Anti-Immigrant Message Not Welcome at Tea Parties

Today, Americans for Legal Immigration PAC (ALIPAC) sent out an email to members telling them that they are lending their support to the Tax Day Tea Party efforts nationally on April 15, 2009. They had this to say:

"We are notifying our supporters of the plan for pro immigration enforcement groups to lend our support to the Tax Day Tea Party efforts nationally on April 15, 2009."

There are currently two separate groups organizing their own nationwide tea parties: The Nationwide Tax Day Tea Party (www.taxdayteaparty.com) and the American Family Association's (AFA) Official Taxed Enough Already (TEA) Party www.teapartyday.com. We attempted to contact them both for comment.

Speaking by phone with Julia Nelson, spokesperson for the Nationwide Tax Day Tea Party, she explained that her organization was not aware of ALIPAC’s announcement. She also explained that although her group could not deny ALIPAC supporters the right to attend their event, ALIPAC’s message against undocumented immigrants is not welcome and will not be a part of the Tax Day Tea Party message.

According to the Anti-defamation League, Americans for Legal Immigration Political Action Committee (ALIPAC), led by William Gheen, is the “largest anti-immigrant group in the country”. The ADL says that ALIPAC led by Gheen is “a xenophobic anti-immigrant group…publicly branding undocumented immigrants as murderous criminals and disease carriers".

In a report from the Southern Poverty Law Center, William Gheen makes a habit of using “nativist aphorisms” like “Call me old fashioned, but people should be able to shop at Wal-Mart without worrying about catching [t]uberculosis.”

The first of the “Tea Parties” were organized in February after CNBC reporter Rick Santelli called for "tea party"-style protests over the Federal stimulus package and government bailout programs. Since then, right-wing activists have been mobilizing for April 15th to protest any plan of President Obama and the Congress to save the country’s ailing economy.

We attempted several times to get in touch with the American Family Association, however were unable to get a comment from them on ALIPAC’s announcement at the time of publication.

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Dobbs calls Jewish Group a Joke, Olbermann awards Worst Person

This one from a regular blogger over at ILW.COM. Greg Siskind reports that Lou Dobbs, anti-immigrant pundit for CNN, got awarded the "Worst Person in the World" by MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann for calling the Anti-defamation League a "joke". Apparently Dobbs' hateful comment is now being picked up by other news outlets.

Here is what the Jewish Telegraphic Journal had to say:

Janet Murguia, a Latino civil rights activist, cited ADL research into extremist groups whose representatives Dobbs had featured on his show, and then she described the league as a respected voice. "Not by me," Dobbs replied, "It's a joke."

Founded in 1913, the Anti-defamation League fights anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry, defends democratic ideals and protects civil rights for all. The Anti-Defamation League has been charting the rise in the use of code words that label immigrants and Hispanics Latinos as a threat to the American way of life. Those words include:

References to immigrants as "an army of invaders" or an "invading force"

Associating immigrants with animals and refers to them as "a massive horde" or "swarm"

Accusing immigrants of "bringing crime and disease" to America, including "leprosy, tuberculosis, and malaria" and "gang warfare"

Purveying the conspiracy theory of "reconquista" or "Atzlan" – the taking back of lands in the southwestern United States for Mexico

During the face off with Dobbs, Murguia cited the examples above that the anchor has made part of his daily rants and asked about his support of xenophobic hate groups like the Minutemen Project and FAIR. Dobbs, however, refused to take responsibility or even address her questions, instead lashing out at ADL. You can catch the VOD of Janet Murguia’s appearance here.

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