I Fucking Hate Redneck Racist Crackers
and the willfully ignorant, too.
So there's this exchange via e-mail between me and a distant aunt (like twice removed or something) I have never met. It started with one of those damn basement troll e-mails about immigration that reads as follows (I have not cleaned up the e-mail. This is how I received it exactly execept for the Italics for easier reading):
this man tells it like most of us born citizens feel. I hope eachof you DOES pass this on.
hugs,
"charlie"
> New Immigrants > From: "David LaBonte" > My wife, Rosemary, wrote a wonderful letter to the editor of theOC Register which, of course, was not printed. So, I decided to "print"it myself by sending it out on the Internet. Pass it along if you feel soinclined. > Dave LaBonte (signed) > > Written in response to a series of letters to the editor in theOrange County Register: > > Dear Editor: > > So many letter writers have based their arguments on how thisland is made up of immigrants. Ernie Lujan for one, suggests we shouldtear down the Statute of Liberty because the people now in questionaren't being treated the same as those who passed through Ellis Islandand other ports of entry. > Maybe we should turn to our history books and point out to > people like Mr. Lujan why today's American is not willing toaccept this new kind of immigrant any longer. > > Back in 1900 when there was a rush from all areas of > Europe to come to the United States, people had to get off a shipand stand in a long line in New York and be documented. Some would evenget down on their hands and knees and kiss the ground. They made a pledgeto uphold the laws and support their new country in good and bad times.They made learning English a primary rule in their new Americanhouseholds and some even changed their names to blend in with their newhome. > > They had waved good bye to their birth place to give theirchildren a new life and did everything in their power to help theirchildren assimilate into one culture. Nothing was handed to them. No freelunches, no welfare, no labor laws to protect them. > > All they had were the skills and craftsmanship they had broughtwith them to trade for a future of prosperity. Most of their childrencame of age when World War II broke out. My father fought along side menwhose parents had come straight over from Germany, Italy, France andJapan. None of these 1st generation Americans ever gave any thought aboutwhat country their parents had come from. > > They were Americans fighting Hilter, Mussolini and the Emperor ofJapan. They were defending the United States of America as one people.When we liberated France, no one in those villages were looking for theFrench-American or the German American or the Irish American. The peopleof France saw only Americans. > > And we carried one flag that represented one country. Not one ofthose immigrant sons would have thought about picking up anothercountry's flag and waving it to represent who they were. It would havebeen a disgrace to their parents who had sacrificed so much to be here.These immigrants truly knew what it meant to be an American. They stirredthe melting pot into one red, white and blue bowl. > > And here we are in 2006 with a new kind of immigrant who wantsthe same rights and privileges. Only they want to achieve it by playingwith a different set of rules, one that includes the > entitlement card and a guarantee of being faithful to theirmother country. I'm sorry, that's not what being an American is allabout. I believe that the immigrants who landed on Ellis Island in theearly 1900s deserve better than that for all the toil, hard work andsacrifice in raising future generations to create a land that has becomea beacon for those legally searching for a better life. I think theywould be appalled that they are being used as an > example by those waving foreign country flags. > > And for that suggestion about taking down the Statute of Liberty,it happens to mean a lot to the citizens who are voting on theimmigration bill. I wouldn't start talking about dismantling the UnitedStates just yet. > > (signed) > > Rosemary LaBonte > > P.S. Pass this on to everyone you know!!! KEEP THIS LETTERMOVING!! I hope this letter gets read by millions of people all acrossthe nation!!
Soooooo..... now I'm pissed because someone forwarded something to me that is so completely racist, so completely false and did so without ever questioning the views espoused therein. Fuckers are wasting my and everyone else's time writing this shit. And don't get me started on clogging my inbox. Of course, I have to respond. Maybe I was a bit harsh, but I don't think so. We have to use tough love with these nonsensical forwarders.
Here's my response (in Italics for easier reading and my name redacted):
To Whom It May Concern:
Please do not send me this type of racist crap. My grandmother is an immigrant. I have friends and co-workers who are immigrants. This is nothing more than racist propoganda by hatemongers. I won't stand for it being in my in-box.
Further, I suggest you actually study the issue before adopting such a dimsighted opinion.
Sincerely,
The Raving Badger"
Lo and behold....I get a response:
Dear Raving Badger,
I am so sorry that this offended you. I in no way am against immigrants coming to the U S but as this letter says your Grandmother came to our country like so many others from all different parts of the world in the past and unlike so many that are coming to our country now,. She came in legally learned to speak our language even better than she did when she came. She never asked us to print her native language on everything to make her life easier. She never waved the Austrian flag and demonstrated wanting to change our laws.
I am sorry if you feel that I am prejudice. That is totally untrue. If anyone wants to come to our country and go Thru the legal channels, learn OUR language and be productive citizens I am all for it. I have friends from several different countries and none on them are illegal or have asked for special treatment.
Do you think we should just leave our borders open and let anyone in with no restrictions? I wonder if you really read this letter because you really took it the wrong way or your ideas are a lot different then what I thought you were like. Like I said I didn't mean to offend you and I am sure if you ask your Grandmother she feels the same way I do.
Thanks for hearing me out. Sincerely, Aunt So and So
Now my response (I'm holding back in it as you'll see):
Aunt So and So,
What is wrong with immigrants keeping some part of their heritage? Should the Chinese stop eating Moo Goo Gai Pan? Or the Hausmans stop eating Goulash? Or Grandpa stop drinking schnapps? Seriously. Where do you draw the line? You do know, of course, that the assimilation requirements are no different than the Jim Crow voting laws of the segregationist South? Pay a fee. Pass an English test. Prove you can read Shakespeare. It's the same nasty animal and it's utter crap designed to divide people and keep them from successfully immigrating. It's racism with a civilized visage. But it's still racism.
I understand the assimilation argument to some extent, but it's a red herring. There are many immigrant neighborhoods across the US and they have never been a source of problems. What do you care if the signs are in Chinese in San Fransico's Chinatown? Or there are Spanish buiness signs in the barrio? You don't live there anyway. Should Muenster, Texas stop having its Germanfest because German is spoken? Should the Italians stop their Columbus Day parades or Saints celebrations where they sell cannoli? Why should someone be forced to hide their proud heritage? What? Because they don't hail from Europe?
BTW- did you know that the Minutemen that patrols the borders and other groups like them have been fundraising 100's of millions of dollars for building a "fence?" In reality, that money is funding neo-nazi type groups who spread hatred and racism instead of building a wall. It's money for weapons and training for a future race war. That's who's behind this stuff. Join them if you want, but be prepared to have the same blood on your hands. Just because you don't personally advocate shooting border jumpers doesn't mean that you are any less morally and ethically culpable. Hell, even Christ was an immigrant. And the anti-immigration stance is the least Christian of any stance I have seen in politics.
I am all for border patrol, but criminalizing those who are here and who are law abiding, and tax paying (yes, they pay taxes too even though they'll never be able to apply for a tax refund or collect social security or welfare or food stamps or SSI) is wrong. It's punitive and for absolutely no reason at all other than their skin is a different color. Those here should not have to leave. And frankly, I am sick of the xenophobia being demonstrated by redneck crackers with no idea of what all they destroying.....small businesses that depend on low wage workers, entire communities that generate lots of sales tax, churches would lose congregations (esp. Catholic churches), schools would lose their tax base, etc..
If you are looking at this subject as a part of the war on terror, then immigration has nothing to do with it, porous borders do and you better look north to Canada where there is a demonstrable problem. Look to our ports which are presently controlled by the Dubia company we complained about 5 months ago. Currently, they are in charge of no less than 22 US ports. How sneaky of Bush and Co., huh? Willingly handing over port security to a country known for supporting terrorism both financially and logistically??? Damn. That's smart.
Look, it's a crap letter mass generated by some troll in his basement for money. It's propaganda of the worst sort and I will not stand for it.
The Raving Badger
Soooo.. who's right?
Me, of course.....
So there's this exchange via e-mail between me and a distant aunt (like twice removed or something) I have never met. It started with one of those damn basement troll e-mails about immigration that reads as follows (I have not cleaned up the e-mail. This is how I received it exactly execept for the Italics for easier reading):
this man tells it like most of us born citizens feel. I hope eachof you DOES pass this on.
hugs,
"charlie"
> New Immigrants > From: "David LaBonte" > My wife, Rosemary, wrote a wonderful letter to the editor of theOC Register which, of course, was not printed. So, I decided to "print"it myself by sending it out on the Internet. Pass it along if you feel soinclined. > Dave LaBonte (signed) > > Written in response to a series of letters to the editor in theOrange County Register: > > Dear Editor: > > So many letter writers have based their arguments on how thisland is made up of immigrants. Ernie Lujan for one, suggests we shouldtear down the Statute of Liberty because the people now in questionaren't being treated the same as those who passed through Ellis Islandand other ports of entry. > Maybe we should turn to our history books and point out to > people like Mr. Lujan why today's American is not willing toaccept this new kind of immigrant any longer. > > Back in 1900 when there was a rush from all areas of > Europe to come to the United States, people had to get off a shipand stand in a long line in New York and be documented. Some would evenget down on their hands and knees and kiss the ground. They made a pledgeto uphold the laws and support their new country in good and bad times.They made learning English a primary rule in their new Americanhouseholds and some even changed their names to blend in with their newhome. > > They had waved good bye to their birth place to give theirchildren a new life and did everything in their power to help theirchildren assimilate into one culture. Nothing was handed to them. No freelunches, no welfare, no labor laws to protect them. > > All they had were the skills and craftsmanship they had broughtwith them to trade for a future of prosperity. Most of their childrencame of age when World War II broke out. My father fought along side menwhose parents had come straight over from Germany, Italy, France andJapan. None of these 1st generation Americans ever gave any thought aboutwhat country their parents had come from. > > They were Americans fighting Hilter, Mussolini and the Emperor ofJapan. They were defending the United States of America as one people.When we liberated France, no one in those villages were looking for theFrench-American or the German American or the Irish American. The peopleof France saw only Americans. > > And we carried one flag that represented one country. Not one ofthose immigrant sons would have thought about picking up anothercountry's flag and waving it to represent who they were. It would havebeen a disgrace to their parents who had sacrificed so much to be here.These immigrants truly knew what it meant to be an American. They stirredthe melting pot into one red, white and blue bowl. > > And here we are in 2006 with a new kind of immigrant who wantsthe same rights and privileges. Only they want to achieve it by playingwith a different set of rules, one that includes the > entitlement card and a guarantee of being faithful to theirmother country. I'm sorry, that's not what being an American is allabout. I believe that the immigrants who landed on Ellis Island in theearly 1900s deserve better than that for all the toil, hard work andsacrifice in raising future generations to create a land that has becomea beacon for those legally searching for a better life. I think theywould be appalled that they are being used as an > example by those waving foreign country flags. > > And for that suggestion about taking down the Statute of Liberty,it happens to mean a lot to the citizens who are voting on theimmigration bill. I wouldn't start talking about dismantling the UnitedStates just yet. > > (signed) > > Rosemary LaBonte > > P.S. Pass this on to everyone you know!!! KEEP THIS LETTERMOVING!! I hope this letter gets read by millions of people all acrossthe nation!!
Soooooo..... now I'm pissed because someone forwarded something to me that is so completely racist, so completely false and did so without ever questioning the views espoused therein. Fuckers are wasting my and everyone else's time writing this shit. And don't get me started on clogging my inbox. Of course, I have to respond. Maybe I was a bit harsh, but I don't think so. We have to use tough love with these nonsensical forwarders.
Here's my response (in Italics for easier reading and my name redacted):
To Whom It May Concern:
Please do not send me this type of racist crap. My grandmother is an immigrant. I have friends and co-workers who are immigrants. This is nothing more than racist propoganda by hatemongers. I won't stand for it being in my in-box.
Further, I suggest you actually study the issue before adopting such a dimsighted opinion.
Sincerely,
The Raving Badger"
Lo and behold....I get a response:
Dear Raving Badger,
I am so sorry that this offended you. I in no way am against immigrants coming to the U S but as this letter says your Grandmother came to our country like so many others from all different parts of the world in the past and unlike so many that are coming to our country now,. She came in legally learned to speak our language even better than she did when she came. She never asked us to print her native language on everything to make her life easier. She never waved the Austrian flag and demonstrated wanting to change our laws.
I am sorry if you feel that I am prejudice. That is totally untrue. If anyone wants to come to our country and go Thru the legal channels, learn OUR language and be productive citizens I am all for it. I have friends from several different countries and none on them are illegal or have asked for special treatment.
Do you think we should just leave our borders open and let anyone in with no restrictions? I wonder if you really read this letter because you really took it the wrong way or your ideas are a lot different then what I thought you were like. Like I said I didn't mean to offend you and I am sure if you ask your Grandmother she feels the same way I do.
Thanks for hearing me out. Sincerely, Aunt So and So
Now my response (I'm holding back in it as you'll see):
Aunt So and So,
What is wrong with immigrants keeping some part of their heritage? Should the Chinese stop eating Moo Goo Gai Pan? Or the Hausmans stop eating Goulash? Or Grandpa stop drinking schnapps? Seriously. Where do you draw the line? You do know, of course, that the assimilation requirements are no different than the Jim Crow voting laws of the segregationist South? Pay a fee. Pass an English test. Prove you can read Shakespeare. It's the same nasty animal and it's utter crap designed to divide people and keep them from successfully immigrating. It's racism with a civilized visage. But it's still racism.
I understand the assimilation argument to some extent, but it's a red herring. There are many immigrant neighborhoods across the US and they have never been a source of problems. What do you care if the signs are in Chinese in San Fransico's Chinatown? Or there are Spanish buiness signs in the barrio? You don't live there anyway. Should Muenster, Texas stop having its Germanfest because German is spoken? Should the Italians stop their Columbus Day parades or Saints celebrations where they sell cannoli? Why should someone be forced to hide their proud heritage? What? Because they don't hail from Europe?
BTW- did you know that the Minutemen that patrols the borders and other groups like them have been fundraising 100's of millions of dollars for building a "fence?" In reality, that money is funding neo-nazi type groups who spread hatred and racism instead of building a wall. It's money for weapons and training for a future race war. That's who's behind this stuff. Join them if you want, but be prepared to have the same blood on your hands. Just because you don't personally advocate shooting border jumpers doesn't mean that you are any less morally and ethically culpable. Hell, even Christ was an immigrant. And the anti-immigration stance is the least Christian of any stance I have seen in politics.
I am all for border patrol, but criminalizing those who are here and who are law abiding, and tax paying (yes, they pay taxes too even though they'll never be able to apply for a tax refund or collect social security or welfare or food stamps or SSI) is wrong. It's punitive and for absolutely no reason at all other than their skin is a different color. Those here should not have to leave. And frankly, I am sick of the xenophobia being demonstrated by redneck crackers with no idea of what all they destroying.....small businesses that depend on low wage workers, entire communities that generate lots of sales tax, churches would lose congregations (esp. Catholic churches), schools would lose their tax base, etc..
If you are looking at this subject as a part of the war on terror, then immigration has nothing to do with it, porous borders do and you better look north to Canada where there is a demonstrable problem. Look to our ports which are presently controlled by the Dubia company we complained about 5 months ago. Currently, they are in charge of no less than 22 US ports. How sneaky of Bush and Co., huh? Willingly handing over port security to a country known for supporting terrorism both financially and logistically??? Damn. That's smart.
Look, it's a crap letter mass generated by some troll in his basement for money. It's propaganda of the worst sort and I will not stand for it.
The Raving Badger
Soooo.. who's right?
Me, of course.....
posted by The Raving Badger at 3:56 PM
1 Comments:
What about the utter fantasy she wrote about how happy and peaceful and assimilated immigrants used to be? Look at the huge circulation of Yiddish newspapers in the first part of the 20th century. Or the gang wars between Irish and Italian neighborhoods in most East Coast cities. The horrific ghettoization and exploitation of Asians on the west coast in the late 19th and early 20th century (not to mention the Nisei concentration camps during WWII when we were all supposed to be arm-in-arm battling the fascists).
The "arguments" used in that letter are based on a romantic and utterly false view of the past. Moreover they were the SAME arguments used by the descendents of western Europeans who were pissing themselves over immigration from eastern and southern Europe a hundred years ago.
I won't even get into the legal fallacies, such as illegal immigrants getting full social services. They come here to work, you fucking idiots. They are prevented from drawing any sort of government benefit. They use fake social security numbers and don't get tax refunds and can't collect social security or unemployment or anything else like that.
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