From cartoonist Clay Jones about ‘Operation Racial Slur,’ Trump’s support of Eisenhower’s Operation Wetback, and the rest of the Republican Debate
Is the inclusion of a racial slur in this cartoon offensive? Well it’s not as offensive as the United States government.
In the 1940’s, the U.S. government deported Mexican immigrants in a program officially titled “Operation Wetback.” Mexico was a huge part of it.
During World War II, the U.S. suffered from a labor shortage. Rosie the Riveter couldn’t compensate for the entire workforce. So in an arrangement with the United States, Mexico sent workers to the U.S. in what was called the “Bracero Program” which allowed 4.6 million Mexicans to enter the U.S. legally (many still entered illegally as there were hefty fees involved). It was their contribution to the Allied effort to defeat the Axis, and it helped Mexico not put any fighters or money into the effort. A few years after the war, Mexico wanted those workers back, we wanted them gone, and a lot of them didn’t want to go. Thus the inspiration for Operation Wetback.
The program was initiated in President Eisenhower’s administration, and it was a huge disaster. After being deported, many immigrants just walked back. The Border Patrol started shaving immigrants’ heads before deportation so they’d know if they were repeat offenders.
It was a disaster. Estimates put the number of deportations at 250,000. Many immigrants were beaten and abused. Many were simply dropped into a desert, without food or water, and without knowing where they were or how to get home (imagine being from the U.S. East Coast and being dropped off in the Nevada Desert. Good luck getting home). One incident resulted in 88 immigrants’ death from heat stroke after being dropped off in the desert. A Mexican labor leader reported that Braceros were brought into Mexico like cows on trucks and unloaded fifteen miles down the highway from the border in the desert. Others were deported on ships where a congressional investigation compared the conditions on the ships to that of an “eighteenth century slave ship.”
During the fourth Republican debate, Donald trump expressed he wants to emulate the program. Trump said Eisenhower “moved immigrants just beyond the border; they came back. Moved them again beyond the border; they came back. Didn’t like it. Moved them way south; they never came back. Dwight Eisenhower. You don’t get nicer, you don’t get friendlier.”
Trump’s inspiration is one of America’s greatest sins that’s comparable to the government’s internment of Japanese Americans, which a lot of people still say was the right thing to do.
This is where this post gets long, so I don’t blame you if you quit reading here…or start here. I don’t care.
I took a lot from the debate from Trump saying Americans are paid too much, Rubio saying welders make more than philosophers, Carson’s claim that every time the minimum wage is increased we lose jobs (and every candidate opposing a minimum wage increase). Dr. Carson, where I come from that’s called a lie.
Carly Fiorina jabbed at Trump, saying she too has met Vladimir Putin except it wasn’t in a green room. Actually it was in a green room. She also has some really dumb ideas to deal with Putin like putting missiles in Poland, conducting military exercises in the Balkans, and increasing our troop strength in Germany (like a few thousand more will make an impression), and never ever ever returning his phone calls. What’s scariest though is she wants to shoot down Russian jets. She said no one should tell America when and where it can fly but thinks the U.S. can tell others when and where to fly. Fiorina also asked at one point, “Can I say something as a chief executive who’s saved jobs and created jobs?” No. She can’t.
Marco Rubio really wants to go to war. First thing, Marco, we’re not in danger of being defeated by ISIS. In fact, ISIS is not a major threat to the United States. I know many people believe that’s a bold statement, but I’m dealing with reality. He also wants to rebuild the military which makes me wonder what’s wrong with it now? We have the world’s strongest and largest military. We spend more than the next ten countries combined (Rand Paul pointed that out and it’s true). I really don’t want this 44-year-old guy who’s never served sending our people overseas into a war zone because he’s played Call Of Duty too many times. It also shows he really doesn’t care about spending. When Rand Paul questioned Rubio’s conservatism over his willingness to spend on wars, Rubio answered with “Murica!!!”. Pretty much.
Other takes are: Jeb Bush didn’t hurt himself this time. He didn’t help himself either, but at least he didn’t set up a Rubio mic drop. Unfortunately, he wasn’t asked any questions about what babies he’d like to kill, other than Baby Hitler, while time traveling.
Ben Carson was difficult to comprehend and reminded me of the aliens in The Simpson’s running for president when one said, “we must move forward, not backward; upward, not forward; and always twirling, twirling, twirling towards freedom!” His policy on Syria, for example, was to make the Jihadists “look like losers” and “we’ll win.” I think he should get a “gotcha” question and be asked to locate Syria on a map, or the Middle East, or his ass. He claims his plan will work because he’s talked to generals. I wonder if it’s the same general who offered him a scholarship at West Point.
Bobby Jindal really thinks he’s been good for Louisiana. Huckabee is scary. Ted Cruz is scarier and really creepy, and for Republicans that’s a really good thing. The guy—along with Jindal and Huckabee—is freshly returned from a I-Hate-Gays rally, hosted by a pastor who’s advocated the merely “politically-incorrect” stance that we should copy Uganda’s kill-gay-people policy. Cruz is that guy waiting for the girl to get her heart broken by the good looking guy (which, compared to Cruz, could be anyone) and cry on his shoulder while realizing she should just settle for Cruz. And he’ll never cheat on her with Kim Davis…probably. He’ll also eliminate the Commerce Department twice.
Most pundits believe Rubio and Cruz won the debate. Has anyone but me noticed Rubio gives a stern, stubborn, serious look with each answer and talks down condescendingly as if he’s the only one who loves America? Just me? OK then, am I the only one wonder how much product is in his hair?
John Kasich gave another great audition for the V.P. slot.
Rand Paul was actually honest and said a few things the red-meat craving audience didn’t like. He opposed senseless wars and a bloated defense budget. He’s totally screwed.
Obvious my biggest takeaway was Trump’s enthusiasm for hating Mexicans. He should look into that.
http://claytoonz.com/2015/11/12/operation-racial-slur/
