I was listening to NPR driving home last night from Northern California. I know, some of you are shocked that I would listen to National Propaganda Radio, but to be honest, some of the programs (Marketplace for one) are top notch and have no equal on commercial radio. Regardless, I was listening to "Latino USA", when Maria Hinojosa came on with a sort of editorial in which she lambasted folks like Glenn Beck and Shawn Hannity for spreading "hate" and "fear" of Latinos in their disapproval of "undocumented workers".
"Illegal immigrants" she claims she was told by a Jewish human rights activist, was a phrase used by the Nazis to castigate the Jews... the proper term, according to her is "undocumented workers".
Firstly, Ms. Hinojosa needs to get her vocabulary corrected. Few "fear" Latinos, even fewer "hate" them. I'm quite certain that neither Glenn Beck nor Shawn Hannity either fear or hate Latinos, or even "undocumented workers". Their vocal disapproval of the people who attempt to immigrate to this country through dangerous and illegal means is based not on "fear" or "hate", but rather on political, economical and moral grounds.
Secondly, Ms. Hinojosa needs a history lesson. Initially the Jews that were targeted by the Nazi regime were documented citizens of Germany. As Nazi expansion increased the Reich's control over other European countries, Jewish citizens of those countries were also targeted for the nefarious systematic plans. It is clear that the Nazis used race as one criteria for selecting those they'd discriminate and eliminate, and yes they may have declared these people to be "illegal", but the Nazi's plans, the Jew's status and the nature of the immigration debate in America have absolutely nothing in common. It is shocking, scandalous even, for a journalist to make such ahistorical and ignorant comments. It is even more scandalous that American taxpayers paid her to do so. Let's clear some things up.
People who cross borders, in opposition to the standing laws of a country, are immigrants who came here illegally. There is nothing specifically discriminatory about the term "illegal immigrants", and her derision of the term is based not on factual, but emotional grounds. The fact of the matter remains, these "undocumented workers" are in the United States illegally... they are therefore properly termed "illegal immigrants". Just because you don't like what a term means doesn't mean you can indiscriminately declare it wrong and choose some ambiguous replacement. Of course, this is the motis operandi of the left... it's not a "baby", it's a fetus, it's not killing a baby, it's "terminating a pregancy".
Also, no one who opposes illegal immigration and the economic burden of illegal immigrants in this country does so because they "fear" the individuals themselves. This claim, like that of "homophobia" are simply discriminatory labels used by those who dislike the claims of others but have no substantial argument against their position. By calling someone a "homophobe" or saying they "fear" or "hate" someone the left seeks to nullify the claims and marginalize the arguments of their opponents. By saying someone is driven by "fear", you attach to them a stigma of irrationality and thus declare their position as one unworthy of discussion. In essence, they discriminate against their opposition, ironically the very transgression they claim of their position's detractors.
Now, today, Rep. Barney Frank, homosexual legislator for Masscahusetts declared that Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia was a "homophobe". I'm quite sure that Justice Scalia is neither afraid nor hateful of homosexuals, thus the claim is not only baseless but discriminatory. Again, the left's goal is to vilify their opponents as "fearful", "hateful" and "unloving", sidelining their arguments and their persons. This is the height of hypocrisy.
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