GOP gets sensitivity training on immigration reform: 'Don't use phrases like send them all back'

Other suggestions of things not to say: "Self deportation" and "It would be helpful to be Latino" A top Hispanic Republican advocacy group co-chaired by Jeb Bush is so worried about how the GOP will respond to immigration reform that they are distributing a set of guidelines instructing congressional Republicans on how to discuss the topic without sounding like a bunch of neanderthals. The issue, according to the group, isn't really about substance. Instead, it's about using "tonally sensitive" language:

"Tone and rhetoric will be key in the days and weeks ahead as both liberals and conservatives lay out their perspectives. Please consider these tonally sensitive messaging points as you discuss immigration, regardless of your position," Hispanic Leadership Network Executive Director Jennifer Korn writes.

Before you even read word one from the memo, the fact that the group is more concerned about how congressional Republicans talk about the issue than how they vote on it is a pretty clear indication of just how backwards Republicans are on this topic. Usually in politics, advocacy groups try to achieve actual policy priorities. Here, they are just trying to stop their party from acting like assholes'and based on some of their advice, they must really think there's a lot of assholes in their party. For example, on their list of "messaging dos and don'ts for immigration reform," they say:

Don't use phrases like 'send them all back'

And:

Don't characterize all Hispanics as undocumented and all undocumented as Hispanics

The memo also urges congressmen to stay away from saying they want an "electric fence" and to avoid using terms like "illegals," "aliens," and "anchor babies." Altogether, that seems like pretty decent advice. But it also seems like pretty obvious advice'or at least it should be obvious advice to any congressman who doesn't hate brown people. And the fact that the pro-GOP Hispanic Leadership Network thought it was necessary to remind their party not to say offensive things like "send them all back" is a damn harsh commentary on the state of the Republican Party.

Continue below the fold for the full memo.

7:34 AM PT: As John Aravosis of AMERICAblog succinctly puts it: "GOP Latino tip of the day: 'They're all not called Jose.'"