struggle to survive and seek a better life. For others, it is a word that is brings to mind a political policy that is broken and in
dire need of repair. But for some, it is a word that arises boiling levels of hatred and anger. These extreme emotions can be
seen vented on cable television stations, they can be heard on far-right wing radio shows, and they acted out by those filled with a blind rage.
In doing research for a recent college paper I was struck to find how many negative comments were posted online after nearly every article I read on immigration. It seemed that just the mention of immigration influenced people to bring out their most vicious opinions. I began to wonder, “How is such deep hatred instilled in people?” Unfortunately, this question would take years, and even a lifetime to properly address. What I have witnessed, however, is that those who fill their eyes and ears with hate, see and hear only more hate in the world. On many occasions I have listened to people repeat the negative views that they have heard on political radio, and seen on political TV stations that stimulate contempt for immigrants. I’m not the only one who has witnessed the damaging affects that hate radio and TV has on the minds of people.
In January, The National Hispanic Media Coalition and the Institute for Public Representation at Georgetown University Law Center, asked the FCC to investigate the pervasiveness of hate speech on public airwaves and how it affects the Latino community. The members requesting the investigation felt that the media was perpetuating much of the hatred and negative views against Latinos, immigrant and citizens. Their views were based on a recent rise in hate crimes towards Latinos. According to a report put out by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, “in 2007, Hispanics comprised 61.7 percent of victims of crimes motivated by a bias toward the victims’ ethnicity or national origin.” The report states that the number of Hispanic victims of racial attacks rose from 639 in 2002, to 830 in 2007. These statistics offer proof that there is a growing hostility toward people of Hispanic origin. I believe that it is important for the FCC to do a full investigation to find how much of a role hate media plays in perpetuating such acts of violence. The spread of dangerous anti-immigrant rhetoric only persuades people to believe that their anger is indeed acceptable. However, this anger is not acceptable when it results in the beating and murder of innocent human beings.
In December of 2008 an Ecuadorian man died after he was bludgeoned with a glass bottle and a baseball bat. Witnesses of the attack over heard the aggressors yelling anti-Hispanic slurs at the man while he was being beaten. In the same year a 25-year-old, Luis Eduardo Ramirez Zavala, was beaten and killed by teenagers who were overheard yelling, “Go back to Mexico!” And in Patchogue, New York last year, seven high school students killed 37-year-old Marcelo Lucero after beating him and stabbing him in the chest. The teenagers committed the murder after spending their day targeting other Hispanics in less deadly hate crimes. Again I ask myself, “How is such hatred instilled in people?” The factor of hate radio and television is difficult to ignore. Do these station realize that dangerous rhetoric breeds dangerous actions?
In conclusion I turn to the future. President Obama has announced that he plans to address immigration reform within his first term as president. With this announcement I cannot help but have a sense of uneasiness. I have this feeling because I know that there are those in the U.S. that are extremely anti-immigration, and that some are more than willing to vent their anger over the airwaves. Those who write about and condone hate speech must be aware of the deadly effect that it can produce. And those who have negative views of immigrants should seriously consider the ramifications that occur when people blindly judge each other. One only needs to look to the past to see the disastrous effects of discrimination, division, and misguided hatred.
Bibliography
Bernard, Anne. “Assaults on Latinos Spur Inquiry.” The New York Times 12 Jan. 2009. 24 Apr. 2009
Latinos against hate speech. 24 Apr. 2009
“Marcelo Lucero.” News Day dot com. 23 Apr. 2009. 24 Apr. 2009
Romero, Romona E. “Immigrants becoming targets of attacks.” The Philidelphia Inquirer 25 Jan. 2009. 24 Apr. 2009
Torres, Joe. “FCC to Investigate Link Between Hate Speech and Hate Crimes.” New American Media. 3 Feb. 2009. 24 Apr. 2009
good article. I hope that the right wing media does not use the immigration issue much like Hitler used the Jews to blame the dwindling German economy of their time.
ReplyDeleteWhat is needed is a repeal of the welfare state, the source of social conflict and racial tension. We will have true equality when there is equal opportunity under a voluntary market order.