AP: Hispanics Angered by Democratic Web Ad

Hispanics Angered by Democratic Web Ad
By SUZANNE GAMBOA
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A Democratic political ad is under fire from Hispanics who say it unfairly compares Latino immigrants to terrorists.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee sponsored a 35-second ad on its Web site that shows footage of two people scaling a border fence mixed with images of Osama Bin Laden and North Korea President Kim Jong Il.

Pedro Celis, chairman of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly, said in a statement Tuesday that the DSCC should remove the ad because it vilifies illegal Hispanic immigrants and is "appalling."

Houston City Councilwoman Carol Alvarado, a Democrat, sent a letter to DSCC Chairman Sen. Charles Schumer of New York asking that the ad be pulled. She said it could alienate Latino voters.

"To liken Latino immigrants to bazooka-toting terrorists not only undermines the positive relationship our party has with this community, but also lowers us to a despicable level as breeders of unfounded fear and hatred," Alvarado wrote....

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/D/DEMOCRATIC_AD_HISPANICS?SITE=7219&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2006-08-16-07-13-04

:shrug:

Hi, DeepModem Mom. I tried to look at the ad via the link in the AP story and I get an error message.

http://www.dscc.org/news/multimedia/20060813-secure/

Here's the one to their video section

http://www.dscc.org/video/

Hit the one labeled DSCC

I saw the ad and it was 100% on...

It was about protecting our borders. Talked about the number of ships that come here and the shipments that are not checked. Yes it did have a quick seen of ppl jumping a fence.

Why give the GOP ammunition to use against the Dems in November?

Is there a way of finding out who was responsible for the ad?

What's the chances that trained terrorists can too. And they can buy whatever they need down to the local gun show, any day of the week. If not in the show, in the parking lot.

are pissed about this. It seems like just a few months ago, many democrats were espousing their solidarity with "undocumented workers", now the ad seems to be implying that people crossing the boarder in this manner could be terrorists, and therefore we need to put a stop to this kind of activity.

Pro-immigrant when its more popular, and equating them with terrorists when its election time. Typical.

jump a fence.

Perhaps the fence makers have to be a little more sophisticated.

not protecting our borders allows terrorists to cross, why not use the one example where a terrorist with bad intentions did intend to cross and got caught? At the Canadien border just prior to Y2K?

Hint: They had valid entry visas and did not enter through Canada or Mexico.

:eyes:

... and check-in with the INS on arrival. ;)

Highlighting that the borders are insecure isn't a bad idea; but how you communicate the issue can be problematic.

is to come through the front door and use the key. Student visas from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Egypt...

The Mexico US border is porous, but I would argue that it is not insecure (from the point of view of terrorism).

When you consider the number of undocumented workers that come across the border, you come to realize that this requires organization, structure, and support from both sides of the border. There are economic interests driving this grey market industry. Without that support, the undocumented workers would be easily picked off by the Border Patrol one by one. This kind of structure requires decades to develop, and there are bonds of blood, friendship, and acquaintance supporting it. This environment would be extremely hostile to non-spanish speaking aliens.

Drop a bunch of arab terrorists into that environment and they will stick out like sore thumbs, linguistically, culturally, and religiously. The likelihood that they will make it into Mexico, and then through Mexico to the US alive are next to nil.

There was a joke that went around the web shortly after 9/11, that Mexico City was also a target for the terrorists. However, they got shaken down by the police, robbed while in jail, got stuck in traffic on the way to the airport, got stuck in a labor demonstration, teargassed by the grenadiers, and ended up committing suicide.

The funny thing is how close this would come to the truth.

This environment would be extremely hostile to non-spanish speaking aliens.

Drop a bunch of arab terrorists into that environment and they will stick out like sore thumbs, linguistically, culturally, and religiously. The likelihood that they will make it into Mexico, and then through Mexico to the US alive are next to nil.

In an environment where coyotes leave truckloads of immigrants to die in the desert, I'm not going to bank our security posture on relying on them to be exclusive in whom they do business with.

I wholly agree that market influences are stimulating the flow of immigrants over the border, and feel those market forces need to be addressed -- and no amount of patrols or walls will be able to end the immigrant flow. I'm just saying that the US/Mexico border situation needs to be considered as one route through which terrorists can get into the country.

"In an environment where coyotes leave truckloads of immigrants to die in the desert, I'm not going to bank our security posture on relying on them to be exclusive in whom they do business with."

If the coyotes are willing to leave Mexicans to die in the desert, what chance would an Arab terrorist have in that environment?

Setting aside the economic aspect of illegal border crossing, the terrorist threat argument is risible at best, disingenuous fear mongering at worst.

Let's have an honest debate about what really bugs us about illegal immigration and then, maybe, we can come to a reasonable and effective solution to the problem.

Without rereading my earlier posts, I did not express or attempt to encourage fear in regards to terrorists using the less-than-secured US/Mexico border for gaining access to the country. I was merely pointing out, contrary to others' posts, that the US/Mexico border *is* a concern -- to what degree is arguable, but greater than nil.

Saying terrorists stand zero chance of getting in through the US/Mexico border is nonsensical, foolish and even deceitful.

This is just appalling.

the complaint is without merit.

http://www.dscc.org/video/

click on the CLIP labelled DSCC

You think a complaint about that is without merit?

This was stupid to include.

it is disturbing to say the least. To lump illegal IMMIGRANTS in with terrorists? Now tell me again how the Dems are different from repukes?

Yes, blank space.

We are the Party that thinks first, remember. Who created the ad, Joe Lieberman?

:tinfoilhat:

They worked pretty well for him up to a certain point. Should the Dems get into the nativism game? It's pretty popular with the "moderate" faction here, but I say, no thanks. I'd rather live next door to an illegal alien than a nativist.

:eyes: That's just fucking stupid.

Hispanics are the one minority that you can still insult with impunity. Democrats should not take their support for granted, or resort to xenophobia in order to court the old Wallace democrats who have since deserted to the Republican Party. It is true that Hispanics are not likely to defect to the Republican Party. But even their apathy threatens any future Democratic political resurgence.

It has everything to do with folks breaking the law to get into the U.S. Repeat: BREAKING THE LAW.

I think that running on a platform against *breaking the law* is a good thing, don't you?

Hispanic immigrants used the system to get here legally and did not climb any fences to get here. They waited in line and legally immigrated.

come here to blow up buildings. It's the same thing, right? — both groups are
"breaking the law." So let's put them both on the same ad and imply that there is no difference between them.

Without Hispanic support, Democrats will never win another presidential election.

So let's alienate the Hispanics!

It's not like they have any other option but the Democratic Party.

After all, blacks are still voting for "the Party of Lincoln and Emancipation." Right?

They're breaking the law!

superimposed pictures of rapists and serial killers.

Again.

Latino immigrants are here legally and don't need to climb fences to get into our country.

Hispanics wouldn't visit their website because we can't speak English.

"Pedro Celis, chairman of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly, said in a statement Tuesday that the DSCC should remove the ad because it vilifies illegal Hispanic immigrants and is "appalling.""

I must disagree with pulling the ad and with those Democrats who disagree with it. A majority of Americans are extremely worried about all those coming across our open borders. Recognize it, accept it. I am all for immigration, LEGAL immigration. And I ask why are we worried about what the Republican National Hispanic Assembly says? Democrats should be worried about those American workers who have lost their jobs due to illegal immigration. THAT'S OUR BASE!!!!! WAKE UP!

American workers won't do.

Go to the Unemployment Office and ask who wants to pick lettuce or clean toilets.

Please.

supporters of George Wallace who migrated to the Republican Party in the last 25 years.

I don't. Ask the College students who use to make money during the summer for school, working for landscapers mowing grass. Nope, jobs not there anymore. Ask unemployed construction workers who is doing their job. Jobs not there any more. Ask people who use to work as maids at hotels and motels who is doing their jobs now. Jobs not there for them anymore. Just a small listing of jobs. And I haven't even started on the H1B1 visas. Democrats stood up for THESE people, not ILLEGAL immigrants. Notice I said ILLEGAL.

on summer vacation? Although, frankly, I don't think that you could convince our pampered offspring to pick lettuce, wash dishes or empty out the bedpans in nursing homes. I am sure that any English-speaking candidates for these jobs would be hired on the spot if any could be found.

And it's not only Bush who believes it; most Democratic senators and congressmen do also.

If you want to expel all the illegal immigrants (and not all are Hispanic) I would have no problem with that; rather, it is you who would have your quality of life impaired, as prices for foodstuffs, housing and other service industry items would rise commesurately. But please don't tell me that you want to expel them because they are taking our jobs, because they are not.