Long Island WINS sent an open letter to Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy late Thursday, imploring him to no longer appear on cable news shows hosted by Lou Dobbs, Bill O’Reilly and Glenn Beck because of a recent report by the Media Matters Action Network entitled “Fear and Loathing in Prime Time - Immigration Myths and Cable News.” The report details the types of issues commonly discussed on those shows, claiming they perpetuate common myths and urban legends.
From the letter:
On Lou Dobbs Tonight, viewers were told about a mythical explosion of leprosy cases due to illegal immigration and a mythical epidemic of voter fraud due to illegal immigration.
Undocumented immigrants are barred from receiving most federally provided social services and pay a variety of taxes, including sales, property (in the form of rent), and payroll taxes. Yet during 2007, the allegation that undocumented immigrants drain social services and/or don’t pay taxes was discussed on 71 episodes of Lou Dobbs Tonight.
Numerous studies have found that immigrants in general commit fewer crimes than native-born citizens. During 2007, the alleged connection between illegal immigration and crime was discussed on 94 episodes of Lou Dobbs Tonight.
This report is especially alarming to us, because you have appeared on Lou Dobbs’ show on this very topic representing Suffolk County.
We ask that you refrain from making appearances on shows that promote anti-immigrant hysteria and aren’t interested in finding practical immigration solutions for our community. A real leader tells the truth instead of perpetuating falsehoods and myths.
Go Levy!
Levy, all I can say — keep on keeping on!!
I think he should continue to appear on these shows. However falsehoods should not be spread. Illegal immigration is a big problem and should be discussed. While they do pay sales tax they are not paying payroll taxes, since most probably work illegally, and most are probably living in illegal apartments so again are not contributing to the community. Illegal immigration will continue to be a problem as long as there are jobs for them. To stop illegals from coming into this country the government needs to go after the people/companies that hire them. If the penalties for hiring illegal immigrants were so severe, like a $25,000 fine per illegal and jail time, the jobs would dry up and they would stop coming and the ones here would go back to where they came from. Additionally since it should be illegal to profit from illegal activity any child born here where at least one parent is an illegal should not automatically become an American citizen. It is wrong and should stop immediately. I don’t understand why our government refuses to do anything about illegal immigration. It’s not like these people are voting for them.
A politician to refuse the exposure of television!?
Long Island WINS has lost its senses…
Illegal immigration must be addressed peacefully and naturally…remove the incentives such as subsidized healthcare, social security, food stamps and subsidized education…increase legal immigration…and abolish the minimum wage.
It’s sad that to ask an elected official to avoid appearing on shows that spread falsehoods about a particular group of people, indicates we have somehow “lost our senses.”
Perpetuating myths and falsehoods does nothing to contribute to the immigration discussion, especially here on Long Island where immigrants contribute so much to our economy and out culture.