About NCLR
The National Council of La Raza (NCLR) - the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States - works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. Through its network of nearly 300 affiliated community-based organizations (CBOs), NCLR reaches millions of Hispanics each year in 41 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. To achieve its mission, NCLR conducts applied research, policy analysis, and advocacy, providing a Latino perspective in five key areas - assets/investments, civil rights/immigration, education, employment and economic status, and health. In addition, it provides capacity-building assistance to its Affiliates who work at the state and local level to advance opportunities for individuals and families.
Founded in 1968, NCLR is a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan, tax-exempt organization headquartered in Washington, DC. NCLR serves all Hispanic subgroups in all regions of the country and has operations in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Phoenix, Sacramento, San Antonio, and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
About This Site
There is a small segment of the American population that occupies the "fringe" of American political debate. They care little for reasoned debate or civil discourse. They advocate hate - and sometimes violence - toward certain religious, ethnic, or racial groups. Everyone knows that they exist but would rather not acknowledge their presence as an active political voice in America.
When it comes to immigration reform, however, they no longer are relegated to the fringe. The rhetoric of hate groups, nativists, and vigilantes has taken over the lexicon of the public debate; their policy positions frame the country's political discourse, and their members have infiltrated the media as well as the ranks of those seeking to lead our country. In short, hate and extremists are defining the debate on immigration - and the portrayal of Hispanic Americans - at every level.
The time has come to take hate out of the debate. Immigration is a serious issue requiring a reasoned and thoughtful debate.
This website:
- Documents which hate groups and vigilantes are active in the anti-immigrant debate.
- Catalogs the code words they use to demonize undocumented workers and to justify draconian public policies.
- Demonstrates how those in the mainstream media are complicit in providing access to the airwaves to spokespeople tied to hate groups and vigilantes, and echo the rhetoric of hate themselves.
- Reports on the rise in hate crimes against Latinos since 2004 (concurrent with the rise in hate speech surrounding the immigration debate) and catalogs many of the hate crimes committed against Latinos, as well as other kinds of abuse.
The National Council of La Raza (NCLR), which hosts this site, believes strongly in the values of this nation, in pluralism, and the ability of every American to share in the rights and responsibilities of this great country. We believe that hate speech is un-American and undermines the strength and integrity of our country.
NCLR is calling on presidential candidates and elected officials at the national, state, and local levels to:
- Denounce hate speech associated with the immigration debate and the Latino population
- Reject code words that demonize immigrants and Hispanics
- Renounce endorsements from those affiliated with hate groups, nativist-extremist groups, and vigilantes.
Hate speech should have no place in the discussion of public policy at any level of government.
NCLR is also challenging the nation’s media to:
- Screen and reject giving air time to “expert commentators” and “anti-immigrant spokespeople” known to be affiliated with hate groups, nativist-extremist groups, and vigilantes.
- Ensure that if such spokespeople are given airtime, that their affiliations are made clear to viewers and that opposing points of view are given equal time.
- Better screen hate speech from their websites and blogs.