Immigration and race in NC

Via This Old State: Jessie Helms’ 1990 campign ad showing white hands crumpling a job rejection letter became famous for its explicit use of racial tension for political benefit (“You needed that job. And you were the best qualified. But they had to give it to a minority because of a racial quota.”). In a bizarre (and sad) twist, a conservative African American congressional candidate in NC’s 13th district is copying the exact same ad, but aiming at illegal immigrants:

In the newest reincarnation of the ad, the hands crumpling the rejection letter are black – suggesting that illegal immigrants take jobs away from black citizens.

“You needed that job,” the ad says. “And you were the best qualified. But they gave it to an illegal alien so they could pay him under the table.”