June 27, 2007 11:11 PM UTC

Illegal Immigration, Colorado Republicans, and Hate

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• by: The Blood of Tyrants

I just returned from the Colorado History Museum’s exhibit on the Italian immigrants that came to Colorado in the late 1800’s.  Not surprising, they were hated by most Americans because they were “clannish,” “slow to assimilate,” and “didn’t speak English.”  They were seen as a threat to American culture and the United States Senate even released statements indicating that the Italian immigrants were the cause of the increase in crime and were unwelcome in America.  The KKK also used this anti-Italian rhetoric to increase their political power and membership.

After seeing the Italian exhibit, I went downstairs to look at artifacts from throughout Colorado history.  There I saw a poster that hung in a restaurant window from the early 1900’s stating “There are only two places you should speak German: IN HELL AND IN GERMANY.  This is a 100% American Establishment.”  Again, the anti-immigrant propaganda led to irrational stereotypes and hatred.

Have we learned nothing?  Last November, the Republican Party (through the use of a number of 527 puppet groups) rolled out ad after ad about how “electing Democrats would destroy American culture” by letting illegal immigrants “run the streets of your towns.”  One ad I received in the area where I live (Littleton) even had a barbed-wire fence on the front and statements about how tough the Republicans will be against “those that don’t belong here.”  Rhetoric and propaganda worked at playing on voter’s fears in many races – the same rhetoric that the Italians and Germans suffered from.

Well, what does all this have to do with anything?  Let’s see.  The Republicans where I live used rhetoric and fear to get elected.  Ask any of them now down at the Capitol what specifically did they do about stopping “illegal immigrants from running the streets of your towns” and the answer will be NOTHING.  Senator Mike Kopp?  NOTHING. Representative Jim Kerr?  NOTHING.  Representative Ken Summers?  NOTHING. Representative Rob Witwer?  NOTHING.  They played a game to get elected.  They played on voter fears.

Next time lets expose these men – and anyone who used anti-immigrant fear to get elected – for the liars and propagandists they are.

We must learn from the past.