The ‘Al Sharpton of Latinos’

Univision news anchor Jorge Ramos enjoys the largest audience of Spanish speakers in the United States, and he often is regarded as the voice of Latino America. Time named him one of the world’s most influential people.

But some of the commenters on his own website are giving him flak for his highly publicized ambush of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump this week at a news conference. Security officials kicked Ramos out of the news conference after he repeatedly tried to interject a question about Trump’s immigration plan without being called on.

Later, the real estate mogul invited Ramos back into the room and the two engaged in a five-minute debate over the merits of his plan.

Many Univision viewers have taken the anchor’s side. But the sentiment is far from universal.

“In my opinion, Jorge Ramos tried to disrupt the conference and he got what he deserved.”

“Jorge is the Al Sharpton of Latinos,” a commenter named “luisperez” wrote in Spanish, according to an English translation. “He only appeals to the lowest and most ignorant. He is a complete hypocrite because he comes from one of the most corrupt countries in Latin America where if he did the same thing he is doing here, he would have already disappeared. He has become a millionaire by creating division and hatred amidst Latinos.”

A pair of callers to “The Laura Ingraham Show” on Thursday made the same point.

“Actually, I’ve been browsing through all the Hispanic social media websites, but I’m astounded by the innovative comments by people who read the website,” Carlos Rodriguez said. “And, 90 percent of the Hispanics are blasting Jorge Ramos, calling him an idiot, stupid, uneducated … . It’s ridiculous what he did. In my opinion, Jorge Ramos tried to disrupt the conference and he got what he deserved.”

Another caller, “Matt in Nashville,” agreed. A former missionary who speaks fluent Spanish and grew up in El Salvador, he said many non-Mexican Hispanics are using derisive terms like “Rat-vision” for Univision. He predicted that Trump would win the Hispanic vote.

He predicted that Trump would win the Hispanic vote.

“I just wanted to make the comment that in the rest of Latin America, so non-Mexicans, they view Univision as basically the nationalist channel of Mexico, and it holds very little credibility … But he (Ramos) only represents a small segment, I think, of Mexicans in the sense that in central and South America, Univision and Jorge Ramos hold zero credibility. And, those comments you were talking about on that article, they were mainly saying, ‘Hey, Jorge Ramos, you need to shut up, all you’re doing is causing more problems.’”

To be sure, Trump’s tough talk on immigration has struck many Latinos as insensitive. A Gallup tracking poll taken between July 8 and Aug. 23 shows Trump has a net unfavorability rating of 51 percent among Hispanics — by far the highest of any Republican in the race. And many of the Univision commenters clearly support the station’s anchor.

But a surprising number of Spanish speakers took Trump’s side.

“Jorge Ramos is a whiny clown show crying that they would not allow him to make a question,” a commenter named “atbadaille” wrote. “He must think that he is on the patio of ‘RAT-VISION’ where everybody is afraid of him. Why doesn’t he do the same think in Mexico to any one of the many corrupt candidates for governor or president? Because he knows that he would be in serious trouble. However, here he wants to act like bratty child and so he got treated as misbehaved children do and after his ‘time out’ was over, he was allowed back in to the conference.”

Here is a sampling of other comments on the Univision site, translated from Spanish:

• From “aguilaa12rivera”: “Come on everybody? What is wrong with you guys? This thread should have somewhere around 11 million comments in favor of the activist from Univision. But I don’t see any! Don’t tell me that you’re busy working out in the fields.”
• From “phxaz623”: “Ramos, quit making all of these mistakes and causing us all this trouble. With friends like you, who needs enemies? Now Donald Trump has a higher popularity rating due in part because of your stupidity, and he’s probably on his way to the White House. Please, educate yourself before participating in these events.”
• From “martaelviraviera”:  “After reading thousands of comments made by ‘Gringos’ in other forums, I have discovered that he has been totally rejected because of his poor manners and total lack of class. When an immigrant comes to this country, one of the most important things one must do, is ASSIMILATE YOUR CUSTOMS (when a person is giving a press conference, he is in total control of who gets to ask him a question). Based on the scurrilous and unpleasant manner in which Mr. Ramos behaved, Mr. Trump was well within his right to remove him from the press conference. Donald Trump is like a wave, the farther he travels the more momentum he gains, and I am sure he will the next president of the USA. Whether Univision likes it or not.”

It should be noted that while “gringo” can be pejorative in certain contexts, Hispanics sometimes use it as a term of endearment.