At the risk of sounding like a broken record.

(Un)FAIR Hits the Radio Waves

By Pat Young
Program Director, CARECEN
December 28, 2007 11:02 AM

Last week I wrote about the huge influence the immigrant-hating Federation for Immigration Reform (FAIR) has on cable news shows like Lou Dobbs. Now the Des Moines Register reports that the organization founded by racists for racists is trying to become a major player in presidential politics. FAIR is funding hook-ups for right-wing radio talk show hosts who come to Iowa to spew about the caucuses. Their latest event in Iowa drew Fred Thompson and Ron Paul, hardly top tier candidates, but still…

FAIR was, of course, founded by racial theorist John Tanton, whom the Southern Poverty Law Center refers to as the puppeteer of the anti-immigrant movement. FAIR has always functioned as the three-piece-suited front for the dozen organizations Tanton helped form, but its mainstream pretensions are just a mask for the vilest hatreds.

Much of the current hatred of immigrants has been fostered by the talk radio industry. The immigration reform debate in the first half of 2007 uncovered a potent force to build listenership even at the expense of a sitting Republican president. Right radio did a lot to trample immigration reform, and it found new viability after suffering listener losses in the wake of its support for the discredited war in Iraq.

The direct alliance between right radio and anti-immigrant hate groups means that in 2008 the same folks who mobilized against same-sex marriage in 2004 will take the field against immigrants. The men and the moment are joined. God help us!