Reps Tancredo, Gutierrez engage in nasty exchange

rockymountainnews ^ | March 16, 2006 | M.E. Sprengelmeyer, Rocky Mountain

[Types_with_Fist]

to get any productive work done on the issue

Yeah, yeah. The RINOs and liberals in favor of selling out our nation's sovereignty and eliminating the middle class are getting soooooo much "productive work" done on the issue.

Some "productive" work you favor: "Gold Cards" to give illegals supra-rights in our country (inviting more millions to come) and proposals such as subsidizing farmers to hire illegals exclusively... because lawbreaking is being endorsed by the GOP to the extent that so many businesses now hire them that there aren't enough of them to "pick fruit" and "mow lawns" anymore.

[WatchingInAmazement]

Playing the race card is starting to be trumped by common sense thank God.

It's Not Xenophobia, It's Xenonausea

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1597624/posts?page=105#105

[Millee]

Well....I don't live in Tancredo's district either, but he's my adopted congressman. Mine is a Democrat of the male persuasion. Not by my choice though.

[OKIEDOC]

Just some observations and my own humble opinion.

Honest to heaven how can any one who is sane, mature and educated honestly be in the Democrat party.

I wonder about anyone who takes up their sometimes twisted and perverted view of life.

Their leaders give off an aura of mental instability.

I equate Democrats with the same narrow minded thinkers with the free wheeling anything goes hippie sixties.

Every time I see Nancy Pelosie she looks as though she were a dear in semi tractor trucks headlights.

HowWeird Dean reminds me of a raving maniac, oops no I don't want to give raving maniacs a bad name.

Senator Reid reminds me of one of those shaky little Taco Bell dogs.

Well for my part the majority is being let down by sides on this immigration fiasco.

Thanks for Tancredo.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

His record is irrelevant because Bush refuses to enfore the laws ALREADY ON THE BOOKS.

Why should Tancredo pass more legislation that duplicates what's already there and will likely be vetoed by King Jorge?

[Clemenza]

Actual Puerto Ricans are mostly white of Spanish heritage, followed by West African heritage, followed by a number of other points of origin, to include Ireland, Germany, France, Corsica, Italy, China, Lebanon, and almost every point in between.

A question: Why is it that so many statehood folks always stress that Puerto Rico is a "white" island, when most of the people are mixed Afro/European? By North American standards, only about 40-50% of Puerto Ricans would be considered "white", with the rest a mixture of various races.

Remember that, on the mainland, mixing with Africans was against the law until 35 years ago, so most of our white folks are "pure as snow." That's neither a good thing or a bad thing, just the way it is.

[NapkinUser]

From a recent article concerning the illegal alien march in Chicago:

"Raise those American flags!" shouted US Rep. Luis Gutierrez, a Democrat. "This is our country, and this is where we will stay."

Tell me how this guy doesn't sound like a racist hispanic power La Raza idiot.

[EternalVigilance]

Tom Tancredo is a gentleman and a statesman.

I never cease being amazed at how often outspoken conservative statesmen are slimed by liberals.

And sometimes those liberals masquerade as conservatives...

[California Patriot]

re: Tancredo "a loudmouth self-promoter."

Never having seen the Congressman or read much about him, I cannot say that you're wrong.

But consider this: Where exactly have the quiet, humble types (like GWB, and Bill Frist, and Denny Hastert, and oh so many other Republican "leaders") gotten us on immigration?????

Often, it's less-than-smooth, even less-than-pleasant people who tackle the hard issues that the nice guys won't touch.

[California Patriot]

Gutierrez sounds like real pond scum.

[cll]

"Why is it that so many statehood folks always stress that Puerto Rico is a "white" island, when most of the people are mixed Afro/European?"

I wouldn't say most of the people here are mixed afro/european. I would say many in the cities and around the coasts are mixed afro/european, that most of those who moved to NYC are of this group. I would also say that most of the people in the interior are "white". But then again, white is relative. Cetainly not scandinavian white, but more like mediterranian white.

And even at that, you are aware that most of Spain was occupied by the Moors for 700 years, so that Spanish "whiteness" is further diluted.

In the end I can say that most people here don't care or at least are not uptight about races. That's why there's so much intermarriage. But there's also a number people who imagine themselves as descentants of Spanish Royalty, and have a fixation with preserving the race, or if they are not quite white enough, to marry a "whiter" person to "mejorar la raza" (improve the race).

My ex-wife grew up in NYC and moved to the island when she was a teenager. She expected the island to be full of black natives. When she arrived she was surprised to find that most of the people she met were "blanquitos" (whities). At least in her estimation.

Again, this "Puerto Rican" race thing was invented in the mainland. Here you are either white, black or "jabao" (pronounced HA-bow, which means mulatto) if you are a native. Or you are a gringo (in the affectionate sense) if you're from the mainland U.S. or Canada, no matter what your race. Or you are "Chino" if you are Chinese, Japanese or Korean. And the worst "ethnicity" in many people's minds: europeo (European), belch.

[Southside_Chicago_Republican]

Thanks for the clarification. But he still isn't Mexican, and that was my point. And in the hyphenated America that we live in, "Puerto Rican" applied to Gutierrez is a description of ancestery and heritage, the same way "German" or "Ulster Scot" applies to me. He might want to make more of it than that, and no doubt does. But it's good that people in Puerto Rico are on to him. It's just too bad that a lot of Chicagoans are not.

[cll]

"Puerto Rican" applied to Gutierrez is a description of ancestery and heritage, the same way "German"

I'm almost with you. My point is that rather than ancestry and heritage of "Puerto Rican" vis a vis "German", for example, a closer correlation would be of "Puerto Rican" vis a vis "Texan", since Puerto Rico is a territory of the United States and those born there (here) are born Americans. Puerto Ricans who move to a the states are not "immigrants". They are American citizens who move around within the American realm.

So, Gutierrez' pandering to the immigrant community is truly disingenous.

[Southside_Chicago_Republican]

So, Gutierrez' pandering to the immigrant community is truly disingenous.

Point well taken. He definitely is blurring some important distinctions, which should be expected from the demagogue he is.

[Clemenza]

"Whiteness" is relative. Costa Rica, for example, redefined itself as a "white" nation to attract immigrants, and even banned blacks from moving out of Limon province. Of course, they neglected the fact that the country was about 60% Mestizo (mixed Indian and white), so a whole group of people had their race changed overnight.

Latin Americans have always been more fluid in the issue of racial identity than here in the States. In the U.S., those with even a drop of black ancestry were considered black until very recently, whereas in PR they were/are often considered white. That is why 80% of PRs identify themselves as "white" even though the real number would be around 45-50% if we used the mainland standards. In my trips to PR, I found that most of the folks I encountered had some African blood, and that they had African (non-med) features. Of course there are the Jibaros in the mountains who are usually of European ancestry (similar to the Jibaros in Cuba), but the coastal areas and the cities are largely mulatto/quadroon.

Besides, real white folks don't dance, especially an African dance like Salsa. ;-)

[Clemenza]

Of course there are the Jibaros in the mountains who are usually of European ancestry (similar to the Jibaros in Cuba), but the coastal areas and the cities are largely mulatto/quadroon.

Correction: To the GUAJIROS of Cuba.

[Once-Ler]

If Tancredo is a racist and a bigot then, I guess I am too!

Agreed.

[Serenissima Venezia]

He's also a loudmouth self-promoter who does more harm than good in the area of immigration policy.

He's the only one that has the courage to say it like it is. He's the only one who is doing any good at all with the illegal immigration problem.

If it weren't for him, the House wouldn't have passed the bill they did, nor would 70+ Represenatives have reacted so quickly and forcefully to the amnesty bill that was likely to make it out of the Senate Judiciary Committee. That thing will be dead in the water if it goes to the House - all thanks for Tancredo.

[Polybius]

This is the insanity produced by a loathsomely Leftist press: being against criminal behavior is "racist."

It is not insanity. Insane people are not in control of their minds and are not responsible for what they say.

It is demagoguery.

[HitmanLV]

Just outside, Gutierrez said to aides within Tancredo's earshot: "I thought about hitting him, but then I thought, 'What if I (expletive) kicked his ass,'" the newspaper reported.

Do you think he will apologize?