Malaysia Has Interesting Idea About Illegals [Peter Brimelow]- 11/27/04A reader sends this report from the Kuala Lumpur Daily Star (November 26, 2004)—Malaysian civilians are being asked to gather information on the country’s estimated 1.2 million illegal immigrants in preparation for a government crackdown. Informants will be paid cash for each illegal arrested. The Malaysian government says it is “disappointed” in the results of a recent amnesty. The Malaysian definition of “amnesty”—illegals get to go home without being punished. Last year, 9000 were caned. Immigrant Happytalk Out Of Control At NYT! [Joe Guzzardi]- 11/27/04On November 21st, I posted a blog item titled “Immigrant Happy Talk Stereotype Alive and Well at NY Times.” I should have known that the NYT was just warming up. On November 24th, on the front page above the fold and accompanied by a color photograph, the NYT ran Nina Bernstein’s story A Mother Deported and a Child Left Behind. No need to read it; versions have appeared in major daily newspapers for more than ten years. Then on the very next day, Thanksgiving, November 25th, on the front page below the fold with another color photo, the NYT printed Kim Severson’s story Turkey is Basic but Immigrants Add Their Homeland Touches. How Luticia Maravilla roasts her turkey simmering it first on her stovetop with garlic and onions or immigration lawyer Fernando Rojas’ suggestion that diners add plantains as a side dish might be interesting reading in the NYT Food Section. But neither of these two stories is worthy of the front page—the section of the newspaper once reserved for presidential elections, international affairs and “Stop the Presses” headliners—unless of course the publisher is doing some heavy-duty immigration cheerleading. That’s three prominently-placed pro-immigration stories within five days. Unreported, however, is a recent analysis of Census Bureau data that showed that the immigrant population increased more than 250,000 between 2000 and 2004—bringing New York’s total immigrant population to more than 5.2 million. |
