Sharron Angle Ad: Is It Racist?

Sharron Angle has a new ad up that features Hispanic-appearing men carrying weapons and appearing in police mug shots. In the ad, she alleges that her opponent, incumbent Sen. Harry Reid (D) of Nevada, is soft on illegal immigrants.

Has the Republican Senate candidate gone too far? {snip}

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Hispanic and pro-immigration groups are furious. They say they will launch a Spanish-language ad blitz to try to counteract the effect of an ad which, they say, depicts Hispanics as criminals and thugs.

The groups–America’s Voice, Mi Familia Vota, and Campaign for Community Change–said Tuesday that this campaign will try to convince Hispanics of the need to vote to counteract rising anti-immigrant sentiment.

“Sharron Angle has decided to run one of the ugliest anti-illegal immigrants ad campaigns in history,” said Frank Sharry, executive director of America’s Voice.

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The producers of those ads defended them, saying that Democrats take the Hispanic vote for granted.

Ms. Angle’s newest spot begins with quick cuts of a border crossing in El Paso, Texas, followed by a blurry image of swarthy, large men striding towards the camera. Then it shows a still photo of what appears to be a gang, with at least one man holding an assault rifle.

“Millions of illegal aliens, swarming across our border, joining violent gangs, forcing families to live in fear,” says the ad.

It then goes on to say that Senator Reid has voted to give illegal aliens Social Security numbers, among other things, and sided with President Obama and the President of Mexico to “block Arizona’s tough new immigration law.”

Whatever the harshness of the ad, it does address a real policy difference between the two Nevada Senate opponents. Reid supports policies that would allow illegal immigrants to become legal residents. Angle does not.

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Source: YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIkNAA2y4I4&nofeather=True

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