BastaDobbs Responds to Invite from Lou

Today, in 18 cities across the country, participants in the BastaDobbs.com campaign held public events calling on CNN to fire Lou Dobbs, including the one I led in New York City outside of CNN's headquarters. As we made our case on the street below, the producers of Lou Dobbs' CNN show emailed me with an invitation to appear on tonight's show. Here is my response:

Dear Mr. Dobbs,

Thank you for your invitation to appear tonight on the Lou Dobbs Show. I would be happy to accept under one condition: that alongside me appears CNN President Jon Klein as a participant in this important discussion.

I request Mr. Klein's participation because, as much as the BastaDobbs.com campaign targets your long history of faulty, incendiary reporting and its effects on Latino communities, our issue is not with you so much as the network that provides you with a platform. Indeed, the more than 65,000 people who have joined us in calling on CNN to cut ties with you have given up hope that you will engage in honest dialogue or change your ways. Over the years, you have time and again perpetuated myths and stereotypes about immigrants and Latinos, promoted the most extreme voices of xenophobia and hate, and refused to acknowledge your pattern of inaccuracies. At this point, the only question remaining is whether Mr. Klein and the rest of CNN's management want you to remain associated with their network.

Make no mistake, the decision is a weighty one. The additions to CNN of Latinos like Rick Sanchez, Thelma Gutierrez, and others, and the production of the Latino in America series, are clear evidence that Klein recognizes the importance of the Latino market. And he certainly understands the tension between such efforts and the deeply problematic content of your show. It is now up to him to decide what the face of CNN will be going forward: Lou Dobbs or Latino in America.

There are those who suggest that this is a false choice, that CNN's programming should have a "variety of opinions." We agree that variety is important, and nothing in our statements should be construed otherwise. We believe in a robust public dialogue and recognize that news and opinion programs do and should give light to multiple viewpoints. But there is a difference between promoting varied opinions and allowing faulty reporting, the promotion of conspiracy theories, and the regular dehumanization of millions of Americans to be passed off as "news."

You and others have suggested that we are seeking to abridge your free speech. Such arguments exhibit a shallow understanding of what the first amendment protects. You are free to voice your opinions, just as we are free to encourage CNN to cancel your program. There is, quite simply, nothing in the constitution that guarantees you a national news platform from which to spread misinformation, and invoking its protections is only a distraction from the real conversation.

That conversation is about the future of CNN. The network hails itself as the "Most Trusted Name in News," and there is no doubt that CNN has been a journalistic pioneer. But this is a high standard to live up to, and every time your show airs, CNN falls short. We're not the only ones who have noticed. Employees at CNN have taken pains to carefully distance themselves from you in public, and they say even worse in private. It's all they can do to maintain their dignity and self-respect. Indeed, even the founder of CNN, Ted Turner, has said he would have you either toe the line or send you packing.

I am quite sure Jon Klein is aware of all of this, and yet he has made no statement and taken no action. I and many others want to know why, and I would be grateful for the opportunity to ask him face to face. I sincerely hope you will communicate my interest in appearing with him on your show. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Roberto Lovato
BastaDobbs.com
Presente.org

 

Follow Roberto Lovato on Twitter: www.twitter.com/robvato

Comments

[OLEGAR]

If you take away some of the inflammatory language from both sides of the issue - which is ILLEGAL entry into the United States of America - - solutions could be found. Lou Dobbs is not too far of the mainstream thoughts of millions of U.S. citizens who are out of jobs because of the mis management of the economy by those who should have been more careful. Large corporations in America, which includes the HUGE agribusinesses, have taken advantage of the availability of "cheap labor". Lax border control, employers who flaunt the laws, and willingness of companies to lay off legal citizens and hire illegals at a far less wage, pad their bottom line at the cost of those workers who are LEGAL U.S. citizens. I wonder when the "illegal" actions of several million became an O.K. situation and for a journalist to pick out just one reporter, who has some valid points, to try to justify that issue is not only ignorant but harmful to the society that believes in the "rule of law"..

Of course that is one writers "Opinion" ---------- Agree or disagree the law should still be the law.

[Kevins]

Excellent, Mr. Lovato. Absolutely on-target.
The question is whether Mr. Klein thinks CNN should be a forum for anti-hispanic crusades. As well as the whole "President Obama wasn't born" idiocy. Will CNN crusade against people of color--or will CNN respect Americans with brown skin?

[AKJM]

One voice is missing, the American citizen underclass. Go to the employment office and ask them what they think of illegal immigration.

[syl76]

Very well written letter! You're right. The important person in attendance is Jon Klein. There is no hope of educating narrow minded bigots such as Lou Dobbs. For those who said, "why don't you solve the illegal immigrant problem", know that two wrongs will not make a right. Lou Dobbs being allowed to spew his vicious and incorrect poison against illegal immigrants is not going to solve the problem. The are very ignorant and dangerous people in this country that get their information from people like Dobbs, and it only takes a few words to support the twisted image that they have of immigrants, and that has triggered attacks against immigrants all over the United States.

I encourage you to look up the increase of attacks against illegal immigrants. Look up the brutal murder of Luis Ramirez in Shannadoah, Pennsylvania by teenagers who yelled at him, "go back to Mexico" and to one of Ramirez's friends, "tell your friend to get out of Shennadoah or you'll be lying next to him". No surprise those white teenagers were not convicted for the murder. In San Diego, teenagers attacked a group of migrant workers in the 60's and 70's. That is what shows like Lou Dobbs' promote! Regardless of how you feel about illegal immigration, if you're a human being with any common sense you can see how wrong and dangerous such comments are.

[Mark3322]

What incindiery remarks? Asking that the federal governemt protect our borders and national sovereignty?

[avocats]

Let's see: Lou Dobbs is responsible for attacks on illegals in the 60s and 70s? Hhhmmmm. What "twisted" picture of illegal immigrants did Dobbs convey? Are they for the most part poor and uneducated? Check. Do we pay for their welfare (their kids qualify them), healthcare, and children's schooling? Check. Sorry, but pointing out that illegal immigration is wrong AND harmful to the country is accurate. Interesting that "Latinos" (whatever that term means) think it's all about them. I'm just as concerned about Russian, Irish, Cambodian, whoever, if they break our law and live and work here illegally, burdening our social safety nets. Live in Southern California and tell me that illegal immigration is not a major problem.

[serena1313]

There was a time when journalistic integrity meant something, journalists were objective in reporting the news and commentators based their opinions on facts. Today that is not the case. They've been replaced with radio and TV personalities -- many of whom just want ratings without even considering words have consequences.

When Lou Dobbs first began discussing the immigrant issue I thought he had a point. Yet as time passed it became evident Dobbs vitriolic rhetoric demonizing and dehumanizing themes was a deliberate effort to incite anger and foment hatred. At that point I lost all respect for the man. He has brought harm to millions unnecessarily by making them into scapegoats for society's ills.

Maybe in the beginning Dobbs set out to tackle the immigrant issue in an honest way, but something changed. Even if he does not realize the harm he's doing surely the people running CNN do.

Words matter. They have consequences.

So as long as CNN continues to give Lou Dobbs a platform to perpetuate falsehoods and incite anger that sometimes lead to acts of violence then it cannot be considered a responsible news source.

[avocats]

Which particular falsehoods and incitement are you referring to? Specifically? The fact that you don't like people talking about illegal immigration in anything other than the "heroic illegal immigrant struggling to survive" sob stories printed by the likes of the LA Times doesn't mean that you can stop someone from expressing his or her views about it. No one needs to "incite" anger in the averageAmerican worker about illegal immigration. We're all angry about it and the failure of our government to enforce the laws as well as the hypocrisy of the employers who intentionally encourage illegal immigration. 99.9% of us can channel that anger into voting and other actions. The .1% that does act out exists on both sides of the political spectrum, so spare me the "one illegal immigrant was attacked" stories. There's a matching "illegal immigrant murder someone" stry to match it.

[huffposer]

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/10/22/cnn-poll-3-out-of-4-want-illegal-immigration-decreased/

"CNN Poll: 3 out of 4 want illegal immigration decreased"

[SmoothMineral]

This was a great answer. Way to turn a disadvantaging offer around on them.
But I'd bet 10:1 that there is no way in hell John Klein will risk his reputation and show up.

[Imzadi]

Co-sign.

[LetMeUnderstandThis]

Klein will not show up, so put this in the Thanks but no thanks.

[balrog221]

Si senor.

[DavidDial]

I sincerely hope Mr. Lovato continues to involve himself in the public discourse. Unlike Mr. Dobbs, he both understands and reveres the constitution. Moreover, his letter is an example of an eloquence that Dobbs will never achieve. CNN should dump Dobbs and give his slot to Lovato.

[mcmullje]

Beautifully said. What an intelligent way to stop the hate! Good luck!

[gs-425]

So much for the rule of law and when you are on an ideological jihad to reshape a nation, facts nor logic, nor past experience, can be allowed to intrude.

[northstar11]

klein wont get rid of dobbs. if he does, he knows his butt is next in line for protecting him for so long.

[FloresdelaHoz]

Excellent letter. We need to continue writing detailed letters to the major LatAm and Iberian news outlets and provide them the names of multinationals that advertise on CNN and also conduct business in LatAm and Europe. Our cousins will take it from there.

[1murillo]

Lovato,
Excellent post. Of course we're (sometimes) free to provide our opinion on a subject; Dobbs merely cowers behind a misrepresentation of the 1st amendment.
CNN faces the same problem that FoxNews faces: Dobbs helps define CNN the way Limbaugh/H­annity/Bec­k/Coulter define FoxNews.