In Maryland, Texas and California
Republicans Disrespect Hispanics

After Texas Republicans humiliated loyal Bush supporter and highest-ranking Hispanic Texas elected official Henry Bonilla in 2000, the Bush campaign reversed the snub and announced an outreach effort to attract Hispanics. So you'd think Republicans would know better than this. But no.

In the recent re-redistricting fiasco, Texas Republicans went back to mocking Hispanics by airing radio ads featuring a "funny Hispanic accent." After Hispanics in California delivered Democratic victories state-wide by repudiating Republican racism at the polls, clueless California Republicans brought back anti-Hispanic demagogue former Governor Pete Wilson to run their leading recall candidate's campaign.

We know Republicans don't care that racism is wrong, if it helps them win elections. Now we know that Republicans are not only racists, they're stupid. They don't even know enough to keep their racism quiet, as they did in Florida by intentionally throwing 100,000s of innocent Blacks off the voter rolls.

Republicans don't know racism no longer works as a disgusting partisan tactic, or that it undermines their condescending minority "outreach" efforts. Most Hispanics are smart enough to see through the cynical, manipulative exploitation behind Republicans' focus-group sloganeering.

Three recent Washington Post articles confirm what many Hispanics know all too well. Republicans consider Hispanics second class citizens - even second class conservatives:

"Maryland GOP leaders meeting in Annapolis yesterday voted to cut their ties to a group of Hispanic conservatives...." Md. GOP Disavows Latino Group By Nurith C. Aizenman (Washington Post) Page C07, Sep 14, 2003: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A6950-2003Sep13.html

"Members of the Maryland Hispanic Republican Caucus have defied a demand by state GOP leaders to oust their chairman...." Md. Hispanic GOP Caucus Refuses to Fire Chairman By Nurith C. Aizenman and Tim Craig (Washington Post) Page B04, Sep 13, 2003: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A3644-2003Sep12.html

"Jorge Ribas, chairman of the Maryland Hispanic Republican Caucus, considers himself a good, loyal Republican who supported Robert L. Ehrlich...." Split Shows Md. GOP's Growing Pains By Tim Craig (Washington Post) Page A01, Sep 12, 2003: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A62841-2003Sep11.html

These articles concern George W. Bush's personal friend and close political ally, Maryland Governor Bob Ehrlich's disdain for Hispanics. Ehrlich publicly humiliated Republican Hispanic Caucus Chairman, Jorge Ribas. Not content with that, the Maryland Republican Party wants to "discipline" Ribas and Hispanic Republicans.

Mr. Ribas is learning the lesson in humiliation Mr. Bonilla learned from Texas Republicans who kicked him off the Bush delegation in 2000. The same disrespect Wilson-led California Republicans delivered to Hispanics then and offer again.