Daily Show: Tubercular, leprous molesting immigrants will flood US with disease

David Edwards and Nick Juliano

Published: Friday June 29, 2007 Print This Email This

The Daily Show on Thursday took a sardonic look at the immigration debate in this country, noting the inherent racism and fear mongering used by immigration opponents mirrors tactics used against Irish and other ethnic immigrants at the beginning of the 20th century.

Daily Show contributor John Hodgman, speaking with host Jon Stewart, noted fellow immigration "experts" John Gibson, the Fox News host, and conservative commentator Pat Buchanan, who were scaring viewers with tales of diseased immigrants illegally crossing the border.

"Professor Gibson and Dr. Buchanan have it exactly right. The immigration debate was at heart a public health issue," Hodgman said. "I'll be blunt Jon: Illegal aliens have tuberculosis and leprosy."

Stewart was flabbergasted, and in utter disbelief that leprosy was being used as a scare tactic, until Hodgman played two more clips -- one from Fox News and another from CNN -- specifically mentioning leprosy among illegal immigrants.

Noting the same attacks were used against Irish immigrants, such as Buchanan's ancestors, Stewart asked what the message of the immigration debate was.

"Hope, Jon," Hodgman said. "Simple, pure hope that one day these tubercular, leprous, molesting immigrants can repeat the uniquely American journey of the fiendish, green-blooded Irish, from unwanted immigrants to not wanting immigrants."



