From the Chicago Tribune:

Home countries frustrated as U.S. deports criminals
Influx creates challenges for residents, civic groups

—Antonio Olivo and Oscar Avila

February 9, 2009

JUAREZ, Mexico — When he crossed illegally into the U.S. in 2002, Cesar Sanchez didn’t plan on stabbing a girlfriend’s estranged husband eight times.

Yet there he was, a convicted murderer dropped at the Texas border last month—one less worry for U.S. officials but a source of concern for the cities in Central America receiving thousands of freed convicts.

“I crossed like so many others; for a dream,” said Sanchez, 25, wondering how he’d make it back to his family in Veracruz. “And, then …”

U.S. Immigration officials are escalating efforts to put some 450,000 illegal immigrants serving prison time in the U.S. on planes back home. In 2008, about 113,000 such convicts were deported.

Perhaps the establishment press should have been more concerned about criminally-inclined foreigners coming to this country in the first place.

During the final months of my nearly 30 years in Chicago journalism, I had the misfortune of working for an editor who spent more time sticking her nose into the personal lives of staff members than she did the quality of a now defunct biweekly newspaper that covered news of interest to state and local government officials.

Wandering through our little newsroom muttering her signature complaint, “I don’t get it,” she exemplified a breed of journalists whose editorial talents might - and I emphasize the word might - allow them to handle a paper route.

Hurrah! I said to myself as I left that office for the last time. My suffering through long days of mismanagement and associating with shallow-minded “news gathers” mercifully had come to an end. No more tolerating reporters who got their jobs because Daddy was a powerful Chicago businessman connected to the publisher and who thought that “sink” was the proper short form of the word “synchronization.” No more discovering just minutes before “closing” Page 1 at the end of our production cycle that our political reporter (who has an advanced degree in U.S.history) had begun her story about Texas politics this way: “In Texas politics there is an old saying: As Texas goes, so goes the nation.” I was done with all that.

But, as someone has said, nothing lasts forever.

Nine years later, after joining the immigration restriction movement these incompetent editors and reporters, albeit with different names and faces, reappeared to remind me that accurate, fair and balanced journalism, like Jacob Marley, was as dead as a door nail.

My first real fright was the Chicago Tribune’s Oscar Avila; last summer I added to my list of tormentors Esther Cepeda at the Chicago Sun-Times. In between are those whose names are to numerous to mention but who are equally guilty of crimes against an American public deliberately kept in the dark about a public policy issue finally getting the scrutiny it deserves.

The most recent of these “apparitions” reaffirming that today’s “newsroom scribblers” have a problem dealing with the immigration issue is Andy Granias, editorial page editor of The Badger Herald in Madison, Wis., the nation’s largest campus newspaper and one it says is committed to “objectivity.” (You’ll be hard-pressed to find any of it in the paper’s coverage last month of a “rally for immigrant rights.”)

To my horror, Granias suggested that I didn’t get it when I submitted a letter to his paper criticizing a student’s op-ed for what is a classic example of the pseudo-environmentalism that permeates the U.S. today, “Not easy being green with lazy students,” by Henry Weiner, Nov. 7.

In this piece, Weiner berated his fellow University of Wisconsin students for their cavalier attitude toward the environment, challenging them to knock off their littering of the city’s streets with their empty beer bottles and fast food wrappings, leaving lights burning all night, ignoring running toilets, etc.,etc. OK, Weiner cares enough to remind students that they all can play a role in making their immediate environment a better place for everyone. I’ll give him that. But like so many of these young and impressionable kids, Weiner’s environmental views have been distorted by an education system that prefers not to deal with the truth.

I mean, for heaven’s sake, Weiner is living in Gaylord Nelson country and the best he can come up with as a water conservation measure is “jiggling the handle” on a running toilet?

So, in hopes of stimulating Weiner and others to think outside their campus box, I wrote the following letter to the Herald:

Proper disposal of trash, conserving water, per capita consumption, thermostats set to high and lights left on 24/7 barely begin to deal with the overall problem of how all are directly linked to our exploding population. Unrestrained population growth was the major concern that drove the environmental movement in the 1960s, long before Mr. Weiner and today’s “lazy students” were born. Too many people are the greatest threat to the environment, warned those pioneers of 40 years ago.

But 37 Earth Days later, however, the gains we made to protect our natural beauty and resources are slowly disappearing thanks to an immigration policy that is an unmandated federal policy for forced population growth. Each year this country is being swamped with the arrival of 2 million foreigners, nearly half of them illegal. This is more than four times the annual average of about 250,000 immigrants during the first 200 years of this nation’s history.

Today, immigrants and the birth of their children here account for nearly 90 percent of our population growth. If we continue to grow at this rate, according to the Census Bureau, there will be 420 million people living here in 2050, just 43 years from now. Are you concerned about today’s urban sprawl, overcrowded schools and stressed out hospital emergency rooms, traffic congestion, rising healthcare costs and crime? Are you worried about what this country will look like in 2050 in terms of providing for its people? What kind of standard of living do you imagine for yourselves and your descendents?

Feel free to write me off as a racist, xenophobe, nativist or whatever label used these days in an attempt to silence opponents of mass immigration. But be very careful of how you label the late Sen. Gaylord Nelson, founder of Earth Day, who told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in 2001:

“But in this country, it’s phony to say ‘I’m for the environment but not for limiting immigration.’ It’s just a fact that we can’t take all the people who want to come here. And you don’t have to be a racist to realize that. However, the subject has been driven out of public discussion because everybody is afraid of being called racist if they say they want any limits on immigration.”

Those interested in learning about what happened to the 1960s environmental movement should read the Center for Immigration Studies’ “Forsaking Fundamentals”: The Environmental Establishment Abandons U.S. Population Stabilization. (http://www.cis.org/articles/2001/forsaking/toc.html).

Then go to www.numbersusa.com and click on “Immigration Report Cards” to view the voting record of our “environmentalist” U.S. senator, Russ Feingold, who calls Gaylord Nelson a “personal hero.” The only conclusion you can arrive at it is that when it comes to protecting the environment, the “progressive” Mr. Feingold isn’t putting the thousands he receives in corporate campaign contributions where his mouth is.

A week went by, and my letter didn’t appear in print. I dropped a note to Jason Smathers, who oversees the Herald’s editorial page content, and asked if it would run soon.

I am afraid we do not have room to run this piece, replied Smathers.

I fired back, noting that my letter was within the Herald’s word limit and that the health of the environment certainly is important enough to discuss in greater detail than what Weiner had to offer.

Smathers booted my query to Granias (e-mail), who explained the situation this way:

Mr. Gorak:

Indeed environmental issues are important, but this is a piece about immigration. On top of that, you work for an organization that deals directly with immigration and the connection you made to environmental issues is far too roundabout and disconnected to publish. Of course, it is conceivable that the connection could be made, but in your editorial, it was an ineffective attempt. This is certainly unfortunate and we simply have more pertinent material that needs to take up our limited space.

Andy

Memo to Granias: (a) I’m disconnected? and (b) what, in your view, is more pertinent than raising concern about the increasingly tenuous relationship between our shrinking natural resources and a population that grows by one person every 11 seconds?

You have to give the devil his due, the old saying goes.

Chicago radio talk host Rafael Pulido, a.ka. “The Pistol,” was instrumental in helping to send 100,000 illegal aliens and their fellow anarchists into the city’s streets March 10 to whine that their “rights” were threatened by the House of Representatives’ tough enforcement legislation.[Radio show just isn't fun, games, by Oscar Avila, Chicago Tribune, April 23.]

The example he set was soon followed by others in his industry who share his contempt for the rule of law and the sovereignty of the American people.

But while there can be no doubt that Pulido, who prefers keeping a Mexican flag next to his microphone, was very smart to use his medium to fire up legions of lawbreakers who think our government owes them something, he’s not the sharpest knife in the drawer when it comes to events leading up to the birth of this republic.

In response to a question from reporter illegal immigration, Pulido gave his interpretation of these events:

“If you go back into history, that’s what the founding fathers of this country did. Who can tell me that the Pilgrims who came to this country to build this country, who stayed here to work, who can prove to me that they got a visa, that they went the “legal” way?”

An astute and conscientious reporter would have reminded the loudmouthed Pulido that (a) at the time the Pilgrims set foot on this continent in 1620 no organized government existed, which made it pretty difficult for the new arrivals to be here “illegally,” and (b) the last time I looked, the Mayflower’s passenger list did not include George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, James Madison, etc.

It is bad enough that far too many of our own citizens don’t know their own country’s history and that we must endure hypocrites like El Presidente Bush wearing the American flag pinned to their lapels, now we have to put up with the Reconquista riff-raff telling us that illegal aliens are cut from the same cloth as those whose genius gave us the world’s greatest democracy based on the rule of law?

Balanced journalism, like beauty, must be in the eye of the beholder.

So says Timothy J. McNulty, the Tribune’s new ombudsman.(Covering immigration fairly,April 16, 2006)

“The newspaper’s lead immigration writer, Oscar Avila, and a half-dozen other reporters have been diligent in keeping readers abreast of Chicago’s immigrant communities. Their tales are compelling.”

Oscar Avila? Diligent? Has McNulty (e-mail him) been reading his own paper?

If McNulty’s definition of “fair” coverage isn’t enough to make you grind your teeth, read on:

“People open their hearts to those who strive for a better life and endure separation and exploitation in order to build a better life for themselves and their families.”

Did you notice? “Better life” used twice in the same sentence. I think there’s subliminal message here, but I’m not sure what it is. (I also wonder if McNulty also would include among “those” seeking a better life our own working poor who increasingly are forced to compete with foreigners, many of them here illegally, for the low-paying jobs they used to do for higher wages.)

The question I often ask the MSM is when can we expect to see Page 1 stories and photos of the real “victims” of mass immigration, people who McNulty appears to be implying exist mostly in our collective imagination:

“Those who want stricter enforcement are rarely able to provide concrete and direct examples or to personalize the plight of citizens who suffer because of illegal immigrants.

“They rarely produce the citizen who is out of work–or making only $6 an hour–because illegal immigrants take the jobs and drive down the pay scales. They talk about higher costs for health care and education consumed by illegal immigrants–but can’t show it as a line on your tax bill.”

Memo to McNulty: Your reporters are lazy - and biased. They go for the “easy” story because the subjects are right at their feet. Any damn fool can cover 100,000 anarchists running around Chicago’s streets waving foreign flags, showing their contempt for the rule of law and disrespecting the sovereignty of the American people.

Have you ever heard the phrase in your industry, “Digging out the story”? How about sending your diligent immigration reporters to New Orleans where on April 1 the Rev. Jesse Jackson was supposed to hold a large protest against the hiring of illegal aliens to help with the city’s cleanup and rebuilding? What we got from Jesse, Al Sharpton and comedian Bill Cosby that day was a demand that displaced blacks be allowed to vote in upcoming elections. What? (Well, OK, there are just so many hours in a day, right, Jesse?)

If you really are serious about providing fair coverage of our immigration fiasco why not suggest to your editorial board that they publish an editorial demanding the Illinois General Assembly tell the state’s taxpayers how much they’re having to shell out to provide services to illegals? The only data available is 12 years old, and it appeared in a 1996 report by the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) in Washington D.C. According to CIS, Gov. Jim Edgar’s office in 1994 reported that the state each year was spending $154.3 million on services to illegal aliens.

I also think you should recommend that the diligent Oscar Avila start the ball rolling by picking up the phone and calling state Senator Chris Lauzen (R-Aurora) , who twice in the past few years has introduced legislation requiring the state to tell Illinoisans who, along with opening their hearts to those who want to better themselves, how much wider they’re having to open their wallets these days to pay for “free” services like education and medical care.

Both of Lauzen’s bills, incidentally, attracted no cosponsors and (Surprise!) ended up rotting in a rules committee. Don’t you think the people of Illinois deserve to know why?

When pro-illegal alien Chicago Tribune reporter Oscar Avila attempted to explain away his biased stories by telling Dave Gorak “everybody has an agenda,” he’s on shaky ground.

Oscar Avila, private citizen, is entitled to his opinions.

But Avila, journalist, is not.

According to the Associated Press Statement of News Values, journalists must “Insist on the highest standards of integrity and ethical behavior when we gather and deliver the news. That means we abhor inaccuracies, carelessness, bias or distortions.”

Avila, whose immigration stories I have read, is guilty of unprofessionalism on at least two counts.

According to the A.P. standards, Avila shows “bias” by consistently structuring his stories to reflect his advocacy for illegal immigration and “distorts” by refusing to give our restrictionist arguments equal space in his copy.

I don’t envy Joe Guzzardi’s task of determining who is the nation’s worst immigration reporter. Isn’t what he’s trying to do much like having to decide at the supermarket which toothpaste or deodorant to buy?

I mean, given so many choices, where the hell does one start?

Here in the Midwest, I’m going to go with Oscar Avila, the Chicago Tribune’s “immigration reporter.”

Cutting to the chase: Avila (e-mail him), in general, mirrors the journalistic standards of our MSM, i.e., “Illegal aliens are ‘victims,’ and let’s not bother with what their presence is costing the American taxpayer or those among us who fall into the category of ‘the working poor.’ “

In his most recent effort, “Day Laborers’ tough choice: rights or job,”
Avila dragged his readers through 10 paragraphs before he mentioned that most of his subjects were, uh, you know, illegal aliens.

I got my first glimpse of the real Oscar several years ago over lunch.

When I asked why he couldn’t provide a more balanced view of the immigration issue, he said:

“Maybe if you had a ‘(Tom) Tancredo’ in Illinois, you’d see a different type of reporting.”

Que pasa? In other words, unless ordinary residents in “The Land of Lincoln” had a high profile figure who really gave a damn about the rule of law, the best Avila’s readers could hope for would be heavily biased stories about people “living in the shadows” as they “searched for a better life.”

“Everybody has an agenda,” Avila told me ( with a slight smirk).

And Oscar’s agenda became very apparent Oct. 16 when, in his coverage of the ChicagoMinutemanProject’s meeting in Arlington Heights, “Two sides clash over immigration,” (paid archive), he wrote:

“Sensitive to charges of racism, organizers invited speakers of Mexican, Chinese and African-American descent.”

Well, let’s see. Among those who were brought in to allay any misgivings about what the real intentions of the ChicagoMinutemenProject might be were Terry Anderson, Yeh-Ling-Ling, and Robert Vasquez, all of whom have very long records of trying to restore sanity to our goofy immigration laws regardless of their racial origins.

By the way, Avila insisted on picking up the lunch tab. Anybody who says this guy isn’t worried about creating the wrong impression will have to answer to me.

few weeks ago you no doubt were stunned to read here that I was “knuckle-dragging, white trash“.”

Heeding my parents advice of long ago that there is “always room for improvement,” I have worked very hard since my last report and now can say with great pride that in the eyes of some I have evolved into a “fascist pig” who “hunts and traps [illegal] immigrants.”

This is the sort of welcome I and others received as we arrived Oct. 15 at the first ChicagoMinutemanProject (CMP) meeting in Arlington Heights, Illinois, to exercise our First Amendment rights. (You don’t want to know the name given to a speaker at this event, FAIR’s Susan Tully (e-mail her), who nevertheless boasted, “That’s a first for me!”)

As I climbed the steps to the front door, a mangy, 20-something demonstrator rushed up to me and a few others standing near the door and began photographing us and mumbling the usual about those of us in the immigration reduction movement.

What makes these individuals look even more intellectually sterile than they actually are is that among CMP’s speakers that day were Canyon County, Idaho, Commissioner Robert Vasquez, a decorated Vietnam veteran who lost a leg in that conflict; Yeh-Ling-Ling, Terry Anderson, Keith Butler and Kevin Fobbs.

To no one’s great surprise, Oscar Avila (e-mail him), the Chicago Tribune’s agenda-driven “immigration reporter,” took note of these speakers in this manner:

“Sensitive to charges of racism, organizers invited speakers of Mexican, Chinese and African-American descent.”

There were many highlights in this day-long event, including police officers from nine surrounding communities showing up (some in full riot gear) and armed personnel periodically checking the roof of our building, but the one that will stick in my mind the longest was the announcement late in the afternoon that an unidentified person had slashed two tires on a vehicle owned by one of our attendees (also a Vietnam veteran).

And I’d like to say a few words to that mental and moral Neanderthal:

First, Chris Simcox, founder of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, asked that we each kick in a few dollars to help replace the tires. After a few minutes of “passing the hat,” we had collected about $400. The veteran whose vehicle was vandalized immediately donated the money to the MinutemanProject. How do you feel knowing that you have just helped to fund a movement now active in seven states and growing each day?

Secondly, our meeting was held in a soundproof room so we heard none of the mindless gibberish shouted by you and your intolerant and undisciplined ilk.

Finally, you came to intimidate and threaten “vigilantes” and all you were able to accomplish was to make a group of ordinary, law abiding citizens even more determined to restore respect for the rule of law.

P.S. I want to thank ChicagoMinutemanProject cofounders Rosanna Pulido (e-mail her) and Rick Biesada (e-mail him), who, in cooperation with IFIRE representatives Cheree Calabro (e-mail her) and Greg Serbon (e-mail him), made this event possible. Well done, my friends. You made us all proud.