"All Immigrants Are Real Americans"

It's bad enough that Karl Rove spoke at a convention of the racially separatist group La Raza, an organization which advocates "reconquering" the Western United States.

What's worse is what Mr. Rove said today; in a jaw-dropping statement, he asserted that the immigration debate has "clouded the views of some people in America and led them to fail to understand that Hispanics, and all immigrants, are real Americans."

In the first place, I'd love to see a transcript showing that anyone has ever said that Hispanics -- Hispanics who are here legally -- aren't "real Americans."

For Mr. Rove to imply that those who don't agree with the administration's immigration plan have "clouded views" and a lack of understanding or appreciation for immigration -- and, reading between the lines, are racist -- is deeply insulting. How many Americans, after all, are descended from immigrants? And if he's not speaking about the administration's critics, who else would he be speaking about? This is, after all, the administration that referred to the Minute Men, who seek only to observe and report those breaking the law, as "vigilantes."

If Mr. Rove thinks that "all immigrants" -- which implies legal or illegal --are "real Americans," we've got bigger immigration problems than I thought.

I very much respect President Bush and have been loyal to the administration, even when I've felt compelled to speak out on certain areas of disagreement. But Mr. Rove's double insult -- speaking to La Raza and then dissing some mythical Americans who think Hispanics aren't "real Americans" -- really takes the cake. There can be honest disagreement among Americans, or conservatives, about the proper way to deal with illegal immigration, but gratuitous digs such as Mr. Rove offered today are not only unnecessary, they distract from this important debate.

Mr. Rove owes his fellow conservatives -- people like me, who believe deeply in legal immigration and in upholding our nation's laws and protecting its sovereignty -- a deep and sincere apology.

Quickly.

Further commentary from Joseph Farah at World Net Daily.