Suspect Data Used to Blame Immigrants for Economic Crisis
By Jessica Acee
To counteract the growing momentum for realistic immigration reform anti-immigrant bigots seek to inject false data into the conversation. A new report entitled “The Costs of Illegal Immigration to Coloradans” was released by the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR). It’s apparent that FAIR prefers to dump their resources into faulty reports in an attempt to stir up more fear and hatred in an already tense economic landscape. Read more
Sustainability: Thinking Beyond Borders Part Four
The immigration debate in the US has no relevance to the environmental issues that we are facing today. However, hate groups like Californians for Population Stabilization (CAPS) and Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) would like U.S. citizens to believe otherwise.
The anti-immigrant movement’s argument that immigrants are to blame for U.S. ecological degradation is deeply flawed. It has so many holes that it is transparent to anyone who thinks critically about the accusations they present. This is a strategic attack on immigrants, and cannot result in any productive environmental solutions. It only breeds more anti-immigrant hatred and leads Americans astray from real environmental progress. Read more
Hate Crimes and Hate Group Activity Rising
Last week I asked our readers if they thought hate crimes were increasing. I posted the poll on a whim; we’d been writing a lot about hate crimes at Imagine 2050 and felt that there was something deeper and more menacing behind the recent spree of attacks. As of this writing 63% of you thought that hate crimes were increasing, and there is mounting evidence that you were right. We already know there has been a steady increase in crimes against Latinos since 2003, as reported by the Southern Poverty Law Center. This has been attributed to anti-immigrant rhetoric that has gone mainstream thanks to groups like Federation for American Immigration Reform, anti-immigrant politicians and TV commentators, such as Lou Dobbs. And there is a very strong link between the communities where anti-immigrant groups are active and hate crime incidents. Read more
Hate and Death: The Federation for American Immigration Reform Harvest in Suffolk County
When I first journeyed to Suffolk Country eight years ago to work with religious, civic, and immigrant rights groups facing growing anti-immigrant activity stoked by the Federation for American Immigration Reform, I was stunned to witness the depth of anger and hostility that the group’s organizer had helped unleash. It all started “respectably” enough. But the attempt in 2000 by neo-Nazis to kill two Mexican workers was a harbinger of where growing, unchecked anti-immigrant fever and fervor could go; other violence followed. Now, an Ecuadoran immigrant, is dead at the hands of area youth who reportedly set out to beat up “some Mexicans,” bringing the tragedy of Suffolk County to its inevitable end. Read more
Sustainability: Thinking Beyond Borders Part 1
I saw an article last week titled “Why Environmentalists Support Immigration Reform” on the Federation for American Immigration Reform’s (FAIR) website. Considering myself an environmentalist, I read the passage to better my understanding of exactly why “I” support immigration reform.
Now of course, as some of you may have already guessed, I was a bit skeptical of the entire notion, but I tried to keep an open mind. When doing a “preliminary skim” of the article, I noticed a rather interesting statement: “But however one may try to abdicate responsibility for it, the connection between immigration, population, and the environment remains.’ I was rather confused, thinking, ‘Well, I can see a connection between immigration and national population, and I can see a link between global population and environmental issues…” But I somehow couldn’t link those two thoughts. How are they connected? Read more
Who Has Blood on Their Hands in Anti-Immigrant Murder?
It’s been a little over a week since a group of youth in Suffolk County took the life of Ecuadorian immigrant Marcelo Lucero, stabbing him to death in what law enforcement officers called “a hunt to beat up some Mexicans.” Seventeen-year old Jeffrey Conroy has been charged with a hate crime for his alleged role in the taking of Lucero’s life. Read more
American Apparel Wages War on Failed Immigration Policies
If you’re under 30 you already know about American Apparel. If not, well, you probably know them best by some of their homemade-looking magazine ads featuring skinny non-models lounging around in underwear (very ambercrombie on heroin). American Apparel is the most successful clothing company in the United States. It has 200 locations worldwide and employs over 10,000 people, 4,500 in downtown L.A. factories alone.
Several years ago I read an interview with the company founder, Dov Charney, just as the company was embarking on their rapid expansion. He came off as quite a pervert, but there was no denying he was a radical and on to something with his socially aware policies. The company has great benefits, a decent hourly wage, tries to protect the environment and is even given a good grade by PETA for their “vegan-friendly” garments” (small miracle to get anything from PETA). Read more
Why is Wells Fargo Flirting with Anti-Immigrant Extremists?
Respected business leader Wayne Calloway once remarked that “[n]othing focuses the mind better than the constant sight of a competitor who wants to wipe you off the map”. Over the last several years it appears that Wells Fargo has not only embraced Calloway’s insight but taken it a step further by putting the enemy right inside its very own bedroom.
For several years nativists under the guise of “immigration reform” have waged endless attacks against Wells Fargo, even going so far as to create web pages such as Embargo Wells Fargo. Having declared a racial war against our nation’s immigrant and refugee communities, anti-immigrant organizations and leaders targeted Wells Fargo as part of their growing “war of attrition”. In short, make life a living hell for immigrants and anyone else who defends their inalienable rights to simply be treated like a human being. The anti-immigrant movement is demanding that Wells Fargo choose sides between community and barbarism.
However, Wells Fargo appears to have done the opposite. Rather than taking responsibility as a community leader and drawing a clear moral barrier against hate, Wells Fargo instead chooses to lend its indirect support to the anti-immigrant movement itself. According to the Center for New Community during the 2005-2006 election cycle the Wells Fargo and Company Employee PAC made fifty-eight contributions totaling $108,250 to members of the House Immigration Reform Caucus (HIRC). Read more
Anti-immigrant Organization with Ties to White Nationalism Releases Report on Gang Violence
“[John Tanton] has corresponded frequently with leading white nationalist thinkers, race scientists and Holocaust deniers.” That’s what the Southern Poverty Law Center wrote in a report on Tanton and his array of anti-immigrant organizations after studying decades worth of his personal correspondence. John Tanton gave us such brilliantly bigoted quotes as,
“I’ve come to the point of view that for European-American society and culture to persist requires a European-American majority, and a clear one at that.” and “As Whites see their power and control over their lives declining, will they simply go quietly into the night? Or will there be an explosion?”
His most high profile organization, Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), was designated as a hate group by the SPLC late last year. SPLC also identified the following groups as either being founded or co-founded by John Tanton: “Center for Immigration Studies, NumbersUSA, Pro English, the Social Contract Press, U.S. English and U.S. Inc.” We already know a lot about FAIR’s relentless war on immigrants, but what about these other Tanton groups? Read more
White Nationalists Defend “Immigrant Reform” Organization
A chapter of one of the most influential white nationalist organizations in the United States, the Council of Conservative Citizens (CCC), sought to defend the anti-immigrant Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) from charges of injecting racism into the national discussion on immigration. While conveniently ignoring its own national ties to FAIR, the read more
FAIR’s Personal Political Agenda
Have you ever heard about an organization called Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR)? The group was founded to make immigration a key issue for American voters. Currently, FAIR is lobbying congresspersons on Capitol Hill in Washington DC for the next two days, September 10th – 11th, 2008.
And why not? American immigration policies are a huge mess. Sometimes it takes years for husbands and wives, and daughters and sons to see each other: Something a little similar to Middle Eastern countries’ immigration policies. Southeastern Asian immigrants move to Qatar in droves to find work, but their families are forbidden to follow. Read more
Anti-Immigrant Leader Says Immigration merely ‘Skirmish in a Wider War’
In 1989, the founder of the modern day anti-immigrant movement, John Tanton, told Otis L. Graham Jr. that “I have all along seen the immigration battle as really a skirmish in a wider war . . .” Since that time critics of Tanton have worried that his “wider war” would be one steeped in racism and white nationalism. Critics had read more
I’ve Had Enough With Anti-Immigration
I love a good joke. Speaking of which did you ever hear the one about the white supremacist and radio host who headed to Washington D.C. to lobby elected officials?
If you haven’t that’s okay. It’s not actually a joke.
read more
Olympic Coverage Marred by Media Bias
A few days ago an Associated Press article caught my attention. It told the inspiring story of Henry Cejudo and his road to Olympic Gold. It’s a powerful story - determined young man rises from poverty, fights the odds, and becomes the best. Unfortunately the read more
Are African Americans Missing the Point on Immigration?
I don’t know about you, but one of the ways that a movie can become one of my all time favorites is by having a great line. The Usual Suspects is one of those movies. Most people like the film because of its incredible acting and one of the best plot twists of all time. I’m not one of those people; I love the film because of one simple line. That point in the film where Kevin Spacey who plays the role of Verbal Kent, who is read more
NumbersUSA, Don’t Treat Me like a Fool
Boyfriends and girlfriends and husbands and wives sometimes lie to each other. They say they’re faithful and would never dream of cheating, but that’s not always the case. Instead of being honest, they lie and say, “No, I didn’t, I couldn’t, you mean too much to me, and there’s nothing I’d ever do to jeopardize what we have together.” But then again, sometimes it’s easier to believe a lie rather than dig for the truth. I know I’ll never forget the day an old boyfriend lied to my face, and boy did I feel like a fool.
Kinda like Numbers USA, a national anti-immigrant rights organization. The organization says they want to improve “community quality of life,” read more
"The Nation," Advertising, and Bigots, Oh My!
Before I get to the point at hand, let’s set a few things straight. Before you accuse me of censorship you should know that I oppose any government interference that infringes on freedom of speech, curbs freedom of press, or restricts American’s ability to petition the government. Maybe it’s the civil libertarian in me, but I embrace the concept of free speech whole-heartedly. So, you may find it strange to hear that I’m pissed at The Nation for utilizing our First read more
The Nation, “Advertising, and Bigots, Oh My!
Before I get to the point at hand, let’s set a few things straight. Before you accuse me of censorship you should know that I oppose any government interference that infringes on freedom of speech, curbs freedom of press, or restricts American’s ability to petition the government. Maybe it’s the civil libertarian in me, but I embrace the concept of free speech whole-heartedly. So, you may find it strange to hear that I’m pissed at The Nation for utilizing our First Amendment right to run a full-page advertisement sponsored by some bigots in the June 16, 2008 issue.
The Nation is part of a long line of read more
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