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Thursday, May 05, 2005
Los Angeles, CA Mexico
An LA-based Spanish-language television station has put up 75 billboards around Southern California that display the message "Los Angeles, CA", with "CA" crossed out and replaced with "Mexico" (so as to read "Los Angeles, Mexico"). The station claims it meant no harm, saying "Our intent with the ad was to instill pride in L.A.-area Hispanics and to promote a newscast - not to make a political statement."
But that's not how many have viewed the ad. It's been the catalyst for much angry ranting on local talk radio and in the Register letters page over the past few days. On Monday, anti-illegal immigration protesters scaled the billboard outside Fullerton College to place a large American flag over the word "Mexico". Fullerton's mayor, Mr. Shawn Nelson, said of the protest "If the intent of the ad was to encourage those who have come to L.A. from Mexico to keep the fires of patriotism burning, I think it's natural to expect that there will be somebody just as aggressive on the other side."
I view this not as a slap in the face, nor as wound to American pride, nor as a promotion of illegal immigration. In fact, the ad itself doesn't bother me at all. It's sort of funny, not to mention highly effective. What floors me is the stunning hypocrisy on the part of the Mexican immigrant community.
I can't help but wonder, what would the Mexican community think if the shoe was on the other foot:
Would there be cries of racism? Almost certainly.
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