In an earlier piece about Colorado Republican Congressman Tom Tancredo, I mentioned that Tancredo had received large sums of money from John Tanton, and referred to Tanton as the ‘Puppet Master.” The Southern Leadership Poverty Center deserves credit for the moniker, “The Puppetmaster.” In an Intelligence Report from 2005, the SLPC catalogued the baker’s dozen anti-immigration organizations under Tanton’s control. Twenty-four years ago Tanton founded FAIR, the Federation for Immigration Reform, and thereby laid the foundation stones of today’s the anti-immigration fervor. How did this liberal proponent of negative population growth, retired ophthalmologist, and bee-keeper create a movement that has been embraced by conservatives and denounced by liberals?
It all began when Tanton read a highly racist book, The Camp of Saints by Jean Raspial and Jeremy Leggatt not long after it was published in the early 1970s. The semi-science fiction novel details a future world where white people have been turned into starving refugees, dominated by brown-skin, foreign speaking illegal immigrants. Tanton embraced the anti-immigration and anti-immigrant theme of the book. He allowed it to transform his life. In turn, he was able to attract the support of decent, conservative minded Americans who are only interested in border security. Unfortunately, while the vast majority of these individuals who have embraced Tanton’s philosophy are completely ignorant of the nefarious and bigoted origin of the anti-immigration movement, a few, more unsavory characters are using it as a way to legitimize their base theology of racial purity.
Raised on the family farm in rural Michigan, ‘mild mannered’ bee-keeper and ophthalmologist, John Tanton lived with his wife, Mary Lou, and family in rural Petosky, Michigan. He became a passionate environmentalist in the 1960s and by the early 1970’s was a leader within the National Audubon Society and the Sierra Club. While in medical school, Tanton attended Earth Day festivities where he met and began associating with Bill Paddock, Paul Ehrlich, and Garrett Hardin, all stalwarts of zero population growth. In 1971 he became the chairman of the Sierra Club’s Population Committee. In 1975 he was on the staff of Zero Population Growth, and became a national force behind Planned Parenthood, especially in Michigan. After encountering The Camp of Saints and securing the English publication rights, Tanton founded The Social Contract Press. Over the years Tanton has used his company to publish a variety of books that are anti-Hispanic, anti-Spanish, and fan the flames of white identity and fears of illegal immigration run amok.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - ProfEssays
Illegal immigration is a serious problem. It objectively exists. Don't say that it has been invented by some "puppet masters".
2 - Melissa Bailey
I can tell you honestly: There is no objectivity. We have declared "war" on a minority in the U.S. Black people are caught somewhere between the rhetoric of how hispanics damage them and whites are terrified of becoming a minority. I find a few things interesting about this movement; we haven't allowed this type of open prejudice since the sixties and the U.S. govt. conveniently places hispanics in the caucasian category on the U.S. census. The reality is, white people do not consider hispanics "white." The point is, we will very soon be a minority, no matter how many we deport. This is reality. I am so sick of people directing their anger at uneducated immigrants. I thought we were better than that. We allow politicians to run for office using illegal immigration as a platform, we persecute and degenerate people on the streets. THIS is who we are? If so - we are cowards. We need to demand accountability and stop organizations like Tanton from poisoning our society. But we won't - because it isn't convenient.
3 - G. Chell
As a student of immigration I think it is totally wrong to classify all anti-immigration individuals and organizations as racists. In fact there are two anti-immigration factions. One is genuinely concerned about the American worker and the other is not and hence racist. Among the first group are congressmen such as Brad Ellsworth, Heath Shuler and Nancy Boyda, Robert Goodlate, Thelma Drake and Virgil Goode as well as Senators such as Claire McCaskill and Jim Webb. These folks are genuinely concerned about immigration hurting American workers, but they also take care of other worker interests such as the minimum wage and their opposition to outsourcing and in general free trade.
Now to the second group. To pass the racism test, a politician, individual or an organization had to have used the American worker as the cover to support the anti-immigration activity but do not support or remain silent about the minimum wage. Now who passed the racist test? Congressmen Tancredo, Zach Wamp, Nathan Deal, Marsha Blackburn, Marilyn Musgrave, Dana Rohrbacher, Duncan Hunter, Steve "the so-called supporter of the proletariat" King, Dan Burton, Mike Pence and the majority of the GOPers who voted against the minimum wage legislation. To this you can include organizations such as FAIR, CIS, American Patrol, the Minutemen and a number of other anti-immigrant groups. Among the racist experts the face of the white American female racist stands out...Heather MacDonald of the Manhattan Institute. Reading all her stuff I am convinced that she would have been a part of the Massive Resistance against integration in the early 1960s had she been an adult at that time. Ms. MacDonald not just uses the American worker as the cover to stop immigration, but uses the blacks....oh boo hooo!! poor black people, they are getting screwed by American immigration policy. Of course, then by the same token she turns around and opposes affirmitive action, says that blacks are unqualified and whites are more qualified and should get the slots in the UCLA law schools. Equality of opportunity she says, not equality of results. But, where is she as the racist Georgia legislators try to create a separate county for rich whites in Atlanta so that poor blacks do not have an opportunity? Nowhere to be found. Where is she regarding minimum wage and outsourcing? Nowhere to be found. At least Lou "the looser" Dobbs opposes outsourcing and at least covers his racist tracks (exposed recently as a racist as so far he has not criticized his anti-immigrant friends for voting against the minimum wage).
4 - Arch Conservative
Kudos to you ProfEssays for pointing out the obvious.
The author of this article wants to pretend that no problem with ILLEGAL immigration exists by demonizing a few people who have spoken out against it and by using inaccurate innocuos terms like "undocumented," and "anti immigration."
Mr. Reidhard the correct terms to be used are "ILLEGAL ALIENS," "ANTI ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION." It seems as if you, along with the rest of the pro ILLEGAL ALIEN crowd want to paint everyone who is anti ILLEGAL ALIEN as a racist when this is just not the case.
Anti ILLEGAL ALEN sentiment exists because citizens actually expect others to respect the soverign law of this nation.....imagine that huh Redihard. It exists because most of the ILLEGAL ALIENS come from Mexico and refuse to assimilate into American culture, including learning to speak english. I can recall a news story recently where several ILLEGAL ALIENS in Maywood California took down the American flag and raised the Mexican flag at a US Post Office. I'm sorry but this is unacceptable and it is usually the PRO ILLEGAL ALIEN groups like La Raza, Lulac etc that espouse racist vitriol, not the anti ILLEGAL ALIEN citizens of this nation.
If you can't be objective in assessing the problem but would rather cherry pick certain anti ILLEGAL ALIEN individuals who may have done or said questionable things in an attempt to claim that there is no problem with ILLEGAL ALIENS maybe you had just better keep your worthless leftist rhetoric to yourself Mr. Reidhard. Two posts chock full of it are more than enough.
5 - Nancy
What part of "illegal" do you idiots not understand. Race has NOTHING to do with it. White illegals are as unwelcome as brown, black, yellow or plaid ones. They are ILLEGAL. They use ever-decreasing national resources such as public housing & medical care, & free schooling for their kids, and they DON'T pay taxes because they have FAKE SSNs or NO SSNs or STOLEN SSNs, f'chrissakes. Far too many of them are the dregs of the countries they come from, encouraged - or even sent deliberately - by their governments to come here & sponge off us. They have little or no education or skills, and increasingly are criminal elements who deal in violence, drugs, & prostitution. They displace legitimate US citizens who need affordable housing, public assistance, subsidized schooling & medical care, & unskilled jobs. In NC, where formerly the mill workers were black, they've been almost entirely displaced by illegals who work cheaper, without benefits the government demanded for the native US-black citizens. NC is only one place they've taken over.
People of all races are welcome who have the courtesy & law-abidingness to enter legally, observing our laws & follwoing the rules. NO ONE of ANY race is welcome who crashes the line & basically breaks & enters.
What part of this do you not comprehend?
6 - G. Chell
"Mr. Reidhard the correct terms to be used are "ILLEGAL ALIENS," "ANTI ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION." It seems as if you, along with the rest of the pro ILLEGAL ALIEN crowd want to paint everyone who is anti ILLEGAL ALIEN as a racist when this is just not the case."
Comment: No. FAIR is opposed to all immigration. You need to look at their website. There are even folks in FAIR who oppose immigration of spouses and minor children of US citizens. So, sorry FAIR is a racist organization, not because it opposes all immigration legal or illegal, but because it uses the American worker as the cover. However, when it comes to outsourcing and jobs moving abroad and the minimum wage, it does not give a damn. So the issue for FAIR is not illegal immigration...it is all non-white immigration. You need to get your facts right.
"What part of "illegal" do you idiots not understand. Race has NOTHING to do with it."
Comment: Nancy dont believe in using personal insults but you are the idiot here. The issue is FAIR..you idiot need to go and view their website.
"They displace legitimate US citizens who need affordable housing, public assistance, subsidized schooling & medical care, & unskilled jobs. In NC, where formerly the mill workers were black, they've been almost entirely displaced by illegals who work cheaper, without benefits the government demanded for the native US-black citizens. NC is only one place they've taken over."
Comment: Typical racist drivel from using blacks as a cover when it comes to illegals but affirmitive action...no!!! White Americans excecuties and consumers are responsible for illegal immigration. They want everything for cheap from airline tickets to vegetables and of course the execs pay themselves high salary. Most politicians who oppose immigration legal or illegal are racists because they do not stand for the American worker...Tom Tancredo is the prime example and FAIR is another. If you are for the American worker support the MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE...then you will have some legitimacy in opposing illegals and immigration in general..eg. Virgil Goode and Thelma Drake. If you use the American workers and blacks as a cover to oppose immigration and fail to support the minimu wage increase you are a RACIST.
7 - Nancy
I DO support it; I've written to my congressmaggots about it for some time now, including letters about how dare they award themselves fat pay raises while the American worker starves without one for 7 years. Have YOU done as much that's constructive - or do you just bitch here on BC? Illegal immigration is just another form of corporate slavery - you're absolutely right in that: as usual, it's the rich exploiting the poor & working folks, pitting them all against each other, while they (the rich) continue to screw everybody as usual. If you've ever bothered to read any of my other comments on US economic subjects here on BC, you'll know my POV on both issues.
8 - St. Louis CofCC Blogmeister
It's my lucky day. I've been waiting for S.J. Reidhead to step in it, and she did. Oh no, dear, I won't be telling where she got it totally wrong. I'll let her keep on lying such that if she and the Council ever wind up on opposing sides in a court of law, we can use those gross misrepresentations of fact to eviscerate her credibility
9 - moonraven
Okay, here's a voice from Mexico.
1. The correct term is NOT "illegal alien", it is "undocumented worker". So let's cut the sci-fi shit and get real.
2. Immigration is not only a problem of this hemisphere--it is also a problem in Europe. It's a result of colonialism and neo-colonialism. It is, in short, the chickens coming home to roost. And it needs to be dealt with as such.
3. Compassion is a big part of being a real human being. So is sharing what you have with ones less fortunate. You are not going to take it with you.
4. Of course it is racist! Why shit around trying to cover your white ass?
10 - Nancy
Because that's not the issue: breaking the LAW is the issue, and nothing else. Also, it may be un-PC to say "illegal alien" in Mexico, but here in the US, that's what it's called because they're illegally here, and they're not US citizens, hence they are indeed 'aliens'. The SF use of it is applicable to fiction, not real life.
11 - moonraven
Nancy,
Don't give me that Law and Order horseshit.
No one on this planet is an alien.
Uh, well, maybe Dave Nalle.
12 - zingzing
nancy: "breaking the LAW is the issue, and nothing else."
nancy, you are usually pretty calm and logical... and usually seem to be quite a decent person. if breaking the law were the only issue here, then that would assume that people were coming here just to break the law. obviously, there is some reason WHY they are breaking the law, so that's part of the issue, isn't it?
why is it that you can't look at both sides of the issue here? there are americans hiring these people, and they will continue to do so, just as people will continue to come here undocumented, illegally, whichever.
the end result here is not going to be a wall, or mass arrests/deportations. those are just temporary fixes. and they really don't fix anything. they ruin peoples' lives and hopes. (don't tell me that they deserve it, because that's horseshit.)
you're so hotheaded about this issue. what gives? you must have some reason for being so closed minded about this, but i can't figure it out. you have an unreasonable, un-nancy-like hatred for these people, who aren't out to get you or hurt you or your wallet... they're here because it's the best opportunity they have, and what's more american than that?
13 - moonraven
Not only that, but I would be willing to bet that I, as a Native American, am one of the very folks on this thread whose origins are NOT from another country (and even I have a sliver or two of European genes in my pie).
It's racism, no doubt about it. Scarey brown people have become the Bogey Man--whether they are from Latin America--or from the Arab countries.
14 - Nancy
Zing, haven't you read anything I've ever said in more detail about immigration? Anybody of any color who's LEGAL is more than welcome to the family. But illegals are not; partially for the economic reasons cited, partially because it's just plain unfair to those who DO follow the laws here, mostly because it's just plain ILLEGAL. Goddamn it, what part of THAT can you not get through your head? It doesn't matter if they're politically repressed or unemployed back home; we have people here who are citizens who are repressed and or unemployed. That's too bad, but it ain't our problem to cushion everybody in the world. They need to go to their governments & bitch about it if their needs are not addressed - NOT sneak in here. As for US employers, I would hit them with even harder sanctions: jail time & stiff fines, whether they be private people like the asshole down the street who goes picking up illegals to do his housework, or the multinational corporation which hires them by the trainload, like Smithfield or Cannon, since they are not only helping violate immigration law, they're cheating on their employment taxes as well. The point is, the laws are not something we pick & choose what we obey. If they're bad laws, change them. I'm all for changing the laws & streamlining immigration procedures: they're a scandal & a shame. But the facts are that these are the laws, and UNTIL & UNLESS they change, these people are here illegally, have no right to be here, & have no right to jobs, resources or anything else - including my sympathies, & neither do their cheapskate slave-labor employers who are so busy cheating the government & all US citizens who do pay their share of taxes.
And that's the end of this argument as far as I'm concerned.
15 - G. Chell
"Zing, haven't you read anything I've ever said in more detail about immigration? Anybody of any color who's LEGAL is more than welcome to the family. But illegals are not."
Comment: Then you are not on the side of Tancredo, Heather MacDonald, FAIR or Tanton, but a very sensible woman.
"It's racism, no doubt about it. Scarey brown people have become the Bogey Man--whether they are from Latin America--or from the Arab countries."
Comment: Absolutely right in the majority of cases. Tanton and FAIR are the epitome of racism.
"It's my lucky day. I've been waiting for S.J. Reidhead to step in it, and she did. Oh no, dear, I won't be telling where she got it totally wrong. I'll let her keep on lying such that if she and the Council ever wind up on opposing sides in a court of law, we can use those gross misrepresentations of fact to eviscerate her credibility."
At least CofCC is honest unlike FAIR and oppose mail order brides, marriages to foreigners. You guys are honest that you have said that you want white racial purity. You want to put blacks in segregated areas and return to the days of Jim Crow. I know where you guys stand. So my argument is not with you guys.
"Immigration is not only a problem of this hemisphere--it is also a problem in Europe. It's a result of colonialism and neo-colonialism. It is, in short, the chickens coming home to roost. And it needs to be dealt with as such."
Comment: Vestiges of colonialism still exist. Take farm subsidy, welfare for white people in this country. What do you think the farmers would do if we force them to hire Americans at higher wages. They will come to Congress for more subsidies. Let us end colonialism and at least make a start in ending illegal immigration. End the farm subsidy and put these white welfare recipients out of business. The illegals will start returning home. No need for amnesty.
16 - zingzing
nancy: "it's just plain unfair to those who DO follow the laws here, mostly because it's just plain ILLEGAL. Goddamn it, what part of THAT can you not get through your head?"
because i don't give a fuck about legal or illegal. laws are arbitrary. not every one of them is right.
"It doesn't matter if they're politically repressed or unemployed back home; we have people here who are citizens who are repressed and or unemployed."
give us your tired, your poor... ever heard of it? it's in the water. got something to do with america, freedom, a better life, all that mumbo.
"That's too bad, but it ain't our problem to cushion everybody in the world."
that's true. it isn't our job.
"The point is, the laws are not something we pick & choose what we obey."
sure they are. fuck the law. you have to get over this law thing. that's just words on paper.
"If they're bad laws, change them."
yep. if we changed the law, then all your economic reasoning would just vanish. what you have to realize is that illegal immigration can ONLY be stopped by making legal immigration a viable alternative. give them citizenship, ssn's, tax forms to fill out, make them pay for the services they get. then they won't be cheating anyone, now will they?
"And that's the end of this argument as far as I'm concerned."
you're wrong about a lot of stuff.
sigh. you're only real argument is that these people are here illegally. yes, they are here illegally. but, no matter what is right or wrong, they are going to be here. we might as well profit from their presence rather than let them get away with any "sponging." don't you agree with that?
it's YOUR attitude that makes this the problem it is. if any of them come here because they think they can get free healthcare, etc, then that's wrong--so let's take that opportunity away.
17 - moonraven
Not so far as I am concerned.
Since NAFTA (which I worked AGAINST during the last months I was in the States) went into effect in January of 1994, every year at least 500,000 Mexicans have been FORCED to risk life and limb crossing the border to the US.
Why?
Because under the terms of NAFTA, Mexico must accept US products and services--in detriment to their own. Mexico's agricultural sector has been the most devastated of all--and that's the sector that the folks who are crossing the border without documents to work in the US are from.
Like I said, the chickens are coming home to roost. Deal with it.
18 - Nancy
In that case, congress needs to rescind the law that confers automatic citizenship on anyone born here to illegal parents, and they need to rescind the law that compels the states to educate illegals' kids regardless.
The first illegal I ever met, BTW, was NOT brown, but a white woman of Polish ancestry, who had fake papers & was going to college, subsidized by the state of NY. I'm as gung-ho for tossing her out & making her pay in full plus interest for her sponging as I am anybody else of any other color. She snuck in thru Canada.
19 - moonraven
And do something to change the bad laws.
Everybody in the US is still passing the buck: you're not the bad guy, racist pig, warmongering sleazeball--it's always somebody else.
Bunch of lazy fucking addicted consumers--that's what you are.
20 - Nancy
NAFTA is wrong, & I've always held it to be so.
21 - Nancy
Yeah, we are, most of us, and the richer the worse they are, too. BTW, have you ever tried writing a complaint to a congressmaggot? All you ever get is a "thank you for your letter vote for me" piece of crap back. The only way to do anything is to vote - & hope other voters aren't as stupid as you know they are.
22 - moonraven
Every DAY your money subsidizes the murder of civilians in Iraq. To the tune of billions.
And you whine because someone might be getting a financial benefit he or she is not entitled to?
What a crock. Undocumented workers have paid billions into the Social Security system--for benfits they will NEVER be able to receive.
How's that for a fair and reasonable system?
23 - zingzing
"In that case, congress needs to rescind the law that confers automatic citizenship on anyone born here to illegal parents, and they need to rescind the law that compels the states to educate illegals' kids regardless."
what? that's just going on evil. you're talking about kids.
on the polish tip, i was never calling you a racist. just absurdly law-abiding, i suppose. just because something is against the law does not mean it's bad. it's not like you did ONE GODDAMN THING when you followed that law.
moonraven: "Bunch of lazy fucking addicted consumers--that's what you are."
i am addicted to fucking, that is true. the way i do so disproves the "lazy" portion of your insult. consumer? i guess so. i'm kinda hungry. might go get a muffin. maybe some coffee. i might take a crap and wipe my butt with that toilet paper i bought last night. looks soft.
24 - moonraven
You folks are too busy follwing Bush's orders to get out there to the malls and get in debt up to your eyeballs to bother with any real political action.
25 - zingzing
oh, moonraven. that's not true for all of us. for my part, i've been to more protests and voting boothes than i have to malls over the last 6 years. debt? a little. education, travel and an appetite for music and ladies really drains the coffers de zing.