QOTD: they all look alike edition
by digby
It’s not the first time I’ve heard this unfortunately, but the fact that it comes from a member of congress and a very big wheel in the defense procurement world — and a Californian to boot — is extremely dispiriting.
“There are people that can’t tell the difference between a Hispanic person and an Arab person. If you get an Arab that’s coming into this country to be a terrorist, they can mingle in, and they can get in here, and then they can do damage.” — Buck McKeon (R-Ca)
I’ve heard this in casual conversation. And that’s usually when someone else pipes in that you can’t trust the Mexicans either because they’re all drug lords. Also too: lazy and stealing our jobs.
Dr Lee Rogers has announced that he’s running against McKeon again in the next election. he came surprisingly close last time especially for a first time candidate going up against such a big wheel incumbent who’s been in forever. Maybe it was all the Latinos in his district who figures out what a jerk McKeon was a long time ago.
Here’s Rogers’ statement;
“The Congressman’s comments are insensitive to both Latinos and those of Arab descent. Certainly a secure border helps to make us safer, but xenophobic comments like these stoke unnecessary fears and discrimination against law abiding U.S. residents and immigrants. His comments put him the same category as other House Republicans who frequently use hateful rhetoric, like Rep. Louie Gohmert, who suggested that terrorists are crossing the border disguised as Mexicans to have terror babies in the U.S., and Rep. Steve King, who said that Latinos have calves the size of cantaloupes because they’re hauling 75 pounds of marijuana across the border.
“What we need are real solutions to fix our broken immigration system, like supporting the bipartisan Senate bill offering a pathway to citizenship for 11 million undocumented residents of our country who badly want to become legalized, pay taxes, and partake in the American dream. I wish these guys in Washington would get over their foot-in-mouth disease and start acting like responsible Members of Congress who actually do something to improve the lives of people in our country.”
I’m so sick of hearing these right wing bozos act as if it’s still 1955 and they can just blurt out whatever ignorant thought that passes through their privileged white male minds. They need to go.
You can help Rogers here. He’s a very good guy — a world renowned surgeon who specializes in saving diabetic patients’ feet. A real mensch. He’s also a real progressive.
.