The title itself is a little misleading:
Amid swine flu outbreak, racism goes viralAnti-immigrant hatred spreads on talk radio, Web sites
If we're targeting conservative talk radio, and Alexander is, then the term ‘anti-immigrant' should be corrected. Conservatives aren't anti-immigrant, they're anti-criminal, much like liberals are anti-tax filing. Loving your country enough to request that anyone who wishes to be a member abide by their immigration laws, is not anti-immigrant, and making such an assessment by accusing the entire conservative philosophy as being racist is... well ... anti-intellectual. But then, that is the norm for commentary presented by MSNBC.
Further down in the column, Alexander explains that the real problem isn't just talk radio and Web sites in general. No, the main problem is actually racist conservatives (emphasis mine throughout):
"While the war of words is mainly between the conservative commentariat and Latino advocacy groups..."
Alexander strategically adds emphasis to other sections in his anti-conservative hit piece.
Ignorant beyond the paleBlaming ‘the other'
Fighting racism with information
Carefully chosen words to be sure.
Of course, sprinkled throughout the column are out of context excerpts from talk show host Michael Savage, and conservative columnist Michelle Malkin.
The very first quote from Savage demonstrates that the conservative banter is not anti-immigrant, but rather, opposed to illegal immigration:
"No contact anywhere with an illegal alien!" conservative talk show host Michael Savage advised his U.S. listeners this week on how to avoid the swine flu.
Mr. Alexander, please direct your little eyes to a word you might have accidentally missed, or chose to ignore - illegal. Now feel free to head to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Web site, where it is clearly spelled out that, in order to gain legal citizenship, one must understand that:
Most applicants for adjustment of status are required to have a medical examination. The medical examination must be conducted by a civil surgeon who has been designated by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Here again, those who go through proper immigration procedures, will have had a medical examination as opposed to those who are crossing our borders through tunnels dug into the ground, who might have a disease or flu in tow.
Alexander then sets his sights on Michelle Malkin, quoting her April 25th column regarding swine flu and the borders:
"I've blogged for years about the spread of contagious diseases from around the world into the U.S. as a result of uncontrolled immigration," conservative columnist Michelle Malkin wrote on her Web site. "9/11 didn't convince the open-borders zealots to put down their race cards and confront reality. Maybe the threat of their sons or daughters contracting a deadly virus spread from south of the border to their Manhattan prep schools will."
For some biased reason, most likely the desire for continued employment at MSNBC, Alexander neglected to add a few key sentences from Malkin's article. Here is the actual portion of the column which was being taken out of context (omitted statements in bold):
I've blogged for years about the spread of contagious diseases from around the world into the U.S. as a result of uncontrolled immigration. We've heard for years from reckless open-borders ideologues who continue to insist there's nothing to worry about. And we've heard for years that calling any attention to the dangers of allowing untold numbers of people to pass across our borders and through our other ports of entry without proper medical screening - as required of every legal visitor/immigrant to this country - is RAAAACIST.9/11 didn't convince the open-borders zealots to put down their race cards and confront reality.
Maybe the threat of their sons or daughters contracting a deadly virus spread from south of the border to their Manhattan prep schools will.
Funny that the omitted portion involves two key items which present the argument as wholly without prejudice: The concern for having proper medical screenings, and the adherence to U.S. laws by - and say it with me - legal immigrants.
Alexander further insults Malkin, by adding the comments of a one Sergio Ornelas who says,
"People who do not really know anything are creating ideas that don't really exist."
Savage and Malkin don't really know anything. And yet, when they talk about illegal immigration, millions of people are rightfully listening. When Americans demand border control and reject amnesty-granting policies, they are also listening, conservative or otherwise. Securing our country's borders is not racist, it's American.
Perhaps Mr. Alexander would be better served if he ceased trying to explore the realm of political commentary, and stick to sexploring topics with which he is familiar.
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