Tancredo asks Paul to clarify essay written by a supporter Larry Fester
Published 12/19/2007 - 4:43 p.m. EST
Republican Tom Tancredo asks Ron Paul to clarify a letter written by a Ron Paul supporter on the popular ezine LewRockwell.com which is published by Ron Paul’s former chief of staff Lew Rockwell.
“This letter written on behalf of Ron Paul labels the Minutemen as racists, supports a pathway to citizenship, and denounces assimilation and the use of the English language in America,” Tancredo said. “Congressman Paul needs to write off this radical diatribe as nothing more than a rogue supporter misusing his name, or publicly support the views that are exhibited in this letter.”
The open letter letter written by Abelardo J. Arias calling for Hispanics to support Paul was harshly critical of immigration reform activists like the minutemen calling them racist which prompted the attention of Tancredo.
Tancredo was also critical of this statement in the letter, “Hispanics balk at any attempt by the majority to assimilate us or to only speak English because we’re in someone else’s country. Ron Paul’s principles in action demonstrate that he would never support a policy that Hispanics in America need to do as Americans do. There are many in the Republican Party today who feel that way about Hispanics. I consider this only a milder form of racism and xenophobia.”
The interesting part of the whole affair is that Tancredo is actually asking Paul to defend statements made by supporters that are not connected with his campaign.
Paul’s website states the following:
The talk must stop. We must secure our borders now. A nation without secure borders is no nation at all. It makes no sense to fight terrorists abroad when our own front door is left unlocked. This is my six point plan:
Physically secure our borders and coastlines. We must do whatever it takes to control entry into our country before we undertake complicated immigration reform proposals.
Enforce visa rules. Immigration officials must track visa holders and deport anyone who overstays their visa or otherwise violates U.S. law. This is especially important when we recall that a number of 9/11 terrorists had expired visas.
No amnesty. Estimates suggest that 10 to 20 million people are in our country illegally. That’s a lot of people to reward for breaking our laws.
No welfare for illegal aliens. Americans have welcomed immigrants who seek opportunity, work hard, and play by the rules. But taxpayers should not pay for illegal immigrants who use hospitals, clinics, schools, roads, and social services.
End birthright citizenship. As long as illegal immigrants know their children born here will be citizens, the incentive to enter the U.S. illegally will remain strong.
Pass true immigration reform. The current system is incoherent and unfair. But current reform proposals would allow up to 60 million more immigrants into our country, according to the Heritage Foundation. This is insanity. Legal immigrants from all countries should face the same rules and waiting periods.
Ron Paul like Tom Tancredo has linked border security to national security and in an Exclusive Ron Paul interview with USA Daily Paul answered the following questions regarding immigration:
Question:
How can the U.S. government wage a war against terrorism yet remain completely defenseless against the potential threat of being infiltrated by foreign terrorists and saboteurs?
Dr. Ron Paul
"It can’t. We claim to be fighting a war to protect our national security when we’ve left the back door unlocked at home. If we were truly worried about national security, we would first secure our borders, and oppose amnesty for illegal aliens. This is especially important given that a number of the 9/11 terrorists were in our country with expired visas—we cannot be complacent, or we run the risk of jeopardizing our nation’s safety. I have a six-point plan for defending this country’s borders, and strict enforcement of visa rules is one of the most important measures we can take to prevent infiltration by terrorists."
Question: Congressman Paul, you have stated that U.S. foreign policy may have been a contributing factor toward the 911 attacks.
Do you think the immigration policies promoted by Hillary Clinton and Rudy Giuliani in the 1980s and 1990s were a contributing factor to the 911 attacks? If so should they apologize?
Dr. Ron Paul
”Endorsing and promoting policies that give amnesty to illegals and that make it easier for illegals to enter the United States are leaving this country more vulnerable to terrorist attack. Certainly voters should compare the records of those who have been consistently in favor of controlling our borders and in opposition to amnesty with those who have taken the opposite approach over the years. But what is most clear is that the United States needs a president who understands that to really make us safe against future terrorism, we must change our foreign policy and get control of our borders. These two cannot be separated from each other”
