Anti Defamation League issues report on racism in immigration debate.

The Anti Defamation League, one of the nations most respected watchdog groups exposing anti-Semitic and racist activity, recently issued a report on the growing influence of hate-groups in the anti-immigration movement. Entitled, "Extremists Declare 'Open Season' on Immigrants: Hispanics Target of Incitement and Violence", the report documents how these groups are using and co-opting the immigration debate to further their white supremacists and racists agendas.

This report now joins the growing body of evidence, such as that compiled by the Southern Poverty law Center, that not only are these fringe groups being empowered by anti-immigration rhetoric coming from many mainstream sources, but are in fact fueling and inflaming the debate to meet their own agenda.

It has long been know amongst immigrants right activists that one need not play all “six degrees of separation” to link many prominent members of the anti-immigration movement to those on the far fringes of society, a “degree” or two would be all that was needed.


tags: immigration, ADL, Racism, Anti Defanation League, white supremacists

Spurred in recent weeks by the debate on Capitol Hill and the groundswell of grassroots activism in support of America's immigrant community, extremists have become increasingly emboldened by, and fixated on, the controversy over immigration policy, encouraging their supporters to capitalize on the issue by encouraging anti-immigrant activism, and even violence against all Hispanics.

While white supremacists have for many years attempted to exploit rising anti-immigration sentiments in the U.S., the level and intensity of their attacks against Hispanics has reached dangerous new highs, with right-wing extremists joining anti-immigration groups, distributing anti-immigrant propaganda and holding frequent anti-immigration rallies and protests.

As a result, Hispanics, regardless of their citizenship or immigration status, increasingly are becoming the targets of hatred and violence from hardcore white supremacists.

Racists ranging from neo-Nazis to Klansmen to racist skinheads are among the most active anti-immigration activists in the country. Motivating their actions is the core conviction of modern white supremacist ideology: That the white race itself is threatened with extinction by a "rising tide of color" controlled and manipulated by Jews.

ADL

(WARNING: The report highlights some extremely troubling, violent and racist hate speech. The excerpts reprinted here are intended to demonstrate, educated and warn the reader. Those who might find this kind of rhetoric too troubling or emotionally hurtful should skip ahead, passing over the quoted passages.)

The fringe groups have picked up on general sentiments and themes in the anti-immigration movement and accentuated those that most align with their own twisted vision. At the same time they manage to move the debate further to the extreme by ratcheting up the rhetoric to ever more racist and hateful levels. They urge Americans to “fight back” against and “invasion” of “white America” by Mexicans and other Hispanics. While the extreme language used by these hate groups gives away their true intent, the general sentiments are not far from many of those expressed in the more mainstream circles of the anti-immigrant movement.

Rhetoric like that of anti-immigration leader Representative Tom Tancredo (R-CO) when he spoke the Minutemen Project opening day trally in 2005:

Tancredo told the Minutemen that each of them stood for 100,000 likeminded Americans who couldn't afford to make the trip. … we must never surrender our right as citizens to do our patriotic duty and defend our country ... and stop this invasion ourselves."

SPLC

Quickly turns to:

"These Mestizo invaders are so different from us that by mixing with them or being dispossessed by them we will cease to live, we will cease to be ourselves or have a place to exist to support the lives of our future generations. And that is the crucial reason why this invasion must be stopped."

ADL

When filtered through the prism of the neo-nazi and white supremacists.

It is then moved even further to the extreme until it reflects the hate group’s ultimate goals.

"this infestation of cockroaches need deportation or extermination!" If legal means of "stopping this rising tide" were not enough, "then these brown squat monsters should begin to turn up dead all across Amerika…We now have another game animal to add to our list of available targets for our favorite pastime, hunting, and we'll declare permanent OPEN SEASON on these dirty wetbacks! From what I have heard through the grapevine the Skinheads and Klans across the country are more than prepared for this type of action. I say let's play by state and see which state can claim the most kills and let the jewsmedia whores keep score!"

ADL

(For a look at just how pervasive the anti-immigrant rhetoric is, here is a link to a “white rock” radio station blog that turned up on my sitemeter on May 1. It is a discussion about that days immigrant right march.Link )

The report goes on to look at the growing incidences of violence and hate crimes that have been committed against Hispanics. Stating that while only a minority of hate crimes are committed by “ideological extremists” it is “The increased willingness of such white supremacists, especially racist skinheads, to attack Hispanics (that) represents a dangerous and disturbing trend.”

November 2005, Tennessee. A federal judge sentenced former Klansman Daniel James Schertz to 14 years in prison for selling pipe bombs to a person he thought would use them to kill Mexican and Haitian immigrants. The person turned out to be an undercover informant. Schertz, a former corrections officer and member of the North Georgia White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, pleaded guilty to making five pipe bombs to be used to blow up a bus carrying Mexican workers. Later, Schertz expressed gratitude that the government had stopped him, but said, "We should have people here who know how to speak English. They are over here illegally and nothing gets done to them."

ADL

The report concludes with a look at the growing vigilante border patrol groups movement.

It is not surprising that the most radical anti-Hispanic sentiment is coming from white supremacists; however, there are other groups joining the anti-Hispanic crusade. With mounting public awareness and concern over illegal immigration in America, the issue is also being exploited by extreme anti-immigration activists, some of whom are reaching out to white supremacists. The rhetoric of these activists is largely aimed at Mexicans, not other illegal aliens, and frequently does not distinguish between Mexicans and Mexican-Americans.

This extreme end of the anti-immigration movement includes both anti-Hispanic hate groups masquerading as immigration reform groups as well as vigilante border patrol groups, who conduct armed patrols along the borders of the United States. Several border vigilantes have been arrested on weapons charges. Casey Nethercott, for example, associated with border vigilante groups such as Ranch Rescue and the Arizona Guard, is currently serving a five-year prison term on weapons charges stemming from a 2003 incident in which he and others confronted and assaulted two Salvadorans when on "patrol."

ADL

The message could not be more clear. As the immigration debate continues to heat up, so does the rhetoric from the anti-immigration camp. Unfortunately that rhetoric is increasingly taking the tone and timber of those at the furthest extreme. In May 2005 over 400 anti-immigrant groups held a summit in Las Vegas. During the "Unite to Fight Against Illegal Immigration" summit “activists gathered at the event to hear speakers describe illegal immigrants as "the enemy within" and "illegal barbarians," while suggesting that America was "at war" with illegal immigrants and urging people to "take America back." And while most in attendance at the summit would never willingly align themselves skinheads, neo-nazis and white supremacists, they cheered rhetoric that was only slightly removed from that of the worst hate mongers.

Not removed by six degrees of separation … but perhaps one or two … and moving ever closer.