Immigration Bill Failed: Xenophobes Do Victory Dance
New America Media, Commentary, Sandip Roy, Posted: Jul 02, 2007
Editor’s Note: The immigration bill’s defeat has got xenophobes celebrating, especially the Minutemen and talk show hosts like Rush Limbaugh. Their victory dance now has echoes of the xenophobia from over a century ago, when the target was Chinese workers but the rhetoric startlingly similar, notes NAM editor Sandip Roy. Roy is the host of Up Front, a radio program on KALW 91.7 FM.
The email flew into my Inbox within hours of the immigration bill going down in flames in the Senate. “Immigration Bill Killed; Minutemen Claim Victory! Interview Op” crowed the headline. On Rush Limbaugh’s website the headline read “We Did It: Amnesty Bill Goes Down. Enjoy our victory.” Limbaugh and the Minutemen claimed they had shut down Washington, forced a meltdown in the Senate phone system. They certainly made “amnesty” a dirty word. The immigration bill might be dead but the monsters that were exhumed to kill the bipartisan bill aren’t going to fade away that easily.
These are old ghosts that have haunted America for all its history. It’s a familiar story, the schizophrenia of a country that has needed immigrants to build its railroads and swimming pools but has never wanted them to get into its gene pool. It’s not a story of the American little guy versus out-of-touch fat cat politicians in Washington as Patrick Buchanan has claimed. It’s a more sinister story about media as the sneering bully, when in the guise of being just a mouthpiece for millions of ordinary Americans, it gives xenophobia and immigrant-bashing a veneer of respectability and Pew ratings. It’s prompted much hand-wringing now but the script is America’s hoary Passion Play.
In the 19th century the target was the Chinese. The Chinese came in search of gold and ended up as farmers, laborers, launderers. As Jean Pfaelzer documents in painstaking detail in her book “Driven Out! The Forgotten War Against Chinese Americans” (Random House 2007), they were killed, banished, purged out of California and the Pacific Northwest. Citizen militias burned Chinatowns to the ground and chopped Chinese men’s queues off to teach them a lesson.
Racist doggerels about “John Chinaman” appeared all over the state. Signs appeared on wooden posts: “ANY CHINESE SEEN ON THE STREET AFTER THREE O’CLOCK TODAY WILL BE HUNG TO THIS GALLOWS.”
There aren’t any such signs in the 21st century – yet. This after all is not Rwanda. The Limbaughs and Savages are not telling anyone to take out their machetes and go after the cockroaches.
But Atlanta’s Neal Boortz comes close when he suggests a good use for immigrants. “Give ‘em all a little nuclear waste and let ‘em take it on down there to Mexico. Tell ‘em it can – it’ll heat tortillas.”
The nuclear option is new but the rhetoric is old.
In 1878 the Medico-Literary Journal warned if Chinese servants were allowed to raise children in white households, syphilis would spread inevitably to the entire household.
In 2007 we hear about illegal immigrants bringing tuberculosis and leprosy into the country. The Americans for Legal Immigration PAC warns us that the illegals don’t come through any Ellis Island like “my grandpa” who was forced to strip naked and cough to prove he didn’t have TB. Lou Dobbs aired a report in 2005 claiming 7,000 cases of leprosy in the past three years. It was debunked but Dobbs shrugged it off and repeated his claim this May.
In 2007 Rush Limbaugh sneeringly dubbed Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., “Grahamnesty” for supporting the immigration bill. Graham and Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Fla., have received threatening letters that said, “I know where you live.”
In 1886 there was no right wing talk radio to spread brushfires of immigrant-bashing. But there was Charles McGlashan, editor of The Truckee Republican. He ran a daily column called Boycott the Traitors. His strategy was simple – publicly shame every white businessman who employed Chinese labor. “Let (mothers) teach the little ones to abhor a Chinaman and his upholder,” warned McGlashan. “Let the little fingers be pointed at them, and the first words that fall from their baby lips be ‘Shame, you China lover.’”
His paper was the news source for scores of other smaller newspapers across California. He telegraphed his “How to Boycott” recipe to newspapers across California. By the end of 1886 Truckee was practically devoid of Chinese. Its Chinatown burned down, killing two Chinese men. The Truckee Republican cheered that “dirty, filthy Chinatown has been cleansed and purged of its disease breeding nastiness.”
Of course the wages of white workers didn’t rise because the wage-depressing Chinese had been driven out of town. The steam laundry, inaugurated with much fanfare in the town of Truckee, shut down.
But the inseam of xenophobia and scapegoating remained buried in American topsoil waiting for a new McGlashan to dig into it. Limbaugh and ilk were only too willing. The opponents of the immigration bill are like the defenders of the Alamo, says Michael Savage, host of The Savage Nation. But Alamo is now Hazleton, Penn., where the city wanted landlords to check immigration papers before renting a room, and the defenders are on the offensive.
The danger is not that a deeply flawed immigration bill died ignominiously in the Senate. It’s not even that in the process it turned immigration reform into a toxic quagmire that no party is going to want to wade into.
The danger is really in killing immigration reform by tarring and feathering immigrants, a new “John Chinaman’s” queue is fluttering on an all-American lamppost while the Minutemen and the Limbaughs do the victory lap.
The bully has been let out of the bottle.
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User Comments
Casey Boyd on Jul 13, 2007 at 01:07:15 said:
but, in the end, we have nothing done to solve our problems, because of the endless cries of 'amnesty.' now look where we stand. any sort of national reform will most likely be off the table for at least another year, maybe two. by then, another summer will have passed, more will have died in the desert, and all because we were too afraid of 'amnesty.' where was 'amnesty?' was 'amnesty' sending the head of household and primary breadwinner for the family back home amnesty? was an exorbitant fee for the family who is living day-to-day on wages 'amnesty?' please.
'our laws?' 'our culture?' what contemptuous bunk. America is multi-cultured, and there is plenty of room for influences. oh, and never mind that America virtually annexed and snatched the southwest from Mexican control under william mckinley during the 1800's. this entire country was never 'ours', and here we are, in our arrogance, locking down and locking out those who lack our speech and skin tone. bite your nativist tongue and open your mind a little. you might be surprised what you learn.
Christine on Jul 05, 2007 at 22:43:26 said:
It is an illegal immigrant issue, not an Hispanic issue per se. The illegals are HERE ILLEGALLY, WHAT PART OF THAT DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND?????!!!
There are plenty of Hispanic/Mexican-American/etc. that OPPOSED THIS BILL BECAUSE THEY ARE AMERICANS AND THEY GIVE A DAMN ABOUT THIS COUNTRY. No one is advocating that Hispanics in general be rounded up. Only illegals, and not just illegals from Mexico but people from around the world. It is just that Mexico actively exhorts a good segment of its own population to come here illegally instead of using those very workers to build up Mexico!! It is unbelievable to me that I have to hear this race card being played. I've talked to plenty of Hispanic AMERICANS who oppose giving illegals amnesty.
By the way, I don't hate the illegals. I have an idea why THEY are here. They need to go home, deported, attrition through enforcement, but that's it. But the people who hire them, and the politicians are willing to sell out the country for the almighty dollar. And something tells me that innovation in the farm industry can/will occur once business can get its head out of its a$$ over this cheap labor addiction.
-- edited by the publisher.
Disgusted Mexifornian on Jul 05, 2007 at 04:39:49 said:
Once again, people who "spoke up" against this shameful "Shamnesty" bill that was torpedoed and sank are labelled as "Xenophobes." I believe the correct word is "Patriots". We've been called "Racist, hateful, xenophobic, redneck,"so many names and compared to "Nazis" so often that it words themselves have lost their impact. It's a given these days that ANYBODY voicing anything other than pro-illegal, pro- open border, pro-amnesty, pro-instant citizenship" WILL be labelled "racist" and/or "Xenophobic". It comes with the territory. Its all our fault. LOL!
Jack Perez on Jul 04, 2007 at 14:34:47 said:
I can not believe that most of you do not agree with every word written in this post. The truth is this country is a country of immigrants. No one has the right to say they are the true Americans. Only Native Americans can say that. This is a country that stands for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I think that those who use xenophobia need to realize North beat the South. Many people say the immigration reform failed because Senators listen to the people. But the truth is more than half of American support comprehensive reform that provides a pathway to citizenship for 12 million undocumented immigrants. Also, we must realize that if we listen to the South as Senators did with this current issue, during the civil rights movement. Where would we be today? I do not see how this decison helps this country. We have no record of the 12 million people living in our nation. Making us more vulunerble to a terrorist threat. Doing nothing on this issue is silent amnesty. Most Americans do not even know what was in the Senate bill only what Lou Dobbs and Rush Limbaugh said about it. This is only a step backward for this country.
JOHN MCMAHON on Jul 04, 2007 at 03:34:06 said:
MOST AMERICANS OPPOSED THIS BILL BECAUSE OF THE AMNESTY IT OFFERED TO THOSE WHO BROKE THE LAWS OF THIS COUNTRY. WANNA BE HERE, DO IT THE RIGHT WAY AND FOLLOW OUR LAWS.
Jenny Perry on Jul 03, 2007 at 18:07:31 said:
First, let me address one of your lies. The attacks against Lou Dobbs are baseless and crass. Are you aware that Dobbs is married to a Mexican American woman? That he grew up picking crops alongside migrant workers? Yes, he attended an ivy league university, but it wasn't as a legacy student, or even as the trustifarian type who like to play communist wannabes in their free time.. but as someone who worked their way through. So shove that where the sun doesn't shine.
Secondly, American citizens are entitled to human rights considerations. It is not racist nor xenophobic for American citizens, who have been dealing with long term un and underemployment, and with outsourcing going on for about 25 years now, to exercise their right to protest against what is nothing more than a corporate welfare scam to destroy American wage standards and workplace protections.
In fact, I watched a video where a Hispanic "journalist" attempted to get away with labeling an anti-amnesty protester as being a racist, that is until the African American man protesting right along with him, got in her face and called her on it. Demanding that she call him a racist too. She didn't dare, in fact she became more flustered when the man called her on her attempt to spin and propagandize based on greed and her own racism. She had attempted to exploit a situation, ignorning the fact that the illegal aliens she was crying crocodile tears for, had just been beating and injuring senior citzens who were protesting peacefully, walking down the streets carrying American flags. He told her that she ought to be ashamed of herself, and so should you liars.
If you gave a damn about the poor in Mexico and elsewhere, you would be protesting, writing and making a stink about the corrupt governments who refuse to provide decent wage standards, conditions and other important things to their own people.
No, the fact is that you are only interested in helping the corporate elite to destroy any worker rights that remain. You are moral relativism incarnate, you are the rapists, the murderers, the slave merchants, you are the pimps and the thugs who oppress the innocent.
You take money from the US Chamber of Commerce, and sell the poor down the river, and will be exposed for what you are.
garrison on Jul 03, 2007 at 15:24:20 said:
Senators and the media knew the opposition to the immigration bill was at least 3 -1 Oppose, sometimes 4 - 1. They need to stop with the lies and misinformation. Here are 3 respected polls with the facts (Zogby, Gallup and Rasmussen).
RASMUSSEN REPORTS June 2007
The immigration bill failed because a broad cross-section of the American people are opposed to it. Republicans, Democrats, and un-affiliated voters are opposed. Men are opposed. So are women. The young don’t like it; neither do the no-longer-young. White Americans are opposed. Americans of color are opposed.
The last Rasmussen Reports national telephone poll found that only 22% of Americans Support the legislation. When a bill has less popular support than the War in Iraq, it deserves to be defeated.
ZOGBY(WASHINGTON) May 2007
When offered by itself, there is strong support for the House bill: 73 percent said it was a g ood or very good idea when told it tries to make the illegals go home by fortifying the border, forcing employsee verification and encouraging greater cooperation with local law enforcement while not increasing legal immigration; 24 percent said it was a bad or very bad idea.
When given three choices (House approach, Senate approach, or mass deportation), the public tends to reject both the Senate plan and a policy of mass deportations in favor of the House bill; 24 percent want the Senate plan, 14 percent want mass deportations; while 59 percent want the House approach. 73 percent oppose the Senate approach.
One reason the public does not like legalizations is that they are skeptical of need for illegal-immigrant labor. An overwhelming majority of 74 percent said there are plenty of Americans to fill low-wage jobs
Another reason the public does not like Senate proposals to legalize illegals and double legal immigration is that 75 percent said they had littl e or no confidence in the ability of the government to screen these additional applicants to weed out terrorists and criminals.
Public also does not buy the argument we have tried and failed to enforce the law: 79 percent felt that past enforcement efforts have been "grossly inadequate," while only 18 percent felt we had made a "real effort" to enforce our laws.
Opinion Are Strongly Opposed
GALLUP NEWS SERVICE June2007
opposition outweighs support by a three to one margin among those who do have an opinion. Among those who say they are following news of the immigration bill most closely, opposition is at the 70 % level. There are only minor differences between Democrats and Republicans in terms of views of the bill. Independents are most likely to be opposed.
Visit alipac for your voice to be heard.
Bill Quarnstrom on Jul 03, 2007 at 15:00:19 said:
Its not xenophobic to want this country to insist that people obey the laws of this country.
TeresaW on Jul 03, 2007 at 14:50:44 said:
Why do you people in the media continue to slant your coverage of the fight against AMNESTY as if it is just a handful of so called redneck low class uneducated racists?
Do you really not understand that this issue cuts across all political, racial, income, and religious lines?
My family is college educated. Not that I should have to tell you that.
My family is hard working, tax paying, law abiding and patriotic.
We fly our flag in front of our beautiful home. No - it is not a trailer with jacked up cars in front of it.
But, if it were and I had worked hard honestly for it and paid for it legally, then I would still be proud of it. Your constant implied classism is disgusting.
Do you really think the American people are this stupid?
We want our borders secured and our laws enforced.
We want our culture left intact.
We do not want our children and grandchildren paying 2.5 trillion dollars to support illegal.
We do not want their crime, drugs, smuggling, rapes, murders and drunk driving imported here so that YOU can save a buck on fruits and vegetables!
We do not want to pay for Bi-National Healthcare for all Mexicans that Bush and Kennedy has promised racist organizations like La Raza.
We do NOT want our flag flown upside down by invaders.
We do NOT want another 10 million illegals taking skilled American jobs.(Weldon(R-FL)
We do NOT want our social security system to be destroyed.
We do NOT want our hospitals and schools overcrowded and exhausted.
We do NOT want our leaders pandering to big business and special interest groups.
We want our borders secured.
We want our existing laws enforced.
For the record. The southern people in this country are some of the most patriotic law abiding and decent people in this country. How DARE you continue to invalidate them.
You didn't mind when they were going to war and dying so that you could have the freedom to write what you wanted. It is insulting that you keep trying to put all of us who are opposed to this traitorous legislation into one box. It won't work and we are not buying it.
We are Americans. We know when we are getting knifed in the back by our leaders and their horrendous legislation. Oh, and we know when you are spinning a story to fit your own agenda. We can actually think that far outside of the box. So stop being so condescending to your readers, or you won't have any to spin to anymore.
Get it yet?
Tony on Jul 03, 2007 at 10:16:12 said:
To: m. savied I to am an American Hispanic and I agree with as many of us American Hispanics, Illegal is Illegal and to say that it is helping our country is just plain ignorant we need to stand up more and be recognized we are not all La Raza, MALDEF, LULAC extremists. If people don’t believe illegal immigration is bad just look at the statistics go to Southern California and see for yourself I worked for a hospital that closed down due directly to illegal immigration, how do I know this because I was the County Medical Services bilingual liaison, whose job was to get indignant patients that came into the ER qualified for medical care and you guessed it about 98% were illegal’s with false social security cards and names. The world has changed and so has the nature of immigration.
A.P. on Jul 03, 2007 at 09:50:28 said:
Wake Up. Arizona just signed in Legislation making it illegal to hire illegals. Many States are going the same route. Under the new law, employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants could have their business license suspended for up to 10 days. Second-time violators would have their business licenses revoked permanently - from the International Herald Tribune.
From a legal immigrant who is fed-up with the process, lack of enforcement and dual standards!
m.savied on Jul 03, 2007 at 05:03:09 said:
People on both sides of the political spectrum opposed this bill. In fact, Americans of all colors, creeds, ethnicities did so as well. Your accusations of "racism" are getting tired and worn, remember when you cry "wolf" one too many times, the effect is lost. BTW, I'm a Hispanic American, and don't subscribe to the agenda of the radical, racist, ethnic groups like "La RAZA", MALDEF, LULAC. I'm an American and I believe everyone should respect our laws no matter what their country of origin. Period.
David Bacon on Jul 02, 2007 at 22:08:35 said:
A lot of nativists and racists oppose immigration in general, and opposed the Senate bill in particular, as you point out in your piece. So they're happy it died. Do they represent a majority sentiment in this country? Not according to the polls. Do they represent a cross section of those who opposed the Senate bill. Not even close.
You don't mention that most unions and progressive immigrant rights organizations also opposed the bill, and wanted it dead. For them, making a real pro-immigrant, pro-worker proposal couldn't happen without killing the Senate bill first.
You talk about the historic anti-Chinese hysteria here in California. But as you know,most Chinese-American immigration advocates were among those who called for the bill's defeat, which you don't mention: the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Chinese for Affirmative Action, and the Asian Law Caucus being just three.
We had a press conference today of the most progressive, pro-immigrant labor voices in Northern California saying the same thing -- the bill was a false promise, and now that it's dead, they intend to press for real immigration reform. This group included the SF SEIU janitor's union, UNITE HERE Local 2, the Teamsters, the SF Day Labor Program and many others. NAM didn't send anyone to cover it.
I think you're painting a false picture here, Sandip, that only racists were opposed to the bill. You have the racists speaking for all people who opposed it. That is an easy out for the DC strategists. You don't have to look at what their bill actually said, or why people thought it necessary to kill it -- because it was such a repressive, anti-immigrant and anti-worker proposal. Those DC strategists get a pass for telling progressive immigrant advocates all over the country who refused to support it to get lost, and then calling them names when they wouldn't be quiet.
The defeat of the bill, which you lament, is the responsiblity of those DC groups more than anyone's. Shouldn't they accept any responsibility? Why not write something about them?
Frances Nixon on Jul 02, 2007 at 19:12:16 said:
The American people told the mostly corporate-owned Senate that we don't want a repeat of the 1986 amnesty where millions of illegals received amnesty but nothing was done to secure the borders or to sanction employers for hiring illegals. This is our country. We should have a say on who is allowed here. Why don't you say something hateful about greedy employers who lure cheap labor here?
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