Michelle Malkin » Dallas Morning News names “illegal immigrant” the 2007 “Texan of the year”

Dallas Morning News names “illegal immigrant” the 2007 “Texan of the year”

By Michelle Malkin • December 30, 2007 01:26 AM

***
The Sunday edition of the Dallas Morning News carries a lengthy lead editorial extolling the “illegal immigrant” as the 2007 “Texan of the Year.” The full piece is here. (hat tip – Freedom Folks and MM.com readers). I’ll cut to the chase and give you the paper’s rather underwhelming, “on the one hand, on the other hand, time will tell” ending:

If critics are correct, we could be seeing the advent of the kind of fractiousness that bedevils public life in Canada and other nations where peoples who speak different languages, and come from different cultural backgrounds, live together only with mutual suspicion and unease.

On the other hand, perhaps the alarmists are wrong. Maybe these ambitious, hard-working immigrants, whatever their documentation, will write the next great chapter of a story that’s still deeply American, though with a different accent. If the optimists are right, much work remains to be done to incorporate all immigrants fully into new cultural traditions.

We end 2007 no closer to compromise on the issue than when the year began. People waging a culture war – and that’s what the struggle over illegal immigration is – don’t give up easily. What you think of the illegal immigrant says a lot about what you think of America, and what vision of her you are willing to defend. How we deal with the stranger among us says not only who we Americans are today but determines who we will become tomorrow.

I respect the Dallas Morning News editorial board’s desire to foster debate and break new ground. But it always amuses me when newspaper editors think they’re doing something fresh and new in putting a “human face” to illegal immigration. Most immigration news coverage amounts to little else besides peddling illegal immigrant sob stories and whitewashing the negative consequences of open-borders chaos on the law-abiding population. This is the rule, not the exception.

Question: Why is it that the human face they want us to see belongs only to the law-breaker…and not the human face of those who have to enforce the law or bear the costs of lax enforcement?

Question: Why is the “illegal immigrant” the “Texan of the Year”–and not, say, the “Border Patrol agent?”

Question: Why is the “illegal immigrant” the “Texan of the Year”–and not, say, the victims of catch-and-release and failed deportation policies…like 15-year-old Dani Countryman of Kaufman, Texas–who was murdered in August by two illegal aliens with prior records who had entered the U.S. from Mexico illegally.

We’re also always lectured by many newsroom types about the “complexity” of the issue. But who’s guilty of oversimplification here?

There are non-violent, hard-working illegal aliens. There are violent, dangerous illegal aliens. There are moochers. There are militants. There are border-crossers. There are visa overstayers. There are earnest dishwashers. There are drug smugglers. There are jihadists. There are gangbangers. There are con artists. There are legitimate victims of bureaucratic screw-ups. To lump them all together under the “hard-working illegal immigrant” archetype and award them a “Texan of the Year” award strikes me as an unhelpfully reductionist and hackneyed approach. And a missed opportunity.

Instead of planting themselves safely in “middle ground,” wouldn’t the DMN’s readership be better served by an editorial board that could tell them where they stand on substantive policy questions facing communities across Texas–and across the country. Try these for starters:

- Should the government continue to provide funding to cities that adopt sanctuary policies or not?

- Should illegal alien ID cards issued by foreign consulates continue to be acceptable in the face of strong opposition from homeland security and law enforcement experts?

- Does the board support or oppose the expansion of the federal employer verification system being challenged by the ACLU?

- Would the board back efforts by sheriffs and police who want to participate in the 287(g) immigration enforcement training program?

- What exactly is the board’s position on the DREAM Act?

Instead we get this:

The newspaper’s Editorial Board recognizes the myriad, profound ways in which this group of people impacts Texas, ranging from the economy to politics to the most basic sense of culture. Lamenting that “there seems to be little middle ground in [the] debate,” the Board notes that “spectacular fights over their presence … broke out across Texas this past year, adding to the national pressure cooker as only Texas can.”

“Everything’s bigger in Texas, and history and geography guarantee that the immigration problem is no different. And many issues are flaring sooner here,” the editorial reads, as it dedicates unusual length to explore all sides of the issue and put a face on the people at the center of the debate. “Illegal immigration exacerbates the natural tension in American society by injecting more change than can be absorbed — and by defying laws designed to control the rate of change,” the editorial reads.

“The story of the illegal immigrant in Texas is rich in history, complexity and controversy, and the impact on the state is pervasive,” said Keven Ann Willey, vice president and editorial page editor of The Dallas Morning News. “Because of this complexity, and also because of their illegal status, it was not possible for us to call out a single individual, but as the Board debated it became clear to us that as a group, these people merited recognition.”

“How should we deal with this stranger among us?” the DMN editorial asks.

Well, wouldn’t it have been truly novel for the paper to take real, clear stands on immigration enforcement policies and provide some concrete answers to the question is so grandiosely poses in its Sunday showpiece?

Or would that have “exacerbated” too much “natural tension” and pushed them off the safe space of “middle ground?”

Posted in: Illegal alien sob stories, Open Borders Lobby, Southern Border

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#205892

On December 30th, 2007 at 7:36 pm, Rodent said:

Another nail in the coffin of the MSM. This time next year they’ll still be wondering where their subscribers went.
#205903

On December 30th, 2007 at 7:58 pm, mlnicosia said:

Sherrif Joe Supports Mitt – why no mention Michelle? Are you biased against Mitt?
#205904

On December 30th, 2007 at 7:58 pm, Helene said:

Check the role of CASA in your state.Notice how they carefully describe themselves. Seems like a group of good guys taking care of the downtrodden, until you check the rest of their website…

Here’s how they describe their legal services in Maryland:operating out of offices in Baltimore and Silver Spring, seeks to improve the quality of life and legal justice for Latinos and low-income families through legal education, legal services, and advocacy projects. We offer legal consultations and representation for day laborers, domestic workers, and tenants. We negotiate claims and bring lawsuits in state and federal courts for nonpayment of wages; minimum wage and overtime violations; unlawful wage deductions; discriminatory employment practices; retaliatory discharges; and involuntary servitude. We also provide legal assistance to low-wage tenants and tenant associations on landlord/tenant issues. In addition to direct representation, CASA performs outreach to inform workers about essential workplace rights and strategies to protect themselves. We go to non-traditional hiring halls, such as street corners and parking lots, to inform workers of their rights and encourage them to seek redress for violations.

In Maryland Casa lobbies for and gets money from the state. If you check their website you’ll find clear directions (in comic book form) for hiding your identity. Casa suggest demanding a lawyer, not carrying identification papers, etc.
This is included on the website under their “Popular Education” Curricula
Educational Materials: Protect Yourself from Immigration Raids, March 2007 (A Collaboration of CASA of Maryland, Inc., Detention Watch Network, and the National Immigration Project of the National Lawyer’s Guild)

In Maryland our taxes were just raised, yet the state can find the money to continue to support this group.

Check out Casa in your state…
#205907

On December 30th, 2007 at 8:05 pm, greenLibertarian said:

Nice work, Helene.

CASA, Community And Shelter Assistance Corp. ?

The Oregon chapter site is under construction, but I found nothing like what you describe. It mainly supports farmworkers, with no mention of immigration issues. Will keep them under surveillance :p
#205916

On December 30th, 2007 at 8:26 pm, MrArchieBunker said:

Local radio talker Kris Kobach mentioned a while back a subscription numbers manipulation scam whereas a click on a newspapers website counts as a sold newspaper for purposes of selling advertising. Kris worked for Ashcroft at Justice and is a real stand up guy on this issue and should be well known to all people who care about our sovereignty.
#205957

On December 30th, 2007 at 11:19 pm, Papa Louie said:

People waging a culture war – and that’s what the struggle over illegal immigration is – don’t give up easily.

It’s just a culture war – it’s just a case of one culture not wanting to share with another, less fortunate culture… Don’t you just love the way liberal elites try to guilt us into accepting their warped philosophies? Funny thing is, they never want to practice what they preach.

If one of them came back from vacation to find illegals living in their home, how do you think they would treat “the stranger among us”? Would they see these home invaders as a group of downtrodden, hardworking individuals from another culture who just want a better life and a better home? Or would they see them as law breaking trespassers who, having broken one law, might be capable of breaking others? Would they extend a helping hand and invite these strangers to stay in the guest room? Or would they wage a “culture war” and call the police to have them removed from their property and prosecuted for breaking and entering?

I think we all know how these liberal elites would react if their homes were invaded. And I feel no guilt for wanting to act the same way when my country is invaded. I’m not against immigration. I just want citizens to make the rules.

Unless you’re comfortable allowing strangers to invite themselves into your home at any time of day or night, don’t expect me to be comfortable with strangers inviting themselves into my country.
#205962

On December 30th, 2007 at 11:23 pm, puhiawa said:

Bush, McCain, Huckabee, maybe Romney all intend to open up the borders if ever given the chance. Their corporate donors mean more than the country. They have rationalized in their minds that America will benefit from untold millions of ignorant, often America hating, white hating, black hating, misogynistic immigrants. All here to do the work Americans wont. If the country is not good enough for these politicians , maybe they can else where.
#205963

On December 30th, 2007 at 11:27 pm, puhiawa said:

Papa Louie
Had to laugh when some liberal loon was carjacked in Oakland. Then learned it was a State car so he really didn’t care. And he admired the speed of the jacking. And the mask was slipping so that was hilarious. Hahahaha/.In other words, this idiot thinks living in the liberal pigsty called Oakland is a game. As if any Norm wouldn’t flee in a heartbeat.
#205967

On December 30th, 2007 at 11:48 pm, TXRose said:

What is so hard about pols standing up and saying we must obey and enforce the law? Yes, there would be screams of racism. However, there would be
enough people in this country that know that obeying and enforcing the law
isn’t racism and that the pol would still have support.
I believe that every time there is an accusation of racism in this country, we should very carefully scrutinize what caused the accusation and exactly what
types of people are making the accusation. While there is racism in this country, I believe the word is overused. I believe that it is too easy to shout
that word as we have seen with the reverends in regard to blacks and with the
pro illegals. “They” know that this word alone will shut down anyone that disagrees with them. After all, no one wants to be called a racist or a bigot.
This is what “they” are counting on.
Just watch. Someone is going to speak out against the Texan of the Year and
the Dallas Morning News and what will we hear but Racist!
We won’t hear that the Texan of the Year actually is not a Texan at all and
therefore should not be eligible for the honor. We won’t hear that there is a
doofus working for that paper that has made a colossal faux pas.
We won’t hear an apology to actual Texans by those who work for the paper.
In other words, they are going to continue sitting there patting each other on
their backs and feeling good about themselves because we all know that
dems only do things that make them feel good about themselves.
#205970

On December 31st, 2007 at 12:08 am, TXRose said:
#205973

On December 31st, 2007 at 12:11 am, TXRose said:

Please excuse Rose’s little dog.
I was going to tell everyone about a piece I just read..
Anti-Military Lawyer Damages Marines Car On Eve of Deployment
http://www.blackfive.net/main/2007.12/anti-military-l.html
#205975

On December 31st, 2007 at 12:13 am, TXRose said:

I found it through instapundit.
#205997

On December 31st, 2007 at 2:03 am, MrArchieBunker said:

Thanks TXRose, I was just about to post that also. Something tells me this lawyers life will never be the same.
#206006

On December 31st, 2007 at 3:19 am, wild thing2 said:

Good grief, this is so wrong. Treasonous to promote in any way illegals when we have existing laws for immigration.
#206046

On December 31st, 2007 at 8:36 am, RetFireman said:

If certain war criminals and human rights violators and mass murderers on the scale of genocide can be Time Magazine’s “Man of the Year”, and if Yasser Arafat and Algore can win the Nobel Peace Prize, then who are we to complain, let alone be surprised when the Illegal Alien is awarded the “Person of the Year” status from anyone, especially in a place where they suck a great deal of resources and demand more and more entitlements such as Texas. Heck, I’m waiting for one to run for Governor of California, where he/she would most likely win.
#206129

On December 31st, 2007 at 11:54 am, cwdancer said:

Being from Dallas, I am disgusted and embarassed. I have not had the DM News delivered to my home in over 2 years and glad of it. Perhaps they will go the way of the Times…downhill fast.
#206145

On December 31st, 2007 at 12:13 pm, Chuck said:

strikes me as an unhelpfully reductionist and hackneyed approach. And a missed opportunity.

Reductionism is the correct approach. These people are all illegal invaders, thank you very much. Get them out. Then we can make room for those we wish to have here. I am sick of my wife having to deal with the likes of these illiterate Somalis making trouble, jumping the line, etc. at the stores for instance. Keep your White Guilt to yourself and keep these human waste off my shores.
#206210

On December 31st, 2007 at 1:09 pm, bouncingbeagles said:

I heard about this DMN article on my work this morning on KSEV radio here in Houston/Dallas. I am so glad Michelle had this on her site. I am a 3rd generation native Texan (2nd generation native Houstonian) and am totally pissed that the DMN refers to these people as “Texans”. That is an insult to me. These people are illegal aliens plain and simple. They have no legal right to be here in Texas or anywhere in the US. If we had some lawmakers, local, state, and federal that had any guts, this cr** would stop. Any politician that even thinks about giving any rights to the illegals does not get my vote, got that Senator McCain, Mayor Guilliani, Senator Cornyn and the others. Enforce the existing laws and these people will self deport back to Mexico.
#206223

On December 31st, 2007 at 1:19 pm, AlohaGuy said:

Su casa mi casa.
#207148

On January 2nd, 2008 at 1:53 am, scooter56 said:

Try and understand that here in the Republic of Texas, most people don’t care what the rest of the country thinks.
#207603

On January 2nd, 2008 at 7:49 pm, Helene said:

Check this out greenlibertarian.

CASA means house. It’s a national organization. A search turns up a lot of variations. The link below is from Minnesotta and links back to CASA de Maryland’s publications.

http://www.immigrantlawcentermn.org/english/immigration_laws.htm

CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) is a national group that works with children.
#224156

On January 22nd, 2008 at 12:56 pm, Kevin from Ohio in Virginia said:

Shouldn’t the “Texan of the Year” be a Texan?

I would have thought that that would be #1 on the list of criteria…