John Stirrup has nominated Robert Duecaster, one of the authors of the Immigration Resolution, as an appointee to the Strategic Task Force for PWC. He will sit on the Health and Human Services Committee if approved. Let me quote from Mr. Duecaster as best I can:
“This issue is not really about immigration or illegality or legality, it’s not about economics, I’m going to tell you right now what it’s about. It’s about an invasion of this country. This county is being invaded no less than if hordes of armed people were coming across its border. This invasion is not armed, but they’ve got weapons. The weapons they use are their anchor babies.”
“Mark these words, we are going to repel this invasion, one way or another. You can part of that repulsion or be on the other side.”
Mr. Duecaster is the secretary for Help Save Manassas, which is recognized by The Southern Poverty Law Center as a “Nativist” group. In addition to this label, the Anti-Defamation League has now added Save the Old Dominion AND Help Save Manassas to their list of “Extremist” anti immigrant organizations. You will see that Mr. Duecaster uses many of the code words that ADL lists as tools to move extremist rhetoric into the mainstream. I find this nomination unaccpetable! What is John Stirrup thinking?
A closer look at the public record reveals that some of these supposedly mainstream organizations have disturbing links to, or relationships with, extremists in the anti-immigration movement. Often identified in the media or their mission statements as “anti-illegal immigration advocacy groups,” they attempt to distort the debate over immigration by fomenting fear and spreading unfounded propaganda through the use of several key tactics:
Describing immigrants as “third world invaders,” who come to America to destroy our heritage, “colonize” the country and attack our “way of life.” This charge is used against Latinos, Asians and other people of color.Using terminology that describes immigrants as part of “hordes” that “swarm” over the border. This dehumanizing language has become common.
Portraying immigrants as carriers of diseases like leprosy, tuberculosis, Chagas disease (a potentially fatal parasitic disease), dengue fever, polio, malaria.
Depicting immigrants as criminals, murderers, rapists, terrorists, and a danger to children and families.
Propagating conspiracy theories about an alleged secret “reconquista” plot by Mexican immigrants to create a “greater Mexico” by seizing seven states in the American Southwest that once belonged to Mexico.
Blaming immigrants for eroding American culture, institutions and quality of life and impacting our environment and natural resources.
This anti-immigrant propaganda and rhetoric, once the domain of hate groups, is now part of the lexicon used by anti-immigration advocacy organizations, politicians and media figures considered mainstream.
In this report, part of a series of reports on immigration and extremism, ADL exposes those individuals and groups who are playing a key a role in mainstreaming extremist rhetoric in the immigration debate in various aspects of American life.
