Tucker Carlson: Omar 'living proof' US immigration laws are 'dangerous'

[Dill]

(07-11-2019, 07:28 AM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: So you're saying that he said a whole lot of nothing, but implied a whole lot of racist stuff that he can simply deny by pointing out he didn't explicitly say it?

I wouldn't say he is saying "nothing." There are--have already been--electoral consequences following this sort of xenophobic discourse.

First I would put it this way: the implication of his argument, as given, is that immigrants should be "grateful," and being grateful includes supporting, not criticizing, Republican policies; that sort of criticism = hating America, even if you don't explicitly SAY you hate America, and even if you explicitly say you love it.  (A WaPo writer calls this the Orwellian test: You've got to love Big Brother.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/07/11/tucker-carlson-proposes-an-orwellian-test-immigrants-theyve-got-like-us-back/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.5724ae42a200

That argument is not aimed at people who think the US is stronger with immigrants from all over the world, regardless of race or religion, or that criticism of government is necessary to a functioning democracy. An MSM audience. It is rather aimed at people who think THEY are taking over America (with help from Far Left defenders who want to change what America is) and if you don't salute the flag you should leave.  Tuckers' is the kind of argument that activates/reinforces existing prejudices/stereotypes and channels them into political action against specific targets, not from Norway.

So, yes, that kind of argument is aimed at people with specific grievances who can "fill in the blanks." And then dare you to "play the race card." (Where did Carlson mention "race"? Show me!) And if you can find a Christian Somalian who passes the Orwellian test, then it can't be about race or religion, right? It's just about making America stronger by not importing trouble. That's all.

Carlson himself has a long, xenophobic history of such grievance and what kind of media response it can be counted on to elicit, how to say it without saying it. 
https://www.mediamatters.org/research/2019/03/11/unearthed-audio-shows-tucker-carlson-using-white-nationalist-rhetoric-and-making-racist-remarks/223105
He knows that critics hearing his argument will still draw out and attack its implications, while his supporters wil defend him by invoking what he didn't say. And it's not just Carlson. This is the Fox model.

PS on a side note: just silly to think that mostly white Christians from Minnesota elected a Somali American because she "hates" America.