Having it Both Ways — CNN wants us to watch “Latino in America,” but they’re still broadcasting Lou Dobbs?

From Presente.ORG:

In just one week, CNN will launch its “Latino in America” series, which tells the stories of Latinos from across the country. There’s just one thing missing: Lou Dobbs. That’s right. Four hours about the Latino experience in America, and not a word about the man who spends every weeknight telling lies about immigrants, and spreading hatred and fear about Latinos.

Together with award-winning filmmaker Arturo Perez, we’re calling out CNN’s hypocrisy with a powerful new video: “CNN: Lou Dobbs or Latinos in America?” Please watch the video and add your voice to the more than 50,000 others already demanding that CNN dump Dobbs. And then spread the word to your friends and family.

Our campaign against Lou Dobbs is clearly getting to him – he’s railed against us on his radio show, and rumors are now swirling that he’s looking for other jobs at more conservative networks. Now is the time to keep the pressure on. We’re trying to gather as many signatures as we can before “Latino in America” airs on Oct. 21-22. Will you join us, and share this action with your friends and family? It only takes a moment:

Take Action Against Dobbs — http://bastadobbs.com/video/?mid=1751-27240

Thank you and Adelante!

Favianna, Roberto, Laurie and the rest of the Presente.Org team

References

1. “Dobbs Takes Aim at HuffPost Critic,” Huffington Post, 9-23-2009: http://tinyurl.com/lrnbdx
2. “Fox’s Volley With Obama Intensifying,” New York Times, 10-11-2009: http://tinyurl.com/yg5qf9w

Jon Stewart Eviscerates CNN

————————————————————————————————————————————————-

————————————————————————————————————————————————-

From WeCanStopTheHATE.com

Dear Fellow Advocate,

It is time for the United States Department of Justice to intervene and conduct an independent and comprehensive investigation of the brutal murder of Luis Ramirez in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania. The Justice Department must send a strong message that violence targeting Latinos will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

We need you, and so does Luis Ramirez’s family. Will you join me in making sure the DOJ does its job and brings justice to Shenandoah, Pennsylvania?

Click here now and urge the DOJ to investigate this hate crime today.

On July 12, 2008, Luis Ramirez, a 25-year-old Mexican immigrant residing in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, was tragically beaten and stomped to death by a group of teens as he walked through the town. Witnesses overheard anti-Mexican and ethnic epithets shouted by his assailants during the violent attack. A retired Philadelphia police officer testified during the preliminary hearing that she heard one of the defendants yell, “Tell your [expletive] Mexican friends to get the [expletive] out of Shenandoah or you’ll be [expletive] laying next to him.”

On Friday, May 1, 2009, a jury in Schuylkill County found two of the defendants accused of beating the 25-year-old, father of two, not guilty of third degree murder and ethnic intimidation. Despite the mounting evidence of a hate-driven attack, the jury convicted them on charges of simple assault. The jury’s conclusion is an outrage. Most shocking is the recent news article describing the Jury Foreman’s view that trial of the defendants was biased because of racism and prejudice he noted among his fellow jurors. Luis Ramirez was brutally murdered and even in death, Ramirez remains a victim of extreme racism, which denies his family the justice they deserve.

Now, we need your help in calling upon the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice to conduct a thorough and comprehensive federal investigation surrounding the fatal beating of Luis Ramirez and to bring appropriate federal hate crime charges against his assailants.

Click here now and urge the DOJ to investigate this hate crime today.

Sincerely,

P.S. Please help spread the word and get others to sign as well.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

————————————————————————————————————————————————

In a close vote a few hours ago, US Senators [Overwhelmingly Republican] voted 53-46 against “Cloture” — a procedural vote to limit debate on the immigration bill, to move it forward for further consideration. The “Ayes” failed to garner the 60 votes, with which to keep the bill alive.

The smoking “murder weapon” is in the hands of Republicans — and the Senators are unlikely to return to this comprehensive reform bill until after next year’s presidential election.

Right Wing America has prevailed — they have won one “illusionary” battle and not the war, which will continue into 2009. Republicans are excitedly claiming “victory,” but the facts show that they killed a long list of enforcement remedies they said they wanted.

What victory? The 12-20 million are still here….and no one will deport them summarily! It’s simple — it can’t be and won’t be done.

“This immigration debate has become a war between the American people and their government,” proclaimed Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), who led a small group of Republican senators who used every parliamentary maneuver they could find to stymie progress on the bill over the past month. “It transcends anything about immigration. It has become a crisis of confidence.”

Jim failed to clarify an important fact: This debate is a war between the government and a mere 30% of America — angry voices of hate, venom and racism.

For now, these bigots will celebrate — for a new “Open Season” is at hand — white supremacists, neo-Nazis and other racists are indeed licking their chops like hungry hyenas — with POWERFUL “BLOOD DRIPPING” FANGS extended menacingly for the kill — MAIN TARGET: Latino Immigrants, otherwise known as “Wetbacks” — a racist derogatory term for a Mexican or Central American who is in the United States illegally. The term is based on the presumption that the person in question swam or waded across the Rio Grande to get into the United States, getting his or her back wet in the process.

The level and intensity of attacks against Hispanics by right-wing extremists, anti-immigration maniacs — including pathological propaganda egotists like Lou Dobbs of CNN, is set to reach a new high, not forgetting the crude Fascist rhetoric of the right-wing authoritarian dumb-ass hate-mongers at FOX News. Right-Wing Talk radio and TV fear-mongering has played a major role in defeating this bill by urging listeners to flood Congress with calls, faxes and e-mails, prompting a handful of Democrats representing “intolerant constituencies” to vote NO. This dastardly campaign will continue in full force, and will get even uglier.

These Senators [Especially the Democratic ones] have succumbed to Neo-Nazi and extremists threats of terrorist violence, including truck bombs, machine gun attacks, and assassinations of U.S. senators and members of Congress.

In fact, House Majority leader, Senator Reid revealed today that he had received “Fax Threats” suggesting that he enter into an “FBI Witness Protection Program,” if this bill went through.

Most of these senators clearly voted not in principle, but for their selfish hides. Especially, the so-called “Conservative Democrats,” — ducked and ran toward the safety of their “intolerant” political bases.

A minority 30% has barked loudly and raised a stink, like mad dogs and skunks — and the Senate has acquiesced — with their “limp tails” tightly between their legs.

This is proof that even though America is a beacon of justice in this world of ours — calculated right wing fear-mongering has successfully extracted the innermost “darkness” of the American psyche — Blind Racism with little room for compromise.

Mexican President Felipe Calderón in response to the U.S. Senate’s decision had this to say:

“It is highly hypocritical that the United States admits migrants as peasants, but does not accept them as citizens. A state that sends troops to the Middle East to try to implant democracy and respect for human rights does not practice such supreme values in its own territory.”

Calderón predicted that the Senate’s decision would increase illegal migration and “generate worse conditions and insecurity on both sides of the border. The migration problem cannot be resolved simply with speeches; it requires concrete resolutions.”

Mexican President Felipe Calderón, Lynching, Cradle of the Confederacy, Nativists, ICE, Police Raids, INS, Vigilantism, Minutemen,

30% of the population — America’s bigots, still living in the past, in my opinion is not representative of this great nation. They are just a bunch of nincompoops stuck in “Macaca ‘Market Place’ Lynching Mud,” while bathing in the ‘Cradle of the Confederacy‘ — hoping to be safe from “leprosy, pedophiles, Spanish and rampant godlessness.”

What to expect next

“ICE” and Police raids that have been sending ripples of fear throughout immigrant communities all over the United States, are set to intensify their “ill-meaning” raids. Vigilantism by racist groups like the “Minutemen,” has been emboldened. Immigrant families which are already being torn apart haphazardly and indiscriminately, will witness a surge in an “Enforcement Only” solution.

Helpless immigrants are lost in American Politics.

I still maintain the following: Any person who has lived in the United States for several years, has participated fully in the system, and has no felonious mis-deeds, belongs here and ought to be treated with some respect — the firm stand — “depot them all,” “we are a nation of laws” — is just a smokescreen for — “we wish this good old USA was 100% lily white.” …a convenient tool for extortion. It is not only inhuman but also bigoted to the core.

Subject: Tell Lou Dobbs to get his facts straight

May 15, 2007

Dear Friend,

The increasingly nasty immigration debate, driven by demagogic politicians and right-wing pundits, is stoking the fires of racist extremism — spawning a new breed of well-armed vigilantes and fueling a dramatic growth in hate groups.

Unfortunately, mainstream journalists like CNN’s Lou Dobbs are playing a major role in fomenting anti-immigrant hysteria.

Despite being confronted with undisputed evidence to the contrary, Mr. Dobbs says he stands “100 percent behind” the claim that there have been 7,000 new cases of leprosy in the U.S. in recent years. What’s more, he has attributed part of the increase to “unscreened illegal immigrants.”

The truth, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is that new leprosy cases peaked in 1985 at 361 and have declined since, even as the number of undocumented immigrants has increased. The source for Dobbs’ outrageous leprosy claim is an anti-immigration zealot who once publicly stated that “most” Latino immigrant men “molest girls under 12, although some specialize in boys, and some in nuns.”

This is not the first time that Mr. Dobbs has chosen to rely on dubious sources with a virulent anti-immigrant agenda. He has repeatedly given legitimacy to individuals and groups who promote wild, unsupported claims about immigration.

Given that Mr. Dobbs refuses to retract his leprosy claim, we believe it is CNN’s responsibility to do so. We feel so strongly about this that we’ve placed open letters in today’s New York Times and USA Today calling for CNN to correct the record on Mr. Dobbs’ show.

Please join with us in asking CNN to tell Lou Dobbs to get his facts straight. Contact CNN and tell company executives that it is dangerous to present false claims about a serious public health issue and demonize an entire group in the process.

Thank you for your commitment to justice and fairness.

Sincerely Yours    Richard Cohen, CEO and President

You can donate to the Southern Poverty Law Center online.

We welcome your feedback. Contact us online.

Or by mail:
Southern Poverty Law Center
400 Washington Ave.
Montgomery, AL 36104

References | ViewPoints:

———————————————————————————————————————————————-

———————————————————————————————————————————————-

Report: Supremacist activity flourishes — Factions fueled by anti-immigrant passions grow by 33 percent, study says.

Special Read: CNN’s Lou Dobbs – The Minister of ‘Propaganda and Enlightenment’ – An Anti-Immigrant Bigot. A Racist, Xenophobic Extortionist.

   The National Socialist Movement, a neo-Nazi group, rallies in Lansing. Mich.,
   in April 2006.