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Talk Of The Town, And Beyond
By Greg L | 15 July 2007 | Illegal Aliens, Virginia Politics, Prince William County | 35 Comments
The resolution proposed by Gainesville Supervisor Stirrup and unanimously adopted last Tuesday by the Prince William Board of County Supervisors continues to draw major regional and national media attention. Among those considering adopting wholly or in part this same resolution are Chesterfied and Loudoun Counties, and Manassas City. Localities in other states are considering taking action as well, turning Prince William County from a somewhat obscure locality in the nation to the center of a popular groundswell of citizens who are demanding action instead of whining about how immigration is a federal responsibility and that localities are helpless to stem the flood of illegal aliens which are inundating their communities.
There’s the predictable hand-wringing by the Washington Post which manages to close with an enraging dismissal of our laws by an admitted illegal alien who works for a contractor to VDOT. Virtucon and Too Conservative both tear into this article with excellent commentary. Marc Fisher’s column talks about his interview with local blogger Craig Vitter, on this subject, while Virtucon notes that illegal aliens are already reacting to the resolution and may be leaving for areas more hospitable to them. Meanwhile the Manassas Journal-Messenger has returned to it’s mantra of trying to dismiss the effect of this new policy. I seem to remember they said something along these lines when Help Save Manassas was formed, and they couldn’t envision it making any kind of difference.
I guess their crystal ball was out of calibration that day.
I’d love to see what the polling data looks like in Prince William County these days for members of the Board of County Supervisors in the wake of this action. As localities in Illinois, Maryland, and other parts of Virginia join Oklahoma, Georgia and Prince William County which are starting to either establish grassroots efforts to combat the problem of illegal aliens or have already established majorities in their state legislatures to address this problem, elected officials are learning about the political benefits of actively defending the interests of their constituents. The mainstream media whines and moans, the illegal alien lobby makes ever more pathetic noises about racism and xenophobia, but the voters clearly seem to appreciate that at long last, elected officials are listening to them. It’s only getting bigger.
This could well shift not only local, but statewide and national politics, and not be the result of some political strategy crafted and executed by high-level political insiders. The federal government has failed us, and the electorate is demanding state and local elected officials do what they can to offset this failure. The mainstream media might hate it, but the electorate loves it, while elected officials on the right side of this wave are seeing the clouds parting on what might have otherwise looked like another stormy election season.
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I tell you, someone at VDOT better be tracking down these morons quoted in the paper. The contractor and these lawbreakers need to be terminated immediately.
Let’s not lose sight of the fact that Manassas City and Manassas Park have STILL failed us as well. The MJM was correct when they say that this Stirrup bill was a watered down version of what we all wanted passed and actually doesn’t appear to have much bite to it. Dean’s apparent refusal to honor it verifies this and this must not be forgotten. I too feel like the wool has been pulled, but only 90 days time will tell I suppose. The PTB in the city and in the park must not be allowed to sit back and hope this blows over. They too must feel the pain of the people’s will. What do we plan to do to make sure that the park changes its illegal supportive ways?
It can’t blow over now that is has escalated to a national level. I’ve heard from folks in FL where it made front page headlines over the weekend in Broward County.
I was stopped by a reporter today from NPR doing random interviews. She claimed the local Mosque members believe they’re being discriminated against. I told her this isn’t about racism or bigotry, anyone who breaks a law is a criminal.
Illegal is ILLEGAL, it doesn’t matter if you’re from El Salvador or Egypt, if you’ve over stayed your Visa or ran across the Mexican border, you’ve violated the law. ILLEGAL means ILLEGAL.
Yep, illegals are afraid. I was out tonight at a Chinese buffet and it was full of them, and then went to Wal-Mart where there were tons of them again. On another note I noticed that there were no rifles or shotguns available for sale at Wal-Mart. I was told by a sales associate that illegals have been buying them with their valid drivers licenses (illegally) so they had to stop selling weapons all together.
Anyone else notice this?
WHERE WAS THIS? Contact me ASAP with all of the details you have. I need to follow up on this immediately.
Disgusted,
How do you know the folks at the buffet and at Wal-mart were illegal? Did they all have signs on or what? Or do you just assume all Hispanics are illegal because they speak Spanish? It is comments like this that gives people the impression that HSM and people like you are racists.
Disgusted said on 16 Jul 2007 at 1:09 am:
“Yep, illegals are afraid”
Yes, They are. A friend of mine works with someone who is legal and has an “illegal” girlfriend who is 7 months pregnant. He was talking to my friend about how Prince William can ask for documentation. They are NOW worried and are thinking they will have to get married.
I wonder who is paying for the prenatal care.
In case anyone else is interested in helping John Stirrup get re-elected, I asked for and got this info about where to send campaign donations to him:
Stirrup for Supervisor
P.O. Box 280
Haymarket, VA 20168
I sent him a check.
Greg L, Wal-mart has been taking guns away from many stores because they were not selling well and require alot of extra work and people. This has been going on for the past 4 months and has been talked about on several gun boards. It’s not illegal aliens, it’s Wal-Mart making business decision.
To purchase a weapon in Virginia, you need two forms of ID and then they call purchase in for the instant background check. I doubt any illegal alien is going to risk background check because it has been known if person can’t own the weapon, they call police and send them over while waiting for background check to complete. Besides, Wal-Mart sells shotguns and hunting type rifles. Not the type of weapons any criminal is going to want esp when they can probably get a handgun illegally in the Park no problem.
Isn’t VDOT in trouble now? Just a couple of years ago, Wal-Mart was in deep trouble for the hiring practices of subcontractors doing work for them. Maybe HSM needs to target the General Assembly.
Maybe this is just a way to make our meager transportation dollars stretch a little further! But then again, I’m certain the contractor can’t find a legal citizen to hold a flag for $17 an hour, since illegals only take jobs that Americans don’t want to do. Right?
This in today’s Washington Times (http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070716/METRO/107160057/1001) Two sites eyed for day-laborer center in D.C.:
“Brentwood residents near the plaza are upset and want a solution to the problems, which include some day-laborers drinking on street corners, relieving themselves on walls and sleeping under porches.”
Park’d,
Please stop lumping Manassas City in with Manassas Park, when you talk of how local government has failed us. Manassas City has moved forward with 287G, well ahead of PWC PD. Manassas Park is AWOL.
Additionally, Manassas City is moving forward with strict zoning enforcement, and has acted on the push-cart issue. Again, Manassas Park is AWOL.
I agree, pressure needs to be borught against the Park, but until the PWC BOCS passed the resolution (which has yet to be enacted), Manassas City was at the forefront. If you look at what the Manassas City government has done to date, they have stepped up, and are moving forward.
Against only illegals.
For whatever reason those that support illegal aliens and open borders only concentrate on hispanics. The focus of whom might the resolution affect was solely on hispanics. The Washington Post did a front story on Sunday and only talked about illegal hispanics. Yet, these same folks don’t want to stereotype and or have our side do the same. Yet, when was the last time you saw an article on illegal aliens who were not hispanic?
It does make it easy at this point to assume a large percentage of hispanics are illegal when just about every news story focuses only on hispanic illegals. The fact there is a huge black market for legal documents and the like makes it hard to even trust those that do have their such documents.
Greg,
Thumper is right. Walmart has been taking guns out for a long time. It has nothing to do with illegal aliens. Also, my husband did work for a sporting goods store. They have to do a background check on every purchase of a gun. I believe my husband also had to be certified. Its been a long time ago but I do remember that he got some paperwork in the mail. I don’t think illegals will risk getting background checks. The only way they can get guns is if their legal friends buy them. Unfortunately it is hard to stop that. My only suggestion is if you seen someone who you suspect is an illegal alien ( No ID ) and has a gun, call the police and report it.
Greg,
Sorry I forgot to type my name in.
Greg,
I stumbled across your blog quite by accident and have since bookmarked it. I enjoy the near daily updates and insightful posts. I lived in Manassas Park for five years and witnessed the transformation it took. It trully was disgraceful that three families would buy a house across the street from me, take up all the available parking, have countless children running about and NEVER so much as mow the grass, pickup the strewn about toys or otherwise take care of the property. **the screen door fell off and remained that way until I moved out of that area**
I still live in Manassas and I can’t help but agree that this is a problem issue. I’m elated that even a little bit is being done to shed light on the issue and possible solutions. Its quite distracting that in order to do most anything locally, its almost an absolute need to speak spanish to ensure there are no pickles on my numero dos.
Become citizens, assimilate to our culture, wave the American flag and call it your own. Otherwise, our tolerance has run too thin to further ignore your presence.
Why are some people here assuming that all guns are bought legally? Illegal immigrants and citizens of the United States can buy guns illegally on a whim. All they need is a source, which is probably rather easy to come by if you hang with the wrong crowds.
Let’s face it. Most of us do not know who is legal and who is illegal. That is part of the problem. Additionally, many hispanic families are blended. One adult might be legal but the spouse is illegal. The offspring are also blended.
Lets also not confused fear with being riled up. There is so much hearsay floating around town that both the hispanic community and the non-hispanic communities are feeding off of rumor and inuendo rather than fact.
Reaction to rumor and inuendo is energy consuming and gets in the way of solving some very serious, complex problems. There are simply no simple answers. Thank you to those who are attempting to find out the truth.
Old Chinese proverb: Rumor goes in one ear and out many mouths.
I am only going by what I was told by a Wal-mart employee. Not the greatest source of info, I know, but I was in another Wally world in another state last week that had a full arsenal. A lot of illegals also have stolen the identity of lawful Americans, any background check based on that info might turn up that person instead.
Batson,
I would take exception to your characterization of Manassas City as being at the forefront of the illegal issue. You’re kidding right??
It should more accurately be described as brought kicking and screaming to the table IMO. Had it not been for former councilman Miller, now Delegate, the city would still be occupying itself with Opera Houses, Candy factories, etc. — that is in a state of DENIAL. Some of this long-standing attitutde still displays itself from time to time in comments we continue to hear from various officials, not the least of which was Councilman Randolph’s quote in the PWExtra yesterday, you know, the “wait and see” bit. It’s exactly that kind of timidness that got us to the state we see today….
DLC,
You may disagree with my characterization. However, Manassas IS ahead of the cruve on this issue. Consider that Manassas is entering into it’s own 287G MOU. You are correct, Miller initiated this, but Aveni and Harrover pushed hard as well. Harrover is leading the charge on zoning, and Aveni took up the push-cart issue. Harrover backs Aveni on this issue too.
I’ll agree, the city manager and Chief of Police do need to be dragged onto the stage, but to lump the City of Manassas in with Manassas Park is laughable. Until the historic vote of 7/10, PWC as a jurisdiction hadn’t done JACK on the issue. Manassas has been moving forward. Small steps, yes. But steps forward just the same.
PS to DLC,
You might want to talk to the councilmen, to see where they really sit and not rely on the MSM’s version of things.
I’m not saying you can’t get guns illegally. However, Wal-Mart removal of guns is business not problem with illegal weapon purchases. I doubt many illegal criminals would want Wal-mart weapons anyway. Easier to get them from buddy on the corner.
I agree with moon, you cannot determine who is illegal without being able to check their ID or other fact. You may think someone is illegal simply because they look Hispanic, speak no english, have MD tags on their car and fly a Mexican flag on their house but that may not be the case. Let Police and ICE determine immigration status.
Batson,
Being a long time city resident: Been there, done that!!
City residents began complaining to the council in the late 90s of the growing problem in our neighborhoods, absolutely stunned by the abuses going on in single family homes. Many of us tried to warn them to ROLL UP THE RED CARPET before it was too late. We were met with ineptitude, indifference or the insufferable bleeding heart, “gotta help these po folks” attitude. The lights were on but nobody was home.
I can’t tell you how many times we played hot potato being passed from one city department to another to try to get some action and how many diffferent stories we heard. That STILL happens today.
Sorry to say, despite several new faces on council, much of the “analysis paralysis” and entrenched attitudes that have gotten us where we are persist. Not convinced? Please see comments by silverfox said on 14 Jul 2007 at 2:19 pm “Pressure on Chief Deane Mounts” here in this very blog that describes the City’s recent Land Use/Economic Development meeting. I have it on good authority this is a fairly accurate account.
Is it any wonder we find ourselves having about as much faith in our local gov’t’s ability to put legal citizens’ interests first as we do the US Senate’s??
I prefer to put my money on Greg L and Help Save Manassas, thank you, who have accomplished more in half a year than we’ve seen in nearly 10 locally, with the one notable exception being Jackson Miller who had initiative and the guts to take the bull by the horns and get the 287(g) through. Let’s remember, this little program has been available since 1996!!
The message continues to be: We’ve heard it before. Get Tough or Get Out!
I just heard on the news that Loudoun County is voting on a resolution similar to Stirrup’s tomorrow. They said it was supposed to be stronger than PWC’s. Does anyone have any info on it?
ddpdrinker
I heard that too. Greg has a new thread “Delgaudio to follow Stirrup’s lead”. I’m glad to see PWC IS LEADING THE WAY!!!
Manassas is For The Birds - Like the screen doors, is this the next indicator of illegals? Read on….
Pet Chickens Igniting Clash in NoVa
July 14, 2007 - 10:35am
MANASSAS, Va. (AP) - In some parts of Prince William County, it may not seem like farm animals are illegal.
Zoning regulations ban farm areas from most residential areas, but in the past year, pet chickens have been appearing in backyards all over the county.
Inspectors recorded as many as 32 chicken violations, up from only 3 in 2004.
Officials and irate homeowners say that most of the time, the fowl running around their neighborhoods are kept by Hispanic immigrant families as pets.
The live poultry has further fueled the culture clash between homeowners who have been involved in skirmishes over things like illegal construction, day laborers, and other “quality-of-life” issues with a growing immigrant population. The board of supervisors just passed an anti-illegal immigration resolution.
People like Virginia Paris and her family are changing their feelings about the area — Paris now has a “for sale” sign on her lawn after an unruly cock ran around her pool party crowing last month.
— Information from: The Washington Post, http://www.washingtonpost.com
G Man,
There is reason to be concerned, check this out:
Please see the link below to the story WTOP covered last week about the Avian Flu outbreak in Mt. Jackson, VA (Shennandoah County- about an hour SW of PWC)
http://www.wtop.com/?nid=600&sid=1184709
G Man,
April 2007, Chase Ct.(Westgate), had about 13 chickens. Within three days of a call to PWC(Property Code Enforcement), the chickens were gone. There were mostyly roosters, I don’t think they were pets. Loch Lomond, has been known to have chickens too. We must call if we see these “pets”.
Georgia, just signed legislation making abolishing cock fighting.
GA the only state were this “sport” was still allowed. The law takes effect 1/1/2008.
PWC 703-792-7018, remember you can ask to remain anonymous. They will update you via mail or phone.
corr:
GA wa the state where this “sport”….
CORR AND ADDITION
GA was the only state where this “sport” was still allowed.
My guess is some of these “pets” might also be “prize fighters”.
Just a thought…
“Cockfights are a common occurrence all over Mexico, as popular as charreadas and bull-riding rodeo activities and very common as late-night entertainment during village fairs and fesitivites, drawing crowds of men and women alike to place their bets and watch their chosen gamecock either rise to glory or bite the dust.
In Mexico, cockfights are a legal activity, regulated from a central entity in the Federal District which licenses the sponsor and gives him the right and responsibility of assuring the regulations are followed and that order is maintained.”
http://www.surf-mexico.com/culture/cockfights.html
If you want to find out what these people are really up to, just learn more about the countries they come from.
http://immigrationcounters.com/
HELP SAVE FREDERICKSBURG
A little dark humor: the following was in Saturday’s Washington Times:
“Fredericksburg: Woman Finds Intruder Sitting on Her Toilet
“Police in Fredericksburg say an elderly woman who went out to buy a newspaper Thursday returned home to find that an intruder was in her home - and on her toilet.
“Police said the man apparently cut a screen and unlocked a door while the woman was out. The woman, who is in her 80s, had noticed the man outside when she was leaving.
“When she returned, she also noticed that the bathroom door was closed.
“Opening the door, she was surprised to see the stranger perched on the toilet.
“Police said she asked him several questions, including “How long are you going to be?”
“He answered in Spanish and she told him she was going to call police. He left quickly, and police are investigating.”
Huh??!!