GOP Congressman Refuses To Apologize For Calling Latinos ‘Wetbacks’

[ProSense]

GOP Congressman Refuses To Apologize For Calling Latinos ‘Wetbacks’

By Annie-Rose Strasser

Rep. Don Young (R-AK) on Thursday night stood by his use of a racial slur to describe Latinos, saying that he “meant no disrespect” when he told an Alaska radio interviewer, “We used to hire 50 to 60 wetbacks to pick tomatoes”:

“During a sit down interview with Ketchikan Public Radio this week, I used a term that was commonly used during my days growing up on a farm in Central California,” Young said in the statement. “I know that this term is not used in the same way nowadays and I meant no disrespect.”

As the Alaska Daily News notes, Young “stopped short of apologizing.”

Listen to the interview:

<...>

The term “wetbacks” is meant to refer to undocumented immigrants who crossed from Mexico into the United States via the Rio Grande river. And the president of the Hispanic Affairs Council of Alaska, Alaska Daily News that she feels his cavalier use of the term points to bigger problems. “He didn’t even pause. It’s like that’s just what he calls migrant farm workers,” she said.

When it comes to immigration issues, Young’s focus is largely on preventing illegal border crossings. He has also voted to end birthright citizenship.

- more -

http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/03/29/1793271/don-young-latino-wetbacks/

[Lil Missy]

1. He issued an apology this morning. n/t

[ProSense]

2. Link? n/t

[Lil Missy]

4. It was on MSNBC. I don't have a link.

He basically states that he used the term as it was understood back in his childhood days. Implied it didn't have the negative connotation it has now. Says he didn't intend any offense.

I'm not defending - just reporting as I recall the statement reported on MSNBC.

[EOTE]

5. That doesn't seem to be an actually apology.

An apology would typically have an "I'm sorry" in it somewhere. Defending why he said what he said and then adding a "no offense" to it isn't an apology in my mind.

[ProSense]

6. That's based on the same report in the OP. n/t

[TexasProgresive]

3. A friend of mine descends from one of the founding families

of San Antonio, TX would call Young a European wetback.