That GOP need to build bridges to the nation's Hispanic community? The need party elders have talked so much about since Barack Obama was re-elected largely due to Hispanic support? The need that's propelled Florida's own Marco Rubio to preeminence in the early scouting reports on the GOP 2016 presdential nomination? Not going too well.
A goddamned disaster, in fact, according to Pablo Pantoja, who last spring led the GOP's outreach to Hispanic voters in crucial swing state Florida. In a letter made public Monday, Pantoja announced he'd had it up to here with the GOP's "culture of intolerance" and had switched his party registration from GOP red to Democratic blue. As an added twist of the knife, he said he was "making a modest contribution" to a GOP bête noire, the ACLU, for its work in support of the "rights of immigrants and civil liberties in general" -- and included a link to the group's pledge page.
An Iraq combat vet, Pantoja was born in Puerto Rico and holds a master's in poli sci from Florida State University. He worked as a GOP field director in the 2010 midterm elections, led the Romney Hispanic outreach last spring, then moved on to work as North Florida coordinator for the Hispanic Tea Party Libre Initiative.
The straw that broke Pantoja's political back and drove him to switch parties was news of a recent study from conservative think tank the Heritage Foundation. The study argues that "pathway to citizenship" immigration reform under consideration in Congress will cost U.S. taxpayers as much as $6 trillion over the next 50 years.
The follow-on news to the report was the racist icing on the cake: The report's co-author, one Jason Richwine, had authored a doctoral thesis in which he argued that Hispanic immigrants have lower IQs than native, white Americans. Arguing that "the totality of the evidence suggests a genetic component to group differences in IQ," he wrote that "No one knows whether Hispanics will ever reach IQ parity with whites, but the prediction that new Hispanic immigrants will have low-IQ children and grandchildren is difficult to argue against."
As it that weren't enough, it also turned out Richwine was a contributor to a white nationalist website. And then a Web video popped up in which he can be seen at another GOP think tank, the American Enterprise Institute, grading the IQs of various ethnic groups. But, he assured rightwing fuddy-duddy Byron York, he's no racist. "The idea that I am some sort of foaming-at-the-mouth extremist never even crossed my mind," he said.
The GOP knows a third rail when it sees one. Marcobio disputed the report. The Heritage Foundation disowned Richwine. But Pantoja isn't buying it. Here's his letter in full:
From: Pablo Pantoja Subject: From Republican to Democrat Date: May 13, 2013 5:57:11 PM EDTFriend,
Yes, I have changed my political affiliation to the Democratic Party.
It doesn't take much to see the culture of intolerance surrounding the Republican Party today. I have wondered before about the seemingly harsh undertones about immigrants and others. Look no further; a well-known organization recently confirms the intolerance of that which seems different or strange to them.
Studies geared towards making - human beings - viewed as less because of their immigrant status to outright unacceptable claims, are at the center of the immigration debate. Without going too deep on everything surrounding immigration today, the more resounding example this past week was reported by several media outlets.
A researcher included as part of a past dissertation his theory that "the totality of the evidence suggests a genetic component to group differences in IQ." The researcher reinforces these views by saying "No one knows whether Hispanics will ever reach IQ parity with whites, but the prediction that new Hispanic immigrants will have low-IQ children and grandchildren is difficult to argue against."
Although the organization distanced themselves from those assertions, other immigration-related research is still padded with the same racist and eugenics-based innuendo. Some Republican leaders have blandly (if at all) denied and distanced themselves from this but it doesn't take away from the culture within the ranks of intolerance. The pseudo-apologies appear to be a quick fix to deep-rooted issues in the Republican Party in hopes that it will soon pass and be forgotten.
The complete disregard of those who are in disadvantage is also palpable. We are not looking at an isolated incident of rhetoric or research. Others subscribe to motivating people to action by stating, "In California, a majority of all Hispanic births are illegitimate. That's a lot of Democratic voters coming." The discourse that moves the Republican Party is filled with this anti-immigrant movement and overall radicalization that is far removed from reality. Another quick example beyond the immigration debate happened during CPAC this year when a supporter shouted ""For giving him shelter and food for all those years?" while a moderator explained how Frederick Douglass had written a letter to his slave master saying that he forgave him for "all the things you did to me." I think you get the idea.
When the political discourse resorts to intolerance and hate, we all lose in what makes America great and the progress made in society.
Although I was born an American citizen, I feel that my experience, and that of many from Puerto Rico, is intertwined with those who are referred to as illegal. My grandfather served in an all-Puerto Rican segregated Army unit, the 65th Infantry Regiment. He then helped, along my grandmother, shatter glass ceilings for Puerto Rican women raising my aunt to become the first Puerto Rican woman astronomer with a PhD in astrophysics (an IQ of a genius as far as I'm concerned). Puerto Ricans, as many other Americans still today have to face issues of discrimination in voting and civil rights.
Regardless of what political affiliation people choose, my respect for some remains. I don't expect all Hispanics to do the same (although I would hope so) but I'm taking a stand against this culture of intolerance.
I am also making a modest contribution (here: http://bit.ly/12uF3g8) to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) for the efforts in helping protect the rights of immigrants and civil liberties in general.
With warm regards,
-pablo
Fire Ant -- an invasive species, tinged bright red, with an annoying, sometimes-fatal sting -- covers Palm Beach County. Got feedback or a tip? Contact [email protected].
Follow @NewTimesBroward
