Posted on 06/12/2007 5:10:33 PM PDT by GATOR NAVY
Re: The Company You Keep
Responses to Linda Chavez.
An NRO Symposium
After two shorter syndicated columns, Linda Chavez wrote a lengthy piece on conservatives, Hispanics, and immigration for National Review Online, published Monday. Today those named in Chavez’s “The Company You Keep” and other immigration-policy experts respond to Chavez.
Ward Connerly
I have known Linda for years. She is a good friend. Good friends are not immune from the tendency to misspeak occasionally, however. In her initial column that has caused so much anger, Linda was “intemperate,” to say the least. Although there is a certain degree of “anti-Mexican” animosity among some who are opposed to illegal aliens, it was not appropriate to characterize those who oppose illegal immigration as a bunch of racists, as Linda’s column seemed to suggest. I have already shared that perspective with Linda. In addition, I do not share Linda’s critique of Heather Mac Donald in her long NRO
Nonetheless, Linda has done more for the conservative movement and the preservation of traditional American culture than many of those who are criticizing her combined. What concerns me is the inclination among conservatives to cannibalize our own. It seems to me that we should acknowledge the right to disagree on specific issues, and not hold it against those who disagree with us within our conservative family. I have encountered a number of conservatives, unfortunately, who are willing to throw her overboard merely because of her column. I have read a number of blogs that have been unbelievably harsh and intolerant of Linda’s right to be against the prevailing sentiment about immigration. For example, last week, I ran an ad in the Washington Times about preferences and immigration. Linda was one of the signatories. I had two individuals ask, “Why are you allied with Linda Chavez?” This is ridiculous; Linda doesn’t deserve this kind of treatment.
Click link for more responses
John Derbyshire
Linda finds my attitude towards Mexicans “distasteful.” Well, there is no arguing with taste. I find distasteful Linda’s implied assertion that I and Heather Mac Donald are bad company for National Review to be keeping.
Mark Krikorian
Now I know we’re winning the intellectual debate over immigration. For several weeks now, our opponents have been so bereft of substantive arguments that they’ve had to resort to “self-righteous moral grandstanding,” as David Frum puts it with regard to the president in the current issue of National Review.
Being called racist (and nativist, and xenophobic, and bigoted, and, and, and ...) does tend to have that effect. Ms. Chavez played the wrong card, and is now having others do her backpedaling for her? How brave.
Ward is the kindest of all the responders to Chavez.
Heather Mac Donald
Linda Chavez all but declares that my writings on immigration are driven by ethnic hatred. This kind of charge will be familiar to anyone who has taken a public position against affirmative action and found himself called a racist. As a debating tactic, it is low and — not to put too fine a point on it — disgusting. It is meant to bully and intimidate. What should be a spirited debate about facts and the effects of policy becomes an assault on character and motive...
Linda Chavez is fortunate to have him come to her defense. I've enjoyed her in the past, but jeez did she ever have a Geraldo moment.
Just say NO to Amnesty!! Keep calling!! It’s NOT OVER!!
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I could probably be described as a “mexi-phile”, love the country, love the people. Thats a separate discussion. Mexico’s immigration policies are fairly rational and much more strict that what she proposes for us.
I haven’t seen Mexico racing to open her borders to massive waves of Honduran immigrants, and no one would expect them to.
Its annoying to be called xenophobe and worse for wanting an orderly and “legal” immigration process, and for rejecting the shameful two-tier labor system proposed as part of so-called “comprehensive” reform. We should reject it, Mexicans should reject it also, but they are being had, and we are being had if we go for it.
My position is that if you need a man, you grant him and his family immigrant status; if you don’t need him bad enough to grant him immigrant status, you don’t need him. I am completely opposed to any massive expansion of our guest worker program.
This country accepts a million *legal* immigrants per year, far away and above what any other country on earth accepts. No country on earth is as open to immigration as we are, none, so to accuse us of xenophobia because we want to limit it to a million per year is not only dishonest, its offensive.
Linda Chavez is usually on the right side of most issues, but she has let her emotions run away with her this time. A million per year come here legally, and of that million Mexico has the largest quota, no other country even comes close. That doesn’t stop the activists from calling us names, but Ms. Chavez should be smart enough not to fall for it.
Bull... Linda and her stooge John Miller have been charging 'racism' for years. To hell with both of them.
Bull... Linda and her stooge John Miller have been charging 'racism' for years. To hell with both of them.
It’s no Geraldo moment, it’s a long established habit with her. Linda Chavez has been playing the race card for years.
Racist? I’d be at the head of the line condeming 12 million iliterate Canadians coming here and doing the same things.
These pro-illegals are beyond the pale.
I for one don’t care what party they represent. Ad hominum attacks are proof that their position is totally indefensable. And I won’t accept it from anyone. Period.
I was reading other day about an internet “law” that said any thread was officially dead after a post that called someone a Nazi.
Maybe we can add a corollary to that any immigration thread is dead after the first post calling opponents racist.
“I have read a number of blogs that have been unbelievably harsh and intolerant of Linda’s right to be against the prevailing sentiment about immigration. For example, last week, I ran an ad in the Washington Times about preferences and immigration. Linda was one of the signatories. I had two individuals ask, “Why are you allied with Linda Chavez?” This is ridiculous; Linda doesn’t deserve this kind of treatment.”
You lay down with dogs, you get fleas. One of the beautiful things about free speech is that if you let people talk long enough, they’ll usually reveal their underlying character.
I don’t see the reason why this race-baiter masquerading as a conservative should get a pass.
(Wasn’t this the same person who had the nanny problems in 2001? )
Congress didn't seem to like that much.
Nothing follows...
the last vestige of the scoundrel(DIMocRAT). When your back is against the wall, call your opponent a racist. That’ll win your argument. lol
The ILLEGAL Mexicans totally lost me last year when they had those rallys with their MEXICAN FLAGS and anti-AMERICAN talk and saying they are going to VOTE even when they are ILLEGAL ALIENS!!! That did it for me!!
Geraldo or Trojan?
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