Posted on 08/07/2007 4:33:01 AM PDT by KeyLargo
Talk shows pour fire on immigration debate
August 7, 2007
BY ESTHER J. CEPEDA Staff Reporter/ecepeda@suntimes.com
Depending on what side of the debate you're on, conservative talk radio shows are either to thank or to blame for the collapse of the Senate's most recent attempt at immigration reform.
The backlash against the Rush Limbaughs, Laura Ingrahams and the Sean Hannitys of the broadcast world came just weeks before last Saturday's 20th anniversary of the FCC decision to abolish the Fairness Doctrine, which had required broadcasters to balance conservative and liberal views in their daily broadcasts.
Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) and other legislators maneuvered to bring the issue back to the fore, with little result, but they are vowing to keep fighting for changes. Meanwhile, Chicago broadcasters are digging in -- and speaking out about how they will use their air-time to shape the immigration debate in the months to come.
"I started out going after corrupt politicians, then the Minuteman Project and the immigration issue took on a life of its own," said Rick Biesada, a truck driver and director of the Chicago Minuteman Project who hosts a weekly one-hour show on Elmhurst-based WJJG-AM (1530). "Talk radio is a conservative medium. People listening are people like me -- people who drive a truck for a living listen to the news."
Hounding politicians
Others working within earshot of a radio are listening in Spanish, and while the reach and influence of Spanish language radio has been credited with mobilizing the immigrant rights movement, its impact on the national debate has been minimal.
"We need to find a way for this community to talk back," said Jorge Mujica, the leader of the March 10 Movement, which is credited with organizing thousands of people in various marches over the last year. He's a frequent Spanish language radio guest but says, "I don't feel comfortable calling [an English language talk radio show] if I know someone's going to mock me."
"It's a serious thing and I'm not up-to-date in the English media," he said. "It's like a separate reality."
Mujica pointed to the difference between the loosely connected Spanish language media and the high level of organization most conservative talk show hosts bring to the table. "They provide their listeners with names, phone numbers and e-mails to call politicians. Then it becomes a reality for the politicians," Mujica said.
Rather than relying on national radio shows to reach local people, Pilsen's RadioArte sends original bilingual programming to about 430,000 people in a 14-mile radius. "We are a response to some of the rhetoric both in conservative talk radio and some Spanish language shows," said general manager Silvia Rivera. "There is some responsibility that comes when you're talking about mobilizations and how issues are covered."
Effect on elections Her response to the ire and -- some say -- racism toward illegal immigrants is that it's just the newest hot topic. "It's immigration now, but before it was gay/lesbian rights and before that abortion," said Rivera. "It's sort of a David and Goliath battle."
Responding to oft-hurled accusations of racism, conservative WLS morning host Jerry Agar, himself a Canadian immigrant, says people complaining about such shows just didn't like them to begin with. "In a debate, [critics] should be pointing out what is wrong with my position instead of talking about racism," said Agar. "If you've reduced yourself to just calling me a racist, then I've already won."
With the Senate bill behind them, conservative talk show hosts, unfazed by lingering talk about revival of the Fairness Doctrine, are turning their focus to supporting local anti-immigration ordinances and shaping the upcoming elections. "Next we want to vote the pro-open-border Republicans out of office," said Biesada.
"It's a serious thing and I'm not up-to-date in the English media," he said. "It's like a separate reality."
Yes Jorge, you are correct. In the U.S. English is fast becoming a separate reality thanks to RINOs and the Democrats.
Press 1 for English.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
We need to find a way for this community to talk back," said Jorge Mujica, the leader of the March 10 Movement, which is credited with organizing thousands of people in various marches over the last year. He's a frequent Spanish language radio guest but says, "I don't feel comfortable calling [an English language talk radio show] if I know someone's going to mock me."
Oh really?
"I don't feel comfortable calling [an English language talk radio show] if I know someone's going to mock me."
The fire isn’t coming from the talk shows, its coming from the bulk of the American public. Even many of the libs I talk to are fed up and want to get rid of the illegals.
bttt
What backlash is the writer talking about? And why is he talking about these individual hosts in the plural?
Responding to oft-hurled accusations of racism, conservative WLS morning host Jerry Agar, himself a Canadian immigrant, says people complaining about such shows just didn't like them to begin with. "In a debate, [critics] should be pointing out what is wrong with my position instead of talking about racism," said Agar. "If you've reduced yourself to just calling me a racist, then I've already won."
That's a smart Canadian immigrant.
Ester J. Cepeda is a Hispanic activist posing as a newspaper columnist. She is behind a push to make cities and counties sanctuaries for illegal aliens. See this article:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4155/is_20070619/ai_n19305334
"...Before coming to the Sun-Times, Ms. Cepeda was a columnist writing about national and local politics and social issues for weekly and daily newspapers and magazines across the country. She joined the staff of the Chicago Sun-Times in 2006 where she focuses on issues affecting the Hispanic community...."
http://www.suntimes.com/news/cepeda/index.html
>>With the Senate bill behind them, conservative talk show hosts, unfazed by lingering talk about revival of the Fairness Doctrine, are turning their focus to supporting local anti-immigration ordinances and shaping the upcoming elections.<<
No, Ms. Cepeda, conservatives are not “anti-immigrant,” but amnesty for illegal aliens really is. Real “immigrants,” that is, legal ones, have to pass background checks and have a sponsor who guarantees that they won’t get means-tested public benefits. Amnesty would allow illegals a lot better deal than legal immigrants get, and that would be diabolically unfair to them as well as to the taxpayers.
More than likely, they are not mocking you. They are legitimately attacking your bone-headed, ill-thought out, poorly supported opinion.
Chilling.
Correction, that's the illegal immigrant rights movement to which you're referring -- and as far as I'm concerned, they ain't got none.
Yeah. But THEY pick lettuce. And as a number of Freepers will testify, picking lettuce is incredibly important for some reason.
APf
The translation of this entire article was “conservatives must be silenced”
The author ASSUMES this is a 50/50 debate.
If we were to adopt the fairness doctrine it would be 19% democrat talk, 37% republican talk, and the balance for “moderate” talk (probably silence since they don’t know what to stand for)
Perhaps we should have assimilation caps on non-english stations. IOW only two, maximum, non-english stations in any market.
“Since I am an immigrant, can somebody explain to me please what is to debate about?
I took me 2 years of procedures, security check and FBI interviews, 5 years residency and of course a ton of paid taxes and fees to become US citizen.
Now we are talking to welcome people who don’t even want to speak English, find appropriate wave foreign flags on US streets demanding something, and we know that 50% of their kids are high school dropouts?
Interesting.”
No SICKENING!
Proud to have you as a fellow citizen!
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