Wave of Hope

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Wave of Hope

• A Challenge to Hate
• in the Immigration Debate
• Prepared by
• The Gleason Group, Inc.
• 202-415-2273

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Situation Recap
Immigration Debate Opened the Door to Hate

• Anti-immigrant networks mobilized online
• Hate groups and vigilantes dominated the airwaves
• Code words of hate became commonplace

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Cable news talk radio gave them a microphone

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Some of it is aimed at NCLR

• The White House will tell you that The National
  Council of The Race is a moderate, mainstream
  civil rights group. But there's nothing
  "moderate" about The Race
• - Michelle Malkin, syndicated columnist

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and unleashes a wave of hate
YouTube postings following Lou Dobbs broadcast

• I only hope we put troops on the border with
  flame throwers and land mines. Take your 15 yr
  old pregnant daughters and get the f_at_ out.
  Because soon the American People will throw you
  out. We won't need the gov't to do it either.
• La Raza do you have a branch in Mexico to tell
  your corrupt government where to go, don't think
  so. Maybe if you roundup up your illegal
  murderers and criminals and send them back across
  the Rio Grande, might help.

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NCLR Concerns

• Extremists were defining the debate in a very
  public forum
• Other Hispanic issues affected
• Healthcare
• Education
• Housing
• NCLR increasingly came under attack
• Vitriol was going unchallenged
• Extreme was becoming mainstream

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NCLR Concerns
Hate speech has its own consequences
Hate Crimes Against Latinos rise 40
Hate Groups Targeting Latinos up 48 since 2000
FBI Hate Crime Statistics
SPLC Hate Group Intelligence Report
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We conducted research

• FREDERICKpolls RESULTS OF A SURVEYABOUT THE
  ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION ISSUE AND ITS IMPACT ON VIEWS
  OF LATINO CULTURE IN AMERICADECEMBER
  2007MethodologySample Size n1,000 Adults
  Aged 21Margin of Error Plus or minus
  3.0Interview Method TelephoneInterview
  Dates December 12-16, 2007

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We recruited allies
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We documented our case
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We put it on-line
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We went to the networks
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We went to the media
Latino group says 'hate speech' infiltrates
immigration debate AP WASHINGTON A national
Latino group says it's fighting back against what
it considers hate speech in the national
immigration debate and elections. National
Council of La Raza president Janet Murguia said
Thursday her group will pressure candidates and
network executives to clamp down on the speech.
The group has launched a Web site to counter the
speech, http//www.wecanstopthehate.org
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We have had some success

• Others now join us in this space
• Replication efforts have started locally
• New research shows some progress among networks
• NCLR media presence has grown
• Blogs now invested in this issue

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Our message is being heard
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Our message is being heard

• FAIR is forced to spend energy answering charges
• Washington Times
• CQ
• Providence Journal

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Our message is being heard

• Some have even recanted
• "I very well may have been fighting for people
  with less character and less integrity than the
  'open border fanatics' I have been fighting
  against,"

Jim Gilchrist, Minuteman Project
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But, we have much left to do

• As much as has changed politically
• Latino impact on presidential election
• Rejection of anti-immigrant candidates
• No longer seen as third-rail issue by Democrats

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We have much left to do

• Much is still the same

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We have much left to do

• Much is still the same
• Anti-immigrant coalition is still strong
• Cable media shows no sign of slowing
• Harsh rhetoric is ratcheting up
• The next debate is coming
• We dont own the microphone

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Video on cable news
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We cant do it alone

• We need your clout with the networks
• CBA committee to
• Review research
• Develop comprehensive approach
• Engage the networks

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Wave of Hope

• A Challenge to Hate
• in the Immigration Debate