#RacismIsntFunny: Latino Groups Launch Campaign to ‘Dump Trump’ from SNL

Oct 25, 2015
2:52 PM

#RacismIsntFunny

In his speech from the floor of the House on Wednesday, Rep. Luis Gutiérrez (D-IL) called on NBCUniversal to disinvite GOP frontrunner Donald Trump from hosting its iconic sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live in November:

While much of what Donald Trump says is hilarious, intentionally or otherwise, bald-faced racism for political gain isn’t funny. His statements should disqualify him from being able to take the stage in an entertainment venue and speak to the American people as if what he said was no big deal.

It is not that I don’t get the joke. I haven’t been kidnapped by the Politically Correct police. But when public figures cross certain lines, they should lose their privileges to host TV shows — at least until they have apologized for their unacceptable behavior.

To put Donald Trump on the air in American living rooms on the signature comedy show of one of the most important national networks — after saying that Mexicans are rapists, drug-dealers and criminals — that is a corporate blunder too big to be ignored.

For much of his statement, Rep. Gutiérrez stood next to a black poster with white words which read #RacismIsntFunny.

The next day Latino Rebels joined America’s Voice, United Farm Workers, the National Council of La Raza and a handful of other organizations to launch RacismIsntFunny.com, a website featuring the congressman’s speech and letter to the CEOs of NBCUniversal and Comcast, plus a petition to cancel Trump’s Nov. 7 appearance on SNL.

The Change.org petition was originally posted back in June by El Paso resident Guillermo A. Castañeda, Jr., who initially called on NBCUniversal to “dump Trump” by dropping the billionaire mogul’s pageants and The Apprentice.

On June 29 the media conglomerate announced it would no longer carry the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants and that Trump would no longer participate in The Appearance.

NBCUniversal seems to be going back on its word by offering him such a prominent place on its network as the hosting gig for SNL, and Castañeda has since revised his petition, pressuring the company to “keep your word.”

With over 227,000 signatures to date, the petition is just shy of its goal of 300,000.

Another petition on MoveOn.org posted by Juan Escalante has over 140,000 signature and is approaching its goal of 150,000.