By Ruben Navarrette Jr.
Special to CNN

SAN DIEGO, California (CNN) -- In a recent commentary, I wrote that, as a Mexican-American, the ugliness of the immigration debate offends me -- not as a Mexican, but as an American.

A woman wrote in and asked me to be more specific: Just what was it about the immigration debate that was so ugly?

She came to the right place. After nearly 20 years of writing opinions and insisting that I don't speak for all Hispanics, in recent months, I've heard from hundreds of Hispanics who -- appreciative of my middle-ground approach to the immigration issue -- insist that I can speak for them anytime. So, with the authority vested in me, I'll now share some of what other Hispanics are saying.

It's not far off from what Janet Murguia had to say. As president of the National Council of La Raza, the largest Hispanic civil rights organization in the United States, Murguia recently delivered an important speech to the National Press Club. The topic: the immigration debate and what she called a wave of hate sweeping the land -- one that isn't limited to illegal immigrants, but which is now affecting all Hispanics regardless of where they were born, what language they speak or what flag they salute.

The way Murguia sees it, immigration is "on the verge of becoming one of the largest civil rights issues of our generation." And, Hispanics are playing the piñata.

Murguia was right on the button. To borrow a phrase, it's getting ugly out there. And U.S.-born Hispanics see it as plain as day. Here are 10 things they find distasteful about this debate:

• The hypocrisy. We have two signs on the U.S.-Mexican border: "Keep Out" and "Help Wanted."

• The racism. With lightning speed, the debate went from anti-illegal immigrant to anti-immigrant to anti-Mexican.

• The opportunism. Too many politicians are trying too hard to portray themselves as tough on illegal immigration.

• The simple solutions. "Build A Wall." "Deport All Illegals." A quick rule of thumb: If it fits on a bumper sticker, it's not a workable policy.

• The naiveté. People ask why Mexico won't help stop illegal immigration. Hint: Last year, Mexicans in the United States sent home $25 billion.

• The profiling. Dark skin and Spanish surnames shouldn't be proxies for undocumented status. Been to Arizona lately?

• The meanness. Nazi-produced Internet video games let players shoot illegal immigrants crossing the border. Fun stuff.

• The amnesia. Americans think grandpa was welcomed with open arms and that he plunged into the melting pot. Whatever.

• The buck-passing. Americans love to blame Mexico for their choices, yelling across the border: "Stop us before we hire again."

• The double standard. The same folks who have zero tolerance for illegal immigrants easily tolerate those who hire them.

Some of this is painfully familiar, recalling earlier versions of this debate as it played out a hundred or two hundred years ago. Hispanics are the new Germans, the new Irish, the new Italians. But it's also ugly. It was then. It is now.



Just thought I would throw it in there, so the debate isn't so one sided,

Think he is legal?

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some days you're the dog, some days you're the hydrant

http://www.marchforbabies.com/chuck725 ... helping babies born prematurely and with birth defects

Unless you were joking, you just illustrated my point better than any post could have,

Here's a short bio:

SignOnSanDiego.com > News > Ruben Navarrette Jr.

I was completely joking.

Being sarcastic... I know, tough to see the shit eating grin on my face through a computer screen...

__________________
some days you're the dog, some days you're the hydrant

http://www.marchforbabies.com/chuck725 ... helping babies born prematurely and with birth defects

BTW, I am still against illegal immigration...

however, I find it VERY unfair that people who have come here legally are being discriminated against.

__________________
some days you're the dog, some days you're the hydrant

http://www.marchforbabies.com/chuck725 ... helping babies born prematurely and with birth defects

There certainly isn't a smiley to convey a "shit eating grin",

Gee not one word about the laws already on the books and some not being enforced. Nor one word about our boarder patrol and the attacks they have been under. So to me it is another agenda speech. One side against the other.

Not one word about the costs our states and country has become responsible for.
Just how many of the Latinos will be willing to soon have to pay higher taxes to support non citizens? And how do you think our citizens will respond once they will have tax increases.
I have nothing against the Latino or Mexican people. But if I have to obey rules. Then they need to do the same.
I have to pay auto insurance they can't without false papers. And that is another problem not addressed! False ID's which lead to ID thefts and credit rip offs which cost us in the long run in higher prices.
And if all this energy was directed in the proper place, Mexico, to help her own people, to developer better jobs for her people, think how much it might make a difference.
I hear about this S. American growth in economy. Why hasn't Mexico gained?

Again I respect the people involved in this situation an believe most will offer good for the communities they settle in. But ten thousand a day isn't going to help America grow. Do the math.
And in the mean time some of these might be terrorist coming across the boarders mixed in with the others looking to better them selfs..

Someone from "The Race" has no room what so ever to talk about racism and someone from "The race" evidently is pro-illegal/pro-criminal since "The Race"is a pro-illegal immigration/pro-criminal group.So anything they say regarding the illegal immigration debate is not going to have any credibility regarding what is and what isn't bigoted/racist or anti-immigrant.



Most Americans who are genuinely against illegal immigration want the scum who hire illegals to be severely punished.
Most people who are against illegal immigration do not give a fuck about race or country of origin,it is the pro-illegals who spread lies of racism.
Many politicians are actually tough on Illegal immigration.The politicians in my state are,which is why illegals fled to Texas,Arkansas and other sanctuary states.
Those are workable solutions.This country has accomplished many things surely building a fence and rounding up illegals should not be hard.It is the pro-illegals who site there and lie their ass off about deportation and building a wall being unworkable.


I think most people who are genuinely against illegal immigration are not naive about the fact illegals send lots of money home ,which is why we say besides deportation and building a wall we must crack down on the employers who hire illegals.
If they do not speak english and are hanging out at day labor sites(pro-illegals code for place where illegals hang out to get illegal employment) then it is apparent they are illegals because farm visas and certain other types or work visas are not self petitioning.

My grandpa was born in this country.ANd when a lot of other people's grandpas came to this country they were expected to support themselves,assimilate and learn our language.

Most people who are genuinely against illegal immigration want the employers who hire illegals to be stopped and severely punished.After all the scum who hire illegals are the magnets that draw most people to come here illegally.

If you here illegally then you should not be welcomed into this country,what is so hard to understand about that fact?A hundred and two hundred years ago we did not have tax payer education,welfare,section 8 housing, and many other tax payer benefits nor were government officials and local police expected to speak what ever language the immigrant speaks.

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"There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn’t an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag… We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language… and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people.”—Theodore Roosevelt

Where would I even begin? It must be nice being in the majority... ignorance most certainly is bliss,

And thank you for illustrating, quite clearly, that it is all about race, since an AMERICAN from "the race" most certainly cannot have an unbiased opinion on the issues. What would the person who is being discriminated against know about discrimination... ughhhh.