Preemptive Race Baiting

This Sunday’s Deseret News editorial was simply appalling.

The State Legislature is set to begin it’s session on January 15th and the Deseret News has already come out to play the race card and launch a personal attack. This card is nothing new. It has been played in the past as I discussed in a previous post.

The editorial specifically targets Rep. Glen Donnelson but also paints any who stand in opposition as racists (even relating us/them with George Wallace):

There are pill pushers and there are bill pushers. In this case, the biggest “bill pusher” is Rep. Glenn Donnelson of North Ogden, who has apparently decided to take a page from the book of George Wallace. For the fourth time he is trying to repeal a 2002 law allowing undocumented students who have lived in Utah for three years and have graduated from a Utah high school to pay the same tuition as other Utahns. We expect to see him standing spread-eagle in the doorway of a dean’s office at some point. Others are also responding to the rallying cry. Who do they think is taking advantage of the in-state tuition break? Members of the Bloods and the Crips? Pancho Villa? Fidel Castro?

People may squeal when the following word surfaces, but targeting such a tiny number of pupils in an ocean of students does have overtones of (hush this up) racism.

I’ve met Rep. Donnelson as well as the Utah Minutemen and other groups (whether or not immigration is their main focus) and all are concerned about the illegal aspect only. Rep. Donnelson et al. couldn’t care less about who is illegal (whether it be Fritz, James, or Julio) - their sole concern in this matter is the rule of law (which includes some associated crimes other than immigration violations). Note: currently, illegal immigrant graduates would have to commit the same id violations as other illegal immigrants in order to attain a job.

The editorial is a joke. Based on it’s substance, I wouldn’t be surprised if Joe Cannon (recently became editor) wrote the thing. Both Joe and his brother Chris Cannon (US Rep) seem to have a tough time not resorting to emotional reactions when they are losing a debate.

Unfortunately, in today’s politics, race baiting and personal attacks happen but I can’t wait until, a few weeks from now, the Deseret News prints the obligatory editorial decrying the personal nature of politics, wishing everyone would hammer out policy in a civil manner.