Yes

by Michel R. Baylor

Created on: March 05, 2008   Last Updated: June 01, 2009

Unfortunately so, race is surely a factor in the current U.S. immigration debate! Groups and organizations who support open borders interject race into the immigration debate as a propaganda ploy to confuse the United States and to appease Mexico and amnesty supporters.

The ploy (playing a race card) is to subvert the facts at hand. The implication is that every American against illegal immigration is racist. Does this argument have any basis! The premise, all those against illegal immigration are against immigration, doesn't support the conclusion that, all those who oppose illegal immigration are racist. A fallacious argument, there is no rational evidence to prove this assumption. Fallacious arguments divert attention from the truths.

In addition to errors in logic - Ad Hominem arguments that attack individuals rather than facts, pro-amnesty advocates point fingers of blame to American Immigration Policies. They interject race into the debate and claim inequality. Their propaganda piggy backs on the Civil Rights Error of the 50's and 60's, claiming racism. Pro-amnesty advocates appeal to the emotions and prejudices of the public while bolstering support for their special interests. Intellect and reason are overshadowed by self-seeking, name calling, civil unrest, and violence. Pro immigration advocates fail to realize that even though one finger of blame is pointed at America, five other fingers of blame point back to them, the source of the problem.

The Current Immigration Issue

The current issue is that immigration laws on the books are unacceptable to illegal immigrants and immigration advocates living in America. The Census Bureau reports that as of January 2007, there were more than 11.6 million illegal immigrants residing in the United States. There is power in numbers. Defiantly, in their large numbers, immigrants break laws as a convenient need, disobeying laws of the land, questioning American authority and its sovereignty.

Fueling the debate are a number of powerful Latino organizations with agendas that call for open borders and amnesty for all illegal immigrants. Highly visible, well funded, and powerful, these organizations encourage rebellion. They are organizations run by Latinos for Latinos. Their collective vision is the reconquista of the Southern part of the United States as it is their belief that Southern California, New Mexico, and Texas belong to them (Mexico/Mexicans) and that their (illegal) presence is then warranted.

Pro Amnesty supporters insist on a pathway to citizenship and a comprehensive immigration package. Disguising the fact that there are already laws to assist foreigners immigrating to the United States, amnesty advocates confuse the issues interjecting race into the mix. The fact is that there are already comprehensive immigration laws on the books, though slow and bureaucratic. These laws have served America's migrants efficiently as millions of people have immigrated to America from all over the world since America's inception.

Immigration or Illegal Immigration, that is the question?

Illegal immigration and immigration are two separate factors in this debate. However, illegal immigration pundits combine the two issues, oversimplifying facts and relevant information by appealing to a sympathetic public. There is a big difference between immigration and illegal immigration. There is no problem with one but a big problem with the other. The propaganda is that both legal and illegal immigrantion are at issue when they are not. The issue is illegal immigration. America has always been an immigrant friendly country - a melting pot of cultures who migrate from all over the world. America is a welcoming country, not a racist country! The fact remains, illegal immigration is the issue, not race!

Why is Race An Issue! Listed below are examples of the true culprits:

Racism is a factor in the U.S. immigration debate, however, the American people are not to blame. Typically, they are not racist. Immigration advocates are the culprits. They have interjected race into the debate, propagandized by organized groups of people calling people against illegal immigration racist. Here is what true racism is and here is why race is a factor in this debate.

Racism is a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others.

The Latin culture is a proud one! They affirm their history, their struggles, and feverishly celebrate their advancements. They aggressively push their own way, for their cultural, instilling their values and traditions from their Country into others. Latinos are a people of immense pride and dignity. This in turn causes ongoing racial tensions as one group speaking Spanish language misunderstands and fears the other group speaking English. I comparison and contrast, the defense on both sides of this issue is steeped in emotion rather then reason. Certainly, the Latin culture is admired, loved, and respected by the greater segment of America. Who are the racist?

Interestingly enough, if you take a close look at the Latin culture, what drives them, and what moves them, you'll find that money, property, prosperity, and material concepts are their burning desires, by any means necessary. You'll find the Latin culture interested solely in the advancements of their own people verses the growth and advancements of all people. The Latino focus is always on the Latino people alone. Can this way of thinking sustain a race factor in the immigration debate? Perhaps so!

One of the most powerful Latino organizations is MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense Fund). Their law school grants scholarships, offers programs, and awards grants to Latino law school students only. Isn't this reverse-discrimination? Or, maybe this is a form of affirmative action in education? How can this organization concern itself solely with educating Latinos. Surely this is disenfranchising to other cultures who may be worthy of such a grant and educational opportunity. Most institutions of higher education are all-people inclusive? Is this perhaps a form of racism? Is race a factor here?

A highly visible organization that has supported Latino advancement for a number of years is La Raza. This group feels that Southern America belongs to them and that they should reclaim jurisdiction and ownership for their people. La Raza's logo states, All for the race. Nothing for the rest. Is race a factor here? Certainly! If a Jewish group claimed portions of Hollywood, California, as theirs because they financed and built it from the ground up, making it what it is today, would there not be a different response? Surely, such a claim, exclusively theirs, would be considered invalid, ridiculous, and perhaps racist.

Latinos often lament that, The White man stole their land. How many lands have the Spanish conquered? How many American Indians were displaced by Mexico's early encroachments onto Indian lands? There is more to this story then selfishly seeking, this is our land. It is fact that the Southern part of California was signed over to America by Treaty (an agreement). Inadvertently, race is made a factor here as these groups and their supporters claim a land that was built from the ground up by Americans and subordinate workers. It is incomprehensible for a group to claim America as their own based on sudden claims to ownership? Why would they now? Maybe politics and political advancement are the answers. Or, is this yet another propaganda ploy interjecting race into the issue?

A Latino organization called MECHA intends to take control of every southern state in the U.S.A. This group is synonymous to the infamous Klu Klux Klan in that it promotes ethnic cleansing. Is race a factor here? Another influential organization supporting amnesty is The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). This organization is closely associated and in tune with Latino issues, supporting their advancements, predominantly. They are supported by a number of Latino businesses. Is this a race factor in this debate?

A dark factor making race an issue in this debate is the Latino prison gangs. Literally in control of their prison atmospheres, they order newbie gang bangers to murder black people - boasting severe race hatred. It's happening in most border cities, especially Los Angeles, California. A young black male named Jamiel Shaw, II, was gunned down by a Latino gang banger solely based of his race. Shaw was an up-and-coming football star, had no gang affiliation, but his life was snuffed out due to race hate and violence.

A notorious Inland Empire gang known as the Corona Vatos Locos murdered (stabbed) Dominic Redd, a 15 year old black male to death. Dominic was a great athlete with great potential. The killing was based on gang affiliation and racism. Research indicates that the black culture is under attack, city officials and politicians mask the truth to avoid civil unrest and possibly a race riot. Is race at issue in the Latin Community?

Who are the racist here? Certainly, blacks in their dwindling numbers aren't the aggressors. They are running for their lives! Impotent, black gangs aren't nearly as powerful in name or number as Latino gangs, especially the Mexican Mafia who calls for the extermination of all blacks. These are the sons, brothers, fathers, uncles, and cousins of legal and illegal immigrants - their family members. What they believe is taught in their home. Racism is taught in the Latin culture as they believe they are more physically, intellectually, and culturally superior than other races.

Race is made a factor in the immigration debate when government is forced to change the English language into Spanish language to accommodate the majority of Spanish speaking immigrants. The irony of this is that when those same immigrants become successful, opening businesses in their neighborhoods, they do not speak English and typically cater to their own people. In these communities heavily populated by immigrants, Latinos have taken control. If you don't speak Spanish, you're plum out of luck. Is this a form of racism? Is race at issue here? For sure it is!

The School Board has lost focus on American born children to focus on the large number of immigrant children experiencing learning difficulties. What is missed is that there are children of other cultures who have the same difficulties and who have had them for decades without change. But, because of the larger number of Latino students with learning issues, the focus has been solely placed on them, their education (schools have been erected in every crux and corner of the city). The consequence is denying and leaving behind other struggling cultures, perhaps black, Asian, or Russian children needing special instruction. Ray Cortines took over control of the Los Angeles School Board supported by Los Angeles Mayor Villaraigosa. Overcrowded, underserved communities are forced to make room for new education facilities. Cheaply manufactured buildings are springing up all over the city only to accommodate ever increasing numbers of immigrant children. If there is such a large number that cancels out a smaller number, wouldn't this constitute a form of racism? Taking this into consideration, surely race is a major factor in the immigration debate.

Why Race Is A Factor in this debate?

Race is made a factor in this debate to distract the public from the facts and figures. Illegal immigration supporters and organizations such as MALDEF continue to expand, looking out for the interests of Latino people alone. Race is a factor.

A finger pointed one way leaves five others pointed back the other direction. Latino's point fingers of blame that point back to them as they are self seeking, self-centered, and interested in the advancements of their own people, despite others. Respectable patriots serving America in the freedom of expression should not be labeled xenophobes, subsequently blamed for the racism interjected into this debate by their foes. Well meaning journalist, activists and politicians such as Senator Jeff Sessions, Tom Tancredo, CNNs Lou Dobbs, KFI's John and Ken, all have been labeled racists even though they have facts and figures to support their claims and their conclusions. Who then is interjecting race as a factor into this debate? Certainly, not Americans. Surely not screaming anti-immigration supporters such as Glenn Beck or Rush Limbaugh.

Illegal immigrant supporters play the race card, purposely side-stepping issues with fallacious claims that don't lead to logical conclusions. Their premise is that race is an issue in this debate and their conclusion is that anyone against illegal immigration is racist. Then, race is at issue, propagandized by fallacious argument, false conclusions, and outrageous claims of bigotry and racism, however, misplacing blame and tapping into the anger and resentments of frustrated individuals trying to work through the issues.

The race factor is tht powerful Latino organizations and amnesty supporters have one goal in mind; the advancement of their own people to reclaim Southern America as theirs,and to force the U.S. to remove its borders, interjecting fallacy and propaganda into the U.S. immigration debate.

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