Some things are better left unsaid. And in these politically correct times, the "smart" move for state Sen. Alan Hays would have been to keep his mouth shut.
The same could be said of his sanctimonious critics.
Speaking freely about the state of illegal immigration in Florida, the Umatilla Republican declared at a reapportionment meeting, Before we design a district anywhere in the state of Florida for Hispanic voters, we need to ascertain that they are citizens of the United States.
We all know there are many Hispanic-speaking people in Florida that are not legal, and I just dont think that its right that we try to draw a district that encompasses people that really have no business voting anyhow.
By saying so, Hays had to expect a knee-jerk, politically correct retort from Democrats. And he got it from state Reps. Janet Cruz, D-Tampa, and Luis Garcia, D-Miami.
Calling Hays' statement tantamount to a "witch hunt," Cruz opined that the senator was "hateful and mean-spirited" while Garcia called his remarks "offensive."
What Hays didn't expect was a firing squad from members of his own party a week later.
Just as the political brushfire was dying down, seven Central Florida Republicans stirred the embers by demanding an "apology" from the senator.
Naturally, the Orlando Sentinel was happy to whip up a fresh story conveying the concerns of seven GOP "leaders": Osceola County Commissioner John Quinones, Orange County Commissioner Jennifer Thompson, Longwood Deputy Mayor Bob Cortes, Kissimmee Vice Mayor Art Otero, Osceola County School Board Vice Chairman Julius Melendez, Orange County Republican Party Chairman Lew Oliver and Osceola County Republican Party Chairman Danny Sexton.
Oliver, who recently lost his bid for vice chairman of the RPOF, harrumphed:
There is no indication from any source that Orange County has an unusually high illegal immigrant population. The vast majority of Hispanic residents are Puerto Rican. They are American citizens and have as much right to be here as I do. I, for one, welcome them with open arms.
Amid the questionable demographic assertions, such pandering is too much to bear.
Whatever personal angst or collective guilt the Central Florida septet may feel, their attack on Hays was needlessly self-serving and potentially destructive to their party.
Let's flip the scenario with some real-life examples from Democrats:
When Vice President Joe Biden claims that "rapes will increase" if Republicans don't pass the Obama jobs bill, do Democrats demand an apology, or even an explanation?
When Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says "private-sector jobs are doing just fine," do Democrats call him on that absurd claim?
When Democratic National Committee Chairman and U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz says Republican budget-cutters are "pushing granny off a cliff," do Democrats tell her to tone it down?
Of course not. At least not publicly.
The difference here is that, unlike the aforementioned Democrats, Hays spoke the truth. He had the audacity to share a concern that is on the mind of any sentient Floridian.
"I don't see a problem with what he said," said Javier Manjarres, who edits the conservative political blog Shark Tank.
"The fact is, we don't know how many Hispanics in this state are here illegally," said Manjarres, the son of legal immigrants from Colombia and a Republican Party activist in South Florida.
Accusing the Orange-Osceola Seven of playing the "race card," Manjarres asked, "Why do they assume Hays is targeting Orlando? (His statement never referenced anything other than Florida.) And how do they know the 'vast majority' of Hispanics are Puerto Rican?"
Doug Guetzloe, a longtime Republican activist and strategist from Central Florida, said, "Hays is correct to insist that only natural-born or legally naturalized citizens should be the determining factor in apportioning new congressional seats.They may not have to be voters, but they certainly should be citizens."
Instead of demanding an apology from a member of their own party, Guetzloe said the dissenters should "concentrate on electing Republicans from the Republican wing of the party instead of groveling for misplaced media attention at the expense of real Republican leaders like Hays."
Patricia Sullivan, a Lake County Republican and statewide tea party leader, said, "I know Senator Hays -- he speaks his mind and says what he believes."
"I'd rather have a public servant who speaks his mind. That way, I know where they stand and I can agree with them, or agree to disagree," she said.
Sullivan suggested that Hays' critics were "hiding behind political correctness which, in my opinion, is spinelessness."
GOP strategist Chris Ingram said Hays would have been better served if he had omitted the word "Hispanic" from his remarks.
"He didn't mean it in a mean or negative way. What he said is probably true, but he could have just said 'people' or 'illegals' instead of 'Hispanics.'"
The vast majority of state Republicans -- and, yes, Democrats -- have steered clear of this tempest in a teapot. But the seven sanctimonious GOPers couldn't help themselves, and the left-leaning Sentinel was only too eager to spread the word.
This is yet another example of politically correct trimmers deflating the conservative base and handing Democrats a loaded pistol. And so the shooting resumes.
What's next: Demanding an apology from Herman Cain?
Reach Kenric Ward at kward@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 559-4719.
