On the New York Times's political blog this morning, Ariel Alexovich reported in a very mild tone on a very shocking speech by National Council of La Raza President Janet Murguia -- "A Call to End Hate Speech."
By calling to end "hate speech" (an inflammatory phrase the Times doesn't put in quotation marks), Murguia means that anyone harshly criticizing illegal immigrants -- specifically, mainstream opinion-makers like Sean Hannity on FOX News and Lou Dobbs and Glenn Beck of CNN -- should be removed from the air waves.
"The head of the country's largest Latino civil rights organization called on CNN, MSNBC and Fox News to stop providing a forum for pundits who consistently disparage the documented and undocumented Hispanic immigrant population.
The group, the National Council of La Raza (meaning 'the people'), also has asked Mike Huckabee to renounce the endorsement of Jim Gilchrist, a co-founder of the Minuteman Project, a private organization dedicated to preventing people from illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border."
Actually, "La Raza" translates to "The Race," a strange name for a purportedly anti-racist group, but Alexovich spouted The National Council of La Raza's propaganda line that it means "the people."
Speaking at the National Press Club in Washington on Thursday, Janet Murguia, the N.C.L.R. president, said that anti-Latino remarks on the big three cable news networks are insulting not only to minorities but also to the greater American population.
"It's personal, it's intolerable, and it has to end," she said.
She listed Glenn Beck, who sometimes appears as a commentator on CNN as well as hosts his own radio show [actually, Beck has his own show on CNN's Headline News - ed.], as one of the worst offenders. Last June, he suggested that America create an alternative energy source out of the bodies of illegal immigrants.
Such talk has serious consequences, Ms. Murguia said. She cited an F.B.I. report which showed a double-digit percentage rise in violence against Latinos since 2003. What's more, these negative feelings towards Hispanics carries over into U.S. legislation.
"Very often they're taking their issues straight from some of the hate groups that we just described here, so that actually these words that go out from the hate groups get turned into campaign strategies and political strategies," said Cecilia Munoz, an N.C.L.R. vice president.
Other major "vigilantes" that need to be kept in check are CNN's Lou Dobbs, and Fox's Sean Hannity and Alan Colmes -- and most of their guests.
Who's the group's favorite Republican? But of course.
Ms. Murguia didn't directly endorse any candidate or, for that matter, any political party. However, she had kind words to say about John McCain, the arguable front-runner in the Republican race. Mr. McCain's plan to handle immigration does not involve the deportation of all illegal immigrants.
Near the end Murguia called for depriving immigration critics of First Amendment rights. Again, no quotes around hate speech, as if the Times is simply assuming that what Murguia smears as "hate speech" truly is.
Ms. Murguia argued that hate speech should not be tolerated, even if such censorship were a violation of First Amendment rights:
"Everyone knows there is a line sometimes that can be crossed when it comes to free speech. And when free speech transforms into hate speech, we've got to draw that line. And that's what we're doing here today. And we need to make sure that network executives will hold their people accountable and not cross that line.
Times Watch is unable to detect in Alexovich's posting a single raised eyebrow at the thought of Murguia's frightening dismissal of free speech. It's a particularly bizarre omission coming from someone who works in journalism.
—Clay Waters is the director of Times Watch, an MRC project tracking the New York Times.
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Comments Policy
This is going along the same
February 1, 2008 - 14:44 ET by motherbeltThis is going along the same path as "gay rights". From tolerance to acceptance, to celebration, to calling any opposition "hate speech" in order to get opponents to shut up.
Following the Sen. McCain Model
February 1, 2008 - 15:45 ET by ecnirPI wonder if the National Council of La Raza understands that espousing the elimination of the Constitutional right to free speech will harm their cause? But then again, maybe not. If Sen. McCain becomes President, they'll have as the head of our government a man who believes in the same thing. Let us all remember McCain-Feingold and "this issue can be caught up in extracurricular politics unless we move forward as quickly as possible." -- Sen. John McCain [R-AZ], 17May07 on moving comprehensive immigration reform through the Senate without debate.
No raised eyebrows at the NYT
February 1, 2008 - 14:51 ET by mattmJanet Murguia can lie, misrepresent and mislead all she wants, while spewing out hate against people who happen to express their opinion about ILLEGAL immigration, and the NYT is right on board because to them free speech only applies to liberals.
how typical
February 1, 2008 - 14:52 ET by candanceLiberals always justify censorship as an effort to "clean up the dialogue" and "end the hateful rhetoric" but it's always supposed to be up to them to decide what hate speech is - and conveniently it always seems to involve their enemies.
of course...
February 1, 2008 - 15:14 ET by mbuelIt's the new fascism. They use language to control the conversation. If you don't believe in global warming you should be tried in court.
If you don't believe homosexuality is a healthy behavior your a homophobic bigot.
If you believe people should follow the rules and laws of the land your a racist.
Just yet another reason to not for Juan McCain as well. La Raza backing = conservatives jumping from his support.
You should get together
February 1, 2008 - 15:01 ET by balboaYou should get together with WTH. He could use your guidance on these speech-squelching articles. :-)
blah
February 1, 2008 - 15:07 ET by seaniepwell listen here
I demand an end to La Raza, it is hate speach
disparage this
February 1, 2008 - 15:15 ET by soosanI don't disparage legal immigrants or latinos, I disparage people who sneak into my country and expect me to foot the bill.
Am glad that the media is looking out for me, as usual.
According to the left media
February 1, 2008 - 15:09 ET by kgAccording to the left media the right is nothing but hate and vile while the left is all love and tolerance. You only have to see how they talk about their candidates to see all their love. I think Randi Rhodes said this or it could have been Olbernamm.
Who?
February 1, 2008 - 15:09 ET by JimmybobAnd who is it that gets to decide just what is hate speech? Isn't is a little like deciding what is porn? I will know it when I see it. It would seem that our 1st amendment rights are only good as long as we keep ourselves strong and don't let someone else tell us what we can think or say. That was the whole idea, I think.
Umm, the liberals get to decide
February 1, 2008 - 15:47 ET by ecnirP"And who is it that gets to decide just what is hate speech?"
Oh, that's an easy one. The liberals get to decide.
Legal implications
February 1, 2008 - 15:12 ET by KC MulvilleYou can always sue a speaker for defamation of character, libel, or slander. But we have a legal dispensation for public commentary.
And by the way, let's be careful throwing around the statistics that describe the double-digit rise in violence against Latinos. As I recall, the report showed that most of that violence was perpetrated by drug gangs, many of them Latino themselves. If you want to be intellectually consistent, you'd have to advocate that those Latino gangs be eliminated before anything else.
Here's some of La Razas "Free Speech".
February 1, 2008 - 15:25 ET by IamTinmanThe founder of La Raza, Jose Angel Gutiterrez said the following:
"We have an aging white America….
They are dying…. They are ********
In their pants with fear! I love it”
“We’re a new Mestizo nation.”
“We have got to eliminate the gringo.
And what I mean by that is if worst comes to worse, we have got to kill him."
As recently as 2003 La Raza was actively funding Mecha, a chicano activist group whose motto is "For La Raza todo. Fuera de La Raza nada." which means, "For The Race everything. Outside The Race, nothing."
MEChA and the La Raza movement teach that Colorado, California, Arizona, Texas, Utah, New Mexico, Oregon and parts of Washington State make up an area known as "Aztlan" -- a fictional ancestral homeland of the Aztecs before Europeans arrived in North America. As such, it belongs to the followers of MEChA. These are all areas America should surrender to "La Raza" once enough immigrants, legal or illegal, enter to claim a majority, as in Los Angeles. The current borders of the United States will simply be extinguished.
This plan is what is referred to as the "Reconquista" or reconquest, of the Western U.S.
The final plan for the La Raza movement includes the ethnic cleansing of Americans of European, African, and Asian descent out of "Aztlan."
As Miguel Perez of Cal State-Northridge's MEChA chapter has been quoted as saying: "The ultimate ideology is the liberation of Aztlan. Communism would be closest [to it]. Once Aztlan is established, ethnic cleansing would commence: Non-Chicanos would have to be expelled -- opposition groups would be quashed because you have to keep power."
Think about this the next time somebody from La Raza complains about how badly they have been portrayed.
Yes...
February 1, 2008 - 16:02 ET by celatorYes, the Aztlan is a very important piece of the movement--it's the "winning hearts and minds" angle. It fits in perfectly with the Reconquista piece.
Another angle I've been watching is whether a faction of La Raza is being trained by Al Qaeda, which has had training camps in Bolivia and Venezuela for at least five years. If you follow the heroin drug route from Afghanistan to Europe to South America to the US, you can see how Al Qaeda would have a major interest in South America. Al Qaeda gets a huge amount of its funding from heroin sales in the US (and a much smaller amount of $ for the US sales of ghat grown in Somalia and used by Somalians in this country).
Liberal's Basic Rule For Discourse: I don't care if you agree with my premises, but I demand that you agree with my conclusions.
La Raza connections
February 1, 2008 - 15:38 ET by celatorLa Raza is currently a fascist (for lack of a better term) revolutionary organization funded in part by Soros interests and at least two drug cartels operating out of Central America. Some of their leaders have become incredibly wealthy by supplying security and mules for drug smugglers. They have seduced many good Hispanics by their propaganda, parades and demonstrations. When I studied the organization in the late 1960's, their funding came largely from various communist party affiliates in Central America. I don't think that's the case now.
Liberal's Basic Rule For Discourse: I don't care if you agree with my premises, but I demand that you agree with my conclusions.
The "vigilantes," in this case are the people.
February 1, 2008 - 15:51 ET by Gary HallThe "vigilantes," in this case are the people. Public opinion polling has consistently shown for decades, as well as in recent years that a strong majority of the people share the views of all of these so called hate speakers. In truth, they are speakers of the truth. The American people want the borders secured, they want the legal immigration reduced and illegal immigration stopped. Recent polls showed that between 75 & 80% support voter photo ID's as does even Jimmy Carter. And as Hillary's recent gafe revealed, over 77% of voters opposed Spitzer's issuance of driver licenses to illegals in New York.
Our mainstream media has been censoring free speech on the issue of immigration reform for a long time now, by refusing to openly allow the views of the majority to be weighed in the conversation.
Besides, according to these folks, even Obama would be considered a hate monger:
Sen. Harry Reid's old 1993 views might raise some eyebrows as well - but remember, these are the views that actually represent the view of the people (it's the MSM that has been attempting to push their agenda on the people - by re-educating them to think otherwise):
Lou Dobbs - white
February 1, 2008 - 16:06 ET by drillanwrLou Dobbs - white middle-aged American male, N.C.L.R. president target
Glenn Beck - white middle-aged American male, N.C.L.R. president target
Sean Hannity - white middle-aged American male, N.C.L.R. president target
No HATE goin' on there, eh. Ms. Murguia ?
HATE SPEECH...
February 1, 2008 - 23:52 ET by danybhoyIt's all about LIBERAL FACISM, the hard left, & LaRaza is as hard left as it gets, wants no descenting views. No room for debate, otherwise, you are a racist, you are a racist, you are a racist...sorry. I meant to say that once, but like those who say it, you got to repeat it. La Raza is neo-marxist group that can kiss my @$$, & the more people that take that view, the better.
"Some of us are wise, some of us are otherwise" Mark Levin
The race
February 1, 2008 - 17:01 ET by FranksamThe term 'La Raza' is hate speech.
Liberals don't care what you do, as long as it's mandatory. -Franksam
Just wait for McCain. He
February 1, 2008 - 17:06 ET by Ryan Mc.Just wait for McCain. He hates the first amendment and loves illegals. I wonder what side of this issue he'll fall down on?
Mr. Waters, Glenn Beck does
February 1, 2008 - 17:08 ET by motherbeltMr. Waters, Glenn Beck does have a daily 3 hour radio show, in addition to his CNN show.
I have an extensive Spanish dictionary. "raza" means "race, strain, lineage, breed." Not "people" in a generic sense. It would have to mean people of a certain breed or "strain."
If Ms. Murguia is so concerned that "such talk has serious consequences" and cites increased violence against Latinos, perhaps she should be concerned about La Raza's motto: "Por la raza todo. Fuera de la raza nada" For the race, everything, outside the race, nothing.
I wonder how Ms. Murguia thinks that contributes to ill-feeling and worries whether that might have "serious consequences." Does she worry that some Latinos might interpret that they are entitled to simply take what they want?
-
February 1, 2008 - 22:12 ET by dahliatraversto stop providing a forum for pundits who consistently disparage the documented and undocumented Hispanic immigrant population.
Certainly, Ms. Murguia. If that ever happens, we will pull the offending program immediately.
Sincerely,
CNN, FOX, MSNBC
All this from
February 1, 2008 - 22:22 ET by SlicksterLa Raza " The Race" their name says it all.
we need to:
February 1, 2008 - 22:36 ET by WesenRemember the Alamo.
→ NYT keeping its word
February 2, 2008 - 05:46 ET by Cool ArrowThe only time a man is really forced to keep his word is when nobody else will take it.
Subscription numbers suggest the NYT seeks to impose such a mission on itself.
♣ a seal
Oh, I get it, free speech
February 2, 2008 - 08:08 ET by msh1973Oh, I get it, free speech for everyone but Christians and Conservatives. No worries.
Exactly. The left's
February 2, 2008 - 08:30 ET by motherbeltExactly. The left's attitude is "free speech for me, but not for thee."
Until the Natioal Council of La Raza condemn the Aztlan movement and MechA,
they have zero credibility.
How is this woman's tactics
February 2, 2008 - 16:34 ET by TexasOptimistHow is this woman's tactics any different from those of the owners of this website? Hmmm?
I am a conservative who is willing to think for himself.
TO
February 2, 2008 - 16:43 ET byhow are the tactics different? not much, what are the stated purposes?
Exposing and Combating Liberal Media Bias
All the News that's Fit to Print
one claims to take sides, one claims neutrality (so for one the tact is with integrity for the other the tact is with hypocrasy)
Supreme Court, National Security, Borders, Fiscal Restraint, my litmus test for President.
Violent Crimes Against latinos since 2003?
February 2, 2008 - 19:52 ET by Redrowan2000Maybe they should really look at the statistics about who is committing this crime against these illegals. guess what it's other Latino's not people named Hannity, Beck or Dobbs.
This is a racist group and it gets a pass because its leftist , hispanic, and marxist and both parties are kissing their asses.
"Don't let the bastards grind you down"
Red
"Oh, I get it, free speech
February 5, 2008 - 11:16 ET by Ernest"Oh, I get it, free speech for everyone but Christians and Conservatives. No worries."
Correction. White Christians & conservatives. Wake up folks! Why does LaRaza even exist? What is thier function?