by Victor Davis Hanson // National Review Online – The Corner
Representative Luis Gutierrez addressed the National Council of La Raza in hyper tones, calling not only for more amnesties but also for the crowd to “punish” their adversaries who would oppose them. Apparently, Eric Holder’s prior separatist reference to “my people” when talking of African Americans, and President Obama’s earlier 2010 racialist call for Latinos “to punish our enemies” have filtered down as mainstream nomenclature and emboldened others. But how strange that “raza,” “my people,” and “our people” are now politically correct words in a linguistically sensitive age when referents like the Washington “Redskins” or “illegal” immigrants are considered racially insensitive.
Gutierrez might stop for a second, and ask what the logical trajectory is of a multiracial America in which particular ethnic groups refer to themselves as “our” or “my” people — would not the corollary be that those Americans outside the proper ethnic circle would be “not our people” or “not my people”? And how do we define who is and is not one of “our” people? Is an Hispanic citizen who marries outside “my people” no longer a member of La Raza? Do you have to prove one-third, one-fourth, or one-sixteenth a racial pedigree to be included in Gutierrez’s “our people”?
And where exactly does Representative Gutierrez think that the modern popularity of the rubric La Raza (“the race”) originated? He might read Spanish dictator Francisco Franco’s novel Raza (which inspired a popular fascist film of the same name), and take note of its theme of Iberian racial exceptionalism that transcended language and locale. (It was written in the spirit of the 1930s and the fascist popularity of the related ideas of Volk and Razza).
Does Representative Gutierrez have any notion that the reason why tens of thousands of what he refers to as “our people” are risking their lives to enter the U.S. is that because, unlike their home nations, America’s prosperity is ultimately based on the sanctity of racially-blind and politically-blind laws, laws that cannot be simply created or dismissed for particular interest groups by someone shouting to an assembly, convening under the banner of “The Race”?
Strip away the very thin leftist veneer of all this and we can see the old demagogic and ethnic fascism of the European 1930s.
“And how do we define who is and is not one of “our” people?” No problem there, the work has already been done. We can just dust off the Nuremberg Laws, do a “find and replace” on the words Jew and Aryans and we’re all set.
I lived in Wyoming in the 70s, tended bar on weekends in Lander WY, by the Rez. Every weekend I would observe arguments between Shoshone drinkers, who carried tribal cards listing their percentage of Shoshone blood. And I watched them resolve those arguments by slapping their tribal roster card on the bar top, as if that was the last word, the trump card of all cards. Now and then I would remark, “Fellas, that’s racist as hell. That isn’t going to work for you in the long run.”
Gutierrez is a Liberal bigot. That’s accepted in the mainstream media. How fast would he support illegal immigration from China or India.
About as fast as a dead turtle.
It occurs to me that as we are now, as Obama puts it, “no greater than any other nation” a statement borne out by his bringing down this country to the lowest common denominator in every aspect, that there should be no further reason for us to give billions in foreign aid to ANY other country. If we are, as he wishes, all equal, then these handouts will have to stop and these countries will jolly well have to take care of themselves. That would mean the U.S. could take care of its own people, the poor, the destitute, the homeless, FIRST and FOREMOST! That is what Conservatives want – for ALL to succeed. Algore and all his mansions (one he purchased on a beach he told us will be under water soon), Pelosi with hers, Harry Reid who lives at the Ritz Carlton, Charlie Rose with his 5 homes, Michael Moore with his 9 homes and now Obama all seem to have the attitude “I’m in the boat Jack, pull up the ladder”.
Whenever I see someone like Gutierrez who is bereft of American values, though enjoying an America built by others who most certainly had American values, I just wonder what happens to a guy like this if and when throats are being cut. My hunch is that he ends up at or near the front of the line.
Hats off to VDH:
Amexica has caused problems since Mexico was lost to the United States. VDH’s masterpiece Mexifornia is a great introduction to illegal immigration. I enjoyed this article in the National Review. If the United States is to continue to become in terms of Western Civilization our borders must be controlled. In writing a column this morning I reflected on Victors. As a historian I drew a parallel to Emperor Titus, with General Tiberius Julius Alexander as his second-in-command, besieged and conquered the city of Jerusalem, which had been occupied by its Jewish defenders in 66 AD. Illegal immigration is besieging the United States.
One remember the warning that Harry R Truman was given in 1980 to leave Mt. St Helens although the treat was different, people are bringing to leave the United States and the border states of California due to illegal immigration. If we are prepared to survive conflict there must be an end to the illegal immigration that engulfs us like an erupting Volcano and a General who is knocking at the doors of Jerusalem.
jwc
He is really no different than Eric “My People” Holder, who put their race/ethnicity above their country. I’m sure Mr. Gutierrez subscribes to the principles of “La Raza”, and he knows that these people invading our border — thus changing our demographic — will only add to his political power. The Balkanization of the United States is moving at warp speed.