🗣️ Wake Up Tucson's Bruce Ash: Immigration is "Slavery for Employers"
🗣️ Wake Up Tucson's Bruce Ash: Immigration is "Slavery for Employers"
🎯 The Dog Whistles Behind the Words 🌎 From Border Crisis to Human Crisis 💼 Corporate Interests and Immigration Policy
Based on the 10/22/24 Wake Up Tucson on KVOI-1030AM.
🙊 Notable quotes from the show
Bruce Ash: "It's for slavery, right? For employers, and it is for a new electorate."
Bruce Ash: "You don't get paid for that" (discussing Catholic Church aid to immigrants)
Grover Norquist: "56% of Americans say they're overtaxed"
Chris DeSimone: "Officer Buckner died driving in an 18-year-old car because they [the Tucson council] hate cops."
⏮️ ICYMI: From the Last Show…
😽 Keepin’ It Simple Summary for Younger Readers
👧🏾✊🏾👦🏾
📻 On a radio show in Tucson, some grown-ups were talking about people who come from other countries to live here 🌎. One of the hosts, Bruce Ash, said some mean things about immigrants 😢, comparing them to slavery and saying they're only here to vote 🗳️. The show had a special guest named Grover Norquist who talked about cutting taxes for rich people 💰. They didn't talk about how people often come here because they need help or are trying to find a safe place to live with their families ❤️. The show forgot to mention that many immigrants help make our country better by working hard and sharing their culture 🌟.
🗝️ Takeaways
🚫 Conservative media continues to promote replacement theory rhetoric
💰 Anti-immigrant messaging masks corporate exploitation
🗣️ Dehumanizing language normalizes cruel border policies
🌍 Root causes of migration deliberately ignored
⚖️ Religious values selectively applied to immigration issues
🏭 Corporate responsibility in migration crisis overlooked
⏬ Jump to the 🦉 Three Sonorans Commentary based on:
📻 What They Discussed
On October 22, 2024, Wake Up Tucson, a conservative talk radio show hosted by Chris DeSimone, featured Bruce Ash as a monthly guest co-host and Grover Norquist, President of Americans for Tax Reform, as a special guest.
The show, which broadcasts on "1030 The Voice," represents a significant conservative voice in Tucson's media landscape. The episode covered various topics, from local politics to national issues, emphasizing upcoming elections and conservative policy positions.
💰 The Norquist Interview: Tax Policy and Politics
Grover Norquist's segment focused heavily on anti-tax rhetoric and criticism of the Biden administration.
Norquist, a prominent conservative figure known for his "no tax pledge," discussed Trump's recent McDonald's appearance and political implications.
His interview revealed the conservative establishment's current messaging strategy, particularly emphasizing tax policy as a critical differentiator between Republican and Democratic candidates.
🏛️ Local Government Criticism
A significant portion of the show focused on criticizing Tucson's City Council, particularly regarding meeting attendance and recent pay raises.
The hosts highlighted that seven meetings between July and December were canceled due to lack of quorum, despite council members receiving substantial pay increases. This narrative aimed to portray local Democratic leadership as ineffective and self-serving.
👮 Law Enforcement and Public Safety
The show discussed the Tucson Police Department's new technological initiatives, including gunshot detectors and license plate readers.
However, this was framed within a larger critique of city priorities, with hosts arguing that basic equipment needs (like police vehicles) remain underfunded. At the same time, money goes to what they view as less essential programs.
🗳️ Election Analysis and Strategy
Early voting trends were analyzed, with hosts celebrating Republican turnout advantages.
The discussion included a critical analysis of Kari Lake's campaign strategy and broader Republican messaging challenges. The hosts expressed concern about proposition voting and ballot completion rates.
⛪ Religious Politics and Social Issues
The show delved into the role of religious institutions in politics, particularly criticizing the Catholic Church's approach to immigration and social issues.
The hosts argued that religious leaders aren't taking strong enough stands on conservative positions, particularly regarding abortion-related propositions.
🌵 The Border: More Than Just a Political Prop - A Deep Dive into Wake Up Tucson's Xenophobic Rhetoric
In a particularly revealing moment during the October 22nd broadcast, Bruce Ash exposed the underlying racist ideology that often drives conservative immigration policy when he stated:
"It's for slavery, right? This is for employers and a new electorate. Okay. When they wise up, they see what the hell the world is really about. Yep. But it's a new, it's a new electorate, and it's in its slavery for employers."
This shocking statement deserves careful unpacking:
🔍 Deconstructing the Racism
The "Slavery" Dog Whistle
By comparing immigration to slavery, Ash deliberately invokes America's racist past
This comparison trivializes the actual historical trauma of slavery
It frames immigrants as both victims and threats, a common xenophobic tactic
The rhetoric dehumanizes immigrants while pretending to show concern
The "New Electorate" Conspiracy Theory
Promotes "replacement theory" ideology without using the exact term
Suggests immigrants are being "imported" for political purposes
Ignores that most immigrants cannot vote
Feeds into white nationalist paranoia about demographic change
💔 The Human Cost of Such Rhetoric
The show's discussion completely ignores:
The death toll in the Sonoran Desert
Family separations
Detention center conditions
Indigenous peoples whose ancestral lands span the border
The economic refugees created by NAFTA/USMCA
🌎 Root Causes Ignored
The hosts conveniently avoided discussing:
U.S. intervention in Latin America
Climate change's role in migration
Economic imperialism
Corporate exploitation of Global South resources
The impact of U.S. drug policies on cartel violence
📊 The Economic Reality
Contrary to the show's narrative:
Immigrants contribute billions in taxes
They perform essential economic functions
Many industries would collapse without immigrant labor
Immigrants start businesses at higher rates than native-born Americans
They contribute more to Social Security than they receive
🏛️ Historical Context
The hosts' rhetoric echoes:
1920s anti-Italian sentiment
1880s Chinese Exclusion Act rhetoric
1950s Operation Wetback propaganda
1990s Proposition 187 messaging
Modern-day "Build the Wall" xenophobia
🗣️ The Language of Dehumanization
Throughout the show, the hosts used terms like:
"These people"
"Illegal aliens"
"The border invasion"
"Drug smugglers"
"Criminal elements"
This language serves to:
Dehumanize migrants
Create fear
Justify cruel policies
Dismiss humanitarian concerns
Avoid addressing systemic issues
✊ A Progressive Response
Instead of this harmful rhetoric, we need a discussion of:
Comprehensive immigration reform
Humanitarian aid expansion
Climate refugee policies
Economic justice in sending countries
Ending militarization of the border
Respecting Indigenous sovereignty
Creating legal pathways for workers
Addressing root causes of migration
The xenophobic undertones in Ash's comments represent more than just casual racism - they reveal the intellectual bankruptcy of conservative immigration policy. By framing immigration solely through the lens of exploitation and political manipulation, the show ignores the complex human reality of migration and the United States' role in creating current conditions.
As progressive journalists, we must continue challenging this narrative and amplifying the voices of those most affected by these policies. The border is not a prop for political theater - it's a humanitarian crisis exacerbated by exactly the kind of rhetoric promoted on Wake Up Tucson.
🦉 Three Sonorans Commentary
In the supposedly sunny skies of the Old Pueblo, Wake Up Tucson continues to cast shadows of reactionary rhetoric across our diverse desert community. As a progressive Chicano journalist, listening to the October 22nd broadcast revealed troubling patterns of anti-immigrant sentiment, climate silence, and economic misinformation that deserve a thorough examination.
🌵 The Border: More Than Just a Political Prop
The show's discussion of immigration revealed the same tired tropes that ignore the humanitarian crisis created by colonial borders.
When Bruce Ash callously remarked that immigration is "for slavery... and for a new electorate," he exposed the racist undertones that often lurk beneath conservative immigration rhetoric.
This dehumanizing language about our immigrant community members conveniently ignores the root causes of migration - namely, the devastating effects of U.S. foreign policy and corporate exploitation in Latin America. The hosts' mockery of humanitarian aid organizations demonstrates their privileged disconnection from the real human suffering at our borders.
💰 Economic Myths and Tax Fallacies
Grover Norquist's appearance showcased the right's continued obsession with tax cuts for the wealthy while our barrios struggle with underfunded schools and crumbling infrastructure.
His claim that "56% of Americans say they're overtaxed" ignores the reality that the true burden falls heaviest on working-class communities of color while corporations and the wealthy enjoy numerous loopholes and advantages.
👮 The Police State Narrative
The show's discussion of TPD technology upgrades reveals their commitment to surveillance and control rather than community investment and restorative justice. While they lament the age of police vehicles, they ignore the bloated law enforcement budgets that could better serve our community through:
Mental health services
Affordable housing initiatives
Youth programs
Environmental protection
🏛️ Local Government: Missing the Real Story
While the hosts gleefully criticized City Council attendance, they conveniently ignored the systematic underfunding of vital services in our predominantly Latino and Indigenous neighborhoods.
Their focus on procedural criticism masks their opposition to progressive policies that could actually help working families.
⚖️ Religious Hypocrisy
The show's criticism of religious institutions for not being conservative enough reveals their desire to weaponize faith against progressive causes. Their selective religious outrage ignores the Catholic Church's teachings on:
Social justice
Care for creation
Solidarity with the poor
Welcome for the stranger
🗳️ Electoral Politics Through a Progressive Lens
The celebration of Republican early voting numbers masks ongoing voter suppression efforts that disproportionately affect communities of color.
Their dismissive attitude toward ballot propositions shows contempt for direct democracy when it might benefit working people.
The Need for Alternative Voices
Wake Up Tucson represents the last gasps of a conservative worldview that's increasingly out of touch with our multicultural, progressive community. Their attempt to maintain the status quo through disinformation and division only highlights the urgent need for more progressive, community-centered media voices in Tucson.
Shows like this remind us how far we still have to go to achieve that vision, but they also remind us why we must continue fighting for social justice, environmental protection, and genuine democracy in our beloved borderlands.
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👯 People Mentioned
Bruce Ash
Conservative co-host
Made inflammatory comments about immigration
Key quote: "It's for slavery, right? For employers and it is for a new electorate"
Shows clear anti-immigrant bias throughout broadcast
Grover Norquist
President, Americans for Tax Reform
Advocate for tax cuts
Key quote: "56% of Americans say they're overtaxed and four, this may be only four people for, say they're under attack"
Promotes anti-tax agenda while dismissing social needs
Chris DeSimone
Main host
Shows anti-immigrant stance
Key quote: "Officer Buckner died driving in a 18-year-old car because they hate cops."
Promotes law enforcement narrative while criticizing social services
Kamala Harris
Criticized throughout show
Mocked for claimed McDonald's work experience
Referenced as example of "Democratic failure"
Donald Trump
Praised for McDonald's visit
Portrayed as effective retail politician
Referenced positively throughout broadcast
Kerry Lake
Arizona political candidate
Criticized for campaign strategy
Discussed as potentially losing Senate race
Bishop Wiesenberger
Tucson Catholic Bishop
Criticized for stance on immigration
Referenced regarding church's role in border issues
🧐 Propaganda AI-nalysis
Name-Calling and Dehumanization
Consistently refers to immigrants in dehumanizing terms
Uses dismissive language for progressive politicians and policies
Example: Bruce Ash's characterization of immigration as "slavery" and for "a new electorate" demonstrates intentional othering
Bandwagon Effect
Repeatedly emphasizes Republican voting trends to create perception of momentum
Uses phrases like "Republicans are crushing Democrats" to suggest inevitable victory
Creates false narrative of conservative consensus
Transfer Technique
Associates religious values exclusively with conservative positions
Attempts to delegitimize Catholic Church's humanitarian work by suggesting financial motives
Quote: "50% of church revenue is coming from the government through these NGOs"
False Dilemma
Presents complex issues like immigration and public safety as binary choices
Ignores nuanced solutions in favor of simplistic "tough on crime" narratives
Example: Framing police funding as either surveillance technology or basic equipment
Appeal to Fear
Uses crime statistics selectively to create sense of danger
Links immigration to social problems without evidence
Emphasizes border "crisis" while ignoring humanitarian aspects
📊 Data Manipulation Tactics
Cherry Picking
Selectively presents voting data to support conservative narrative
Ignores contextual factors in crime statistics
Example: Focusing on early voting numbers without historical context
False Equivalence
Equates humanitarian aid with encouraging illegal immigration
Compares dissimilar situations to create misleading parallels
Example: Comparing church humanitarian work to government programs
🎭 Rhetorical Strategies
Coded Language
Uses "taxpayer money" as dogwhistle for anti-social program rhetoric
References to "law and order" mask racial and class biases
Example: Discussion of "certain neighborhoods" when talking about crime
Straw Man Arguments
Misrepresents progressive positions to make them easier to attack
Creates caricatures of opposing viewpoints
Example: Portraying social services as purely wasteful spending
Appeal to Authority
Uses Grover Norquist's presence to legitimize anti-tax positions
References to religious authority when convenient
Selectively cites law enforcement perspectives
🔍 Emotional Manipulation
Nostalgia
References to "how things used to be"
Implies past was better without acknowledging historical injustices
Example: Discussion of previous law enforcement approaches
Manufactured Outrage
Creates artificial sense of crisis around routine government operations
Amplifies minor issues into major controversies
Example: City Council attendance discussion
💭 Critical Analysis
The show employs sophisticated propaganda techniques that:
Reinforce existing conservative biases
Create fear and distrust of progressive initiatives
Minimize complex social issues
Promote oversimplified solutions
This approach serves to:
Maintain status quo power structures
Discourage critical thinking about systemic issues
Prevent meaningful dialogue about progressive solutions
Shield conservative policies from substantive criticism
The cumulative effect is the creation of an alternative narrative that:
Dismisses legitimate concerns of marginalized communities
Promotes corporate interests under guise of populism
Reinforces existing social hierarchies
Prevents meaningful discussion of systemic change