Thread: Republican congressional ad upsets Latinos

Republican congressional ad upsets Latinos

November 8, 2006
By Ryan Pagelow
Latino groups were offended by a campaign flyer that was mailed in the 10th District Congressional District that portrayed Latinos in a negative manner. The flyers supported Republican Congressman Mark Kirk.

The flyer shows an image of a man sitting on the Mexican-U.S. border fence and underneath it says "Many of the September 11 highjackers entered our country illegally."

The Coalición Latinos Unidos de Lake County wrote a letter to Kirk opposing the flyer's portrayal of immigrants.

"Given the growth of xenophobic behavior in this country, the mailing of this flyer is offensive to the Latino population and the community you serve," wrote Sylvia Romero, a coalition board member. "The divisive anti-immigrant campaigning that has been used during this election really hurts our country by associating terrorism with immigration issues."

The flyer is "nothing more than blatant stereotyping," said Ricardo Meza, of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund. "Congressman Kirk's implication that all Latinos are 'illegals' and somehow associated with 'September 11' is shameful."

He is concerned that the flyers could be viewed by children and perpetuate stereotypes.

It is unclear whether the flyers were mailed by Mark Kirk's campaign or by a national Republican committee. Mark Kirk's office in Waukegan did not respond to calls on Friday. He met with Mexican social clubs Sunday that had benefited from his 'Abuelita Project' to bring Mexican seniors to Waukegan to visit their grandchildren who were born in the United States.

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The flyer is "nothing more than blatant stereotyping," said Ricardo Meza, of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund. "Congressman Kirk's implication that all Latinos are 'illegals' and somehow associated with 'September 11' is shameful."

Nah Ricardo! Your racist paranoia is showing again. I think the ad points out that if a goatherder or vegetable picker can invade our country, then it is reasonable to expect that a trained terrorist operative could enter that way. Of course the terrorist wouldn't be so stupid as to be photographed, so from that standpoint stereotyping could be possible, but was not the intention of the ad.

Oh, poor illegals, being potrayed in such a bad way since they are such law-abiding people!! I in now way would think that has anything to do with those Latino people here who are citizens, so why would this group? Unless they are made up of illegals, which we all know get offended over everything, because they've got a guilty conciense!!!

The flyer that states-" Many of the september 11 highjackers entered our country illegally," simply shows that America HAS to secure the borders otherwise anyone can get through. Looks like Ricardo Meza, as well as Latino groups will use any little thing to help their people. Sickening.