๐ Reading Between the Lines: Decoding the Dog Whistles on "Wake Up Tucson"
๐งฑ Building Walls, Not Bridges: The Anti-Immigrant Agenda on Display ๐ฆ "Make America Great Again" or Turn Back the Clock on Civil Rights?
Based on the 9/10/24 Wake Up Tucson Show on KVOI-1030AM in Tucson, AZ.
DeSimonisms of the Day:
"Rex Scott enabled the invasion of America. Just say it, right? Haitian duck eaters thank Rex Scott."
โCouncil member Fimbres, who probably has just as bad a health problems as Raul Grijalva, at least he's out there once in a while. Again, Grijalva Day 2; is he alive?"
๐ง ๐บ๏ธ Mind Map of the Show ๐ฃ๏ธ๐๏ธ
๐ฝ Keepinโ It Simple Summary for Younger Readers
๐ง๐พโ๐พ๐ฆ๐พ
Radio hosts talked about ๐บ๐ธ politics and ๐ณ๏ธ elections. They said mean things about immigrants ๐ซ๐งณ and Democrats ๐ต. They praised Donald Trump ๐ and complained about Joe Biden ๐ด๐ป. They talked about crime ๐ and said people are eating ducks ๐ฆ and cats ๐ฑ (which isn't true!). They made fun of Kamala Harris ๐ฉ๐พโโ๏ธ and said she laughs too much ๐. They want less gun control ๐ซ and don't like when people protest ๐ชง. The hosts think America was better before ๐ฐ๏ธ but they're wrong - we're making progress for everyone! ๐ช๐ฝ๐
๐๏ธ Takeaways
๐ซ The show promoted xenophobic views on immigration, mocking efforts to help refugees
๐ฎ Hosts pushed "tough on crime" narratives while ignoring systemic racism in policing
๐ Donald Trump was praised uncritically while Democrats faced harsh, often bigoted attacks
๐ซ Gun violence concerns were dismissed in favor of opposing firearm regulations
๐ก๏ธ Climate change and environmental issues were largely ignored or downplayed
๐ฉ๐พโโ๏ธ VP Kamala Harris faced gendered and racist criticism, especially about her laugh
๐บ๐ธ Hosts promoted a regressive vision of America that ignores civil rights progress
๐ Topics Discussed
๐ The Immigration Debate: Stoking Fear or Addressing Real Concerns?
The hosts of "Wake Up Tucson" devoted significant airtime to the topic of immigration, framing it primarily as a threat to American communities. Their rhetoric often veered into xenophobic territory, particularly when discussing Haitian refugees.
Chris DeSimone made several inflammatory comments, including a bizarre and unsubstantiated claim about Haitian immigrants eating ducks and cats: "We got the two guys on the stranger danger thing. And I'm telling you, man, we gotta have a, we're missing a Hamas brought protest to here a little bit. That's gotta cut. That's got another, another queers for Hamas protests at the U of A would just be, uh, special as you like to say."
This kind of rhetoric serves to dehumanize immigrants and stoke fear among listeners. The hosts consistently portrayed immigration as an "invasion," a term that has dangerous real-world implications and echoes white supremacist talking points.
The show also targeted local Democratic leaders, accusing them of enabling illegal immigration. For instance, they claimed: "Rex Scott, Adelita Grijalva, Sylvia Lee, and Matt Heinz have all voted to blow a half a million illegal immigrants through the country, and their springboard was Pima County."
This framing ignores the complex realities of immigration policy and the genuine humanitarian concerns involved in refugee resettlement. It also fails to acknowledge the economic contributions of immigrants to American communities.
๐ซ Gun Violence and Control: Second Amendment Rights vs. Public Safety
The hosts took a staunchly pro-gun stance, dismissing efforts at gun control as ineffective and potentially unconstitutional.
They mocked local politician Karen Uhlich's attempts to address gun violence, with DeSimone saying: "Karen Uhlich is going to solve the shooting problem in Ward 6. And by solving it, I mean not solving it. Highly localized gun ban?"
This dismissive attitude towards gun control measures ignores the very real toll of gun violence in American communities. The hosts failed to engage with evidence-based approaches to reducing gun deaths or to acknowledge the trauma experienced by victims and their families.
The discussion around gun rights and gun control was largely framed as a binary choice between absolute Second Amendment rights and total government overreach, leaving little room for nuanced policy discussions.
๐๏ธ Local Politics: Criticism of Democratic Leadership
The show devoted considerable time to criticizing local Democratic leaders, often in harsh and personal terms. They accused these politicians of failing their constituents, particularly on issues of crime and immigration.
For example, they said of one local leader: "Rex Scott enabled the invasion of America. Just say it, right? Haitian duck eaters thank Rex Scott."
This kind of inflammatory language serves to demonize political opponents rather than engage in substantive policy debates.
The hosts also criticized Pima County Attorney Laura Conover, accusing her of being too lenient on criminals: "Laura Conover drops the ball again when it comes to youth leaders sexually abusing their teenagers."
This framing ignores the complexities of criminal justice reform and the need to balance punishment with rehabilitation.
๐ญ National Politics: Trump vs. Biden and Harris
The show's discussion of national politics was heavily slanted in favor of former President Donald Trump and against the current Biden administration. The hosts praised Trump's policies, particularly on immigration, while portraying President Biden as senile and incompetent.
They were particularly harsh in their criticism of Vice President Kamala Harris, often in ways that seemed tinged with sexism and racism.
For instance, one host said: "I just hope she cackles a lot and just laugh at her nervous laughter and just go, you know, it's just."
This focus on Harris's laugh and speaking style rather than her policies or qualifications is a common tactic used to undermine women in politics.
The hosts discussed strategies for Trump to win an upcoming debate with Harris, suggesting he focus on economic issues and portray the Biden administration as weak on foreign policy and immigration.
๐ผ Economic Issues: Conservative Critique of Democratic Policies
The show promoted a conservative economic viewpoint, criticizing Democratic policies as harmful to working Americans. They accused the Biden administration of driving inflation and financially hurting American families.
For example, they quoted a hypothetical Trump debate statement: "Joe Biden and Kamala Harris spent trillions of hard-earned dollars to drive up prices of things you and your families need to survive."
This framing ignores the complex global factors contributing to inflation and the Biden administration's attempts to address economic challenges.
The hosts also touched on local economic issues, discussing the impact of various policies on Tucson businesses and residents.
๐บ Media Criticism: Attacks on "Mainstream" Media
Throughout the show, the hosts portrayed mainstream media as biased against conservatives and untrustworthy. They positioned conservative media, including their show, as telling the "truth" that other outlets won't.
This narrative of media distrust can be dangerous, as it encourages listeners to dismiss factual reporting that doesn't align with their preexisting beliefs. It contributes to the polarization of the media landscape and the creation of ideological echo chambers.
๐ Cultural Commentary: Mockery of Progressive Causes
The hosts frequently mocked progressive causes and concerns about social justice issues. They used derogatory language to describe protesters and advocates for various social causes.
For instance, they joked about "queers for Hamas protests," conflating LGBTQ+ rights activism with support for terrorist organizations in a way that's both offensive and nonsensical.
This dismissive attitude towards social justice concerns serves to trivialize real issues of inequality and discrimination in American society.
๐ฐ๏ธ Nostalgia and "Making America Great Again"
Underlying much of the discussion was a sense of nostalgia for a perceived better past, echoing Trump's "Make America Great Again" slogan. The hosts frequently implied that America was better before recent progressive changes, ignoring the very real discrimination and inequality that existed (and continues to exist) for many Americans.
This backward-looking perspective fails to engage with the genuine progress made in civil rights and social justice, and it ignores the ongoing challenges faced by marginalized communities.
In conclusion, the "Wake Up Tucson" show presents a consistently conservative viewpoint on various local and national issues. While engaging with diverse perspectives is important, the show's reliance on inflammatory rhetoric, unsubstantiated claims, and personal attacks contributes little to constructive political discourse. Instead, it often polarizes its audience further and demonizes political opponents.
๐ต Three Sonorans Commentary
In the scorching landscape of Tucson's media ecosystem, where truth often evaporates under the relentless sun of conservative propaganda, the "Wake Up Tucson" radio show stands as a mirage โ promising enlightenment but delivering only the stale water of reactionary rhetoric.
As we at the Three Sonorans have long documented, this program serves as a megaphone for the most regressive elements of our community. These amplifying voices seek to turn back the clock on social progress and civil rights.
๐ The Immigration Inferno: Fanning the Flames of Xenophobia
The hosts' treatment of immigration issues is particularly egregious, revealing not just a lack of basic human empathy but a willful ignorance of the United States' long history of intervention and exploitation in Latin America and the Caribbean. When Chris DeSimone jokes about "Haitian duck eaters," he's not just being insensitive โ he's tapping into a long, ugly history of dehumanizing Black and Brown immigrants.
Let's be clear: the only "invasion" in the history of this land was the European colonization that displaced and murdered the Indigenous peoples of this region. We are living on stolen O'odham land, and any discussion of immigration that doesn't acknowledge this fact is fundamentally dishonest.
The hosts' claim that "Rex Scott, Adelita Grijalva, Sylvia Lee, and Matt Heinz have all voted to blow a half a million illegal immigrants through the country" is not just factually incorrect โ it's dangerous fear-mongering that puts real lives at risk. This kind of rhetoric has real-world consequences, fueling hate crimes and justifying the inhumane treatment of migrants and refugees.
๐ซ Gun Violence: Shooting Down Common Sense
In a state where firearms are the leading cause of death for children and teens, the hosts' flippant attitude towards gun control measures is not just misguided โ it's deadly. Their mockery of Karen Uhlich's efforts to address gun violence ("Karen Uhlich is going to solve the shooting problem in Ward 6. And by solving it, I mean not solving it. Highly localized gun ban?") ignores the very real pain and trauma experienced by victims and their families in our community.
The hosts seem more concerned with protecting their perceived Second Amendment rights than with protecting the lives of Tucson's children. This is a moral failure that we cannot ignore.
๐๏ธ Local Politics: Demonizing Progress
The show's attacks on local Democratic leaders demonstrate a clear partisan bias that prioritizes political point-scoring over substantive policy discussion.
Their accusation that "Rex Scott enabled the invasion of America" is not just false โ it's a dangerous conflation of immigration with an invasion that echoes white supremacist talking points.
Similarly, their criticism of Pima County Attorney Laura Conover ("Laura Conover drops the ball again when it comes to youth leaders sexually abusing their teenagers") ignores the complexities of criminal justice reform and the need to balance punishment with rehabilitation. It's a simplistic "tough on crime" narrative that has failed our communities for decades.
๐ฉ๐พโโ๏ธ National Politics: Racism and Sexism on Display
The hosts' treatment of Vice President Kamala Harris is particularly egregious, reducing an accomplished woman of color to stereotypes and cheap shots about her laugh.
When they say, "I just hope she cackles a lot and just laugh at her nervous laughter," they're not engaging in political critique โ they're perpetuating racist and sexist tropes that have no place in serious political discourse.
Their uncritical praise of Donald Trump, meanwhile, ignores the very real damage his administration did to civil rights, environmental protections, and the rule of law. The suggestion that Trump "made Americans wealthier, safer, and prouder" is a fantasy that ignores the economic inequality, social unrest, and international embarrassment that characterized his presidency.
๐ Culture Wars: Mocking the March Towards Justice
Perhaps most insidious is the hosts' mockery of social justice movements and progressive causes. Their joke about "queers for Hamas protests" is not just offensive โ it's a deliberate attempt to conflate LGBTQ+ rights with terrorism, a tactic designed to delegitimize the ongoing struggle for equality.
This dismissive attitude towards social justice concerns serves to trivialize real issues of inequality and discrimination in American society. It's a tactic we've seen repeatedly from those who benefit from the status quo and fear the power of collective action for change.
๐ Environmental Silence: Ignoring the Climate Crisis
In all their discussion of what threatens American communities, the hosts conspicuously fail to mention the greatest threat of all: climate change. This silence is deafening and damning. As our desert home faces increasing temperatures, devastating droughts, and more frequent wildfires, the failure to address this existential threat is nothing short of negligence.
The "Wake Up Tucson" show represents everything that's wrong with modern conservative media: fear-mongering, scapegoating, and a willful ignorance of the real issues facing our communities. But we cannot simply dismiss it. This kind of rhetoric has real power to shape public opinion and policy.
As progressive Tucsonans, we must counter this narrative with facts, empathy, and a vision for a more just and equitable future. We must continue to fight for immigrant rights, sensible gun control, criminal justice reform, and meaningful action on climate change. We must uplift the voices of women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ individuals in our political discourse.
Most importantly, we must never lose sight of the possibility of another world. Despite the fear and division peddled by shows like "Wake Up Tucson," we know that our community is stronger when we stand together, embrace our diversity, and fight for justice for all.
La lucha sigue. The struggle continues.
๐ฉ๐ผโ๐คโ๐จ๐พ People Mentioned
Chris DeSimone - Host of Wake Up Tucson
Made numerous anti-immigrant comments
Promoted conservative talking points
Criticized local Democratic leaders
Quote: "We got the two guys on the stranger danger thing. And I'm telling you, man, we gotta have a, we're missing a Hamas brought protest to here a little bit."
Matt Neely - Co-host of Wake Up Tucson
Echoed DeSimone's conservative views
Made derogatory comments about immigrants and Democrats
Quote: "Way to screw up those kids spirituality in the church."
Donald Trump - Former U.S. President
Praised by hosts for his policies, especially on immigration
Discussed upcoming debate with Kamala Harris
Quote: "If he wants to win the night in the election, he'll just have to do that and avoid rambling rants and personal attacks."
Joe Biden - Current U.S. President
Criticized by hosts for his policies and mental acuity
Portrayed as weak and ineffective
Quote: "We know Joe's basically a senile. I mean, his brain is pretty much a cum quad right now."
Kamala Harris - U.S. Vice President
Subjected to gendered and racist criticism
Mocked for her laugh and speaking style
Quote: "I just hope she cackles a lot and just laugh at her nervous laughter and just go, you know, it's just."
Laura Conover - Pima County Attorney
Criticized for handling of criminal cases
Accused of being too lenient on offenders
Quote: "Laura Conover drops the ball again when it comes to youth leaders sexually abusing their teenagers."
Karen Uhlich - Local politician
Mocked for proposed gun control measures
Criticized for approach to crime issues
Quote: "Karen Uhlich is going to solve the shooting problem in Ward 6. And by solving it, I mean not solving it. Highly localized gun ban?"
Rex Scott - Local politician
Accused of enabling illegal immigration
Criticized for Democratic policies
Quote: "Rex Scott enabled the invasion of America. Just say it, right? Haitian duck eaters thank Rex Scott."
James Earl Jones - Late actor
Discussed his passing and career
Praised for his voice work
Quote: "Rest in peace to James Earl Jones. Passed away at age 93 yesterday."
Danny Sawaya - Guest on the show, owner of Tucson Strength
Discussed local business issues
Shared conservative views on politics
Quote: "I would just point out that Kamala has been in charge for the last four years, obviously, and look at where we're at."
So was Pence in charge the four years before that?
๐๏ธ Propaganda AI-nalysis
Propaganda messages:
America is being "invaded" by illegal immigrants
Democratic leaders are enabling illegal immigration
Conservatives are the only ones who care about public safety
Liberal policies are destroying American values and way of life
Donald Trump's presidency was better for America than Biden's
Mainstream media is biased against conservatives
Gun control measures are ineffective and threaten Second Amendment rights
Efforts to address systemic racism or promote diversity are unnecessary or harmful
Overt messages:
Immigration is a major threat to American communities
Crime is out of control due to liberal policies
Donald Trump should win the upcoming debate and election
Local Democratic leaders are failing their constituents
Conservative media provides the "truth" that mainstream outlets won't
Hidden messages:
Non-white immigrants are dangerous and uncivilized
Democratic leaders secretly want to harm America
Only conservatives truly love and understand America
Addressing systemic racism or promoting diversity is anti-white
Violence or extreme measures may be necessary to "save" America
Hidden opinions:
White American culture is superior to others
Civil rights progress has gone too far
Authoritarianism is preferable to liberal democracy
Environmental and social justice concerns are not real issues
Empathy for marginalized groups is a weakness
Claims made:
Haitian immigrants are eating ducks and cats in American communities
Kamala Harris is incompetent and unfit for office
Joe Biden is senile and controlled by others
Laura Conover is failing to prosecute criminals adequately
Local gun bans will not reduce crime
Donald Trump made Americans wealthier, safer, and prouder
Democratic economic policies have only hurt working Americans
Conservative media tells the truth while mainstream media lies