Vicente Fox eats crow.

[JoeChalupa]

I'm surprised someone hasn't posted this breaking story, even though it broke days ago.


Mexican leader criticized for comment on blacks

Sunday, May 15, 2005 Posted: 9:08 AM EDT (1308 GMT)

(CNN) -- The Rev. Jesse Jackson on Saturday criticized Mexican President Vicente Fox's comment that Mexican immigrants to the United States take jobs "that not even blacks want to do."

Jackson called the remark "a spurious comparison" with "ominous racial overtones."

The Mexican president's office issued a statement late Saturday disputing the negative interpretation of his comments, saying Fox has "enormous respect to minorities whatever their racial, ethnic, or religious origin may be."

A Mexican official defended Fox later in the day, saying his description was not meant as an insult.

"The president didn't make a declaration in the racist sense; of course there are those who interpret it in that way," Foreign Relations Secretary Luis Derbez told a reporter in the Mexican state of Jalisco.

According to Derbez, Fox was making the point that "Mexican migrants are making great contributions in the United States and that their role is a positive role."

"They've been able to improve the conditions of life not just for themselves but also for the communities in which they settle and, by the same token, the president made the comment in this context to say that a large quan y of the jobs taken by Mexicans are jobs that in the U.S. society aren't being filled."

"I think that what we have to be very clear about is that the statement made by the president was in no way motivated by racism."

'Most poor Americans are ... white'
But Jackson told CNN in a telephone interview that Fox "should not confuse the need for sound legal immigration policy between the two countries, which is important, and the border disputes between the two countries, with a spurious comparison."

"The comparison is diversionary from the issue of a workable immigration policy between the U.S. and Mexico."

Jackson, who said he has never met Fox, planned to call the Mexican president.

Fox made the controversial comment Friday to a group of Texas businessmen meeting in Mexico. He criticized recent steps the United States has taken that the Bush administration said were aimed at curbing illegal immigration.

Fox discussed the role that many Mexican immigrants occupy in the U.S. economy.

Speaking in Spanish, he said, "There is no doubt that Mexicans, filled with dignity, willingness and ability to work, are doing jobs that not even blacks want to do there in the United States."

A State Department spokesman who asked not to be named, read CNN a statement saying, "That level of dialogue doesn't merit comment."

The spokesman also said, "President Bush's commitment to immigration reform that is rational, legal, common sense, decent and compassionate is well-do ented."

Jackson said he has worked "for the citizenship rights of immigrants and Mexican Americans" and wants steps taken to avoid making the United States "hostile toward immigration policy."

He said Fox's comment about "blacks" seemed to be about a stereotype. "Most poor Americans are not black, they're white," he added.

But Jackson stopped short of saying Fox should apologize.

"I don't know about that," he said, adding that the comment was "unwitting, unnecessary, and inappropriate."

~~What say you?

I think it was a stupid remark to make and his apology short lived.

[The Ressurrected One]

I've been following it but, to be honest with you, I'm not sure what he said is racist as much as it is a statement on Black American culture. And, even if it could be construed as such, what are we gonna do to him? Invade his country and bring him up on Civil Rights charges?

I'm thinking we have bigger issues with Mexico than his alleged bigotry. Frankly, I'm pretty sick and tired of people getting their panties in a wad over words and messed up books.

I do find it interesting that he chose Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson as representatives of the Black community to which he believed he owed an apology...neither of whom are elected representatives of any cons uency and both of whom are pretty much petty thugs themselves.

[Guru of Nothing]

Jesse Jckson is still alive?

Oh the things I learn here!

[The Ressurrected One]

Jesse Jckson is still alive?

Oh the things I learn here!

You must be thinking of Johnny "If-The-Gloves-Don't-Fit-You-Must-Aquit" Cochran. He's room temperature and in a state of decomposition -- not Jackson. But, really, not much difference between the two.

[JohnnyMarzetti]

You must be thinking of Johnny "If-The-Gloves-Don't-Fit-You-Must-Aquit" Cochran. He's room temperature and in a state of decomposition -- not Jackson. But, really, not much difference between the two.

That is pretty low.

[The Ressurrected One]

That is pretty low.

Not as low as he managed to get while he was still breathing our air.

[Useruser666]

I keep confusing Jesse Jackson and Don King.

[The Ressurrected One]

I keep confusing Jesse Jackson and Don King.

It's not just you...I think they stay confused.

[Clandestino]

but it is true. you don't see many black people working as dishwashers, picking vegetables, etc.

[GoldToe]

Vicente needs to put a sock in it.

[Bandit2981]

I do find it interesting that he chose Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson as representatives of the Black community to which he believed he owed an apology

who do you think would have been a better representative?

[smeagol]

He spoke the truth. It might have come out the wrong way, but it was the truth, nevertheless.

[Zombie Terri Schiavo]

I wish I had a crow to eat.

[The Ressurrected One]

who do you think would have been a better representative?

Who made them representatives of black Americans? How 'bout he just apologize to blacks?

[Extra Stout]

I've been following it but, to be honest with you, I'm not sure what he said is racist as much as it is a statement on Black American culture. And, even if it could be construed as such, what are we gonna do to him? Invade his country and bring him up on Civil Rights charges?

I seriously doubt Vicente Fox was offering insightful commentary on Black American culture. I think he was indulging an ignorant oversimplification of the relationship between race and class, i.e. that all the whites get the best jobs first, then the blacks, then the Mexicans at the bottom.

He followed that up with another ignorant oversimplification, i.e. that Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are the official spokespeople for Black America.

The equivalent would be a U.S. President assuming that Puerto Ricans and Mexicans basically think the same, or something akin to that.

He spoke the truth. It might have come out the wrong way, but it was the truth, nevertheless.

He spoke the truth about the role Mexican transients play. It is true that American citizens are unwilling to work for a small fraction of minimum wage with no rights, while Mexican transients are. The problem is not that we are failing to appreciate the role illegal immigrants play, rather it is that we are focusing on them instead of the large companies that get away with rigging immigration policy in order to exploit these immigrants -- pay them a pittance, and if they complain about work conditions, just have them deported. Executives of the big agricultural concerns are nearly universally felonious. Immigration issues are but a part of their perfidy.