By Ariana Pekary, producer
Marcelo Lucero was murdered in November 2008Over the past five years, attacks against Hispanics in the United States have increased forty-percent so that now Latinos are targeted more than any other ethnic group. In the worst of those attacks last year, three men were killed. One of those men had lived in Patchogue, New York for sixteen years before he was stabbed and bled to death outside his friend’s home.
Driving to Patchogue for this story, we didn’t really know what we were going to find. There was clear evidence that the Latino community was systematically being harassed (at best) and living in fear (at worst). After Marcelo Lucero was killed in November 2008, the New York Times documented numerous incidents of attacks in Patchogue and the police response, which many felt lacked. The Southern Poverty Law Center also released a report about the Long Island community. But we didn’t know the extent of the characters we would find, from the candid mayor to the unapologetic county executive.
Not every American is against immigrants – whether documented or not – but some are. Some are against them vocally. And then there are some who are willing to threaten immigrants physically – again, whether documented or not. So innocent people are being targeted in acts of violence. This documentary attempts to present the various angles of this growing problem.
Here are some of the organizations referenced for this documentary:
FBI Hate Crime Statistics
Southern Poverty Law Center
MALDEF
Latino Justice
Workplace Project
Media Matters
Lastly, for you music hounds out there, Alejandro Filio is a Mexican folk artist who did not want to sign big commercial contracts, so he is not very well known outside of his home country. But his music is really beautiful so I tried to use some throughout; the song that is most relevant, Cain, plays at the end of the third segment. Argentinean Mercedes Sosa recently passed away, and her music was played at Marcelo’s vigil – so it easily made sense to play at the end. Todo Cambia means “everything changes.”
On that note, happy new year.
It is awful that these crimes occur, and young people get caught up in a mob mentality to commit them. It is a manifestation of a human biological tendency towards tribal behavior and dominance hierarchies. That behavior can be modulated by learned cultural teachings, which can broaden the size of the group considered to be "in the tribe". Language difference is one of the major markers that can separate "tribes".
I have to largely agree with Woodbourne, who says "no one should ever attack another person" while arguing that unlimited immigration is not in the United States’ interest. Perhaps not even in the interest of the countries that are losing some of their best citizens who are trying to get into the US. Illegal immigration needs to be limited by greater enforcement against the employers. Perhaps there should even be programs to encourage illegal immigrants to return to their home countries and help remake those countries with the societal and governmental structures that are good about the US.
I just finished listening to the show and I am APPALLED. I find it disheartening to listen to the children commenting on Latinos. If they were my daughters or sons they would be doing community service all their waking moments. Abhorant attitudes.
Dear woodbourne,
The show was about a hate crime, not immigration. Lucero was not selected for attack because of his immigration status, which you don’t know, but because of his ethnicity.Other Latinos attacked in the area have included legal residents and citizens who immigrated years ago.
I’m a huge fan of the show. I have a one hour commute and listen almost every day. When I heard this particular show, I was appalled by the lack of balance in the reporting. It’s the first time I’ve ever hear a Bob Edwards show that I thought presented a completely biased picture of an issue of importance in the US. The show completely ignored the cost of having illegals in the schools, hospitals, etc and focused on "hate crime". The show kept on about "undocumented" people rather than tell the truth – which is that the people interviewed were here illegally – they were criminals themselves. Two wrongs never make a "right" but ignoring one of the wrongs is just bad journalism. Everyone seemed to want to brand Levy some kind of Hispanic hater but EVERY statement made was both purely anecdotal and made by someone with a strong desire to keep illegal aliens here in the US. It was just ridiculous to anyone with a logical mind. Frankly, this country has too many people already and frankly the way we select immigrants needs fixing and no one should every attack another person for any reason. Nevertheless these are NOT reasons for us to support 12 million illegal aliens at a time when we have huge financial and social problems in this country. Send them home.
I’ve heard good things about the reporting for this segment, especially at Pat-Med High School. I’m looking forward to hearing it for myself.
If you’re looking for more relevant resources, click here.
Great show. It really captured the situation for immigrants on the ground in Suffolk County.