Amid swine flu outbreak, racism goes viral

PlattsburghLoser · 05-01-2009, 11:15 AM

Quote:

“No contact anywhere with an illegal alien!” conservative talk show host Michael Savage advised his U.S. listeners this week on how to avoid the swine flu. “And that starts in the restaurants" where he said, you “don’t know if they wipe their behinds with their hands!”

And Thursday, Boston talk radio host Jay Severin was suspended after calling Mexican immigrants "criminalians" during a discussion of swine flu and saying that emergency rooms had become "essentially condos for Mexicans."

That’s tepid compared to some of the xenophobic reactions spreading like an emerging virus across the Internet. “This disgusting blight is because MEXICANS ARE PIGS!” an anonymous poster ranted on the “prison planet” forum, part of radio host and columnist Alex Jones’ Web site.

There is even talk of conspiracy. Savage speculated that terrorists are using Mexican immigrants as walking germ warfare weapons. “It would be easy,” he said, “to bring an altered virus into Mexico, put it in the general population, and have them march across the border.”

As about 130 cases of H1N1 virus, known as swine flu, have been confirmed across the United States, from San Diego to New York City, the growing public health concern has also exposed fear and hate.

Fear and blame are counterproductive and even dangerous in any disease outbreak because the more stigmatized any group feels, the more reluctant people in that group may be to seek medical care. That only helps propagate the disease.

The attempt to scapegoat Mexicans, immigrants, and Hispanic Americans is no to surprise Latino rights groups, who are now mobilizing a counter-effort.

'Ignorant beyond the pale'
Angelica Salas, executive director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, called such comments “racist and ignorant beyond the pale … these so-called commentators shame themselves turning public health concerns into an immigrant bashing fest.”

“What we have seen is that the anti-immigrant groups are using this to shamelessly to promote their agenda,” said Liany Arroyo, director of the Institute for Hispanic Health at the National Council of La Raza.

While the war of words is mainly between the conservative commentariat and Latino advocacy groups, individual Mexican-Americas are beginning to worry.

"Our people are calling us and they are concerned," said Florencia Velasco Fortner, chief executive officer of Dallas Consilio of Hispanic Organizations, an umbrella of affiliated service groups. "Even our staff members are starting to get a little discouraged. There was anti-immigrant sentiment prior to this and this adds fuel to the fire."

The Consilio has mounted its own education campaign to teach Dallas-area Hispanic audiences proper disease prevention and hygiene techniques. Because many are uninsured and may avoid seeking medical care, the Consilio is also helping them find non-profit clinics and encouraging them to visit these immediately if they develop symptoms rather than waiting until they are severely ill.

As swine flu fears have spread, the backlash has also affected some Mexican restaurants' business, possibly fueled by disparaging comments like those of Savage questioning the hygiene of workers.

Jennifer Pesqueira, whose family has owned and operated El Indio Mexican restaurants in San Diego since 1940, said her business has seen a 20 percent drop in business since the outbreak began.

Amid swine flu outbreak, racism goes viral - Swine flu- msnbc.com

Any thoughts?

molly4190 · 05-01-2009, 11:33 AM

Ugh conspiracy theorists...i'm sure osama bin laden is gleefully cackling in a cave somewhere

I thought swine flu was being spread by human-to-human contact? sorry if that's wrong. But my brother's class was supposed to go on a field trip to the petting zoo and it was canceled because parents were nervous about having their darlings near the piggies

http://www.humaneeducatorsreachingou...ges/piglet.jpg I want one. I would name it Norbert and take it on walks around Manhattan. But my apartment doesn't allow pets

this is a bad time to get a pet pig lol

Yankee Belle · 05-01-2009, 11:38 AM

Yes, close the border and do like Japan and check all in coming passengers from Mexico. We can't stop it, but we can slow it down.
Have there been any cases in the US of people who haven't been to Mexico recently? The only fatality was the baby in Texas, who had been in there.

chuy · 05-01-2009, 11:46 AM

It's the flu. We can't closed the border every time there's a flu. It wouldn't even do any good since it's already spread here.

egolikestomach · 05-01-2009, 11:51 AM

seriously, this is just a flu. everyone needs to calm their sh-t.

Equities Artist · 05-01-2009, 11:59 AM

who the hell cares about racism in a situation as drastic as this one.

egolikestomach · 05-01-2009, 12:26 PM

^i bet you supported the patriot act

PlattsburghLoser · 05-01-2009, 12:27 PM

Slightly unrelated: Spencer and Heidi fear the pigs.

http://dlisted.com/files/caption0429_0.jpg

Equities Artist · 05-01-2009, 12:30 PM

Quote:

^i bet you supported the patriot act

i can't remember the specifics, but i remember arguing against it at the time it was in the news.

lollybo · 05-01-2009, 02:32 PM

Silly Americans. Epidemics are for poor countries.

ronpaul2012 · 05-01-2009, 03:15 PM

"When you give up your liberties for the purpose of security, you lose both..."

PlattsburghLoser · 05-01-2009, 03:17 PM

Frankly, I think this is all manbearpig's doing.

ronpaul2012 · 05-01-2009, 03:22 PM

http://207.199.174.56/img/KHbwvJZPVr_manbearpig.jpg

http://media.ebaumsworld.com/picture...Manbearpig.png

http://politicaldemotivation.files.w...manbearpig.jpg

Endicott · 05-01-2009, 03:22 PM

Some people know how to pile misery on top of misery, don't they?

BetterThanYouAre · 05-01-2009, 03:49 PM

Yeah, the "mexicans are pigs" is racism for sure and shouldn't be condoned, but comments like "What we have seen is that the anti-immigrant groups are using this to shamelessly to promote their agenda” are also grossly ignorant.

I support immigration reform and a VERY secure border. And while Savage's language was out of line, he's right about what's happening to the US healthcare system. Just look at states like California. We can't afford to nurse these illegals back to health every time they have a stuffy nose or worse (and a lot will use the ER for ANY minor health ailment, as it's the only way to be treated) on the tax payer dollar. And with the millions in this country, it IS adding up. This country is in enormous debt as it is, and Pres. O wants to force upon us "free" (a.k.a paid by higher taxes) healthcare? This man is trying to outshine Carter.

Yeah I guess I went off topic there. But while this language isn't acceptable, a few bad apples shouldn't be used to discredit some of the anti-immigration platform.