The National Council of La Raza responds in a point by point open letter to the ad hominem attacks of the right wing. The NCLR, which identifies itself as "...we are the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S.", felt that the growing level of misinformation on their organization required a clear response. "But it is also clear that some critics are willfully distorting the facts and deliberately mischaracterizing our organization and our work. Recently, we have been the subject of a number of ad hominem attacks that we believe cross the line of civility in public discourse." As numerous diaries on the the Kos have illustrated, the frothing at the mouth by the wingnuts is reaching a level that is threatening as well as factually inaccurate. The NCLR noted that part of the reason they felt a need to respond is that these mischaracterizations were being reported by the MSM.
It is not new that conservative rage is unfocused, and that the rage is echoed unedited by the MSM, which re-energizes these ridiculous debates. What is new, I think, is the public charge of rabid racism, and separatist elements, being leveled against a national level service organization, by right wing leadership. Conservatives somehow know enough not to accuse the NAACP of being the KKK, but black. They might think it in their private thoughts, and even chat about it among themselves. But the Republican leadership knows that trumpeting that claim would cross the line, and the MSM would be very careful with that claim. That is the essential charge that is being leveled against the NCLR.
The NCLR response to these attacks, point by point:
- La Raza can be translated as "the race", but, like any language, words can have multiple meanings. La raza also means the community or the people, and it is in this context that la raza is being used.
- NCLR does not support, and does not fund, seperatist organizations. The open letter fully explains the issue of where this thought idea came from. More importantly, NCLR is a civil rights and advocacy organization with national exposure. Imagined support of racism is not in their mission statement. This is a small example of what they do. "We will continue, however, to support programs and activities that help more Hispanics enter and finish college."
- The NCLR does not support imagined property claims by Mexico in the U.S. "Another misconception about NCLR is the allegation that we support a "Reconquista," or the right of Mexico to reclaim land in the southwestern United States. NCLR has not made and does not make any such claim; indeed, such a claim is so far outside of the mainstream of the Latino community that we find it incredible that our critics raise it as an issue."
- The NCLR serves more than hispanics, and, as a civil rights organization, it bylaws specifically forbid discrimination
- The NCLR supports the right of the U.S. to control its borders.
- The NCLR fully discloses it's lobbying funds, twice a year. Their annual report can be found here.
There are more points. The open letter clearly responds to all the rabid imaginings coming out of freeperville, with supporting documentation and links. If any Kos members want to froth the freeps some more, it is definitely the place to go to get cogent, concise information with which to respond.