Jerk - noun: Slang A foolish, rude, or contemptible person.

During a recent lobbying trip to Springfield Rosanna Pulido, the Illinois spokeswoman for "You Don't Speak for Me," a group of patriotic Hispanic Americans, and Rick Jones, deputy director of the Chicago Minuteman Project, saw for themselves the level at which Rep. Luis Arroyo's (D-3rd) mind actually works.

Pulido and Jones had gone to the state capitol to testify against something called the Religious Ministry Act of 2008 (pdf). No doubt you're asking, "Huh? What the heck does this have to do with immigration." Well, you see, the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights says it's "needed" to address the "spiritual needs" of a growing number of illegals who (sniff!) are ending up in the slammer because of all those inhumane ICE raids around the country.

But, according to Jones, Arroyo, who is cosponsoring the legislation, "didn't want to discuss the bill. He only wanted to hurl insults at Rosanna and myself. One question directed at me was, 'Aren't the Minutemen the group that kills people on the border?' " (I say to Arroyo, as I've said to others who make this stupid statement, show me the news stories that support your claim.)

Pulido, who is an American of Mexican descent, said Arroyo twice asked her about her nationality and after she had answered the same way twice, he wanted to know if she opposed providing spiritual comfort to her "fellow Mexicans."

Memo to Arroyo the Arrogant: Where would you be today if intelligence and common sense were prerequisites for getting elected to public office?