Back in May 2009 Derrick Donchak and Brandon Piekarsky were acquitted in the Shenandoah beating death of undocumented Mexican immigrant Luis Ramirez.  To the surprise of many the not guilty verdict by an all white jury raised additional questions in a case that was expected to last several weeks ended up lasting only two days.

After the acquittal much of the White community in Shenandoah looked to putting all this case and all the media attention behind them, while the Latino immigrant community in and out of Shenandoah remained uneasy. MALDEF, the Latino Advocacy group sought an indictment on Federal Hate Crime charges and today a  federal grand jury has indicted two Pennsylvania teenagers and four Shenandoah police officers in the Luis Ramirez hate crime investigation.

Today a Federal grand jury has indicted the two Pennsylvania teenagers and four Shenandoah police officers in a hate crimes investigation.

From the Associated Press:

The incident began when a half-dozen high school football players were headed home from a block party in the coal town of Shenandoah, which has attracted Hispanic immigrants with jobs in factories and farm fields. They came across Ramirez, 25, and his 15-year-old girlfriend in a park.

After the teens had been sentenced Brandon Piekarsky to 6-23 months and Derrick Donchak to 7-23 months, Diggers Realm posted:

Pro-illegal supporters have been pressuring the US Department of Justice to file Civil Rights violations against the two, a call that I find ludicrous since civil rights are endowed on citizens of a country, of which Luis Ramirez was not a citizen of the United States. They are really calling for “human rights” violations, which in essence means that our country doesn’t matter and that it’s world opinion that counts. Either way it shows their lack of belief in America and it’s laws.

Diggers Realm is run by Dan Amato, his YouTube channel is here.  The Anti Defamation League devotes this page to Amato.

Numerous anti-immigrant figures and groups view Amato as a source of information and inspiration. He is perhaps one of the best examples in the anti-immigrant movement of a figure who has used Internet technology to inspire action, to network, and to build his reputation in the real world.

Why have I included Dan Amato and the teens who killed Luis Ramirez in the same post?  The answer is simple, so called anti-immigrant groups led by the likes of Dan Amato, William Gheen and Lou Dobbs have used the Internet to “spread venom and hate” which often times targets and  inspires action amongst White youth and the Luis Ramirez case in Shenandoah, PA it demonstrates the fruits of their labor.

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Nezua provides special commentary on the 287g provision of immigration law that deputizes local police with powers of border enforcement.

                          

Fixing our nation’s illegal immigration problem will undoubtbly result in one of the most contentious debates ever in American history.   Whether in 2009 or 2010, Comprehensive Immigration Reform will be passed.  What will be the fine details of such Comprehensive Immigration reform legislation remains to be seen, but such legislation will profoundly affect the future of this nation.

Get ready to be bombarded with all the scary and racist, hate filled arguments on why this Country should not pass Comprehensive Immigration Reform and why we should give mass deportations, or “attrition through enforcement” a chance.   Then get ready for massive celebration from the 12+ undocumented immigrants who will embrace their new-found American Citizenship, they’ll move on and quickly and quietly assimilate into our fabric of society, some have already begun such assimilation, but those anti-immigrant groups will remain, small in numbers, but increasingly vocal, persistent in their attempt to drive a wedge and stifle a cohesive and multi cultural America.

                          

So, these two enterprising business guys and since this post is about race, I’ll mention that it’s two Caucasian guys from Franklin, Tennessee.  The guys, Mark Whitlock and Bob DeMoss decide to sell boxes of waffle mix which featured caricatures of Obama.  The caricature is reminiscent of stereotypical racist cartoons.  


The men claim that their product was merely intended as political satire and that it should not be viewed as promoting racism in any.  The box also has caricatures of Michele Obama, the Pastor Jeremiah Wright and Senator John Kerry.  


On the back of the box, Obama is depicted in stereotypical Mexican dress, including a sombrero, the box contains a recipe for “Open Border Fiesta Waffles” which can serve “4 or more illegal aliens”.

Last weekend they sold their “Obama Waffles” at a booth at the Values Voter Summit in D.C. for $10.00 per box.  They also operate a website to sell their product.   The story on the “Obama Waffles” blew up over the weekend and once again brought the issue of race front and center in these Presidential Elections.  Once again the issue of race keeps rearing it’s ugly head.


So, are the “Obama Waffles” racist or are they political satire?  


Let’s say they don’t rise to the level of racist caricatures and that they are indeed political satire.  Does this type of political satire help or hinder McCain supporters?  The creators of this product are clearly McCain/Palin supporters, so, does a product that injects or stirs up accusations of racism from the opponent or it’s supporters something the McCain camp should publicly defend or reject?  


Unfortunately, both sides of the aisle will be busy trading barbs at each other and not much meaningful discourse will result from such an important discussion on race and it’s impact on this Presidential Election.  


It’s sad realization about how much race will factor into this Presidential Election.  If in 2004 we were divided, essentially split into what pundits deemed a “haves and have-nots” divide.  


The “Obama Waffles” incident is a sad commentary on how much further our nation may be split during this election.  It goes deeper than agreeing on whether or not a caricature of Obama rises to the level of stereotypical characterizations.  We’ve yet to arrive at a place where we can find common ground on what constitutes or rises to the level of racism and this Presidential Election threatens to deepen that divide rather than close it.