It is amazing to me that racist, bigoted, xenophobic creeps like David North and Mark Krikorian are taken seriously enough in this country to have their hatred spewed across publications like The New York Times or prime-time news shows. Here's a prime example, just published at the Wonk Rom's Mark Krikorian: ‘Haiti’s So Screwed Up Because It Wasn’t Colonized Long Enough’:

CIS Fellow David North has attacked the idea of waiving TPS fees for Haitian “illegals” who are probably struggling to send every extra penny they have back home right now. Last week North suggested that Haitian refugees would be best culturally absorbed by other Caribbean countries and any refugees accepted by the U.S. should be directed to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, which according to North, “have never lifted a finger to help America to resettle refugees.”

I can't even begin with this one! Is this man serious? Whatever happened a lot of those Cubans who left after Castro or during the Mariel crisis? Oh right, they ended up in Puerto Rico. And how about all the Haitians that took to boats and dingies after the fall of Duvalier? Puerto Rico, of course!

The United States actually had thousand of Haitians in immigration limbo and human rights abuse hell during the 1980s after putting them into an internment camp in Fort Allen, one of the oldest military bases in the island. And guess who got to keep all those Marielitos and Haitians during one of the worst recessions we had on the island? Why, of course, Puerto Rico!

It gets better though,


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[ED NOTE: You can find the background to Willie Colon's essay over at This is what racists call a Merry Christmas: "Illegals in my yard".]

STOP HATE SPEECH AGAINST LATINOS
by Willie Colón

STOP HATE SPEECH AGAINST LATINOS
23 December 2009

Feliz Navidad!

The days of subtle discrimination are over. At least for Latinos it is.

The dehumanization of our community is not a laughing matter. This is wholesale discrimination against all Latinos and an affront to any anyone who understands that bias, racism, and xenophobia have no place in our society. The use of a famous Puerto Rican artist’s song is no mistake. The intention is to smear all Latinos is clear. There are “undocumented individuals“ from all countries around the world in the U.S. but with a stroke of the pen they have found a way to make the term Hispanic or Latino equate to ILLEGAL.

Using an internationally popular Spanish language Christmas song as a vehicle, racism has reared its ugly head again.

I take deep umbrage to having songs depicting Latinos as disease carrying sub-humans seeking free human organ transplants. If this song was about any other ethnic group: Italians, Irish, Jewish, African American there would be protests in the streets.

We must demand respect and am asking that the FCC take measures against the use of this musical hate speech. We Latinos should take sanctions against broadcasters that allow this filth to be presented as should we boycott their sponsors.

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Got this today via email:

CNN’s Dobbs Problem Just Got Bigger
Media Matters calls on public to pressure “The Most Trusted Name In News”

Washington, DC -- After CNN President Jon Klein reportedly called Lou Dobbs’ coverage of conspiracy theories about President Obama’s birth certificate “legitimate” on Friday, July 24, Media Matters for America President Eric Burns sent an email to its thousands of online activists today asking for their help to publicly pressure CNN to credibly address its Lou Dobbs problem.

In the email, Burns writes: “Klein's caving to Dobbs raises a serious, troubling question: Who is really calling the shots at CNN?”

Burns also called on readers to sign a public petition, saying: “Dobbs’ relentless promotion of outlandish conspiracy theories seriously damages CNN’s credibility. It is time for ‘The Most Trusted Name in News’ to prove it deserves viewers’ trust.”

Those receiving the email are encouraged to sign the petition at http://dobbsconspiracy.com

I guess they are continuing the work started by NCLR and Southern Poverty Law Center with We Can Stop The Hate.

I just wished that instead of looking for a competitive advantage, these advocacy organizations worked with more a meshing and co-opetitive spirit. That instead of announcing their efforts as being completely independent they touted right off the bat how they're taking other people's advocacy work and pushing it to the next level with their effort.

Anyway ...

You know what's really sad? That nobody in the Latino Spanish-speaking mainstream media is taking CNN or Lou Dobbs or for that matter US mainstream media to task. Of course, the histories of the Latino MSM is not one of upsetting the status quo either.

Sigh ...

A negrita can still dream, no?

The complete email of their petition is after the jump:

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Kudos to Talking Points Muckracker for picking up on what was so obviously ignored by Wolff Blitzer and the people of CNN : Keith Ellison pushing is way through the rowdy Congressional floor in order to meet the bigot who wants 'his kind of people' not only out of Congress but out of the country.

Here's the (somewhat after the fact) report from CNN:
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As far as I know there is no European yarmulke-specific ban. But there are numerous headscarf, burqa and veil bans in place or under consideration.

Yesterday I saw a pod on Current TV about Britain's consideration of a headscarf ban, pushed by politicians like Jack Straw. It wasn't the most detailed of their segments, but it showed some of the deep xenophobia behind this movement. As a side note, for those who haven't watched Current TV, they have some very powerful stuff. They filmed in North Korea, revealing how seriously weird and screwed up that place is and showing a wry humor in the process. Their earlier coverage of Haiti was excellent. Their coverage of the Iraq and Afghan wars from the point of view of both our soldiers and the citizens of those nations has sometimes been extraordinary. They have some crap, but some of their stuff is well worth watching.

Back to the headscarf ban.

In France a ban on Muslim headscarves and other "conspicuous" religious symbols at state schools has been in place since 2004. I don't like their law, but it has one advantage of including all "conspicuous" religious symbols. My question is has it been equally enforced? Have Jews been prevented from wearing their Yarmulkes openly? What about crucifixes?

Some German states have headsarf-specific bans, preventing school teachers from wearing them. One wonders world reaction had they made it a yarmulke-specific ban!
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