Hate speech?
The AP’s Suzanne Gamboa writes about a charge of “hate speech” being leveled at certain commentators by a latino group…
National Council of La Raza President Janet Murguia announced plans to pressure television network executives and candidates seeking their parties’ presidential nominations to clamp down on such remarks.
The group launched a Web site to counter the speech, http://www.wecanstopthehate.org, with clips of what it considers offensive comments on television as well as a tracking of hate crimes.
“Hate groups and extremists have taken over the immigration debate in an unprecedented wave of hate,” Murguia said. Although some comments could be considered free speech, “there is a line that sometimes can be crossed when it comes to free speech,” she said.
Some of the remarks the Hispanic group identified included referring to immigrants as an “army of invaders” or an “invading force,” associating immigrants with animals, accusing immigrants of bringing crime and diseases like leprosy to the U.S., and purveying a conspiracy theory that Latinos are trying to take back parts of the United States once ruled by Mexico.
Murguia named as offenders Pat Buchanan, who appears on MSNBC as a commentator, CNN’s Lou Dobbs and Glenn Beck of Headline News, a CNN network.
This kind of stuff is very very dangerous, the first amendment is more important than ticking someone off
Comment by Kirk G — January 31, 2008 @ 9:30 pm
So telling the truth about Illegal immigration is now a hate crime?..
And I’m talking about ILLEGALS not legal immigrants…I know there’s an attempt to suggest that the criticism is about all Immigrants when it’s only directed at those who are breaking the law…which is what this bunch is trying to do to silence people.
Comment by mlong — January 31, 2008 @ 9:41 pm
I keep seeing this at my favorite political board. The Obama people say that anything the Clinton people say is “racist” and anything the Clinton people say the Obama people say is “sexist”. It’s neither if it’s true. And truth and the freedom to speak it should be our primary and ultimate concern when it comes to our news. Buchanan has an opinion, he’s an analyst, he’s allowed to say it. We are rapidly becoming the United States of the Offended.
Comment by Alison — January 31, 2008 @ 10:27 pm
Oh, ditto for Dobbs & Beck and everyone else.
Comment by Alison — January 31, 2008 @ 10:29 pm
Easy solution: if they would stop invading our country, they’d stop being referred to as invaders.
Comment by Missy — January 31, 2008 @ 10:48 pm
Missy, you nailed it. Unfortunately, with Billary/Obama or McCain as our next President, they’re guaranteed to get amnesty and 12 million more will illegally cross our borders in the next decade.
Comment by bigred — February 1, 2008 @ 1:05 am
Comment #3 summs it up nicely.
Is there anything you can say about anybody that is not intepreted as offending anyone at any point in time?
12 million cross the borders ILLEGALLY–how would you define ‘invasion” ??
Comment by media guy — February 1, 2008 @ 7:34 am
La Raza is a self described hate group that only allow hispanics in. The name even means “The Race”. Stop coming bhere uninvited and problem solved.
Comment by Larry — February 1, 2008 @ 8:32 am
The bottom line concerning illegal immigration would be: Neither the dems or repubs are worried about any “terrorists” crossing our borders or they would’ve sealed them a long time ago. So, is it fair to say we really aren’t under a threat? And “fight them there so we don’t have to fight them here” is just a BS oil grab smokescreen? Ahhh, the question you hacks don’t want to talk about!
Comment by Terance — February 1, 2008 @ 8:52 am
Honestly, I could go back to an older clip with Shepard on Studio B about the whole immigration thing, saying more or less that we kind of baited them to come here and now everyone’s going nuts that we have to get rid of them. For that matter, Terance here makes a good point.
Comment by Chris — February 1, 2008 @ 9:13 am
“La Raza” - The Race
This is a hate group that disguises its message. Most illegal immigrants are good people…but, good people can do bad things. Coming to America to get out of poverty and make a better life for your family isn’t wrong. But, if you really want to embrace the message of America, you won’t come here illegally, you will get in the back of the line.
Comment by Aaron — February 1, 2008 @ 1:39 pm
Alison, Missy: Bingo!! Except, Alison, I’m afraid that we’ve already become the US of O. Diana West has a recent book called “The Death of the Grown-up”–highly recommended.
Comment by saad-o — February 1, 2008 @ 10:00 pm
Lou Dobbs missed the point, she was talking about hate speech. he sounded like Bill o Reiley. shame on him. What dressing u want
Comment by rawdawgbuffalo — February 5, 2008 @ 10:32 am