HispanicVista Columnists

Radio talk show hosts are entertainers who know little about immigration issues, but lots about making money.

By Patrick Osio, Jr.

April 11, 2005

Bakersfield, California conservative radio talk show host Inga Barks invited me to be on her show after reading an article I wrote on the hypocrisy of hiring undocumented workers instead of initiating a guest worker program particularly in the agricultural industry, and blaming all our economic ills on the illegal immigrants. She obviously wanted me on the show to argue with my reasoning, to show her audience how wrong I am, and how un-American this thinking is. After all her call to success is in attracting an audience that thinks like her, and of those who love to hate her. Ratings is the name of the game.

So there I was, but I was not arguing and in fact suggested that I didnt know anybody who is for illegal immigration, including me. That we differ on the methods used to solve the problem, and that I favored legally bringing in temporary workers for the agricultural industry where there is truly a shortage of available domestic workers, and not just to pad the profits of the farming enterprises with cheap labor.

Ms. Barks thought she had ended the argument saying that in her opinion there were sufficient Americans to work in farms. To which I replied, It doesnt make any difference what you think.

Her tone of voice underwent a sudden transformation, one that after 43 years of marriage I have heard with frequency when I forget (often) to put my soiled clothes in the laundry bag, or forgot something from the store because I dont need to write it,sending winter cold chills from head to toe What do you mean it makes no difference what I think?

The 43 years of experience paid off, Because you dont do the hiring, I was able to quickly say adding, why dont you interview some of the big farming concerns around Bakersfield theyre the ones who do the hiring, I say before my teeth began to chatter.

Maybe, I will, maybe I will, she said, and wham my career in her show was over.

Inga Barks is a sharp, intelligent lady whose radio program is highly successful in the region she serves. Bakersfield is part of Californias bread basket the San Joaquin valley where farming has been a way of life for over a hundred years. 

So why had she never had (and I am willing to bet, still hasnt) farming interest on her talk show? Why hasnt she put their feet to the fire demanding to know why they hire so many thousands of illegal immigrants, when in her opinion, there are sufficient Americans who will do the work?

The answer is quite simple its not about illegal immigration or even immigration its about money. As long as it remains an issue there is money to be made.

How long do you think her show would last without having a topic wherein foreigners werent the easy target, the sinners, criminals, abusers, the destroyers of the American way of life, the criminals we love to loath, the contrast of a people who have gained so much success in great part because we are a nation of laws versus those whose country is less so full of corruption, so jealous of our accomplishments, and so desirous of taking from us. For so many its just so patriotic to defend the nation and so much fun to talk and listen about such people and their evil ways. And, large listening audiences brings high paying advertisers, and the Barks of the US make a very nice living as long as there is no solution to the issues discussed.

Its the same in every radio market. There isnt one city where there is no Barks equivalent. The difference is that many are practical non racist who understand they are entertainers who push the button for ratings, but not cheap ratings, as say, Michael Savage who is just one sub-human species, but he too is on the air bringing big money.

Not all such commentators are racist, though there are many who are, but most when it comes to foreign affairs and immigration issues, range from ignorant to mega ignorant. Most dont even know any history of immigration to the US let alone the historical US role in causing much of the immigration they loath for money.

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Patrick Osio, Jr is Editor of HispanicVista.com (www.hispanicvista.com). Contact at: Posiojr@hispanicvista.com