BCT Editorial – 5/2/06

This page was last updated on May 7, 2006.

Sour note; Editorial; Beaver County Times; May 2, 2006.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject editorial.

“With the federal government and the American people struggling to come up with legal and societal ways in which to deal with immigration, legal and illegal, a Spanish version of the national anthem was the last thing that needed to be injected into the debate.”

[RWC] Notice the editorial never mentions border security, which is the real problem. Immigration is a completely different issue, but supporters of open borders know openly lobbying for open borders is a nonstarter. As a result, they conflate border security and immigration, and who opposes (legal) immigration?

“‘Nuestro Himno’ (Our Anthem) hits at a visceral level to which there is no rational counterargument. ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ is a symbol of America, and language is always a hot-button issue.”

[RWC] The Times likely doesn’t want you to know this, but “Nuestro Himno” is not simply a Spanish translation of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Singing “The Star-Spangled Banner” in Spanish – or any language other than English – would be bad enough, but “Nuestro Himno” is a rewrite.

“No matter what the intent of its British producer, who said he wanted to honor America’s immigrants, it’s a gift to anti-immigrant proponents and pushes the doubters in their direction. Coming up with ways to deal with immigration is tough enough. ‘Nuestro Himno’ just made it that much harder.”

[RWC] Who are the “anti-immigrant proponents?” This is a continuing position of the Times. If you believe in border security and oppose illegal aliens, the Times labels you as “anti-immigration.” See my critiques of “Border war”, “The real world”, and “Coming and going.”

Here’s the second conflation in this editorial, “immigrants” and illegal aliens. We’re really talking about illegal aliens, yet the editorial erroneously refers to “immigrants.”

“For the good of the nation and its future, Americans must put aside the emotions being generated by this song and focus on coming up with ways to solve this situation, not exacerbate it.”

[RWC] Translation: “Damn it, you guys, get some good PR advice! First you waved Mexican flags and conducted your rallies in Spanish. Now you numbskulls are rewriting ‘The Star-Spangled Banner.’ We’re on your side, but you’re making it difficult to hide your true agenda.”