College Republicans Continue Racist, Anti-Immigrant Activities In Idaho -- Day 23 and No Response from RNC Chairman Mel Martinez

A BUZZFLASH NEWS ALERT

DNC Press

College Republicans Continue Racist, Anti-Immigrant Activities In Idaho -- Day 23 and No Response from RNC Chairman Mel Martinez

Washington, DC - While Democrats in Congress continue to work toward comprehensive immigration reform, exemplified today by the introduction of the bipartisan Security Through Regularized Immigration and a Vibrant Economy Act of 2007 (STRIVE Act of 2007), Republicans across the country appear committed to campaigning on fear and division.

This week, Boise State University College Republicans have joined the list of College Republicans who have held anti-immigrant "games" by creating a despicable ad to promote a conservative speaker on campus. The ad advertises a food stamp drawing and a free meal at a "Mexican restaurant" for students who "climb through the hole in the fence" and submit illegal identification. This recent derogatory stunt comes on the heels of national news reports that confirm the rise in hate groups who are feeding off of anti-immigrant sentiments. Sadly, while these activities continue on America's campuses and while Republican presidential candidates use harsh words on immigration for political gain, the national Republican Party has remained quietly on the sidelines.

It has been three weeks since Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean and DNC Hispanic Caucus Chair Ramona Martinez sent a letter to RNC General Chairman Mel Martinez regarding the despicable conduct of College Republicans. The Republican Chairman has yet to respond.

"Mel Martinez and national Republicans cannot continue to turn a blind eye to the disgusting tactics of College Republicans," said Democratic National Committee spokesman Luis Miranda. "It has been over three weeks since the DNC called on Republican Chairman Martinez to not only speak out against the despicable tactics College Republicans are undertaking, but to act proactively to stop them. As a leader in the party Martinez has a duty to set a positive example for young Republicans and to make it clear in no uncertain terms that these activities will not be tolerated by the Party's national leadership. Mel Martinez's deafening silence is enforcing not just stereotypes of immigrants but of the Republican Party itself."

"Democrats remain committed to working in a bipartisan manner to achieve comprehensive immigration reform, and today's introduction of the STRIVE Act of 2007 is a good step forward. We call on Republicans to stamp out the hateful rhetoric in their Party and to work on a bipartisan basis to pass this critical legislation."

RNC and College Republicans have a long and disgraceful track record of organizing and condoning these anti-immigrant tactics:

College Republicans In Idaho Stand By Racist, Negative Portrayal of Immigrants. "BSU College Republicans' flier stirred up controversy Friday when it advertised a speech about illegal immigration with a dinner for two at a local Mexican restaurant for the winner of a ‘food stamp drawing' that required climbing through a hole in a chain link fence and offering fake identification. Boise State officials asked the College Republicans to remove the wording regarding the hole in the fence and the drawing from the flier, but the group declined, BSU College Republicans President Jonathan Sawmiller said. He said Monday that the group intends to continue with the drawing as advertised." [Idaho Statesman, 3/20/07]

College Republicans Host Anti-Immigrant Game at New York University. "A game called 'Catch the Illegal Immigrant' staged on New York University's campus by a student Republican group drew several hundred students yesterday. But most came to protest the game, not to play it. Under the game's rules, according to one student Republican, players were to search on campus for the student chosen to wear a name tag saying 'illegal immigrant.' The winner received a small reward. But many students and other critics said they were repelled that anyone would want to play such a game." [The New York Times, 2/23/07]

College Republicans Issue Response Which Fails to Condemn These Disgraceful Events. "The New York College Republican State Committee, Inc. will not deny that there are more constructive ways to express your opinion on controversial issues, but as an organization we neither denounce nor support the actions of the NYU College Republicans. As long as everyone involved were willing participants, nothing illegal took place, no constitutional rights were violated, and as long as the NYU College Republicans were conducting this activity as last resort to bring attention to a political issue that the members and leadership of that chapter feel so strongly about." [NYCRSC Statement, 2/23/07]

College Republican Leadership Takes No Responsibility For Anti-Immigrant Activities. "We do not sponsor them. They're individual chapters and do whatever they'd like to do," said Amanda Trice, Deputy Executive Director of the CRNC. "We don't necessarily condone it. ... At the national organization, we don't sponsor that or give them materials or anything like that." [ABC News, 2/23/07]

RNC Hired Intern is Planning "Catch an Illegal Immigrant" and "Fun With Guns" Events. "Morgan Wilkins, the intern hired by the Republican National Committee to win the hearts and minds of Michigan 20-somethings, is planning events that some may find odd. To others, they may be offensive. One such idea is 'Catch an Illegal Immigrant Day,' in which a volunteer would play the part of an illegal immigrant and hide somewhere on campus while others try to find him. The winner would receive a prize. Her other ideas include an event called 'Fun with Guns,' in which young Republicans would use a BB gun or paintball gun to shoot cardboard cut-outs of Democratic leaders such as Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.)" [The Michigan Daily, 9/12/06]

College Republicans at Penn State Proposed Playing "Catch an Illegal Immigrant" As Segue Into Immigration Discussion. The College Republicans at Penn State University wanted to enter the debate about the nation's borders by playing a "Catch an Illegal Immigrant Game. "People would be invited to "catch" group members wearing orange shirts symbolizing illegal aliens. Amid the student outcry that ensued, they softened their plan to an illegal immigration awareness day in which leafleting and speech-making would let both sides air their views on immigration policies. [Scripps News Service, 4/14/06]

Catch an Illegal Immigrant Day Reportedly Planned at University of Texas. Members of the University of Texas' multicultural center cited UT Young Conservative's proposed "Catch an Immigrant Day" last spring as one of the causes of Latino students feeling unwanted at UT. Though there was no such event on March 2, and representatives from YCT denied planning it, the idea caused uproar and protest from multiple organizations on campus, including the Latino Leadership Council. [University Wire, 6/15/05]

A BUZZFLASH NEWS ALERT

Technorati Tags: Alerts DNC College Republicans immigration Mel Martinez