received this in my e-mail today

"...a small town under siege by the pro-illegal-alien, open-borders lobby says his community is being overrun by criminal illegal aliens and drug gangs." -- Lou Dobbs (3/20/2007)

"They put a strain on our Social Security, our education, our health care and, yes, national security." -- Glenn Beck (01/30/2007)

"Number one, the illegal aliens shouldn't be here. And number two, the culture from which they come is a lot more violent than the USA."-- Bill O'Reilly (1/15/2007)
Fear and Loathing in Prime Time -- Tell Dobbs, O'Reilly, and Beck it's time to end the fear-mongering.

Dear Friend,

There are many serious problems facing the United States today: a faltering economy, a health-care crisis, and the ongoing war in Iraq, to name a few. Yet, in certain corners of the cable news world, specifically Lou Dobbs Tonight, The O'Reilly Factor, and Glenn Beck, one issue stands above all others: illegal immigration.

Fear and Loathing in Prime Time: Immigration Myths and Cable News, a new report by Media Matters Action Network, exposes the vitriolic rhetoric heard almost nightly on these shows. They overflow not just with vitriol, but with several myths and urban legends that feed viewers' resentment and fears. The myths and misinformation disseminated on each of these programs do nothing but foster increased anti-immigrant hysteria.

>>Read the report, sign the petition, and demand that these hosts and their network bosses put an end to the fear-mongering and misinformation.

Among the key findings of our study:

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Illegal Immigration and Crime: Although numerous studies have found that immigrants in general commit fewer crimes than native-born citizens, these programs are positively obsessed with the topic. During 2007, the alleged connection between illegal immigration and crime was discussed on 94 episodes of Lou Dobbs Tonight, 66 episodes of Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor, and 29 episodes of CNN Headline News' Glenn Beck.
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Illegal Immigration and Social Services: Undocumented immigrants are barred from receiving most federally provided social services and pay a variety of taxes, including sales, property (in the form of rent), and payroll taxes. Yet during 2007, the allegation that undocumented immigrants drain social services and/or don't pay taxes was discussed on 71 episodes of Lou Dobbs Tonight, 13 episodes of Glenn Beck, and eight episodes of The O'Reilly Factor.
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Myths and Urban Legends: Dobbs and Beck have perpetuated two related myths, that there are plans to construct a "NAFTA Superhighway" running from Mexico to Canada and that there are plans to join Mexico, Canada, and the United States in a "North American Union." Dobbs has discussed the fictional North American Union on 52 separate programs during the past two years. All three programs, Lou Dobbs Tonight, Glenn Beck, and The O'Reilly Factor, have presented as fact the "reconquista" myth, which states that there is a movement afoot for Mexico to take over the American Southwest.
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Unsubstantiated Allegations: On Lou Dobbs Tonight, viewers were told about a mythical explosion of leprosy cases due to illegal immigration and a mythical epidemic of voter fraud due to illegal immigration.
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Dobbs Out Front: Of the three hosts examined in detail, Dobbs is the most obsessed with the topic; indeed, fully 70 percent of the 2007 episodes of Lou Dobbs Tonight contained a discussion of illegal immigration.

These cable news bullies have chosen to rely on myths and misinformation rather than a rational debate based squarely on the facts. They have not only muddied the public debate on this very important issue, but also stoked fear and resentment in a manner that fosters anti-immigrant hysteria. It is time to put their irresponsible reporting to an end.

>>Read the report, sign the petition, and demand that these hosts and their network bosses put an end to the fear-mongering and misinformation.

Please make sure your voice is heard. Join with us today by signing our petition demanding that Dobbs, Beck, and O'Reilly, along with their network bosses, end the steady diet of fear, anger, and resentment they air day after day.

Sincerely,

Paul Waldman
Media Matters Action Network

PS. Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Reps. Joe Baca (D-CA) and Luis Gutierrez (D-IL), as well as Hilda Solis (D-CA) of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and representatives of the National Council of La Raza and America's Voice joined Media Matters Action Network at a press conference earlier today to announce the findings of our new report. We'll be updating our website with video and additional coverage on a regular basis. I hope you will take a moment to sign our petition and encourage your friends, family, and co-workers to join our call to action.

I was most disturbed with the NAFTA SUPERHIGHWAY MYTH part. I remember a post on here that PROVED it not a myth.