Founding CNN anchor Lou Dobbs announced his resignation from the network Nov. 11, despite the fact that his contract didn't expire for two more years. Latino advocacy groups are not only cheering the move but taking credit for it. That's because they campaigned for Dobbs to be removed from the network for misrepresenting immigrants and Hispanics generally.
Dobbs, for example, was forced to apologize after characterizing the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce as "an organization that is interested in Mexico's export of drugs and illegal aliens to the United States," NPR reported.
To boot, he blamed Latin American immigrants for a rise in leprosy cases in the States, despite the fact that incidences of leprosy haven't notably risen in the U.S.
"We had hundreds of thousands of people who said 'enough is enough,'" Alex Nogales, president and CEO of the National Hispanic Media Coalition, told Yahoo! News. "That he is gone from CNN is a great blessing and a great victory for our community."
The staff of Spanish language publication El Diario/La Prensa pointed out in an editorial that Dobbs certainly isn't the only pundit to viciously target immigrants but named him as a leader in anti-immigrant sentiment. He used "hundreds of prime time hours to create an immigrant bogeyman and to churn out lies," they wrote.
On the other hand, New America Media (NAM) wondered if Dobbs had been wrongfully targeted. Although NAM is pro-ethnic media, contributing writer Marcelo Ballvé pointed out that Dobbs accused his enemies of trying to silence him merely because he opposed illegal immigration, an undermining of the First Amendment.
"Has a legitimate voice been muzzled?" Ballvé asked Roberto Lovato, who co-founded Presente.org, one of the leading groups in the campaign to "dump Dobbs."
Lovato answered, "Lou Dobbs has had a free ride on the rollercoaster of hate at CNN for many years. This has nothing to do with the First Amendment. This is about hatred and the business of profiting from hatred against Latinos and other immigrant groups..."
Dobbs did not just misrepresent information about Latin American immigrants. He said that those who questioned whether President Obama, the son of a Kenyan immigrant, was born in the U.S. raised legitimate concerns. Birth records, statements from Hawaiian health officials and contemporaneous birth announcements in Honolulu newspapers, however, proved Obama was born in the U.S., according to NPR. Because Dobbs repeatedly made an issue of Obama's birthplace, CNN had to run a corrective story on "Lou Dobbs Tonight" to settle the matter once and for all.
I, for one, am the daughter of a Nigerian immigrant and fully support all immigrants who wish to come to the U.S. Although my father immigrated to the U.S. legally, I understand the desperate conditions that impel citizens of other nations to risk everything they have to come to the U.S. with or without papers. That said, I don't think Dobbs should be silenced simply because he is against illegal immigration. I do, however, think he should be silenced for spreading untruths about immigrants to this country. If he wishes to make a case about illegal immigration, why use misinformation to make his point? His argument would be much more valid if he pinpointed the real consequences of illegal immigration. Raising concerns about leprosy and insinuating that mainstream organization the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce partners with drug cartels is sensationalistic and a cheap way to make the public hysterical about illegal immigration.
What's most dangerous about Dobbs is that he used a media giant like CNN to spread misinformation, which constitutes an abuse of power and a violation of the public's trust. While many of us have grown skeptical of the media over the years, a large swathe of the public continues to rely on media outlets to give them accurate news. By spreading misinformation about immigration, Dobbs not only did a disservice to the Latino community but to any member of the public who considered him to be a legitimate news source.
The debt CNN owes to the Latino community won't be repaid simply by removing Dobbs from its airwaves, though. The network has a duty to ensure that Latino voices are represented in its programming. Angelo Falcón, president of the National Institute for Latino Policy, raised some great questions about CNN's future with Latinos.
"What are their plans for addressing their historic neglect of the Latino community?" he asked. "Will we be seeing more Latino executives, anchors, commentators, contributors and producers at CNN? ...A good starting point would be for the leadership of CNN to meet with Latino leaders to develop a partnership for change."
Comments
I wii not watch cnn, now that Lou Dobbs is no longer on
Brenda Wells
What is the arguement here? every single alien “BROKE THE LAW!” Our Government, past & present, Republican & Democrat, have allowed the invasion of 20 to 30 million criminals and uneducated peons which is the largest invasion of any Nation, at any time, by any means & in direct violation of Article IV, Section IV of our Constitution.
This refusal to abide by our Constitution or enforce our Immigration Laws should be classified as Treason of the most foul kind, & as grounds for impeachment & trials for Treason!
Not only have they allowed the invasion, they force American tax payers to pay Billions on Billions of dollars to provide Welfare, Prison cells, Educate the invaders numerous children, and free medical care, at the same time the invading horde break numerous laws and massive document fraud, & are destroying our schools, hospitals, communities, culture and standard of living while Robbing, Raping, Killing & Assaulting American Citizens WAKE UP PEOPLE!
I just love it when those who support open borders and illegal aliens continue to parrot the ethnic special interest spin. If you and any of the other pro illegal hustlers had any credibility, you would show the world the misinformation Dobbs was spreading. Let’s hear it point by point? Prove to us misinformed antagonists that he was wrong! Of course that will never happen because you have no facts to support your argument. As per usual if you can’t make an argument based on reality and truth, you attack the messenger. The American people are waking up to the disastrous effects of population increases by both legal and illegal immigration.
The constant repetition of SPLC, ACLU, La Raza talking points will not change a thing. Americans from all walks of life and political persuasions are not buying it. Illegal aliens you time is limited.
Us and Them
Legal Hispanics should be joining forces to take a stand against the illegal Hispanic population. The illegals are clearly making everyday life more difficult for legitimate, law abiding Hispanics who are either American born or residing here legally.
Instead of demanding entitlements for illegal Hispanics, they should be doing everything in their power to separate themselves from this unlawful and unwelcome segment of the population.
Of course illegal immigrants would cheer Lou Dobbs leaving. All they want is amnesty and to abuse the American tax payer. They could not care less about being an American citizen. It’s all about the low wages that they take from the legal American workers. They don’t care that we have to support them, send their kids to school and pay for their health care while they send all the American dollars to Mexico. I am sorry but I have no shoulder to cry on for illegal immigrants that have abused the legal American tax payers for the last 20+ years and expect even more. Take your Mexican flag back to your country and just try to get the benefits you have taken from legal Americans. It won’t happen in Mexico.
I wouldn’t cheer Lou Dobbs leaving CNN yet. Much like Glenn Beck, he’ll only end up on FOX News where the bass-ackwards crowd will think he’s the next TV messiah. Unfortunately, the country is full of clowns who believe that they are the original native Americans and that everyone else should leave the country.
Lou Dobbs and Sheriff Joe Arpaio for President & VP in 2012! I can’t think of a better team from an economic and law enforcement / national security perspective.
Goodbye and Good Riddance Lou, don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.
Lou Dobbs is a bigot and a liar plain and simple. Let him go to hate tv (FOX) or hate radio. Their ratings are going down the toilet anyway.
The good news is that all those angry white males who love to blame their failures in life on other people (”the other” being black, latino, jewish, etc.) are, indeed, in their 60s and 70s. They are good’ole boy America, America that is slowly but surely duying out. Those people would prefer to live back in time in 1852, I am sure. Dobbs, Tancredo, Senator Sessions, Rep. Joe Wilson, etc: those people represent everything that is wrong and hateful in America. Thank God this America is slowly but surely disappearing. Billy Bob is on the wrong side of both history and demographics…
The good news is that all those angry white males who love to blame their failures in life on other people (”the other” being black, latino, jewish, etc.) are, indeed, in their 60s and 70s.
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These are the people who built the schools, roads, universities, and welfare systems that you think “your people” are entitled to use for “free.” They are the ones who fought wars to keep the US a safe place to live in. Your lack of respect for them speaks volumes.
I am so grateful Dobbs is not going to be spewing his hate mongering and lies on CNN anymore. He did a great disservice to everyone with his factless hate mongering.
To Steve: A note concerning the largest invasion by Latinos here in America. One os the most deadly invasions happened on November 9, 1620 in Massachusetts. It was then that a bunch of disease carriers landed at Plymouth Rock and slaughtered thousands upon thousands of Indigenous people who welcomed them with food, warm clothing and goodwill. In return these so called Christians and Puritans gave them Small Pox laden blankets as a show of their appreciation. Today it’s known as Thanksgiving
I enjoy this balance and logical analysis of your column especially this issue of Lou’s exit. Good bye Lou. I personally will not miss him at CNN. Keep it up, Nadra. Dele in Nigeria.
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