"holders of European passports" wtf?

[Cleita]

Does this make you vomit in your mouth a bit like it does me? This was the phrase used by a well known news anchor bobble head this morning. Let me explain why this is so wrong and so racist. For one thing the terrorist attackers in Paris were born in Europe of ME immigrants. They were raised in Europe had citizenship and therefore were entitled to European passports. To imply with this phrase that they weren't as European as their neighbors is divisive. It's saying if you aren't an ethnic European then you aren't one of them.

This is a slap across the face to all European children born to immigrant parents, who work hard, obey the laws and pay taxes so their children can enjoy full citizenship in their new country. I'm one of those children in this country having had an immigrant mother. I have an American passport and am an American citizen. I just don't hold an American passport.

These divisive words pour fuel on a fire that needs to be put out.

[arcane1]

1. Good catch. The propaganda machine is in full force.

[Cleita]

2. It sure is. It looks like they are priming us for an all out ME war starting with a full

invasion of Syria.

[MADem]

3. You seem to have come in right in the middle of your thought. What are you saying?

What 'divisive words?'

Do you have a link?

"Holders of European passports" is a phrase. It means people who have passports from European countries. In and of itself, it is not divisive. It is descriptive.

So please explain what has angered you. What is happening to, say, "holders of NON-European passports" that ires you? I am a holder of a non-European passport--what do I have to look forward to the next time I land at de Gaulle airport?

Please re-read your post from the perspective of someone who can't read your mind. I don't understand this at all--either you have the passport or you don't:

I have an American passport and am an American citizen. I just don't hold an American passport.

I realize you are irritated about something, but I am not sure what. It obviously has to do with children of immigrants and some news announcer, but beyond that it is a mystery.

[Cleita]

4. I am irritated by racist dog whistle code words and phrases.

I don't have a link but if you must know, it was Harry Smith filling in on Melissa Harris Perry's show this morning on MSNBC. It's two hours long and somewhere in there. I'm sure you can find videos at their website, which I refuse to link to as I don't want to give them the traffic. But you have enough information here if you really are interested in following up.

[MADem]

5. You don't want to give MSNBC the traffic? They're about as good as we will get--even if you don't

always agree with them.

I just don't understand what you are complaining about. It's not a "if you must know" type deal--I don't understand why you are upset.

If you don't want to tell me, fine.

[Cleita]

10. Well that explains a lot to me about your political thought

process if you believe they are as good as we get.

[MADem]

18. You prefer FOX or CNN? OK.

And don't give me that "Democracy Now" stuff. No one knows when it's on.

I'm talking all day news into the evening hours, at least on the weekdays.

The "that explains a lot to me about your political thought" remark that you made was a gratuitous comment, designed to slam me. That explains a lot to me about YOU. You like lashing out, eh?

[Cleita]

20. I don't watch them either, ever. I still watch some MSNBC

which is why I saw good ole Harry this morn in place of MHP.

No I don't like lashing out. It's petty, like someone trying to bait other members into lashing out so they can alert on them. I'm sure you don't do that though.

[MADem]

26. I don't, I will be quite frank with you, though--I was actually concerned about the

issue you were trying to raise, you seemed distressed, and my intent with my queries was to help you articulate your issue, because your post was not clear and I am not the only one who has told you this.

Now, given all that "lashing out" at me that you've displayed, I no longer give a shit.

So hey, great job! Be miserable--I no longer care!

[Cleita]

27. Do not take this personally. To me you and most of DU are nothing more

than words on a screen. I know some DUers in person. 99.9% I don't. It's okay to challenge me. It doesn't hurt my feelings. I am very aware in my shortcomings one being that I'm not as articulate as I would like to be, however, most readers do get what I'm trying to express.

I AM upset with a well known news anchor doing the racist devil's work by using racist dog whistles. It's what Rush Limbaugh does and I wouldn't be surprised if he will pick it up and do the same. It endangers good people who could be targeted and hurt by the unhinged racists they inflame with rage.

You should care about those people, not me.

[MADem]

28. I still don't know which anchor, or what he said.

You tell us to go look ourselves, but you don't give us a link.

How can I 'care' (as you say I should) when I don't even know who, or what, you are talking about?

All I'm getting is RACIST/European Passport Holders/MSNBC. I'm still not clear on what you are mad about. I am guessing (but just that) it's to do with fallout following the tragedy in France.

But I don't know that for sure, either.

I guess it will forever remain a mystery, because instead of just telling me, you got angry at me, instead.

[Cleita]

29. My post #4 says who it was and on which show and channel.

I don't think you read posts.

[MADem]

30. I'm still at a loss. I'm not going to watch a two hour show to find a point of offense.

I don't have a link but if you must know, it was Harry Smith filling in on Melissa Harris Perry's show this morning on MSNBC. It's two hours long and somewhere in there. I'm sure you can find videos at their website, which I refuse to link to as I don't want to give them the traffic. But you have enough information here if you really are interested in following up.

I am not the only one on this thread who has pointed this out.

But hey, whatever. Here's one more kick for your thread--maybe you can get someone else to care about something that still remains entirely unclear.

[Cleita]

32. Of course you aren't going to watch it, even if I could find a video and pinpointed the exact minute

he said it although it was in the first half hour which is as specific as I can get. You never had any intention of it but really just wanted to pick a bone with me. That's why I haven't gone out of my way to push you there. The real problem is the choice of words, which is exactly what he said and it's offensive and a deliberate dog whistle no matter what context you put it in.

I'm tired of playing with you now and have to go to work anyway. Have a nice day.

[MADem]

33. Honestly, all I wanted to know was what you were so mad about. I still don't know. nt

[Cleita]

34. I'm not mad, angry or even mildly miffed. I am pointing out an injustice that is happening

over our media. That isn't being mad. That is pointing out an injustice.

[MADem]

35. Dare I ask "What was the injustice?" nt

[muriel_volestrangler]

6. We'd need context, though

It needn't be a 'dog whistle' phrase. If you're discussing visa waivers, for instance, 'holders of European passports' might well come up, since 'European' is frequently used to mean 'EU', and visa agreements tend to get agreed for all EU countries (EU passports have a common design, for that matter). In the current discussions, French and Belgian nationals (at least) are involved, and saying "European" is more succinct than "French or Belgian" all the time.

I'm sure you know no-one is possibly going to want to sit through 2 hours of video just to find the context. You could try to give it to us, or try to remember the moment you got angry.

[AngryAmish]

14. That is your problem - you are listening to Comcast's paid liars.

Don't do that. It is bad for your mental health.

[AngryAmish]

17. Also, I hold an EU passport and an EU citizen.

[Snobblevitch]

7. It sonda stupid to me.

Passpports are not issued by comtinents, they are issued by governments of countries.

[Cleita]

9. Complain to the anchor. He said it not me. eom.

[Snobblevitch]

12. Of course my comment is about the anchor.

Why are you getting defensive?

[Cleita]

13. Sorry. I see now what you meant. eom

[Snobblevitch]

23. Heck,

I'm confused when I re-read my post. Such a short post with so many typos.

[MisterP]

8. KnR--and I'd add that it's the "weak Europe" angle too--that even 9-11 was ultimately

Europe's fault for letting them come over

[Cleita]

11. Yes, it's all there in two small but loaded words. eom

[moondust]

15. Um...

was this in reference to the Visa Waiver Program (VWP)?

...more than a third of French and Spanish passport holders held a non-machine readable version)...

If so, I think it just refers to anybody who has a passport from a European country not having to obtain a visa to enter the U.S. They can just show their European passport and walk in. Many in Washington apparently want to change that because it could allow some terrorists living in Brussels and elsewhere in Europe to enter the U.S. without a thorough check of who they are.

[Cleita]

16. He was referring specifically to the Belgium born terrorists.

The context was about them and the Parisian bombings.

[MADem]

19. Visa Waiver is NOT just "walk in." You have to get cleared at the embassy first.

I think you can do it online, not positive.

It's only for tourist visas under three months. You need a round trip ticket.

[moondust]

21. Thanks.

"Walk-in" is kind of how the RW fear mongers portray it and some corporate media play along.

[DFW]

22. It's called ESTA

Electronic System for Travel Authorization

Expires after 3 years or when the passport does, whichever is first. Used to be simple. Now about as simple as proving the Pythagorean Theorem. Better get a travel agent to help. It can be done online. Costs $14. As a German citizen, my wife needs an ESTA number to travel to the States, has needed one for years. As citizens of both countries, my daughters do not.

Sometimes my wife has to show her ticket back home to Germany, but if we are traveling together, an oral statement is usually good enough.

[MADem]

24. There it is!!! nt

[kiva]

25. To me it would depend on the context.

If the anchor was talking about the terrorists behind the Paris massacre, my first thought on seeing the term is that the anchor was emphasizing that those terrorists were citizens of European countries, that they did not come from Syria or another middle eastern or African nation - which is what many people assumed originally. Which would have seemed like a good comment to make, pointing out that terrorists can come from inside (Europe, American) and that fearing immigrants is irrational.

[Cleita]

31. He was talking about the Paris massacre and I have said so in various posts.

I should have spelled it out in detail on my OP but made the assumption that people would know that. Everything though is unimportant other than the words I posted in the title. It's racist dog whistle in any context. To state that the perpetrators are "passport holders" of certain nations instead of stating that they are citizens of whatever that nation is, is insinuating that they are members of a group that aren't really citizens of the nation they hold passports in. They are the OTHER. In effect it pushes all people of ME ethnicity into the category of terrorist. It's a red herring, of course, but very effectively used to disparage other groups.

I'm Latina in ethnicity among other roots. I was once referred to by some official numbskull as a self-described American even though she was holding my birth certificate and my American passport in front of her. This is no different but it's worse because it's lumping a group of people into a category that they are not quite full citizens and could be terrorists.

[kiva]

36. OK, we are interpreting this differently I think.

I saw it as not 'othering' the terrorists by making it clear they were European rather than from the ME or Africa...but since you were the one who heard the anchor, I'll go with your take on it