adding that not everyone becomes a movie star or marries a Kennedy.
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Is the TERMINATOR back???
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02-09-2007, 04:40 PM #2
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"Look, you want to come in here as a guest, but then behave as if you are a guest," he said. "But what do we see in return? We see protesters carrying the Mexican flag. ... And stepping on the American flag, and speaking in Spanish and talking about, 'We are here and we're going to stay.'"
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02-09-2007, 04:43 PM #3
How can any Latino disagree with what he said? It is not opinion, it is truth. Fact. I think he is a political suck up, but he does speak the truth here. When generations of folks have been here for years without learning English, that is not called assimilation. Geez.
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02-09-2007, 05:11 PM #4
The Governor speaks the truth about these very obvious things in California but the Latino leaders think they're beyond criticism. He did NOT "ATTACK MEXICANS" as the yellow press headlined it, he merely remarked on some behavioral unconformities which happen to be true.
But instead of Latinos looking at themselves as Americans, they viciously attack and criticize anybody who expresses opinions about their lack of assimilation. As one American, I deeply resent their outrageous marches and I will no longer accept illegal aliens as part of my world, now, or evermore into the future.
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02-09-2007, 05:20 PM #5If Spanish-language newspapers and radio are any guide, others were angered as well. The headline in of one La Opinion piece this week: "Governor attacks Mexicans."
Let's see, when I call someplace, they never say push 2 for German or French, it's always SPANISH.
I have never seen any billboards in my hometown in Korean or Mongolian, it's always SPANISH.
When discussing the issue of education in CA, they talk about bilingual education, but it's never about bilingual Chinese or Japanese, it's always SPANISH.
When scanning through radio or TV stations, I never come across any Swedish or Norwegian stations, it's always SPANISH.
Whenever I go to the grocery store, I never see instructions on the back of items in Navajo or Cherokee, it's always SPANISH.
When I go to the doctor's office, in the waiting room the signs are never in Hungarian or Portuguese, it's always SPANISH.
He has a strong belief and understanding of what immigrants have contributed to this state in terms of economic growth.
I don't agree with how Ahhhnold is handling the illegal alien crisis, but when he's right, he's right. And if these illegal alien lowlifes and their apologists don't liketo hear the truth, then why not go back home, where they can practice their culture and heritage in their own language without any criticism. Give me a break.[b][i][size=117]"Leave like beaten rats. You old white people. It is your duty to die. Through love of having children, we are going to take over.â€
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02-09-2007, 05:23 PM #6
What is this garbage about "the very people you are sustaining
the economy."
Watch the growth when the illegals leave, California will be
flooded with real tax payers.
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02-09-2007, 05:27 PM #7Originally Posted by socalcracker
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02-09-2007, 05:42 PM #8Salas added that the governor should be "more careful about what he says about the very people who are sustaining the economy."
Oh! Now I understand, you mean all the jobs created by illegals being here! Prison guards, additional police, more teachers, and additional nurses and doctors to care for them! Now I understand!
And it only has Claifornia 38 billion dollars in the hole, not a bad deal.<div>Thank you Governor Brewer!</div>
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02-09-2007, 06:00 PM #9
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So he says one thing in public about these illegals, and says another thing in private.
He's not the only politician who feels this way, he's just the only one who got caught!
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02-09-2007, 06:08 PM #10
Frankly I'm relieved because I was beginning to think he was living in a bubble world like Jorge. I'd love to hear what most politicians really say and think when the press isn't in their face.
And when he said referring to Lynwood:
"Literally I felt I was in Mexico City," he said. "Everyone only spoke Spanish, every shop was in Spanish, every sign was in Spanish. They create a Mexico within California."Support our FIGHT AGAINST illegal immigration & Amnesty by joining our E-mail Alerts at https://eepurl.com/cktGTn
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