Voting pro-Obama & Anti-immigrant

The New York Times declared on their Nov. 5 cover, “Racial Barrier Falls in Decisive Victory.” Yet, despite Obama’s victory, in Oregon's rural communities many people seemed to 'split the difference' and vote against immigrants, promoting racial barriers of another sort. How is this cognitive dissonance justified in the voters’ minds? A black man can be President but immigrants should not be allowed to work?

People voted for Obama, voted against huge Klan-style signs and voted in favor of financially strangling immigrants. In one breath the majority of voters in Columbia County tried to exonerate their racism and then, on inhalation, reinforce modern nativism.The successful measure, of course, fines employers $10,000 per undocumented worker, potentially shuts down their business during investigation and forces all new hires to be run through the Department of Homeland Security (5-190)

This is our post-modern era of smart racism – like a smart bomb, it is targeted, strategic and dressed up like a deceiving yellow ball. Voters undoubtedly asked themselves, “Well, how can it be racist to just enforce the law, stop exploitive workers from hiring illegals and keep illegal people out of our county?”

Economics have always been used as an excuse for institutional oppression – people who are too “risky” for loans, too “lazy” for good wages or too “gullible” to handle their own finances.

In the case of Columbia County, some voters were enabled to vote against flamboyantly ridiculous “LEGAL WORKERS ONLY” signs and therefore felt justified in passing a more realistically damning measure that sanctions employers for hiring undocumented workers. The passed measure, while less ferocious in approach, actually does more damage than a bunch of obnoxious signs. Preventing someone from working is the equivalent of a financial strangling. And, even though the signs didn’t pass, their message is still the primary language of this county. Maybe, in the interest of giving the benefit of the doubt, the voters didn’t know what to do with these two anti-immigrant measures; but it actually doesn’t matter because the majority ultimately decided that they don’t want undocumented people, or maybe immigrants at all, in their community.

Even before these voters canonized this perception of the community as anti-immigrant, the reality was already clear. The wave began in the week before the elections when employers began laying off Latino workers. Though the lay-offs have not been as bad as rumor has it, nevertheless, the workers fear for their jobs as employers react in anticipation. Workers get laid off and can’t get new jobs because there are not that many jobs and, even if they have papers, being Latino is enough to make you a suspicious employee.

Naturally, workers are broke and desperate. They work for lower pay, under the table or any other poor substitution for family wages. So, the cycle of cheap labor, fear and exploitive employers does the opposite of what the petitioner promised. In fact, the employer sanctions in Columbia County might affect Latinos most immediately but will create a 2nd class of worker that drives down wages for everyone. Moreover, as legitimate businesses come under investigation for who they hire and are not allowed to do business, the ripples will be felt deep into Latino, black, white and all communities. The man behind this measure, Wayne Mayo, not only enabled legislated racism but he also has created another situation where in targeting immigrant communities we have hurt all working people. And the county's Democratic identity and Obama-mania only makes this turn of events all the more disappointing.

Idiocracy: Too Many Syllables

Oregon Minuteman displays his true colors at the Portland Day Laborer Hire Site

OFIR, Hickey and the “New Nation” Controversy

Rick Hickey, OFIR’s Slippery Spokesman

Rick Hickey, Vice President of Oregonians for Immigration Reform, is known for being less than fully truthful. He throws out "facts" and figures that serve his purpose, whether or not they are accurate, correctly cited, or portrayed in their proper context. As a demagogue, Hickey’s rhetoric focuses on arousing emotion and prejudice; facts appear malleable to him. He is well suited for a group such as OFIR, which must hide its true identity if it is to have even modest influence within the political mainstream.

Oregonians for Immigration Reform have made frequent claims to be a non-racist organization. Their president, Jim Ludwick, describes allegations of racism within OFIR as being “just a tactic” of their opponents and states: “Individuals who do not want immigration to be discussed try to stiffle [sic] debate by calling anyone who believes in ending illegal immigration a racist.” Sometimes, OFIR’s sympathizers go even further than this, and insinuate that the group’s political opponents, such as the National Council of La Raza, are the true “racists,” [1] a claim which is easily refuted. When damning evidence of OFIR’s white nationalist agenda is revealed, Rick Hickey is the group’s “go-to” spokesperson: he is skilled at rhetorical contortions of reality and Big Lie tactics.

Take, for example, this response from Hickey in a discussion thread on the anti-immigrant “Daniel’s Political Musings” blog:
“FOR THE RECORD: OFIR was founded by Pres. Jim Ludwick in Jan. 2000. […] Mr. Ludwick has never been involved with the New Nation website/group nor have I.” [2]

In OFIR, we have an organization that is not even willing to be honest about its own history.

What’s the Big Deal?

New Nation News is an unashamed white supremacist “news” website. Recent headlines on the website featured terms such as “Mexiroach”, “illegal mud”, “vile jew”, “beaner”, “spi[***]r” plus of course “ni[***]r” and “n[*]gteen”. Those who wish to observe the site’s cheap racism may do so at www. newnation. org and www. nnnforum. org/forums/

Until the first half of 2000, New Nation News (NNN) was the host of the Oregonians for Immigration Reform website. The NNN website now simply contains a placeholder page [3] providing a web link to the current OFIR site. The NNN site’s sponsorship of Oregonians for Immigration Reform on the web has become embarrassing for the group, because it contradicts OFIR’s recent denials of racism. The main problem is, their denials don't add up at all.

Mr. Hickey claims OFIR was founded in the year 2000, and there is no continuity between them and the group represented on NNN. Some basic research shows Hickey’s story to be full of holes.

Oregonians for Immigration Reform: Some History

The name “Oregonians for Immigration Reform” first surfaced in 1995, as an organization founded by Sharon Shepperd of Independence, Oregon. [4] Shepperd’s organization petitioned to put anti-immigrant initiatives on the state ballot in both 1996 and 1998, failing to qualify for the ballot both years. Shepperd’s group also attracted support from the fanatically anti-gay and anti-abortion Oregon Citizens Alliance in 1996. [5] During these early years, the organization gave its acronym as “OIR” rather than “OFIR”. While running ballot initiative campaigns, the group flatly denied that it was racist. When it became apparent that the 1998 anti-immigrant ballot initiative petitions would fail, a disillusioned Shepperd stated that she and her co-petitioners would “probably stay loosely organized around the issue”, but that she had no further plans for state ballot campaigns.

New Nation News hosted an OIR web archive for the years 1997-1998, according to the placeholder page currently on its website. A search using the archive.org site shows that the OIR website on New Nation was also updated during 1999 and 2000. Here is a screenshot from December 2000 (click on the thumbnail to see a larger image):


The contact person for the OIR website during this period, Frank Brehm, gives his name and old email address in the screenshot above. Note that the OIR webpage states that it was "Established 1997". Brehm is listed on the current OFIR website as its webmaster [6] and has been listed as a “Registered Agent” for the organization since March 2000.

In January 2001, the racist Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) announced in its “Immigration Report”:

“FAIR is pleased to announce a new addition to our growing movement, Oregonians for Immigration Reform (OFIR). OFIR’s leaders, Jim Ludwick and Frank Brehm, are capable, dedicated activists whose credentials include lobbying in Washington against the expansion of the H-1B program.” [7]

The “lobbying in Washington” credential goes to Brehm, who testified on May 25, 2000 before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and Claims. Note that Brehm—the webmaster for the OIR site hosted by the white supremacist NNN—was by then using his lobbying effort as a means of gaining respectability. Also note that Brehm appears side-by-side with OFIR president Jim Ludwick as a “leader” of the “new” organization.

What was “new” about OFIR as compared to OIR, beyond the addition of one letter to the organization’s acronym, and the mention of Ludwick as an additional figure? Not much beyond an improved public relations act (including a decision to drop the old website, it seems). OFIR leadership may have been groomed by FAIR representatives for a better image with the public. An annual report issued by the Federation in 2001 includes the following quote from Frank Brehm indicating his discussion with FAIR field staff:

“In speaking with a number of members over the past week, they, like me, felt re-energized in the cause of immigration reform by your presentation and use of dialogue to assist the group in formulating strategy.” [8]

Putting the Pieces Together

Rick Hickey’s statement that neither he nor President Ludwick had any involvement with New Nation News is, at best, a legalistic argument designed to obscure OFIR’s origins. By stating that Ludwick had no relationship with NNN, Hickey deliberately covers over the fact that Ludwick formed a revamped, different-by-one-letter organization alongside Brehm, who had enjoyed a relationship with the NNN white nationalists. The Federation for American Immigration Reform may have encouraged OIR/OFIR’s makeover.

Does OFIR have no obligation to respond to its history of palling around with those who speak of “n[****]rs” and “sp[**]s”? Indeed, anyone who requests an honest answer about this is, to Hickey’s mind, a “dummy”. [9] The people of Oregon and beyond deserve far better than such scorn. If Hickey cannot be forthcoming about his own group, then why should he be given any respect in the complex immigration debate? In both domains, his contempt for the truth is palpable.

NOTES:
[1] See the letter of David C. Hamilton at: http://www. oregonir.org /Letters.htm
[2] http://danielisright. blogspot. com/2008/07/easy-as-uno-dos-tres.html#3660577154493523039
[3] http://www. newnation. org/OIR/oir.html
[4] “Petitions Target Illegal Immigrants.” The Oregonian, 3/15/96, p.B-01
[5] See: John Gabriel, Whitewash: Racialized Politics and the Media, p.79. Online citation here.
[6] http://www. oregonir. org/feedback_form.htm
[7] http://www. fairus. org/site/PageServer?pagename=research_research1c6f
[8] http://www. fairus. org/site/DocServer/fair_annual_report_2001.pdf?docID=482
[9] http://danielisright. blogspot. com/2008/05/i-didnt-vote-for-mccamnesty.html#1427509817645853653

It's Not Just "Illegals" Anymore

As Barack Obama was winning—and won—the presidential election there was a flurry of activity on white supremacist websites. In spite of the rising number of hate groups nationally, the majority of the anti-immigrant movement continues to argue that they do not fall into that category. While the rhetoric of neo-nazi and anti-immigrant groups is different, their ideologies are frighteningly similar.

Oregon's local anti-immigrant group with white supremacists leanings, Oregonians for Immigration Reform has a prominent link on their website to an organization called VDARE. That site was founded by Peter Brimelow, its name is short for Veronica Dare, "the first English child to be born in the New World", and the entire website is full of prime Eurocentric content. The particular gem of a post-election essay I would like to draw your attention to is titled, "Diversity is Strength! It's Also Witchcraft Imported by Immigration. (And, Yes, From Obama's Kenya Too)". [1]

This piece is not concerned about distinctions between “legal” and “illegal” immigrants. Oh no, this author, Brenda Walker, states: “Readers know that immigrants don't leave primitive beliefs behind just because they are relocating to the First World. Foreign newcomers bring their whole cultural package—sometimes including the very worst that humanity has to offer.” This author is concerned with the dark and frightening other. In the passage that most profoundly reveals her fear, the author describes Albinos in Tanzania being killed by witches who sought their body parts. The rhetorical strategy deployed here should be obvious. It is an alleged threat to whiteness that lurks barely under the surface of nearly all modern anti-immigrant rhetoric. The author attempts to connect the president elect to an influx of immigration from Africa, and urges her audience to consider all the, “Superstitious behavior that we would find objectionable” which she claims comes with immigration. She concludes by declaring, “The social progress we have made in America is threatened by the deluge of immigrants whose customs are incompatible with our values.”

By way of conclusion, allow me to make three assertions that stem from Walker's essay. Firstly, the anti-immigrant movement is not an issue strictly for the Latino community. Clearly, they consider Africans a threat, and the author also mentions people from India. We have learned from this country's history that the scapegoat could easily be the Irish, the Chinese, the Japanese, and so on. We all need to be concerned about, and combat, the anti-immigrant movement. Secondly, I agree with the author that immigration is a threat to her values, which are in no way progressive or American. Immigration is a threat to xenophobic right-wing values, which is as good a reason as any to support immigrants. Lastly, let us remember that the anti-immigrant folks are not concerned strictly with immigrants, but with the cultural identity of the country. They are forced to resort to scare tactics about other people's cultures. When their bloated rhetoric has been distilled, the truth emerges about the goals of the anti-immigrant crowd. They are desperately trying to protect a make-believe, and therefore precarious, notion of whiteness. It's called racism.

NOTE:
[1] http://www. vdare. com/walker/081106_diversity.htm

Minuteman Civil Defense Corps

Oregon Minuteman wields blatantly racist sign at a protest of day laborers seeking work in Cornelius, OR on August 19, 2006

OFIR, The Constitution Party and the 14th Amendment: Some Brief Notes

In my last entry, I wrote: “The links of organizations such as Oregonians for Immigration Reform (OFIR) to racists within the 'Patriot Movement' is a topic that requires further analysis.” While several other links exist, one obvious connection between OFIR and the militia movement is through the Constitution Party. The Constitution Party (formerly known as the US Taxpayers Party) is generally seen as militia-friendly. The party aims to “restore American jurisprudence to its Biblical foundations [i.e. to institute Old Testament law] and to limit the federal government to its Constitutional boundaries.” [1] The party’s national platform does not refer positively to any Constitutional Amendments beyond the first ten (The Bill of Rights) and explicitly calls for the repeal of the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Amendments. While the Constitution Party does not plainly demand repeal of the Fourteenth Amendment in its national platform, the party’s founder and three-time presidential candidate Howard Phillips has written that the Fourteenth Amendment “was not properly ratified, and […] has improperly been treated as part of the Constitution”. [2] Furthermore, the Party makes an implicit attack on this amendment in its national platform by rejecting “the practice of bestowing U.S. citizenship on children born to illegal alien parents while in this country.” [3]

The Constitution Party’s 2008 presidential candidate, Chuck Baldwin, [4] uses rhetoric of the racist militia style, attacking multiculturalism [5] and the “New World Order”. [6] Baldwin is OFIR’s candidate of choice for US president. [7]

OFIR's choice for President

Baldwin’s recent appearance at a Tigard, Oregon library to rally support for his presidential campaign was a scary experience. [8] In front of an audience of over 200 people, Baldwin proclaimed that “the most violent people you can imagine” were entering the United States through its “porous” borders, and vowed to place National Guard and even US Army troops along the southern border if necessary. OFIR and John Birch Society members, greatly buffered in numbers by the remnants of the Ron Paul campaign, applauded loudly to Baldwin’s denunciations of immigration, the United Nations, and the Federal Reserve. All of these, Baldwin insinuated, were elements of a nebulous conspiracy against God-fearing Americans. [9]

OFIR’s connection to the Constitution Party is long-running. OFIR’s president, Jim Ludwick, was a star speaker at the Constitution Party’s 2003 convention, where he delivered a speech promoting the “Reconquista” conspiracy theory that the Mexican government is invading America. Constitution Party of Oregon propaganda is made available at OFIR gatherings while the party’s candidate for Senate, Dave Brownlow, links to OFIR from his campaign site. [10] (Brownlow was amongst those who talked before Baldwin at the Tigard rally.) Brownlow, incidentally, is one of the founders of the hardline anti-choice group “Life Support” [11] alongside Lon Mabon, an ex-Constitution Party candidate in Oregon who is best known for activism against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered individuals throughout the state. Other Constitution Party of Oregon members are likewise involved with “Life Support”.

NOTES:
[1] http://www. constitutionparty. com/party_platform.php
[2] http://www. constitutionparty. com/news.php?aid=543
[3] http://www. constitutionparty. com/party_platform.php#Immigration
[4] Baldwin has also been endorsed for President by Ron Paul of the Libertarian Party, see: http://www. campaignforliberty. com/blog.php?view=547#
[5] http://www. chuckbaldwinlive. com/c2006/cbarchive_20060413.html
[6] http://www. newswithviews. com/baldwin/baldwin457.htm
[7] http://www. oregonir. org/presidential_race.htm
[8] The Portland appearance took place on October 21st, and was part of a brief Oregon tour.
[9] For video footage of this speech, see: http://www. constitutionpartyoregon. net/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=191&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0
[10] http://www. davebrownlow. com/Links.html
[11] http://www. lifesupportoregon. org/

Columbia County Anti-Immigrant Ballot Measures ask us to report our undocumented neighbors.

A Citizens’ Initiative on the ballot in Columbia County, Oregon would mandate that all construction sites post 4'x8' signs that say “LEGAL WORKERS ONLY,” provide the Homeland Security telephone number and ask us to report people we think might be undocumented. (5-190 & 5-191 )

The obvious premise behind reporting undocumented people is that you can spot them. How does one spot an undocumented person? Do they look a certain way, or sound a certain way? That is assuming criminality about someone based on their color or race.

Wayne Mayo, the man who put these measures on the ballot, insists that his motivations are raising wages and enforcing laws. But in reality, he is pedaling fear and discrimination as economic and worker justice.

Mayo is asking us to tattle to the government on people who we think might not have papers. Let’s remember that Homeland Security (DHS) is currently marching into peoples’ homes, arresting them in front of their families, breaking families apart and deporting hard working people. These measures would not only increase the ability of DHS to enter our lives based on what others think an immigrant looks like, they also encourage a culture of fear as we are put on high alert of the ‘others’ by screaming billboard-sized signs.

Using signage to ostracize immigrants or non-white communities as a long historical precedent. This plays on the same social distress as "Whites only," & "Irish need not apply;” classic immigrant bashing on a sign.

These measures are not about economic justice. They will drag down Columbia County’s already sputtering economy, but these measures will not bring it back to life. Mayo is implying that the burden of Columbia County’s failed economy lie on the backs of Latino immigrants, making these measures about race. These signs are intended to instill fear, drive out 'unwanted' people & reinforce a hierarchy based on race.

Working class people realize that shoving immigrants farther underground will only drive down wages and create a second-class of worker. We know that to build strong industries and family wage jobs all workers must have equal rights, be organized and empowered to stand together.

So if these measures are not about economic repair but instead drive a wedge into our community, then what leg does Mayo have to stand on to say that these are not race motivated measures? None. Mayo wants to make it clear that immigrants are not welcome, especially not those that we can identify with our eyes or ears.

The New KKK

Oregon Minuteman gives thanks to Portland activist for "making his cause"