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August 9, 2013· santaclarita.com · SantaClarita.com (SCVTalk 5.0) · Wayback capture

Buck McKeon warns of 'Arabs' disguised as 'Hispanics' sneaking into the US

By Mike Devlin

An embedded YouTube video appeared here in the original post. View the original — embeds are preserved as links in this archive.
#facepalm at 2:33. Short version with better audio from Buzzfeed.

Speaking at a VFW meeting in Simi Valley Wednesday, Buck McKeon warned that "Arab" terrorists may sneak into the country illegally by passing off as "Hispanic."

"I think you probably will agree would me, there are people that can’t tell the difference between a Hispanic person and an Arab person. And if you get an Arab that's trained, that's coming into this country to be a terrorist, they can mingle in and they can get in here. Then they could do damage."

The great Andrew Kaczynski of Buzzfeed has the video and The Hill and the Huffington Post have already taken note. The full video of his response is here, but audio is tough to make out. Buzzfeed's isolated clip of the remarks is easier to hear.

I'm not sure where this ranks on the King-Gohmert scale of crazy statements, but he sounds very much like an old politician bumbling and stumbling into retirement. 

The full response is interesting because McKeon seems be straining to relate to a skeptical audience while backing into the conclusion of supporting some form of the comprehensive immigration reform bill that passed the Senate and may now have enough GOP support to pass the House.

“I would come up with a program to make everybody here — you say 11 million, we don’t know how many there are — we need to find out, and one way I think to do it would be to make everybody legal. To give them some kind of status to bring them into the system, and then we have to follow the system.”

Fun fact: 1% of Mexicans are fully Hispanic and Arab at the same time, like actress Salma Hayek and the richest man in the world. Both are pan-ethnic labels that apply to people of many different backgrounds.

In other McKeon news, Timm Herdt in the Ventura County Star (paywalled, sorry) is reporting that a "leading Republican official" has approached former Congressman Elton Gallegly about running for McKeon's seat if Buck retires. After being drawn into McKeon's district in 2011, Gallegly decided to retire rather than face off against McKeon in the primary. 


Comments (12)

  1. JackHererFriday, August 9th, 2013 at 6:53 pm
    I can't tell the difference between Bucky and a sane person. Since the only real Americans are the Native Americans, I find Bucks comments to be unworthy of a United States representative. So tell us Buck. What does an American look like? Time to retire!
  2. alwaysamazedFriday, August 9th, 2013 at 10:58 pm
    Buck always seems to have room for another foot in his mouth. The amazing thing about that is how he finds his mouth when his head is placed in such an uncomfortable place. In this day and age to make such an unthinking and offensive comment, even if it were a room full of "proud racists", should disqualify someone to be a member of the US Congress. Unfortunately it does not. The Republicans can laugh all they want about the transgressions of former representative Anthony Weiner but they should also step up as the patriotic citizens they claim to be and realize the we are a nation of immigrants. How about a former representative Howard "Buck" McKeon?
  3. Bill ReynoldsSaturday, August 10th, 2013 at 8:30 am
    You guys are right... terrorists sneaking into America in broad daylight and blowing up people! What!? That's crazy talk. When has that ever happened? Hello Boston, NYC, D.C.....
  4. JackHererSaturday, August 10th, 2013 at 9:02 am
    There have been more than 8000 gun deaths in America since Newtown last December. That's more than our follys in Iraq and Afghanistan combined. Bill, you forgot the Oklahoma City and Olympic bonbings along with the Sikh Temple and the abortion clinic bombings and shootings. I realize these were done by white guys and don't fit Bucks mold of what a terrorist is. Continually instilling fear and hatred toward one race is to miss the big picture. We do a much better job of killing ourselves than anyone else in the world ever did. How many innocent Sikhs, Pakastanis and others of Middle Eastern descent were killed after 9-11 due to someone fanning the flames of racial hatred based on their looks. Shall we make people wear badges or medallions? How about stars for identification? Let's not go Godwin although some already are planting the seeds. Buck will never pass an opportunity to shill for his defense industry buddies.
  5. Bill ReynoldsSaturday, August 10th, 2013 at 9:17 am
    And then was Fort Hood... don't forget the Islamic radicals who have blown up people across Europe, Bali, etc. Closing our eyes to who the terrorists really are is not wise.
  6. JackHererSaturday, August 10th, 2013 at 9:32 am
    How much of our economy should we spend on offense/defense? 98% Back to Godwin. What is left worth protecting?
  7. Bill ReynoldsSaturday, August 10th, 2013 at 9:59 am
    How much of our economy should we waste on free loaders and illegals rather than having a strong America?
  8. JackHererSaturday, August 10th, 2013 at 10:44 am
    We already spend more on defense than most of the world combined. How much better would life be if this money went to improving America. More jobs, less welfare. We are not number one in the world in anything except how many of our citizens are incarcerated. Again, what are we defending? The 1%, while the rest of the country crumbles? Why do we subsidize WalMart and big oil? Why does America have an increasing suicide rate? Why have Americans killed more Americans in the last 8 months than all our wars in the last 30 years. The problem is us, not them. The sky is not falling regardless of McKeons doom and gloom speeches to receptive VFW and senior audiences
  9. Bill ReynoldsSaturday, August 10th, 2013 at 11:13 am
    In other words, progressive policies have completely failed America. How 'bout if Americans stop cheating tax payers and become personally responsible? I know, I know... entitlements womb to tomb is nirvana for BIG Guvmnt liberals! FYI: it ain't workin'.
  10. ELViejoSaturday, August 10th, 2013 at 12:44 pm
    And you don't know why they file suits?
  11. blutoSaturday, August 10th, 2013 at 3:12 pm
    A quick google search pulled up a CBS report of Korans and prayer mats found in the Arizona desert. I'm sure there's a reason....maybe Muslim Mexicans coming here to escape Catholic oppression? Why would any enemy from the middle east look at such a huge mostly undefended border and even think about entering through there? It's not like they're familiar with conditions in the desert....
  12. LeifSaturday, August 10th, 2013 at 8:47 pm
    Oh gosh! He said something that wasn't politically correct! Uh-oh!

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