Thread: Immigrant rights coalition exposes Lou Dobbs’ racism

http://www.workers.org/2006/us/lou-dobbs-0727/

Immigrant rights coalition exposes Lou Dobbs’ racism
By Heather Cottin
New York

Published Jul 20, 2006 9:15 PM
“Hey, Lou, we don’t support you!
Stop immigrant bashing!”



TWU Local 100’s Charles Jenkins and AFSCME
Local 375’s Mike Gimbel show support of NYC labor
for immigrant workers.
WW photo: John Catalinotto
On July 14, during the evening rush hour outside CNN headquarters at the Time Warner building in Manhattan, this chant could be heard as over one hundred members and supporters of the May 1 Coalition held a spirited picket line against Lou Dobbs’s relentless racist attacks on immigrants.

The protest was organized to denounce the bigoted diatribes of this right-wing talk show host, whose xenophobic “news” program poisons the political atmosphere against immigrants across the country.

Dobbs’ “message of hatred is to divide the people,” said Sharon Black of the coalition. “Dobbs speaks to the middle class in the United States saying that immigrants take away work and benefits from U.S. workers, and that is a lie.”

Black’s statements along with comments from coalition leader, Larry Holmes and Lenin Medina of El Poder Latino, an Ecuadorian group, were published in El Diario, a popular New York-based Spanish language newspaper. “We are tired of CNN and Lou Dobbs converting their programming to a racist campaign against immigrants,” said Holmes.

Berna Ellorin from Bayan-USA spoke about the hundreds of thousands of Fili pin@ workers who have fled poverty in their homeland and are working for starvation wages in the United States. Mexi cans who have risked their lives to work here have been vilified by Dobbs, the representative from Asociacion Tepeyac noted.

May 1 Coalition leader, Chris Silvera, who is secretary-treasurer of Teamsters Local 808 and chair of the Teamsters National Black Caucus, denounced Dobbs as an agent of the corporations which have impoverished Third World nations, noting that “free trade” has “restructured” the world economy to make profits for big business. This capitalist restructuring has forced immigrants to leave home to seek work in the U.S. “Dobbs creates disunity among U.S. workers,” Silvera said.

Charles Jenkins of Local 100 of the Transport Workers Union called for solidarity between Black and immigrant workers against corporate greed.

A speaker from Pakistan USA Free dom Forum described Lou Dobbs’ role in gaining support for the U.S government’s deportation of tens of thousands of Pakistani immigrant workers whom the U.S. government called “terrorists.”

Chuck Mohan, president of the Guyanese-American Workers United said, “CNN gives the world the incorrect idea about immigrants in this country” as immigrants and U.S.-born workers walking by cheered.

Ignacio Jaureguilorda from Argentina said, “Those who live in this country should support those who come to this country and who don’t have rights to protect them.”

Ecuadorian immigrant leader Lenin Medina added, “We are opposed to [Dobbs’] racist attacks. It is not the moment to speak of races in a country where we are all of mixed races.”

A letter delivered to Dobbs by Teresa Gutiérrez of the May 1 Coalition said in part, “We stand in solidarity with all immigrants and demand full legalization and full rights for all. We believe that no worker is illegal. … Immigrants do not close factories, lay off workers and send shops abroad in search of cheaper labor, deny health care to the people of this country [or] raise the cost of gas to exorbitant costs.”

Dobbs responded to the protest on his July 14 show alleging that Venezuela and Cuba were “fueling this nation’s illegal immigration crisis.” He praised the mayor of Hazleton, Pa., who Dobbs claimed was, “leading the way ... with an ordinance with harsh penalties for hiring or renting property to illegal aliens.”

Bayan-USA said, “No media personality has done more to generate an anti-immigrant climate than CNN’s Lou Dobbs.”

Note, this article comes out of the New York City, the largest sanctuary city on the East coast. Mayor Bloomberg would be proud.

Was there any think on Lou Dobbs last night regarding illegal immigration? I was forced to miss the show. I hope the pressure from these people isn't why Lou has gotten extremely lax on the issue over the last 3-4 days.

Mayor Bloomberg would be proud.

He may be proud but I bet there are a lot of New Yorkers who are not proud. New Yorkers are overwhelmed. The pro-law anti-illegal immigration people probably have more trouble speaking out than anywhere in our country. God bless them.

Originally Posted by MW

Note, this article comes out of the New York City, the largest sanctuary city on the East coast. Mayor Bloomberg would be proud.

Was there any think on Lou Dobbs last night regarding illegal immigration? I was forced to miss the show. I hope the pressure from these people isn't why Lou has gotten extremely lax on the issue over the last 3-4 days.

Well, Blooming idiot might be behind this little stunt.

I was watching Lou one evening about 2 weeks ago when he showed people picketing outside his building. I only saw about 20 or 30 people.

Originally Posted by MW

Note, this article comes out of the New York City, the largest sanctuary city on the East coast. Mayor Bloomberg would be proud.

Was there any think on Lou Dobbs last night regarding illegal immigration? I was forced to miss the show. I hope the pressure from these people isn't why Lou has gotten extremely lax on the issue over the last 3-4 days.

I hope not. Come on, it's not like these OBL morons are doing anything new. Same old play the race card when we don't have anything of merit to say. Yawn!!! I would think that Lou is tougher than that.

TIRED?? Seems Americans are getting tired of that word being used everytime you need a road block...or everytime you want something changed to suit your agenda. Maybe the American taxpayer is tired of paying for millions of intruders who were not invited, who didn't come the legal way...you know for those benefits, welfare, medical, education....JOBS, that you say AMERICANS won't do. WE WERE DOING THEM BEFORE YOU CAME...BIG BUSSINESS AND GREEDY MEN ARE THE CAUSE OF MOST OF THIS! ALONG WITH THOSE WHO USE RACIST...WHEN THEY ARE THE ONES WHO ARE RACIST!!!
I would like to know why you think it's not okay for the American Citizens not to want illegal entry into this country, along with illegal immigrants?

Berna Ellorin from Bayan-USA spoke about the hundreds of thousands of Fili pin@ workers who have fled poverty in their homeland and are working for starvation wages in the United States.

Not very bright, are they?

Immigrants do not close factories, lay off workers and send shops abroad in search of cheaper labor, deny health care to the people of this country [or] raise the cost of gas to exorbitant costs.”

They replace American workers, raise our cost of health care and they do raise the cost of gas. The cost of gas is based on supply and demand, if there were 20 million fewer people (illegal aliens) using gas in this country, the demand would be less, so the price would go down. Illegal aliens are costing us in every way possible. They benefit only themselves and their criminal employers.

Bayan-USA said, “No media personality has done more to generate an anti-immigrant climate than CNN’s Lou Dobbs.”

Lou didn't generate anything. He reports the truth. Go Lou!

Lou Dobbs does speak the truth they do not want to hear it. That racist card is really old and not working for them. They should try a new tactic. Their protests are not going to deter Lou I am sure we will be hearing more on illegal aliens on his show soon as I am sure he got an overwhelming amount of emails with regards to this issue. Go Lou!!!