By now, everyone and their gardener has heard about the letter to recently registered Latino voters warning them of repercussions if they're illegal. No one is quite sure who sent the letter (read the English-language translation here), although the blame game has already begun: Democrats blame Republican carpetbagger (and 34th State Senate District candidate) Lynn Daucher, while Assemblymember Chuck Devore smells a Lou Correa operative, then gives the worst argument in history to support it. The open-borders crowd blames the California Coalition for Immigration Reform 'cause the letter was sent on CCIR letterhead--nevermind that the letterhead was fake and that CCIR head Barbara Coe denies any ties between the letter and her group. Nevertheless, an alphabet soup coalition of Latino groups (MALDEF, LULAC, NALEO, SVREP, NCLR, LHA--but where's MEChA?) sent a letter to US Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez asking him to investigate the "naked attempt to intimidate duly registered Latino citizens from exercising their right to vote." More specifically, they demand the FBI focus its investigation on CCIR and Coe based on them supposedly "circulating letters similar to the one at issue here in subsequent elections."
I know Barbara Coe. I've been covering her gnarled hate for nearly five years. CCIR members have subpoenaed me, physically threatened me and provided much racist merriment. Take it from me: neither Barbara Coe nor anyone associated with CCIR wrote that letter. For one, the letter sent out to voters was in Spanish--CCIR would never be caught dead speaking that devil tongue. More importantly, the letter doesn't have any of the code words that marks a Coe missive, namely illegal alien savages, cockroaches, INVASION (always in caps), reconquista, and many, many more. Alphabet-soup Latino orgs: drop the witch hunt against Coe; she ain't the one, for once. So who is it? Stay tuned!
October 18, 2006 08:10
Worst defense in history of Barbara Coe!
October 18, 2006 09:10
ONLY defense you'll ever see of Barbara Coe. We only wish she was that articulate
October 18, 2006 10:10
Even if it wasn't Barbara Coe and her cronies, its a direct result of what CCIR's work that would encourage rhetoric and actions like these. She may be denying it, but you know she's enjoying it. How old is she? She's like our local Fidel, we're just waiting for the expiration date...
October 18, 2006 13:10
I think you are off on this Scoop. Barbara's group would indeed draft a letter in Spanish to target voters with Latino surnames who are born abroad. In her warped mind, non-US born Latinos can only understand Spanish and refuse to assimilate and learn English.
CCIR would also refrain from using loaded terms like cockroaches etc. because the tone of the letter was formal (your pocho Spanish may have missed that) for the sole purpose of reinforcing the idea that immigrants (regardless of legal status) should not vote.
October 18, 2006 13:10
Armando: I think you're giving Babs y Company too much credit for subtlety. Have you been to any of their protests? The last time I saw her, she was yelling at Mexican protestors during the May Day protests, "Use your welfare checks to go back to Mexico."
October 19, 2006 08:10
Humph. Ok, Gustavo, so you were right about Barbara Coe.
The only person I know of who guessed Tan was the culprit was an anonymous commenter at the Liberal OC. Props to him/her, whoever it is!
October 19, 2006 09:10
I know me my Babs!
October 20, 2006 09:10
[...] 20 Oct 2006 We Defend Barbara Coe–Again! Posted by Gustavo Arellano under Main [...]