There has never been a people who have not “disappeared into the dustbin of history”. Some smaller, weaker, more iisolated groups have indeed gone extinct, but for the most part, they merge into something greater. Linguicide and culturecide have happened far more often than physical genocide, but usually, it is simply a case of assimilation into a whole. Conversely, once-whole groups can be scattered and evolve into separate nations .Do we call Greek a dead language? No, because classical Greek turned into only one (or at most two, if you count Cypriot separately) recognized languages. We call Latin a dead language exactly because it was so successful that it survives in many living forms, one of which is spoken in much of Iberia and in territory which, with the exception of Brazil, stretches from the Rio Grande to Tierra del Fuego. “Anglo-Saxon” culture came from many now extinct: not only Mercians, Northumbrians, and all the rest, but from the Brythonic people they ruled and the Normans who ruled them, and those latter were Norse people assimilated in large part by the French, who in turn were in good portion Franks, Gauls, and Celtiberians who were Romanized…you get the idea. In short, it is the rule, not the exception, that cultures flow into other cultures, and it’s even more true of the big and vital ones. FAIR is not just trying to buck history; it’s millenia too late.

I listen nightly to the Spanish language news from Univision. Generally, when they discuss immigration related news, they interview Jack Martin from FAIR in Spanish apparently to have an opposing viewpoint on such issues.

If they did not like America they would not come here. We desperately need immigration reform to both welcome them and reinforce in them the traditional American values that made us great in the first place.

Borders don’t divide us. They join us together.

What I would like to know is if these talk show hosts actually believe what they are saying, or are simply telling their listening constituency what they want to hear? Whether or not these gentlemen have actually done any research using non-partisan sources is beside the point, because even if they have, they would probably not report it. After all, the statistics that immigration officials have been reporting, as well as most of the executive and legislative decisions of the past 6 years, don’t support the popular narrative that the government is doing nothing about illegal immigration. Sadly, keeping people afraid remains an effective way to get them to tune in and to purchase the products advertised during commercial breaks, and this serves FAIR’s purposes as well.

ModMike,

Remember these are the same people who were pissed off that Obama got Bin Laden because the republicans couldn’t claim the prize.

But is FAIR a hate group? That’s the key issue, and isn’t clearly addressed in this post.

According to the SPLCs standards, to qualify as a hate group it is usually necessary that the group propagate vilifying falsehoods.

Stating the position that we should have less immigration, or that immigration is a threat to the existing society, is not by itself sufficient to make FAIR a hate group.

I read the profile of FAIR as well, and it also doesn’t make a clear case that they are a hate group.

Yep, aadila, the glass is always half-empty for these folks, too bitter about this political victory for Obama to remember that things like taking out Bin Laden and an unforgiving deportation policy were things that they wanted, and got, from his administration.

I agree with Dan Zabetakis above. I also think it’s reasonable to expect that immigration concerns be addressed rather than rejected out of hand and demonized. For example, if I were to emigrate to another country, I would be expected to learn their language and appreciate their culture, not just view my new location only as a way to make money. Similarly, when my immigrant forebearers came to the US, they did collect in communities with their own languages and culture, for awhile, but it was a point of pride for them to learn English, contribute their cultural knowledge to this country, and also to embrace existing cultural elements. Today it seems like immigrant groups isolate from and have no interest in the larger nation. Example- I lived and worked in Egypt for awhile, and while there I spent time learning about Egyptian culture, music, art, dance, and politics. Conversely, an Egyptian workmate I now have here in the US has NO interest in American culture, music, art or dance, and none in politics except for how it might relate to his ability to stay here, develop an Egyptian subculture, and work. One might say, perhaps he is “contributing” his culture to the US — but there’s something unsettling about his rejection of the culture that’s already here. So why can’t we talk about it?

Secondly, good fences make good neighbors. A border need not be a wall, it can be like skin — breathing and flexing, but also keeping the rain out and my organs in. There is no “body” without a skin, nor cells without membranes. In fact, cellular membranes are crucial to cellular function. Without membranes, skin, or boundaries, we would be a pile of mush, without dynamism, without exchange (exchange “from” what “to” what?). The idea of a boundary-less existence is frankly frightening because while it sounds sweet, its effect is death, where no more dynamic exchanges exist.

Today it seems like immigrant groups isolate from and have no interest in the larger nation. …, an Egyptian workmate I now have here in the US has NO interest in American culture, music, art or dance, and none in politics except for how it might relate to his ability to stay here, develop an Egyptian subculture, and work.

And I know this, Margaret . . . because you’re giving me YOUR OPINION on the subject?

No, not nearly good enough. Beginning w/ your “Egyptian workmate” (interesting, you don’t consider him a friend), I want HIS take on your summary dismissal of him and his American inculturation.

Similarly, Sam Molloy:

reinforce in them the traditional American values that made us great in the first place.

Would that be YOUR OPINION on what those said values are? Yikes, and furthermore YIKES!

Frankly, I don’t want policies based on ignorance, hearsay, or stereotypes. I don’t want policies based on Fear of The “Them”. I don’t want FAIR and their bigotry—nor that of their apologists.

Technically speaking Margaret, the skin IS an organ, it doesn’t just keep organs in. In fact the skin is the largest organ in the body. The border is a vital, dynamic and living part of our society. It is not a wall.

Margaret Lehman, I live in a country (the Dominican Republic, in case you’re curious) where we have a huge amount of immigrants. Of those immigrant groups, probably Americans are the most insular, and the least concerned with local politics or culture, and certainly not a bit interested in learning Spanish. That’s a very broad statement, and does not apply to all Americans I know, but here in the DR we see them every day: They’ve been here for ten years and can’t even order from a restaurant menu in Spanish. And yet they’re here, and they enrich the tapestry of Dominican society.

While I think your attitude in Egypt was completely appropriate, it does not necessarily mean all Americans are eager to adapt.to their new homes abroad. At the same time, it would be dangerous to assume that all immigrants in America have the same attitude as your Egyptian workmate.

This is simple. FAIR is a hate group because they lie about and demonize immigrants. What about that is hard to understand?

“Similarly, when my immigrant forebearers came to the US, they did collect in communities with their own languages and culture, for awhile, but it was a point of pride for them to learn English, contribute their cultural knowledge to this country, and also to embrace existing cultural elements.”

With all due respect, this sounds like romanticized Americana, or at best a gross generalization. Immigrants orient themselves to the host culture in a range of ways; some assimilate enthusiastically, and some resist assimilation, and some (most?) assimilate somewhere in between these extremes. I’m sure you could find Egyptians who have embraced “American culture, music, art or dance” (These concepts are a bit obscure, by the way, given the difficult of locating, in the U.S., any music, art, dance, etc. that is not of some non-U.S. origin or influence. Would you be satisified with this Egyptian coworker’s inclinations if he decorated his walls with Andy Warhol paintings while listening to George Gershwin and country line dancing?), and I suspect many of your “forebears” were less interested than you imagine in traversing the “skin” of their ethnic neighborhoods to live in the “real” America. Another point: If your immigrant ancestors had white skin, they probably had an easier time assimilating than if they had dark(er) skin. This factor goes a long way toward determining how enthusiastically an immigrant will adapt to U.S. culture (whatever that is). I’m sure these days immigrants from predominantly Islamic countries are welcomed less warmly than those from predominantly Christian ones, and this influences how these immigrants respond to living in the U.S.

I was going to say that by the end of the day I’ll be along…but I’ll never be a long, I’ll always be a short, at least until some future incarnation. But I shan’t skip the awards this week.

I wiill state that Zang’s case puzzles me. If both he and his epiphany are real, he, like Joseph, deserves a Lamplighter, and if his future participation demonstrates this to be the case, he’ll get one. For now, it’s the Big Question Mark.

A special Iron Spike to Ruslan for deflating gas balloons, even though I also recommend him for a Pickayune on the subject of Hitler’s mustache. As I am also eligible for a Pickayune, and even a Nose Pickayune for picking on Hitler’s nose, I must leave this to someone else.

More later. I have a few more people to bump off today.

Sincerely,

Rey Mohammed

There are many groups that support stricter immigration laws that are not listed as hate groups.

FAIR is an exception for exactly the reasons stated in this article. Their goal is not to make the United States a better place to live for everyone. Their goal is to make the United States a better place to live for people who happen to have the arbitrary set of physical differences that identifies them as “white”.

TL;DR
FAIR is a hate group because they think we have too many brown people.

To continue: Annie gets the special Gold Sawdust-head High Heel Hammerhead, and a bag of fresh sawdust to restuff said head, which must be about empty due to her perpetually open mouth.

Erika has submitted many well-thought-out explanations of the law. A Golden Sharkie this week.

More soon.

I am not giving out the space case awards, but whoever does so, please consider Marsha Maines.

Coral Sea, Aadila, and C.M. get the gold, silver, and bronze Anvils. Assorted MRA’s on a certain thread get Brass Pansies for their antibravery/antialtruism stance, but since claimants are so numerous, I just placed a tray of these cheap triinkets for anyone to get who deserves ‘em. Come on, you tigers, you know who you are!

Joseph and Tommy share Iron Knuckles, for their performances on the MRA thread.

Space case awards are not in my purview. Neither are Pickayunes, but I hope my recommendations are considered. I worked hard for that Nose Pickayune.

And now, merry Sunday to all, and to all a good night.

I don’t understand why Muslims are criticized for maintaining their cultural and religion while living in America, and yet other immigrant populations (Greek, Polish, Italian, German, for example) are allowed to celebrate and propagate their cultural heritage. No one thinks that a “Greek Fest” or a Polish Catholic church poses any threat to the so-called “American way.”

What ONCE made this country great was the DIVERSITY. The society of this nation used to be the living embodiment of E PLURUBUS UNIM (out of many, one). We Americans come from a variety of ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Not all are descended from the original English colonists. And let’s not forget that the FIRST PEOPLE to live on this continent were neither Christian or white.

White Christian supremacists seem to either choose to overlook this, or are too ignorant to know.

It is only secondary to define a “hate group” based on the content of its beliefs. The primary definition of a “hate group” regards whether it spews and promulgates hatred. The Southern Poverty Law Center has its finger on the pulse. Thank you, SPLC. There are some notorious experts out there, practicing their ability to push people’s irrational buttons—twisting fear to get folks blindly angry at whatever “them” the button-pushers target. The SPLC is not so much an advocate for this or that policy or this or that bullied individual; it is an advocacy for sanity, empathy, and the human heart as being the seat of love—not the seat of hatred disguised as “cute,” .cruel word-play.

Rey, I would also nominate you for a crimson Rod and Staff for your brilliant exegesis on the oft-misunderstood practice of Onanism and its historical-religious significance in Western culture.

I, too, think FAIR fully deserves its “hate group” designation for reasons others have mentioned — that it seeks to demonize “brown” people. I would also elevate them to a status of group that has been incredibly manipulative and clever (in an evil) way, of seeking to promote its agenda. For any of you who haven’t read SPLC’s report (in the publications section) of this website, take some time to read the paper on how FAIR attempted to stage a coup to take over the Sierra Club so that it could use this esteemed and well-regarded organization as a “front group” to press its agenda. The report reads like a political potboiler — and it is, except it’s also true.

Many of the groups that SPLC covers are fairly ham-fisted in their hatred, racism, anti-gay, etc. agendas. Not so groups like FAIR. This makes them even more dangerous. I would say that the League of the South is another group that has been taken over by folks who are overtly racists, as well. (And I won’t even mention the fact that some pretty scary people have managed to work their way into powerful positions within the GOP.)

Reynardine –

Thank you for my gold anvil. I will do what I can to continue to use my gifts for good, rather than evil!

Reynardine, I WANT to… but sadly, my life is FAR too busy to compile lists of every nutjob who shows up and spouts off something TRULY insane on here and hand out Sputnik awards… And I really kinda WANT TO. But sadly, I can only handle SO much stupid before my brains start leaking out of my ears. Someone else has my permission to hand ‘em out. I’ll just stick to giving the occasional beatdown for UTTER insanity and try to chime in when I can.

Reynardine- I’d hand out the Sputnik awards, but my life has gotten too busy to spend time compiling all the stupid that gets piled on this site on a weekly basis… I’m afraid I’ll hafta just stick to handing out the occasional smackdown when someone says something TRULY egregious, and hope for the best. Someone else has my permission to go right ahead.

Reynardine- I’d post the Sputnik awards, or whatever we’re calling them, but I’m just too busy. Hopefully, someone else will take up the call and I’ll just do my best to hand out a beatdown here and there.

CRAP! SPLC’s website malfunctioned. Didn’t know I was multiposting! ><

Supersonic, if it happens once it could be bad luck. But twice, three times?

Well, it’s probably a demon.

Yay! Let’s have an exorcism party!

I can supply the rope and the mirror. Who’s got the bed?

interesting that the SPLC would make such a fuss about a LOCAL radio show. perhaps because it’s so popular? why don’t you guys go on the show? send potok in to try and debate them, haha. i’d PAY to see that.

of course, you go through the same rounds you always do, using mccarthyism as the only way to justify your accusations, instead of, you know, using REAL documented instances of racism/xenophobia/hate. of course, you sure don’t hold MALDEF and NCLR (your buddies) to the same standard!

anyways, keep up your crusade of painting any organized effort to oppose illegal immigration as racist or anti-immigrant. i’ll be here, dissecting it and laughing.

oh, and don’t forget to keep an eye out on those awful southern politicians passing laws against the united nations, because that’s clearly a recipe for hate!

I’d Like to Know hy “Mo Dees” Has never Gone After a BLACK PANTHER GROUP, or Other Groups that Profess to “Hate Whitey” ,And have Threatened Whites in The News Like The Zimmerman boy ,and Many Others , He Seems to Just Hate Whitey himself , Too Bad Mo , Cause You ain’t Da Man no mo !
You can Tell me anytime , And I am Not White !

“i’d PAY to see that.”

How does one see a radio show? This is not the only strange paradox you bring up, judging by your supremely ignorant comment about MALDEF and NCLR being hate groups.

MALDEF is a civil rights organization involved with advocacy, communications, community education, and litigation in the areas of education, employment, immigrant rights, and political access.

NCLR is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that does research, policy analysis, and advocacy, with a Latino perspective as well as advancing opportunities for individuals and families.

The activities of both of these groups are perfectly transparent, so could you please back up your absurd claim with evidence or shut up?

Regarding your grievance with the U.N., I presume you are referring to the various resolutions in Alabama, Tennessee and Kansas against Agenda 21? In addition to being completely useless laws that waste taxpayer’s time and money, these initiatives do nothing more than make Americans look stupid.

Would you mind explaining how promoting bicycle trails as an alternative to fuel consumption is somehow a precursor to world government? Oh Lard, provide this man an education.

Aadila, I’m afraid the Lard has already sent him a fat head.

This is disturbing because there is another group called FAIR, which in their case stands for Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting. They are a progressive media watchdog group, have been around since the 80′s.

“Amount” of dollars? Tsk!

There is no such thing as a White Supremist Christian. Anyone one group bent on supremacy is not practicing any form of Christianity.

“In 1998, he told a reporter that whites would inevitably develop a racial consciousness because “most people don’t want to disappear into the dustbin of history,” and added that once whites did become racially conscious, the result would be “the war of each against all.”

This is exactly the idiocy that pervades the very aura of the factions I am speaking of, it appears that they have some sort of ignorant fear far and deep reaching throughout their lives that they would waste their life and time on creating acts of hate.

The growing cesspool in America is the hate that has spawned from absolute ignorance.

America needs to be dominated by Americans. And last when I looked all Americans were no where near being “all white”.

Leah Nelson writes: By defending racism, encouraging xenophobia and nativism, and giving its all to efforts to keep America white, FAIR has more than earned its place in the pantheon of hate groups. That is where it belongs, and that is where it will stay.

This is so well put it gave me chills! Very well put Leah.

The only reason you are a U.S. citizen today is because your ancestors believed and practiced immigration,

“Illegal aliens have always been a problem in the United States. Ask any Indian.” -Robert Orben

ATTN: SPLC
What gives you the right to LABEL anyone?
You are a non profit that is it: is that in your registration?

ATTN: StopUSAGiveaway

What gives you the right to come onto a website and shout your mouth off half-cocked while being a complete idiot without doing any research on the subject? The First Amendment, that’s what. Exact same thing that gives the SPLC the right to take on and LABEL other groups. You have freedom of speech, not freedom from criticism, or looking like a complete d-bag.

Why isn’t NumbersUSA considered a hate group too?

From what I can tell, its founding members come from the same community, the same cast of characters as those behind FAIR. I think they routinely cite Center for Immigration Studies. So if we’re going by associations, then it seems like NumbersUSA has many of the same ones as FAIR. Why no hate group designation?

Also, while we’re at it, could the SPLC recommend any anti-illegal immigration groups that are “clean” in their opinion.

Roy have you looked at groups such as La Raza, the ACLU, and others dedicated to immigration reform? They are really the best place to go for factual information about what causes illegal immigration and what can be done about it.

Most of the urban legends about illegal immigration are factually incorrect.

Here are the facts: (1) immigrants commit fewer serious crimes per capita than citizens and legal residents, (2) illegal immigration has either close to no effect on the overall economy or is slightly positive, (3) about 40% of illegal immigrants today came in with a valid visa and overstayed or changed status (from student to worker, for example), so in fact we DO know who millions of them are and DID check their backgrounds, (4) most immigrants speak at least some English, (5) illegal immigrants cannot receive welfare or foodstamps, (6) illegal immigrants pay sales tax, property taxes (even when renting), fuel taxes and other forms of public revenue just like everyone else, and (7) illegal immigrants are no less likely to assimilate than any of the prior waves of immigration into the country, it just takes a generation or two for this to be seen.

Many of the groups opposed to illegal immigration are opposed on the basis of misperceptions. Even the old “the law is the law” mantra falls apart because if the law is the law, then rights are rights. You can’t have one without the other.

@aadila

Thanks for your reply. It really doesn’t have anything to do with my comment.

But since you brought it up, people can oppose illegal immigration for all sorts of perfectly valid reasons.

For example, one reason I oppose illegal immigration is that this country is currently suffering from a glut of labor, as shown by the very high unemployment rate.

With illegals gone, unemployment would likely go down and wages and benefits would go up. Reducing the supply of labor is one of the best ways to improve conditions of workers, especially workers at the lower end of the socioeconomic spectrum. In fact, this is why big business in this country has been in favor of open borders – it not only provides cheap labor, but it has the ripple effect of lowering wages and benefits for native-born citizens as well. All you have to do is look at the depressingly high rates of unemployment among native born hispanic and black kids in LA County, for example, to see this effect.

The idea that illegal immigration is linked to unemployment has been disproved, particularly because illegal immigrants only compete for jobs with one demographic, high-school dropouts. Granted, that’s bad for high-school dropouts, but the point is that illegal immigration isn’t causing our unemployment problem. Nor are they driving wages down; the problem is that many states like Arizona are right-to-work states. Strong unions equal good wages and better benefits.

And actually businesses really aren’t interested in “open borders”, because that would mean legal immigration. The truth is that America is not as easy as people think to get into and to work legally. As long as you’re illegal and can be deported, you can’t organize or fight for your rights.

I should point out another thing: The reason you have unemployment is because unemployment is a key part of capitalism. The ruling class has no interest in full employment, and a lot of interest in high unemployment. This means lower wages, and more productivity out of fewer workers. This is why the unemployed are called the reserve army of labor.

Roy,

If you consider that the bulk of jobs occupied by immigrant laborers are low paying and have few virtues to them, it sheds more light on the issue.

All the more so when you consider that the economic productivity made possible from immigant labor makes it possible for other companies that offer jobs to function. So, the citizen who works at Home Depot for example would lose her job if we instantly sent 11 million laborers packing. There is a huge chain of economic activity that depends on immigrant laborers, and not just in the example I cited.

Everything is connected Roy. It is very simplistic to argue the 1 for 1 job swap would occur if immigrant laborers were repatriated. The opposite would likely occur: although there might be some low paying jobs that go to jobless citizens, most would stay unemployed. Then as the economy ground to a halt because we lost our productive base, we would lose more skilled and semi skilled jobs to a ruined economy.

Wages would not go up, we would just lose the wheels of the truck to bad politics and our economy would grind to a halt. Have you tried picking onions lately, Roy? Every single country that has available cheap labor of any kind, citizen or non citizen, has been shown to be at an economic advantage through history.

By the way my statement should not be interpreted as a blessing on illegal immigration, nor should it be interpreted as an apology for exploitive labor practices. It is merely to point out that the idea of citizens taking all the jobs the immigrants have and voila, suddenly we have no more unemployment is about as reliable as a belief in Puff the Magic Dragon.

Leah Nelson’s article is a prime example of SPLC’s propaganda, the type that typically uses appeals to emotion, distortion of facts, taking comments out of context, and other rhetorical and logical fallacies to falsely support bigoted conclusions. Most people can easily see through the lies and fabrications used by SPLC to support it’s racist agenda, but just so it’s supporters can understand, I have deconstructed this highly questionable article in terms that even they can fathom.

>John Kobylt and Ken Chiampou, the immigrant-bashing >Los Angeles radio personalities who were suspended >earlier this year when they referred to Whitney Houston >as a “crack ho” and marveled that the late pop singer >“took this long” to die, are back on the air and up to their >old tricks.

J&K are shock jocks, using inflammatory remarks and hyperbole to generate interest and support (sound familiar, SPLC?). While they sometimes take conservative opinions on some issues, they also quite frequently take liberal stances on others, such as the legalization of cannabis ^[11]. Nelson quotes their inappropriate comments about Whitney Houston in the opening paragraph as an appeal to the emotions—to make her readers angry, and to imply that there is some connection between these DJ’s and FAIR. Do I really need to explain the fact that just because someone consents to be interviewed does not mean that they share all of the opinions of the interviewers? I guess so.

>In the August 3 edition of the “John & Ken Show,” the >duo took up for the Federation for American Immigration >Reform (FAIR), an anti-immigrant organization that the >Southern Poverty Law Center has called a hate group >since 2008 because of its virulent and false attacks on >non-white immigrants.

FAIR is not “anti-immigration”. FAIR simply seeks to reform our antiquated immigration laws, lax regulations and policies that have resulted in serious social problems. FAIR seeks to reduce immigration from all countries, not just “non-white” ones. Deliberately, the author of this article uses the fallacy of over generalization to make some of her readers angry. Obviously, Latinos get a great deal of attention from reform groups, since the vast majority of illegal aliens are Latinos.

>“The Federation for American Immigration Reform, I >think, has been defined by some of these think tank >organizations as a hate group,” Chiampou said.
>SPLC is the only group I know of that has done this. Of >course, anyone who disagrees with the decrees of SPLC >is a racist.
>“Really? The Federation for American Immigration >Reform, which just researches the facts concerning >America’s immigration policies, puts out reports >concerning the amount of dollars spent on illegal >immigrants, goes up and through that. But because >some of their stuff points out the truth, which the other >side doesn’t like, concerning how many illegals we have >in this country, how much it costs this country, our failing >policies, politicians who don’t stand up for our laws, who >don’t stand up for border patrol, how they are suddenly >labeled a hate group.”

I would have to disagree with J&K on this one. SPLC is the only group I know of labeling FAIR as a hate group, while most others see it as a legitimate way for concerned citizens to protect themselves from the radical left, and the armies of needy foreigners. Who else has condemned FAIR?

>OK, Ken, we’ll bite.
>First, a quick factual correction. FAIR doesn’t “just” >research “the facts” about immigration policy. It is a >lobbying organization. This is no secret. On its own >website, under “Our Objectives,” FAIR said it seeks “to >influence public policy directly by lobbying (to the extent >permitted by our tax status) and by protecting the >citizens’ rights in the courts.” Its “mission,” in part, is to >“advocate immigration policies that will best serve >American environmental, societal, and economic >interests today and into the future.”

>So there’s that.

Huh? How does participating in the political process make the group a racist one? And let’s not forget, SPLC’s mission is an even more aggressive agenda, seeking to destroy any other entity that disagrees with them, by causing financial loss and considerable legal trouble. Even when confronted by facts, SPLC stubbornly refuses to recant its slanderous allegations, showing that they are unfair and biased.

>And then there’s the “facts” FAIR puts out there, the >alleged “truth” that, you say, is so disliked by the “other >side.”
>Sometimes FAIR’s “facts” are true. More often, they’re >debatable, culled as they are from dubious sources like >FAIR’s sister organization, the Center for Immigration >Studies.

As far as I know, FAIR uses statistics from the Census Bureau, news reports, and other government information. It is interesting that while SPLC often questions the data used by FAIR, it has never mentioned specific examples, deliberately thwarting any debate, I suspect. What data are you referring to, Nelson?

>The bottom line is, FAIR doesn’t peddle facts; it peddles >hate. Its lobbying and legal efforts – such as the >campaign that led to Arizona’s SB 1070 and Alabama’s >HB 56 – are based on fomenting fear, on exploiting >racial tensions and economic anxieties to convince >people that they had better not let any more “aliens” into >their country.

No, that’s not the bottom line. It is an attempt by the author to define the causes behind the reform movement in their paranoid, self-serving, racist terms. Notice how Nelson doesn’t even acknowledge other key aspects of the issue, such as environmental degradation, over-population, etc.? according to Nelson, it’s just about race.

>FAIR founder John Tanton, a man with a lengthy record of >friendly correspondence with Holocaust deniers, a former >Klan lawyer and leading white nationalist thinkers, has >repeatedly suggested that racial conflict will be the >outcome of immigration. In 1998, he told a reporter that >whites would inevitably develop a racial consciousness >because “most people don’t want to disappear into the >dustbin of history,” and added that once whites did >become racially conscious, the result would be “the war >of each against all.”

All of these comments were taken out of context. For example, the ACLU has been “Klan lawyers” on several different occasions, and just because someone corresponds with another doesn’t mean that they share each other’s opinions. And who determines if the tone of the alleged letters were friendly? This is a subjective opinion put forth by an author who seems to be extremely biased, and misinformed.

>Dan Stein, FAIR’s president, is no better. “Immigrants >don’t come all church-loving, freedom-loving, >God-fearing,” he said in 1997. “Many of them hate >America, hate everything that the United States stands >for. Talk to some of these Central Americans.”

Once again, this is taken out of context. And besides, in certain circumstances, it is true. Stein was simply making the point that we need to do a better job of selecting who is allowed to become a citizen of this country. Leah, do you think it would be a good idea to let someone who is opposed to America, perhaps even violently, to become a citizen? Do you think that we should have absolutely no standards at all? (This is a rhetorical question, Leah, we already know what your answer will be).

>Need more examples? Former Colorado Gov. Richard >Lamm, a longtime member of FAIR’s board of advisors, >once said that “new cultures” in America were “diluting >what we are and who we are.” And Joseph Turner, FAIR’s >former Western field >representative, once accused >Mexican immigrants of turning California into a “third >world cesspool.”

Nelson has broken the cardinal rule in argumentative essay writing, in that she or he consistently fails to cite sources, making verification nearly impossible. However, given that he/she has distorted the truth several times previously, taken quotes out of context to suit he/his purpose, and seems to favor an emotional, not logical appeal, we can only assume she/he has done so in this paragraph as well. Even if these quotes are true, they were likely issued in connection with some broader concept, and cannot therefore be considered representative of the entire idea being put forth.

>Not to mention FAIR’s “suggested reading” on >immigration, which includes white nationalist Peter >Brimelow’s Alien Nation, a book whose central thesis is >that America should remain a country dominated by >whites.
>FAIR also recommends Pat Buchanan’s State of >Emergency: The Third World Invasion and Conquest of >America, which argues that America’s shift away from >being white->dominated is “one of the greatest tragedies >in human history.”

I have read “Alien Nation” (Which, incidentally, was written by an immigrant in defense of reform) and found nothing objectionable about it. The central thesis of the book is that we need to reduce legal immigration, and stop illegal immigration into the USA. Interesting how Nelson turns this simple idea into “white domination”, a prime example of Nelson’s distorting the truth. I haven’t read Buchanan’s book, but I seriously doubt that he claims that “white dominance” is a good thing. Instead, I suspect that Nelson has, as proven so many times this article, used her/her incorrect and misleading interpretations of these sources, and then has claimed them to be the opinions of the authors.

>So yes, John and Ken, FAIR is a hate group. Not >because it promulgates “facts” and “truths” its opponents >would rather ignore but because it promotes hatred of >immigrants, especially non-white ones.

Nelson hasn’t proven a thing in this essay, except that she/he needs to take a few classes on critical thinking. Nelson offers no evidence to contradict the facts used by FAIR, takes quotes out of context, fails to cite sources, and uses emotion to try and give her/his opinions some degree of credence. If Nelson were given printed instruction on how to install a toilet, he or she would likely claim that it was a publication written to promote “white dominance”.

>By defending racism, encouraging xenophobia and >nativism, and giving its all to efforts >to keep America >white, FAIR has more than earned its place in the >pantheon of hate >groups. That is where it belongs, and >that is where it will stay.

By defending anti-white racism, encouraging traitors and criminals, and giving its all to subverting efforts to keep Americans safe, prosperous, and fair to it’s own citizens, SPLC has earned its place in the pantheon of anti-American, anti-white hate groups. That is where it belongs, and that is where it will stay.

( By the way, Leah, if you are reading this, thank you. Not for the content, but for letting me know about Pat Buchanan’s book. I’m going to rush out and buy a copy!)

“While they sometimes take conservative opinions on some issues, they also quite frequently take liberal stances on others, such as the legalization of cannabis”

Given that cannabis has already been decriminalized in many jurisdictions it’s not much of an issue. It does go to show however, that conservative values eventually erode with time to harm reduction principles.

Since FAIR’s stated goal is to immediately halt all immigration, it is hard to see FAIR as anything other than an anti-immigrant organization. When you get to “traitors, anti-whites” you are so deep in the mayonnaise that I have a hard time seeing your tinfoil hat.

“While they sometimes take conservative opinions on some issues, they also quite frequently take liberal stances on others, such as the legalization of cannabis”

“Given that cannabis has already been decriminalized in many jurisdictions it’s not much of an issue. It does go to show however, that conservative values eventually erode with time to harm reduction principles.”

Cannabis is still a huge issue, especially in California. The feds are closing many of the dispensaries, and many doctors are now afraid to recommend it.

“Since FAIR’s stated goal is to immediately halt all immigration, it is hard to see FAIR as anything other than an anti-immigrant organization.”

FAIR’s position, at it’s most extreme, is to temporarily halt immigration until the situation can be examined. You ought to read about things before offering your misinformed opinion, aadila. That way you can avoid some of the embarrassment you obviously encounter daily.

” When you get to “traitors, anti-whites” you are so deep in the mayonnaise that I have a hard time seeing your tinfoil hat.”

Actually, you have a hard time distinguishing mockery from plain discourse, aadila. As usual, all you people can do is resort to name calling, since you cannot argue rationally or logically. So, OK, I’ll stoop to your gutter level:You are pathetic, and I’m glad you are on the side of the illegals in this issue; You deserve each other.It would be nice if, along with the illegals, we could deport people like you…but then again, what country would have you?

“Cannabis is still a huge issue, especially in California. The feds are closing many of the dispensaries, and many doctors are now afraid to recommend it. ”

Sure, it’s a new policy. The kinks are being worked out. As with the end of prohibition it will take a few years to function more smoothly.

A few moral absolutists and po-po hawks want to keep the billions rolling in to private prisons, but society has realized that decriminalization makes much more sense over time.

Aadila, please stop proving Marc’s points for him. And I’d like to thank Marc for mentioning that cannibis is still a controversial issue. I’d also like to propose a medal of excellence be awarded to Marc for eloquently pointing out the flaws in this article.

Everything has its limits, a building has a limit for fire safety.
We send our children to school and bring in people to take the jobs we should be training our children for.

When is it our turn. ?

I did not oppress anyone