Nebraska GOPer opposing Dreamer rights uses ‘wetback’ racial slur in front of fourth grade class

*Consider this the one-step-back for the two-steps-forward. VL

By David Edwards, Raw Story

Democrats in the Nebraska Senate said this week that state Sen. Bill Kintner (R) went too far when he used the term “wetback,” which is considered to be a racial slur, in front of a class of fourth grade students.

On Wednesday, the Senate debated Legislative Bill 623, which would allow immigrants who came to the U.S. as children — or Dreamers — to obtain drivers licenses. Nebraska is the only state that does not currently allow Dreamers to legally drive.

Supporters of the bill claimed to have a solid majority, but Kintner led a filibuster, insisting that he could convince enough lawmakers to vote against the measure, the Omaha World-Herald reported.

Kintner argued that instead of granting legal status to Dreamers, President Barack Obama should emulate a 1954 crackdown on illegal border crossings that was known as “Operation Wetback.”

State Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks (D) told the Omaha World-Herald that use of the word was particularly disturbing because a class of fourth graders was sitting in the Senate balcony. She later explained that she considered “wetback” to be in the same category as the N-word.

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