Media Diary Entry 2

In Colbert’s show on Oct 28, he had a special piece on the show entitled the “Fear for All” to further advertise his “March to Keep Fear Alive.” This 5-minute piece, again, included several stereotypical people that could instill fear into the hearts of Americans. The vice-president of the Farm workers union, a Mexican man, represented the Latino stereotype. Colbert proceeded to ask him when he sneaked into the country, and when he was going to leave. He also made the blanket statement that Mexicans are clearly here to take the jobs of the US citizens. Colbert is playing off of the American stereotype that all Mexicans have sneaked into America, and it was for the sole purpose of stealing American jobs. He further asks if Mexicans feel emotion and pain, and notes that he should be scared when Mexicans take over because they will punish him for the things people like him have said. These ideas work to emphasize many of the fears Americans have of Mexicans, and also gives the sense that sometimes people lose the sense that Mexicans / Latinos actually are people. It can be easy to refer to “them” as a group and easily remove the humanity involved. It also seems to play on the idea that Mexicans or Latinos may be on some sort of vendetta to take over and avenge what has happened in the past. Again in this piece, I feel like Colbert is not trying to drum up support form Latinos, but instead from people that may be willing to take a stand against the stereotypes and fears that many Americans have, and has been so often portrayed by politicians and in the media.