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April 30, 2008 12:20 PM    View printable version     Link to this comment   
Member Since:
May 25, 2007
Latinos outraged over CBS report
By GEBE MARTINEZ | 4/29/08 8:14 PM EST
 
Katie Couric
Civil rights leaders contended Couric’s broadcast was inconsistent.
Photo: AP

As if Katie Couric didn’t already have enough problems. 

Weighed down by record-low ratings at the anchor desk of “CBS Evening News,” and by reports suggesting she will leave that post two years before her multimillion-dollar contract expires, Couric now has civil rights groups — mostly Hispanic — on her back. 

And for good reason. 

The CBS newscast that carries her name recently aired a one-sided and inaccurate report about illegal immigrant women who give birth to their children in the United States. The news story challenged the broader constitutional law of birthright citizenship and stated — without providing the correct context — that the births cost U.S. taxpayers millions of dollars annually. 

The story’s central figure was a woman identified as an illegal immigrant, who was lying in her South Texas hospital bed — her right arm wrapped around her newborn and her left hand punctured by an intravenous needle — while reporter Byron Pitts lectured her that “many Americans who struggle to take care of their own families think it is unfair that they should have to take care” of non-U.S. citizens. Laughing

Immigrant advocates found the report so crass, and so far below the network’s journalistic standards set by legends Edward R. Murrow and Walter Cronkite, that they accused Couric of sinking to the depths of Lou Dobbs, the CNN broadcaster and contributor to CBS’s “The Early Show” who has inflamed national anti-immigrant sentiment. Yell

One Hispanic group posted on its website a photo of Couric that morphs into Dobbs. Yell

“Anti-Latino falsehoods deserve no time on our public airwaves,” stated a letter to CBS by the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund and the National Council of La Raza. Yell
The groups and others have asked to meet with CBS “to help raise the dialogue and provide the American public an honest and accurate analysis of this nation’s broken immigration system.” And in a separate letter to CBS, the Asian American Justice Center lodged a similar complaint against the entire four-part series that included the report. 

CBS has not responded to the civil rights groups’ request for a meeting. “We appreciate the passionate and articulate feedback on our series. We will continue to do our best to listen to the many voices engaged in immigration issues, to produce fair and accurate stories and to bring national attention to this complicated topic,” CBS said in a statement. 

The Latino-led action against CBS comes at a critical time. The rise in anti-immigrant rhetoric, hate crimes against Latinos and election-year political pandering on immigration has caused Hispanic leaders to forcefully push back against the scapegoating that touches immigrants and various generations of Latinos. Yell

NCLR, MALDEF and the National Hispanic Media Coalition now have websites aimed at correcting “inaccuracies” in the media. The CBS broadcast is serving as the latest example of unbalanced reporting. Yell

In its written complaint to CBS, MALDEF cited a Texas comptroller’s study noting economic benefits due to the presence of undocumented immigrants. MALDEF also maintained the CBS report exposes the woman “and implicitly leads her to believe that she is protected from deportation.” And it portrayed birthright citizenship as “an unfair benefit to immigrants rather than a core principle” of constitutional law. Yell

One gaping hole in the news story involved a hospital administrator’s statement that the facility has “uncompensated care of over $200 million a year,” which the reporter tied to emergency room care for non-citizens. But how is that known if the hospital does not verify citizenship or legal vs. illegal immigration status?Yell
Katie Couric
Civil rights leaders contended Couric’s broadcast was inconsistent.
Photo: AP
Page 2

Civil rights leaders also contended Couric’s broadcast was inconsistent, not just because of her brand as “America’s sweetheart” but also because, in June, she is to receive the 2008 Alice Award, named for Alice Stokes Paul, the women’s suffrage leader and author of the Equal Rights Amendment. 

Despite objections to Couric’s broadcast, Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairman Joe Baca (D-Calif.) plans to attend the civil rights event honoring Couric. Baca has gathered 399 co-sponsors to his bill to posthumously award Paul the Congressional Gold Medal. 

“Right now, I believe that a chance to dialogue with Ms. Couric and the CBS News brain trust may be the most appropriate course of action. They need to be informed that their story was not only offensive to Hispanics but also misleading in its portrayal of immigrants as a drain on society,” Baca said. Yell
The Latinos’ battle for respect is being waged on multiple fronts. 

The Hispanic Caucus recently lashed out at Democratic Party leaders for staging House hearings — beginning next week in the Ways and Means Committee — on bills that would enforce the border, sanction employers or extend visas for seasonal workers. 

The leadership is refusing to consider broader reforms such as legalizing the 12 million illegal immigrants in the country out of fear it would jeopardize moderate Democrats in swing districts. Though Republicans have failed so far to make immigration a wedge issue in their presidential primaries and recent special elections, Democrats are using the hearings to stall conservatives’ border enforcement bills.
Hispanic Caucus members faulted Democratic leaders for considering only measures that would benefit special interests, such as those needing seasonal worker visas for the summer, or high-tech industries that hire highly skilled employees. 

Democratic leaders are “spineless” for not debating comprehensive immigration reform, said Rep. Raul M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.). 

Top Democrats “want to have, on one side, the support of Hispanics. But on the other hand, they don’t want to spend one cent of political capital” to look out for them, added Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez (D-Ill.). Yell


In the media, the Lou Dobbses of the world “say that we bring disease and crime to our country,” NCLR President Janet Murguia said recently. So when CBS aired its report, Murguia wondered, “Is no one above exploiting this issue?” Yell

And if CBS is playing to immigration hawks to boost its sagging ratings, the network risks being tuned out by the expanding Latino community. Advertisers know that by 2011, Hispanic buying power will total $1.2 trillion, almost 10 percent of all U.S. purchasing power. 

“We are not going to be the victims of anti-immigrant reporting, and we are not going to sit by as the community is demonized,” said Peter Zamora, a MALDEF attorney. Yell

That is the message Latinos are delivering to CBS, with the expectation that balanced reporting on Hispanics and immigrants will be the standard long after Couric’s name is removed from the evening newscast.

Gebe Martinez is a longtime journalist in Washington and a frequent lecturer and commentator on the policy and politics of Capitol Hill.
April 30, 2008 12:27 PM    View printable version     Link to this comment   
Member Since:
February 16, 2007
Those activists can't handle the truth so they resort to the race card, as usual.  It's gotten old.

"A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer." - Ecclesiastes 4:12
April 30, 2008 12:37 PM    View printable version     Link to this comment   
Member Since:
February 2, 2007
Comment updated April 30, 2008 12:39 PM

I think it's a truthful portrayal of what is really happening and am shocked that Couric is involved.  Maybe she realizes the truth or, perhaps, her declining ratings needed a boost with some good old fashioned stirring of the pot.  Either way, more people are now exposed to the truth.  Some will start to think about the situation.

Quote: “We are not going to be the victims of anti-immigrant reporting, and we are not going to sit by as the community is demonized,” said Peter Zamora, a MALDEF attorney. --- Have you noticed the fear recently in statements from MALDEF, La Raza, etc?  They are becoming even more adversarial with their comments because they see they are losing.  Every single time they do anything, there is a quicker and harder pushback from the anti-illegal immigration crowd.  It's getting so bad that when the pledge was said in Spanish at a high school ( as the Spanish club has done for years) that people got really angry all of a sudden.  It never bothered them in years past, but now it is an issue.  People are waking up to the situation and that's bad news for the open borders crowd.

I can't wait to see the repercussions from this year's May marches.



"Had the people, during the Revolution, had a suspicion of any attempt to war against Christianity, that Revolution would have been strangled in its cradle... In this age, there can be no substitute for Christianity... That was the religion of the founders of the republic and they expected it to remain the religion of their descendants." Charles Carrol, signer of Declaration of Independence, framer of the Bill of Rights, delegate to the Constitutional Convention, U.S. Senator
April 30, 2008 12:52 PM    View printable version     Link to this comment   
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March 3, 2007
ConcernedMom said:

I think it's a truthful portrayal of what is really happening and am shocked that Couric is involved.  Maybe she realizes the truth or, perhaps, her declining ratings needed a boost with some good old fashioned stirring of the pot.  Either way, more people are now exposed to the truth.  Some will start to think about the situation.

Quote: “We are not going to be the victims of anti-immigrant reporting, and we are not going to sit by as the community is demonized,” said Peter Zamora, a MALDEF attorney. --- Have you noticed the fear recently in statements from MALDEF, La Raza, etc?  They are becoming even more adversarial with their comments because they see they are losing.  Every single time they do anything, there is a quicker and harder pushback from the anti-illegal immigration crowd.  It's getting so bad that when the pledge was said in Spanish at a high school ( as the Spanish club has done for years) that people got really angry all of a sudden.  It never bothered them in years past, but now it is an issue.  People are waking up to the situation and that's bad news for the open borders crowd.

I can't wait to see the repercussions from this year's May marches.

 

Maybe she is trying to save her liberal tail by jumping on the bandwagon of what is RIGHT- FINALLY! This is OUR country and WE have the right to discuss the MASSIVE FINANCIAL BURDEN placed squarely on the backs of US TAXPAYERS to pay for illegals.

As far as I am concerned the CBS report was DEAD ON (for a change)....and the reporting of this illegal situation is LONG OVERDUE!Yell

Concernedmom,you are SO RIGHT when you say this is "bad news" for the open border crowd. Even in my own small town, and I have been talking about this to my friends for YEARS...there is a problem with illegals.An illegal mexican malewas caught THIS WEEK in my hometown in Ohio trying to use a 10 year old child for prostitution (of course it is a felony)- and NOW I will have to pay for his INCARCERATION in MY state?! A 10 year old child....how sick can you be? AND he is illegal? I say we keep a running tab on ALL crimes committed by illegals in our respective states and SHOVE IT IN THE FACE OF THE LATINO CAUCUS!

Anyone up for a HUGE battle against those who SUPPORT illegals!? I have already reported SEVERAL businesses in my hometown...made sure the people were actually illegal first (helps that it is my hometown and everyone knows me!). Keep an eye out in your own communities......verify and then report to ICE!

 



"I have wondered at times what the Ten Commandments would have looked like if Moses had run them through the US Congress." Ronald Reagan "Evil is powerless when the good are unafraid." Ronald Reagan
April 30, 2008 01:00 PM    View printable version     Link to this comment   
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August 3, 2007
OMG!!! UIf she keeps that up, I might, might, tune in to  her show for a few minute some night. I am on the side of anyone who tries to make our *^*^* government enforce the rule of law.
April 30, 2008 01:04 PM    View printable version     Link to this comment   
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February 12, 2007

Not that my government gives a crap what I think BUT I am outraged that this illegal immigration mess has been allowed to run out of control for years.

We pick and choose which laws we wish to obey and evidently immigration is one many want to overlook.

Considering the fact that 49% of kids in California have at least one immigrant parent and the population of the USA will add another 100 MILLION people in the next 30 years, mostly due to immigration, we ALL have a right to be outraged !!
April 30, 2008 01:11 PM    View printable version     Link to this comment   
Member Since:
February 16, 2007

Immigrant advocates found the report so crass, and so far below the network’s journalistic standards set by legends Edward R. Murrow and Walter Cronkite, that they accused Couric of sinking to the depths of Lou Dobbs, the CNN broadcaster and contributor to CBS’s “The Early Show” who has inflamed national anti-immigrant sentiment. Yell

Sounds to me like CBS and Couric starting rising to Lou Dobb's level -- but they have a long way to go!



My Vice Presidential candidate can whip your Presidential candidate!
April 30, 2008 02:05 PM    View printable version     Link to this comment   
Member Since:
February 15, 2007

From the article above:

 

Right now, I believe that a chance to dialogue with Ms. Couric and the CBS News brain trust may be the most appropriate course of action. They need to be informed that their story was not only offensive to Hispanics but also misleading in its portrayal of immigrants as a drain on society,” Baca said. Yell
The Latinos’ battle for respect is being waged on multiple fronts. 

 

I don't know, I've always been told you earn respect.  These people haven't earned anything!  That covers the right to be in this country, work here, live here, education, health, amensty, you name it.  If Couric is standing a little closer to Lou Dobbs then I say we can use more of what she has to say.  I think they should be a bit more honest in their count of how many are in this country.  It's a bit closer to 37 million illegals.  It's been 12 million for years.  We all know that's not true.   

April 30, 2008 02:14 PM    View printable version     Link to this comment   
Member Since:
September 28, 2007
What is the big deal?  The truth is the truth but LaRaza, the Hispanic Caucus and MALDEF can't handle the truth.  Check out the statistics at Parkland Hospital in Dallas.  That is just one.  How these scumbags can say that this story is not the truth is beyond me and CBS should come back with even more statistics to prove their point.  If they did that it would go a long way towards getting me to watch them.
April 30, 2008 02:17 PM    View printable version     Link to this comment   
Member Since:
February 9, 2008
I am so tired of all the boohooing and compaining by these illegals.  It is getting very old very fast.  And now Mexico is boohooing too.  What is the big deal.  Illegals out.  We'll figure out how to deal with what we have left.  Illegals are getting so many of the jobs "nobody wants", like the 200 that went to Mexico today, because a part supplier, who had to compete with all the outsourcing, wanted to lower the wages of American workers to  illegal standards.  It is enough.  We are drained.  We don't have nothing left for you illegal thiefs to leech out of us.  Go home!

2 Chronicles 7:14
April 30, 2008 02:56 PM    View printable version     Link to this comment   
Member Since:
February 16, 2007
The story was NOT offensive to American citizens -- and that's all I care about!

My Vice Presidential candidate can whip your Presidential candidate!
April 30, 2008 03:22 PM    View printable version     Link to this comment   
Member Since:
May 18, 2007
Comment updated April 30, 2008 03:25 PM
RockyMtn1776 said:

Considering the fact that 49% of kids in California have at least one immigrant parent and the population of the USA will add another 100 MILLION people in the next 30 years, mostly due to immigration, we ALL have a right to be outraged !!

I heard on the news recently that it is estimated by the year 2100 (not that any of us will be around) the US population will be at one billion people, that is approx 700 million more people than we have today, mostly due to immigrants (they did not say legal/illegal)....

700 million divided by 50 states (if it was an equaly distribution, which we know it won't be) equals 14 million more per state, now WHERE will all those people go?  All the major cities will be teaming masses of people ala mexico city or hong kong....

Boy, I might actually write CBS and THANK them for having a story depicting the truth for a change about illegals coming here to milk the system...imagine that!!!!  I just can't understand why the mexicans get so uptight when they are forced to see the truth of the situation, rather than some mystical, glamorous 'azatlan' fairy tale....



If you have to hyphenate your race--you are NOT an American!! This from a French-German-English-Irish-AMERICAN! See how silly this can become?
April 30, 2008 03:44 PM    View printable version     Link to this comment   
Member Since:
February 16, 2007

Agree, VeeBee.  It's about time that one of the mainstream media organizations did a truthful and informative report about the way these leeches drain us dry.  I think I will write CBS as well. 

Once again, the support groups rise to the occasion with their entitlement mentalities. 
April 30, 2008 03:47 PM    View printable version     Link to this comment   
Member Since:
May 25, 2007

I think we should all write to CBS and thank them for finally showing the honesty of what is happening on the border.

They need to know many of us who don't expect the truth from traditional news shows - were actually very surprised to see it.

Everyone knows this has been going on for years - especially those of us in CA and AZ and NM and TX.

The "hispanic" caucus needs to get over itself and leave for the country they really love - Mexico.
April 30, 2008 04:24 PM    View printable version     Link to this comment   
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March 3, 2007
CJBL said:

I think we should all write to CBS and thank them for finally showing the honesty of what is happening on the border.

They need to know many of us who don't expect the truth from traditional news shows - were actually very surprised to see it.

Everyone knows this has been going on for years - especially those of us in CA and AZ and NM and TX.

The "hispanic" caucus needs to get over itself and leave for the country they really love - Mexico.

 

That is a great idea...not that I like CBS...but if they receive a MOUNTAIN of mail and emails....maybe they will realize they could come by their ratings honestly (for the first time in THEIR HISTORY) and report the news as it REALLY IS! We're dying out here in the trenches of America....the illegals are delivering a continual CRUSHING BLOW to our financial infrastructure. MAKE THEM UNDERSTAND THE TRUE BIG PICTURE!

Here is the contact information:

ADDRESS:
CBS Evening News
524 West 57th St.
New York, NY 10019

E-MAIL: evening@cbsnews.com

BE NICE! Tell them that you NEVER watch them because they have failed time and again to report news that benefits WE THE PEOPLE. But...they can redeem themselves if they keep reporting on the problems with illegals in America....get them to KEEP REPORTING ON THIS TOPIC!

I am going to send an email, and then I will send them a "Thank You" card....



"I have wondered at times what the Ten Commandments would have looked like if Moses had run them through the US Congress." Ronald Reagan "Evil is powerless when the good are unafraid." Ronald Reagan
April 30, 2008 04:34 PM    View printable version     Link to this comment   
Member Since:
January 12, 2008
I saw nothing wrong with her story!

For all who have fallen,we must move forward But, for the right reasons.*In my mind, so called "legal residency" is just as a threat as illegal immigration and it the missing topic in the immigration debate.*Every man dies,but not every man truely lives*
April 30, 2008 04:45 PM    View printable version     Link to this comment   
Member Since:
September 28, 2007
I just sent my email.  We'll see if it helps.
April 30, 2008 05:52 PM    View printable version     Link to this comment   
Member Since:
February 10, 2007
Hopefully more liberals will finally open their eyes, ears and mouths to get the truth about ILLEGAL ALIENS in OUR country. Even with one, begins a flood - that's true for the ILLEGALS COMING INTO OUR COUNTRY, and one newsperson telling the truth - FINALLY! (Just use the correct term, Katie and others, please --- it's ILLEGAL ALIEN INVADERS, NOT IMMIGRANTS. Rhonda
April 30, 2008 06:19 PM    View printable version     Link to this comment   
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April 4, 2007

Of ALL people, KATIE COURIC--and of ALL news media, CBS--ACTUALLY got up the COURAGE to TELL the TRUTH about the REAL devastation of ILLEGAL immigration!
April 30, 2008 06:37 PM    View printable version     Link to this comment   
Member Since:
September 28, 2007
Lou has just been speaking about the CBS story.  Come everybody get on the emails and let CBS know that we appreciate them finally addressing this issue.  They need to hear from us so that know how many of us there really are out here.

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