What Did You Think About Our Tancredo Interview?

What a voice of reason. On many levels. I really appreciated hearing from this man; a candidate that I know very little about. I'm looking forward to hearing more from him and no, I'm not a Republican fence sitter . . . I'm a Democratic free thinking voter and feel I may have found my candidate. Thank you.

Sent by Mollie Kathleen | 4:22 PM | 7-20-2007

Ms. Chideya,
I don't know where to begin with Congressman Tancredo. As a Mexican-American, living in the central valley of California, immigration is a part of my daily life--culturally and regionally. Clearly, Mr. Tancredo needs to take a literal field trip to see who is stooping in our fields and reaching in our orchards. Also, at a time when local farms and corporate farms are having labor shortages, Mr. Tancredo needs to see who is in line to do this work and who is not. If these workers could come to work legally without unreasonable wait periods, many would go thru the hoops, and not stay--which seems to be another goal of Mr. Tancredo.

Also, with regard to voter fraud, he mentions that the Democrats use illegals to get votes! Didn't we have the opposite problem in the last two elections? Were there not countless stories about eligible and legal people NOT allowed to vote?!

There are not simply "pockets" that need attention, there are entire counties and states where on all levels (local, state, federal) people have problems getting their vote counted. This starts at the elementary education level--namely the lack of quality. Clearly Mr. Tancredo does not want any racial or ethnic based districts because he is white! Those ideals seem like reality to white people--and sometimes those that can pass for white. I have a very brown face and I have experiened "other than pure" motives. We are already separated and treated as OTHER even decades after the various civil rights movements made their gains. In my experience, there are pockest of places this does not happen.

Regarding the connection to being "American" and Mr. Tancredo's family. Just becuase we enjoy living in communities where our culture is valued, does not mean they are ghettos. How can you know yourself if you have to deny yourself, in the way Mr. Tancredo stated his grandmother yelled at his grandfather. How can you deny a very basic part of one's identity, your culture, language, foods, music?
How can you appreciate the culture and identity of others around you without first loving yourself by loving your own. Multi-culturalism is not the same as what he and others seem to fear: the browing of America.

I am so sorry to go on in such a way, but I was simply compelled. I was driving when I heard this, but am so grateful that I could re-listen and write at a later time. I am a 7th generation Californian, with all the mix that implies: Native American, Spanish pluderes, and I am sure some African, too, all equal a Mexican-American. Always hyphenated, not only because that my personal identity, but because that is how others identify me.

I love your show and I listen every chance I get. Thank you, Simona

Sent by Simona Donoso-Rios | 5:30 PM | 7-20-2007

All I know is that Tancredo is not a welcomed man in South Florida. Who can forget when he said Miami (and its neighboring cities) could not be considered a part of the United States? Imagine the millions who saw that here on the news. Some local columnists (great articles by Pulitzer winning writers by Leonard Pitts and humorist Dave Barry of the Miami Herald) took him to task on his shallow view of a multi-racial, multi-cultural and multi-ethinic South Florida. Even Jeb Bush, the governor (of his party) at the time scolded him to the press. And to be honest, at first I chose not to listen to the segment when I saw his name because I thought it would be another myopic view about America and my memory went to his ignorant statement late last year but I gave in to listen to the segment because I wanted to comment on the blog. And wouldn't you know it? Tancredo didn't disappoint me on the little I expected of him.

Sent by Moji | 6:13 PM | 7-20-2007

it's good to hear a politician say what the people feel is there but don't have enough information to say anything. KEEP IT UP! DON'T LET THE POLITICIANS FOOL YOU INTO BELIEVING THAT THE PEOPLE DON'T AGREE WITH YOU

Sent by DAVEGLASSMAN | 10:37 PM | 7-20-2007

Tom tancredo is an ignorant that confuses a moral philosopher like Lao Tseu with a political and military expert like Sun Tzu.
Moreover a uses a stupip topoi like "radical Islam" whiloe the right word would have been jihadist qaedist or even islamist; every religion, christianity included is radical, but Tncredo is not learned enogh to understand it.
As a Italian of Congolese descent i can't understand how this man is so keen to abbandon this culture of ours. multiculturality hjas made me able to mingle easily with anybody because i came t realize that when principles are involved every human beings are the same, but codes changes, and it is fun to change register when you have to express something.

Sent by Rutagengwa Felix Ndayitabi | 10:31 AM | 7-21-2007

I am really sorry that someone like Tancredo was allowed to give an opinion as ignorant as he on a such respectable station.

Sent by Alejandra | 3:50 PM | 7-23-2007

Yeah, I would like to point out that he meant Sun Tzu and not Lao Tzu. Also, Webster's does not define a country as somewhere where everyone speaks the same language. This guy seems awefully ignorant and awefully hateful.

Sent by Aram Khayatpour | 2:33 PM | 7-24-2007

Chideya needs to go back to Africa. It's what Tancredo would have wanted. I can't stand black people who feel that it's okay to tell mexicans to stay in mexico while all the while they are here. Minorities struggle in America because they are not suppose to be here (with the exclusion of native indians). How are minorities suppose to survive in a white world? Think about that.

" I am a 7th generation Californian, with all the mix that implies: Native American, Spanish pluderes, and I am sure some African, too, all equal a Mexican-American. "

Then you are black. One drop rule. You can call yourself mexican american till the cows come home, but if there is one drop of black you are black. Embrace it and stop pretending to be something you're not.

Sent by A realist | 1:31 PM | 8-5-2007

While I appreciate you interviewing Congressman Tancredo, I was disappointed with your biased questions. They were some of the most slanted ones I have ever heard.

Despite NPR's obvious distaste for Tancredo, I highly respect him and his message. He's a real leader who is willing to stand up for all Americans and defend this country. It's a shame that he's called "radical" for wanting to defend this country and promoting the idea of America. With our country facing so many challenges today, we really need a leader like Tancredo--not another politician.

Sent by Timothy Lewis | 10:55 PM | 8-7-2007