HOW TONY MARTINEZ DISRESPECTS THE HISPANIC VOTERS OF BROWNSVILLE

From the editor:  For the third time Tony Martinez has chosen as the ad agency for his campaign an Austin firm that views Hispanic voters as uneducated and having "low education levels" and "a low level of information."

The James Aldrete firm with the acronym M.A.P., representing "Message, Audience, Presentation, Inc." has never addressed the comments made below about Hispanic voters, the need to talk baby talk to them, keeping things "at a grade level that ensures widest comprehension."

They did take the remarks down, though, after our initial posting.

Perhaps all of this contributes to the perception of Martinez as an elitist, someone who considers himself above the typical Brownsville Mexican man or woman.  We sincerely hope not, but Martinez has never dealt with these racist, condescending comments that once appeared on the website of the firm he's now using for at least the third time.

Here is an excerpt from our story five years ago:

Mayor Tony Martinez

"While flooding the city with a sea of blue "Believe in Brownsville" campaign signs, Attorney Tony Martinez did not himself believe in any Brownsville operative to run his campaign for mayor in 2011.  He reached out to James Aldrete, the founder of M.A.P., Inc. or Message, Audience, Presentation, an Austin advertising agency specializing in "communicating with Hispanics and African-Americans."  The ad agency chosen by Martinez evidently feels that the education level, tradition and lack of information of Hispanics necessitates that they be treated and approached differently from other Americans.   Does it seem odd, that Martinez, himself an Hispanic from Harlingen, would choose such a firm to run his campaign for mayor?

As M.A.P.'s website explains:  "The biggest challenge in communicating with Hispanics is not one of language only, but one of tone and approach. We have to recognize that those we most need to turnout are more apolitical and at an economic level that can often make politics and voting seem like a luxury."

James Aldrete, Founder of M.A.P.

The website continues, discussing what it refers to as the "New Latinos": "Spanish in Texas is for the most part an oral tradition, among a community that has low education levels. While Spanish print has made a comeback, it is important to keep it at a grade level that ensures the widest comprehension.

Aldrete discusses dealing with Hispanics, mentioning an "empowerment and educational component. No one likes to be embarrassed, and considering the low level of information most Hispanics have on political processes, basic information on how to participate is critical in overcoming issues of insecurity, fear and doubt." 

If you find the remarks from the website racist and condescending, insulting to Hispanics, understand this was the publicly stated point of view of the advertising agency running Tony Martinez' first run for mayor.  Not only did Martinez not object to the apparently racist views expressed on the website, but Tony, evidently pleased with the approach and performance of Austin's M.A.P., gave the same agency $23,342.58 to organize his "State of the City" event in August 2013.