Born blind in Puerto Rico in 1945, José Feliciano was one of 11 boys. Unable to participate in most physical activities like his brothers, he took up the guitar at age three, and the rest, as they say is history. His five decades in the music industry have not passed without political trials and tribulations. After singing “The Star-Spangled Banner” in his soulful style at Game 5 of the World Series at Tiger Stadium in 1968 for example, he was threatened with deportation. Then someone realized he couldn’t be deported from his own country. (The song subsequently hit the Billboard charts for five weeks.)

That brand of ignorance is alive and well. Feliciano recently got an apology after a pair of radio producers used "Feliz Navidad" for a racist musical spoof about undocumented immigrants.

According to the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers licensing company, Feliciano’s 1970 classic is one of the top 25 Christmas songs most played and recorded around the world. 

The Associated Press reported last week that Feliciano said he was "revolted beyond words" by the spoof and that the song was never meant to be "a vehicle for a political platform of racism and hate."

"When I wrote and composed 'Feliz Navidad,' I chose to sing in both English and Spanish in order to create a bridge between two wonderful cultures during the time of year in which we hope for goodwill toward all," he said.

The parody, titled "The Illegal Alien Christmas Song," was created by Matt Fox and A.J. Rice and was posted in mid-December on the Web site for Human Events, a Washington-based conservative weekly publication founded in 1944.

Web site editor Jed Babbin apologized Wednesday and said the song would be removed from the site. The link to the song's page was no longer available by Thursday.

One passage from the parody, sung in English, stereotyped Latino immigrants as heavy drinkers, while another said "illegals" were going to "spread bubonic plague."

"We regret any offense that Mr. Feliciano may have taken from this parody," Babbin said in an e-mail sent to The Associated Press.

News flash, Jed: It’s not just Mr. Feliciano who takes offense. Thankfully, though, it was Mr. Feliciano stood up to these jokers.

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