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The Dubious Mr. Dobbs
Truth matters. History and context count. "You're entitled to your own opinions. You're not entitled to your own facts," the late Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan famously observed. CNN's Lou Dobbs has migrated to a pre-eminent position in the debate on immigration in the U.S. Since he identifies himself as a journalist, he has a special responsibility to rely on facts and to correct misstatements of fact. CNN, which purports to be a news organization, touting itself as the "Most Trusted Name in News," has an equally strong obligation to its audience to tell the truth.
Dobbs was best known for anchoring CNN's "Moneyline," an early and influential program that helped create the televised financial-news genre. On "Moneyline," Dobbs featured corporate CEOs and generally lauded them. About five years ago, Dobbs began changing his line, invoking populist rhetoric and championing the cause of the middle class. He thematically titled his coverage "War on the Middle Class" and "Broken Borders." Dobbs' signature issue of undocumented immigrants, or, as he calls them, illegal aliens, has tremendous influence on the debate nationally. So it matters if he is wrong.
On March 28, 2006, Dobbs said on his show, "And it's costing us, no one knows precisely how much, to incarcerate what is about a third of our prison population who are illegal aliens." As it turns out, the number of noncitizens incarcerated in the U.S. federal and state prisons is closer to 6 percent, not 33 percent. Note that the 6 percent includes legal immigrants as well.
On April 14, 2005, Lou Dobbs opened his show by saying: "The invasion of illegal aliens is threatening the health of many Americans. Highly contagious diseases are now crossing our borders decades after those diseases had been eradicated in this country." CNN correspondent Christine Romans filed a report, then told Dobbs, "There have been 7,000 [cases of leprosy] in the past three years." CBS' "60 Minutes" later challenged the fact, pointing out that there had actually been 7,029 cases reported over 30 years. When Lesley Stahl confronted Dobbs on the statistic, he defended it, saying: "Well, I can tell you this. If we reported it, it's a fact."
Dobbs' reporter, Romans, said her source was "Dr. Madeleine Cosman, a respected medical lawyer and medical historian." Cosman, who died in March 2006, was a medical lawyer and staunch anti-immigrant activist. She was recorded saying publicly of Mexican men: "Recognize that most of these bastards molest girls under age 12, some as young as age 5, others aged 3, although, of course, some specialize in boys, some specialize in nuns, some are exceedingly versatile and rape little girls aged 11 and women up to age 79."
After I played the tape of Cosman for Dobbs, he conceded to me that his reporter's source, Cosman, was a "whack job."
On May 23, 2006, Dobbs aired a report on a state visit by Mexican President Vicente Fox. His correspondent, Casey Wian, called it a "Mexican military incursion" and displayed a map of the U.S. with the seven Southwest states highlighted as "Aztlan," which, Wian reported, "some militant Latino activists ... claim rightfully belongs to Mexico." The graphic came from the Council of Conservative Citizens, which the Southern Poverty Law Center, a group that tracks hate groups, points out is the current incarnation of the old White Citizen Councils of the 1950s and 1960s, which Thurgood Marshall referred to as "the uptown Klan." The SPLC has reported that several of Dobbs' guests and sources have had links to the CCC, such as Joe McCutchen of Protect Arkansas Now, part of the Minuteman vigilante movement, and Barbara Coe of the California Coalition for Immigration Reform. Another guest, Glenn Spencer, head of the anti-immigrant group American Patrol, speaks on the white-supremacist circuit. When CNN's Wolf Blitzer had Spencer on, he told his audience that the SPLC had designated American Patrol as a hate group. When Dobbs had him on, he never identified the connection.
In our conversation with Dobbs, "Democracy Now!" co-host Juan Gonzalez raised the issue of history, of how immigrants have been scapegoated: the Irish in the 1860s, the Chinese in the 1880s and, later, Southern Europeans. Dobbs rolled his eyes, saying, "Are you holding me responsible?" No, and Dobbs knows better. But he must be held responsible for not bringing a historical context to this crucial discussion of immigration reform. The immigration issue will not be solved by vilifying a population. The SPLC has just released a report on the upsurge in anti-immigrant, anti-Latino violence in the U.S.
United Stations Radio Networks has just announced that Dobbs will soon be hosting a three-hour daily talk radio show. The Web site claims, "It's not about what's right and left ... it's about what's right and wrong." Let's hope that Lou Dobbs follows his own advice.
150 Comments so far
Show AllI just read a report on the net, that Lou Dobbs has hired illegals to clean his horse barn at his ranch, and if substantiated; this would make him the # 1 hypocrite.
Lou Dobbs is an ass. What else is new?
Whoops, sorry. I didn't mean any offense to asses.
Shanti: citation?
Please and thanks!
Lou Dobbs' pretention to reasoned discourse is in shreds after his appearance on Democracy Now. It's apparent that he'd rather be a rich Limbaugh clone than a good journalist. He's got the whole thuggery thing down -- no doubt he's read "Winning Through Intimidation," the bible of those who are frustrated with having to make a reasoned argument. He makes an excellent negative example, though. He also belies whatever remains of CNN's pretention to balanced information.
Once upon a time, Lou Dobbs was "somewhat" useful as an alternative to FOX News Channel. Now that Republicans are moving quickly to mean-spirited talk about the immigrants (that Republican employers brought here), we would be well-served if Lou would just shut up on this topic for the duration of the campaign.
The only sensible idea for immigration enforcement (ever) was at the workplace, not at the border. That's NOT, however, the tack Republicans are taking today, and we don't need Lou's help to elect more Republicans who, once elected (IF they are) , will kiss the employers and laugh at the citizens.
Journalists and politicians recognized long ago that boogeyman politics equals big money. As viewers and voters tire of the old boogeymen, new ones need to be created.
Who will the next boogeyman be after viewers and voters get tired of hearing about immigrants?
To me it sounds even more sinister than adherence to journalistic standards or who will win at election time. Isn't this how genocide happens?
CNN is a racist propoganda tool. A weak sibling to Fox News. The whole immigration debate is a farce. I'm in San Francisco right now. hmm San Francisco sounds kinda Spanish to me. Oh that's right, this used to be part of Mexico until we took it from them, that makes who illegal.
Immigration is a cover for racists to spew their hate. It's the "gay marriage" of the 2008 election cycle. Distract and divide.
Ignore the buffoons. Dobbs is a man with a sick ego. Amanpour's special on "Czar Putin" was especially propagandistic. It's all crap.
Thankfully I have no t.v. right now and so I'm spared.
Ramsay
Sprucewolf -- yep, it's exactly how it happens.
I'm almost mixed on the Republican anti-immigrant crusade. Because the more they press against immigrants, the more they hang their political future in states such as my home of California, where the Latino vote is becoming more and more influential, and Republicans cannot expect to win here if they keep vilifying immigrants. And I would like to see the Republicans dig themselves an even deeper hole, as they come up again and again on the wrong side of history and important social trends. But on the other hand, the hate they are spreading with this rhetoric is frightening, and it is leaking out into all corners of society. Suddenly so many Americans think that immigration is a problem, and they are willing once again to turn against their own brothers because of their country of origin. I guess it is expedient thinking that we should let the Republicans hang themselves on this one. What we really need to do right now is counter their hateful speech and make all of our brothers and sisters feel welcome in this country, regardless of country of origin (and I would say regardless of status of documents).
I guess I've always ignored Dobbs precisely because of his background as a 'business reporter' and Moneyline.
If you ever watched that, it was the most un-critical reporting you could ever imagine. A lot of it was the simple reading of corporate press releases. Or it would be interviews with CEOs with the lightest, most 'softball' questions you could imagine. Almost always you got the sense that the interview was structured to let the CEO give whatever message they wanted to give. And Dobbs as a 'reporter' was simply facilitating the interview to help the CEO get his message out.
On this sort of 'business reporting', you never saw any sort of investigative reporting. You never saw any tough questions asked or raised.
So, as Dobbs transistioned his show into this mean-spirited populist sort of message, I just kept on ignoring him the way I ignored his 'business reporting'.
PS ... at least some of the defendants at Nuremberg were press officials that helped spread the Nazi lies and hate campaigns.
If you haven't seen Amy's and Juan's interview with Lou Dobbs, go to democracynow.org and look for the 12/04/07 show. It is so nice when Amy coaxes a demagogue on and makes 'em squirm.
My take on CNN and Fox.
CNN is what I call "Corporate news network". They give you the corporate party line on things.
Fox is the official voice of the Republican Party. Its head, Roger Ailes, was the 'communications director' for Ronald Reagan. And it definitely gives you the official Republican party line on pretty much everything.
When you look at it this way, you understand why it is they often seem the same, as the corporate party line and the Republican party line are often identical. But you can also understand some of the occasional differences. you can also understand that neither one represents the views of working Americans.
For me, both are blocked on my TV by the parental blocking features so I don't get my mind polluted by their propaganda.
I heard the Democracy Now show with Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez interviewing and debating Lou Dobbs. Let me say that Dobbs is a bigot and a scaremonger to make my position clear. That being said, Goodman and Gonzalez did a very poor job of debating him and fully exposing him for the racist that he is and more importantly for the journalist that he is not. Juan Gonzalez in particular should not have kept telling Dobbs that he was an intelligent man, which came across as very weak and obsequious. Before they debate anyone else on their show, the Democracy Now hosts should take a clinic on debating from George Galloway.
PS ... just for curiosity, and a suggestion for a research project.
How did Lou Dobbs report Enron on Money;ine? Not after Enron publicly crashed, but before.
Remember, right up until it fell apart, Enron was the darling of the business press. They were highly uncritical of what Enron was really doing, never did any financial investigation into their public reports, and basically cheerleaded for Enron right up until the crash.
I'm guessing you might find some interesting video of Dobss just gushing over Enron not too long before the crash.
Ramsay: You can't just ignore these racist "baffoons". They are damn dangerous and have to be put under the light of truth every time they let loose with their bile.
Always remember the hanging trees. "Blood on the leaves. Blood at the root". Making any group for any reason the "other" foments hate and murder.
COMarc, in the United States, business journalism is just hagiography dressed up in electronic media.
Eating a hamburger is nothing special, unless you are Bill Gates and do so on 60 Minutes. (What a flipping joke)
I was shocked to see Dobbs on DN
This guy is a very good debater. He certainly held his own and conceded nothing.
Frankly I don't know why Amy tries to penetrate a wall of ignorance like Dobbs when she can go around him...or even share the same stage with the likes of him...
She proved nothing and her audience is well aware of the Dobbs of the world.
Her style of bringing out the truth will survive long after the like of Dobbs have fadded into obscurity or by being exposed in some public way for some demented character flaw...stand by
"TIME WOUNDS ALL HEELS"
TruOrange;
check out http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/12/05/countdowns-worst-persons-gonzo-hill-hypocrite-lou-dobbs/
not real exact names of people, but this is where the "story" is coming from and I am pretty sure Dobbs does not check the papers of every employee of every business he exchanges money with . . . . .
Lou Dobbs is a fat lying sack of shit, like most fake journalists. He deserves the Jeff Gannon award for honesty
It is interesting to note that Lou Dobbs actually has a list of people from whom not to accept comments or emails. The only way I know about this is because I am on the list!
I remember when Lou Dobbs praised NAFTA back in 1993 when it passed. Don't forget that Dobbs was always an economic libertarian who could care a rat's ass less about the working class let alone civil liberties !
Dobbs acted like a cheap politician in that interview/debate. Also seemed bipolar. A snake in the grass.
Facts matter, we report the facts, we didn't know that, but we know the facts, these facts don't matter, what about all the other facts we've spouted. He was slimy and disrespectful to Amy and Juan. It was a hard show to listen too, all the crap coming from him and his 'here's the fact, this is the truth, blah blah hypocrite blah" holier-than-thou condescensions.
Ugh. Gives Fox people a run for their money.
Big cheers to Amy and Juan for making him squirm!
TruOrange,
Keith Olbermann made a passionate report about Lou Dobbs' daughters' horse jumping hobby.
Apparently, stabling horses is one area where illegal immigrant workers are employed as janitors.
Olbermann said that Dobbs should know this, and not pay for his daughters to indulge in this hobby, knowing that it depends on immigrant laborers to exist. If you go to his site, you will probably find a cite.
There's so much hypocrisy and white supremacist hate masked as a "policy. White supremacists know that white hoods don't work anymore, so they are in new ruses, now "accepting" Irish Catholics and Jews, people of color and adult children of recent immigrants who do their hate talk for them, as a part of their fronts, to obscure their real bigotry and racist agenda.
I wish all immigrant laborers, legal and illegal, would strike, stop taking care of children, working in hospitals, restaurants, in landscaping, in business, in hotels, in agriculture.
It would close down this nation and have ripple effects around the world.
What does it mean that immigrants and children of immigrants who were often invited into their host countries are demonized in so many nations?
I heard last week on Olbermann about Lou Dobbs's daughter's horse barn hires illegals. I suppose they're fired by now, just the way Romney iced his landscaping firm.
I appreciate how Goodman established the link back through time between today's anti-immigrant groups and the white supremacists of earlier times. They took off their white sheets and changed their rhetoric, but their fundamental cause is unchanged. Some of these people went into the megachurch business, some became Blackwater types, and some are these closet bigots.
There are no real surprises here, the loud mouth has been spouting off every chance he gets. As a self proclaimed spokes person for 'working America' he is wrong more than he gets it right. I get turned off by every jerk that wants to demagogue and denigrate the working people of any land or country. The undocumented immigrants in this country are here trying to provide for their families. Failed government policies on both sides of the border have caused these conditions. I have no doubt the undocumented immigrants would rather work and live at home if possible. I sure that most of us feel the same way. Yet if you or I had to travel to feed and provide for our families we would do what we had to. Let's direct our frustration at those in a position to fix the problem and also have the responsibility to fix the problem.
I never knew all of this till now. Well, at least he deservedly blasts our Congress daily for any of several good reasons.
I see an awful lot of knee-jerk liberal criticism of Lou Dobbs here. Whether you like his style or hate it, he has shined a light on a whole bunch of very real issues that no one else in the mainstream media dared to touch with a ten-foot pole. He doesn't just cover illegal immigration. He reports profusely on the shipping of our jobs overseas, the importing of dangerous products, and a whole lot of other issues where the government and corporate America have clearly gone the way of fascism. While he doesn't use the term fascism, it is clearly his focus.
So clean out your ears, check your knee-jerk liberalism at the door, and try to listen objectively to what he's saying. You may be surprised to find that he's on your side on practically everything.
Communism, Terrorism, Immigration .. the list goes on.
Its a tried and tested tool for winning elections anywhere in the world. Scare tactics, fear-mongering, media manipulation.
Hey but who cares ... we are a democracy and thats all that matters. Representation is a long and useless word. As long as we go to the friggin voting booth and elect another murderous pig into office, its all that matters.
Thank you, Lisa. I was hoping for a balanced view.
In addition, those who claim Lou Dobbs is a racist obviously don't know the nationality of his wife (Mexican).
Amy & Juan do not discuss the small matter of immigration law. Their compassion for illegal immigrants overrides respect for the rule of law and the meaning of American citizenship.
It's a tough issue. Those who enter the country illegally thumb their noses at the law and those who have gone through the naturalization process and become legal citizens. This is the foundation of national identity.
Amy and Juan conceal the issue of the rule of law by exploiting the history of anti-immigrant feeling and racism. Their tactics are irresponsible and their objective is to undermine the basis of national identity and sovereignty. Their perspective is essential internationalist. They have an agenda cloaked in sweetness and light. It is called the North American Union.
Lou Dobbs speaks for the great majority of Americans who value their citizenship, most of whom are members of the Democratic party. I thought Amy and Juan's performance was disgraceful, but enjoyed the encounter very much because I could see clearly for the first time the deception concealed in the politics of compassion.
Amy's devotion to the fight against racism and social injustice is inspiring at times. She pioneered the "Jena 6" story. It's too bad she's a Marxist internationalist. I'd love for her and Juan to give an hour to Ron Paul.
The problem is too many people trying to reduce the 'immigration issue' down to sound-bites - but it's much too complex for that. I doubt if we'd have so much rancor if this issue could be debated civilly, and at length. Our (US) economic policies are driving too many people to the US - and we really don't know what to do with them, do we?
I used to watch Dobbs (years ago) and I never thought he was a 'journalist' - he just read off the reports from corporate big-wigs - I don't remember him pretending to be an investigative journalists - just a host. Maybe he's changed - maybe he's senile in his old age?
If any one is interested there are a bunch of Lou Dobbs videos posted on you tube. He realy does cover a wide range of topics others wont.
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=lou+dobb&search=Search
My personal favorite is this interview with Christopher Hitchens:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZ_l3Utr670
Lou had done his share of slamming "w" as well, so he can't be all bad.
I watched Democracy Now on Tuesday and was disgusted at Dobbs's typical right wing tactic of simply stepping over the other person's voice, employing hyperbole instead of addressing the issue honestly, and treating Amy and Juan with utter contempt. It was disgusting
I was really angered at Dobbs's dismissive attitude toward Juan Gonzalez, who was trying to make the important point that the immigration "issue" has appeared at other times in US history, along with the same hysterical rhetoric about disease, crime, perverse sexuality, etc. And of course, these were often times of national insecurity, either because of economic downturns or war.
Dobbs clearly enjoys the power and influence he has gained with his not so subtle hate speech. He is a classic demagogue, appealing to the fears and hatreds of the beleaguered middle class by scapegoating the "illegals," victims of the same economic policies that have undermined the middle and working class in this country, but even more powerless. People who see their own hopes and dreams fading into insecurity and powerlessness are always easy dupes for power and hate mongers like Lou Dobbs.
Lisa,
I am sorry, but Lou Dobbs is all show and no substance. Even though he appears to take a sincere interest in publicly exploiting issues not covered by other members of the mainstream media, it is all smoke and mirrors. He is a self-serving opportunist who for years has been a mouthpiece for corporations and Wall Street. Even though he claims to be a populist, his history clearly proves that he is not, nor ever will be.
You know, if he gets people to talking, he can't be all bad. Sometimes it takes a bit of hyperbole to get people's attention - if so, then more power to him. If you're outraged at his perspective, then maybe you'll take a little time to discuss the issue with your friends, family, and neighbors - and come to a consensus. Just keep the insults down to a low roar and debate the issues instead of attacking his style - or anyone else's. Facts do matter. But most people respond to emotion first - Dobbs is apparently a lightening rod, so make the most of him!
CLAUDIUS, you are well aware that I very much respect both you and your opinions __ not always. I wish I didn't have to argue this with you, actually I don't have to, but I will.
I do not agree with all of the things Lou Dobbs says. In fact, I totally disagree with some of his opinions. However, he does much good, he does offer sound advice and gives fair balanced opinions on many issues. He is also much fairer with guests he disagrees with than most of the news people. He has also opened the eyes of many Americans to the problems of outsourcing jobs and protecting our borders, both of which are very serious issues. I agree with him more than I disagree, and it is most unfair to put him in a pile and say he is a load of shit.
Lou Dobbs also does not just read the news, far from it, he often makes the news and his books alone prove that fact. He also as I stated previously, attacks our Congress at every opportunity, for their incredible do nothing agenda. Obviously there are varied opinions here, that's not all bad at all, It's how we learn, until one tells another to go f**k themselves when they haven't been attacked personally by that person.
The issue of ILLEGAL immigration is a real problem that should be fought out in the halls of Congress with input from people instead of the corporations and wealthy elite that want powerless slaves at their beck and call and left wing nuts who will complain about the abuse of illegal aliens but intermingle legal and illegal aliens to hide the real problems brought by not resolving the law and enforcement of a tolerable policy.
Amy and Juan continually mix the statistics of extremely law abiding LEGAL immigrants, desperate illegal aliens just trying to survive, and drug smugglers, gang members, cross border criminals that are tormenting people for profit.
The political stalemate will lead to atrocities and hate groups. Amy hosts a program called Democracy Now but only really wants democracy when it agrees with her viewpoint. In this point she is like Lou Dobbs.
The toughest thing in the world is to respect the rights of the minority while the majority rules. In other words LIBERTY.
Lisa:
Don't call me liberal - it's an insult.
Liberals are closet racists - Conservatives are out of the closet racists.
Liberals give $30 a year to the Sierra Club to absolve their guilt for driving SUV's and buying crap at the gap.
Lazarus:
John Wayne liked Mexican women also. Thomas Jefferson was having sex with his black slaves and wrote "All men are created equal..." So, who cares, who Dobb's is married to.
Pat Buchanan and I agree on a lot of stuff - he's still a racist.
I'm from California, we've been through this before (prop. 187), it's when you find out which "liberals" are racist. The conservatives we already know how they feel.
The whole issue of illegal immigration is such a waste of time and energy, such a distraction, and I guess that's the point. While you go on worrying about Mexicans, your country and your personal savings is being robbed, by your fellow white legal Americans.
Here's a quick test to find out if you are racist - do you identify people by race? For instance do you say "This asian woman at the store was really helpful to me today." Sounds nice but proves you're racist.
See, I'm taking Rebel Farmer's advice, I'm not ignoring racist buffoons.
Ramsay
"GARBOTOO December 5th, 2007 2:20 pm
I was shocked to see Dobbs on DN
This guy is a very good debater."
Would you say he is a master debater? Uh huh-huh. I typed master debater. Huh-huh.*
Yeah. Yeah. Master debater. debater. heh-heh. Yeah.**
*insert Butthead voice
** insert Beavis voice
Hi Claudius, I know you would not do those things and did not intend to infer you did, those comments were directed at some others who posted here. I hope you understnd I was only writing to you in the first paragraph.
I do believe this is the only time I have ever had a disagreement with you on any issue. My wife and I disagree on occasion and we have been sleeping in the same bed for 52 years.___ She hates me though.
Lou Dobbs hating Mexicans to the point of labeling Vincente Fox's invitation to Utah a "military incursion" and at the same time being married to a Mexican woman is a classic example of splitting or dissociation. It doesn't let him off any hook as one doesn't cancel out the other. In fact, the fact is that it pegs him to one more: psychopathology. I just wonder what trauma in Dobbs' past makes him hate Mexicans so much now.
So if someone says I'm a white guy, they're raciest? I believe the well intended point posted by someone that Lou Dobbs is married to a Mexican, pretty well illustrates that he is not raciest.
Dobbs is not against Mexcans coming to America, he is against anyone coming here illegally and taking jobs, so am I, so should we all be. He is against our unprotected borders, where any who may be a terrorist can walk right in. Come to America legally and have a job. I wish we didn't find it necessary to have borders, those imaginary lines drawn on maps, ___ but we do.
We humans are all the same, different races, different skin colors, different religions, different cultures, but we are all the same. Dobbs also is not Thomas Jefferson or John Wayne or Billy The kid. Lou Dobbs is a good man who has a job that will stir controversy and he is not afraid to do so. Sometmes he's wrong, and sometimes he's right, __the same as all of us.
Hi Kem Patrick,
I too very much respect you and your views. As you know and have mentioned on other threads, everyone is entitled to his/her opinion. Obviously, I have a bit of a different view about Dobbs than you, but that is okay. I would not characterize Dobbs as a load of shit. And I certainly would not resort to ad hominem attacks by telling someone to go f@#$ themselves (well maybe George Bush and Dick Cheney). I am too keen to Dobbs's past and not entirely convinced that he has really turned the corner, so to speak. That's all. Take care.
Best regards,
Claudius
Lou Dobbs has editorial rights on his show which very few network correspondants actually have. If he didn't, we wouldn't hear him criticize the administration or Congress in the manner he does. Television is an advertising medium, not a bastion of truth. What little get's reported is mired in that tangled thicket of opinion.
I found it interesting that Amy Goodman was actually attempting to smear Dobbs assertion that the move towards a "Pan-American Union" was taking place. Much of Goodman's funding comes from FORD (as well as the lion's share of the Pacifica affiliate's fund drives) Ford, amoung many other global corps, will benefit from the details found within the SPP documents. Amy, I suggest you separate yourself from the SPLC as well as the ADL, the 2 groups that deny what Vincente Fox said right on Larry King Live: That a (NAU) Pan-American Trade Agreement has been taking place and a "new" currency is not immediate, but is planned for the future. He also said it would have moved forward quicker if Hugo Chavez hadn't refused, actually referring to him as "very bad". Try thinking this way: Chavez inadvertidly saved this nations sovereignty! The SPLC also made sure that Border Patrolmen Ramos & Campeon were convicted of a hate crime for doing their jobs. An attempt by members of BOTH parties in Congress to have the Border Patrolmen pardoned was called "right wing misinformation" by the SLPC. Research the story folks. It'll make your blood boil.
Democracy Now! always seemed to be about free speech. I listen often but have begun to question Amy & Juan when it comes to their "jumping the gun" with deragatory labels in an attempt to actually censor those with dissenting political views other than their own.
Goodman also tried to imply that the minutemen were killing illegal border crossers. There is absolutely no known cases of this, but the Bill O'Reillyish attempt at trying to paint this picture had Amy Goodman struggling for words. How mainstream you have become, Amy.
So, was this an attempt to paint Dobbs as a racist, to soften the image of a NAU or to accept millions of people who got here illegaly that nobody would really care about if we weren't in this present economic crisis?
Hi Kem,
I know you did not infer those things. Congratulations on 52 years of marriage! That is terrific! I have never been married. But when I do, I certainly will learn to be diplomatic with my wife. I have heard sleeping in doghouses can be rather uncomfortable. Nonetheless, it at least sounds like she forgives you. I am getting ready to go see Gonzaga University play Washington State University in basketball tonight. It is all that the newspapers and television stations have been hyping all day! Kem, it always is a pleasure hearing from you. Have a nice evening and please give my best regards to your wife. If the two of you have been married for 52 years, you must be doing something right.
Kem Patrick illustrates the quality of the sub rosa bigotry advocated by and defending Lou Dobbs. He cannot even spell the following words: racist ("raciest"), sometimes ("sometmes"), or understand ("understnd").
Never mind the fact that he also gets wrong the nature and character of immigration to the United States. The terrorists who attacked the United States on September 11 2001 came here legally, not illegally, which is a fact that Lou Dobbs and other bigots try to propagandize. What Lou Dobbs and his followers have done is to characterize immigrants from Latin America as terrorists, which is false. At first, I was going to type "entirely false", but that is not true. People like Lou Dobbs and the Republicans have their own terrorist heroes like Luis Posada Carriles who bombed a Cuban Airliner and killed 73 people. I bet you Lou Dobbs has seldom mentioned Posada Carriles in his warnings against immigration, probably because he would be embarassed to say that he welcomes a real terrorist from Latin America being on US soil but is against generalized, imaginary terrorists from the same region.
Since people like Kem Patrick have probably never heard of Jose Posada Carriles, here is a link to wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luis_Posada_Carriles
Immigrants come here because there are jobs that would go unfilled because of a shortage of workers in some sectors of the economy. Rather than being a drain on the economy, migrant workers are contributing to it. People like Lou Dobbs and the stupid idiots who follow him (such as Kem Patrick) want to keep a system by which people are not allowed to be here legally and pay taxes and make other social contributions to society. Unlike the European Union, NAFTA does not require the United States to fully integrate economically with Mexico by allowing for sensible and realistic migration policies. My stand is that NAFTA or its replacement should be more like the European Union and provide for worker protection and rights, including migration rights. The present migration system is entirely unrealistic and wholly unsuitable to the economic and social needs of the United States or Mexico.
As an addendum, I feel sorry that someone's wife has had to share her bed with a bigot for 52 years. No wonder she can't stand him! Frankly, I don't blame her sentiments.
Let me preempt any criticism that I typed "Jose" instead of "Luis". I acknowledge my mistake.
Hola to all
If you want to get to Amy you'll have to pry her from my cold dead hands. I wish! Democracy Now is one of the great blessings we have. Enjoy it while you can. As a disclaimer and as a rejoinder I would like to assert that neither I nor my forebears or progeny are in any way related to Lou Dobbs. Except of course that we are ALL human beings.
-BobQDobbs
WOw, way to go there COMMANDER N CHIMP. See you are attackng me personally; because I have a diverse opinion than you I'm a bigot? I also never wrote terrorists have snuk across our borders, I say they can and they may have. Your comments make no sense in that respect. We do know many drug dealers, child molesters, rapists, murderers and convicted and wanted criminals have. All I'm saying is, our borders are not well protected and if you or any others say othewise, you're idiots and liars. Since you have done so you are an idiotic liar, in spite of spelling words properly. I am legally blind and do have trouble typin here andreang the screen. but that's not an excuse, it's a reason.
I also was joking about my wife hating me, like to joke here. Any fool would know I was not serious with that remark. You are less than a fool.