Manassas City: Pretty Please, Stop, Or You’ll Get Another Letter
By Greg L | 2 May 2008 | Manassas City | 48 Comments
According to the MJM, Manassas City continues in its fear-driven response to the outrageous act of civic vandalism erected by Gaudencio Fernandez on Prince William Street. In a case of “please apply for a permit or else we’ll send you another letter”, not only has the city still not even yet cited Fernandez for his clear violation of City zoning ordinances, but the City is demanding as a penalty for his unlawful behavior that he apply for a permit. This treatment should be of real interest to all residents of the city who may have been cited for a zoning violation without receiving the “pretty please” treatment that Fernandez seems to obtain solely because he is calling city residents racists, indian killers and slave traders.
City attorney Robert Bendall stated during Monday’s city council meeting that the city plans to send one more letter to 9500 Liberty St. co-owner Gaudencio Fernandez, warning him to address trash problems and to apply for a building permit. The deadline for addressing those issues will likely be seven to 14 days, Bendall said.
That letter is currently being reviewed by the attorney’s office, said city building official Brian Smith.
I think there’s a ripe opportunity for anyone who has received any sort of sanction from the City of Manassas to file a lawsuit against the city alleging unequal treatment under the Fourteenth Amendment unless they were allowed to continue in abeyance of local ordinances for the same seven months that Gaudencio Fernandez has been afforded. It’s a wonder that anyone could ever be legally held to account for violating city ordinances if this is the standard for zoning enforcement in the city.
I understand that the city wants to handle this issue carefully, but this is utterly ridiculous. Just because this guy has made himself such a huge public nuisance, the city should not afford him special treatment under the law that other citizens cannot qualify for.
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Maybe they need someone besides the DOJ to sue them. Like the city residents that are tired of the law being applied unequally .
me-n-u -
EXACTLY! I’m going to place a huge billboard atop my house that reads “Hispanics are racist lawbreakers, who steal from citizens and hate America” and I DARE them to tell me to take it down!
Oh I’m sure they would find some way to enforce the law against you if you did that and then justify it in a court. Laws always apply to us and never to them. That’s most of the reason why we are pissed all the time is because there are two sets of laws. It really is mind boggling that some lawyer has not made his career based on the double standard reverse racism that goes on in this country.
I can only assume that the Elected Politicians in the City of Manassas wants to be a sanctuary city with in PWC.
park’d said on 2 May 2008 at 7:07 am:
I used to use the term “reverse discrimination” - but it’s not, it’s discrimination, period.
I hope someone can clarify for me.
I was in Old Town Manassas last weekend and saw this sign and it looked like to me parts of it are falling off. I have to assume this is the one everyone is talking about that has 2 “out-houses” on either side of it near the VRE station and Manassas Museum?
I felt like using a flame thrower on it (if I had one).
That would be the sign….
Allowing more immigrant workers into the country would…
Boost economic growth 31%
Cost Americans their jobs 69%
total responses to this question: 12841
I found the above poll on CNN this morning, even though they didnt hit a super-large section of the population this is pretty telling.
Why can’t a group of MC residents whom this hate speech is directed against, contact the Feds and file suit against the property owner, Fernandez, and MC Council for allowing this hate speech to continue?
legal2 said on 2 May 2008 at 8:05 am:
or the ACLU! Wonder what they’d do….
“Cost Americans their jobs 69%”
As a father of teen-agers, this is what makes me particularly mad. People say “oh, they do the jobs Americans won’t do” and I call BS. A lot of “them” are doing the jobs our TEENAGERS should be doing, and that we did when we were teenagers.
Yet, some on the City Council wonder why people would rather shop in Gainesville then in Old Town. Well, gee I wonder if it has anything to do with the eye sore that can’t be missed in Old Town.
I got this this morning in e-mail forward, but didn’t go to each link to look and not sure how many of you have seen this…
“You think the war in Iraq is costing us too much? Read this:
Boy am I confused. I have been hammered with the propaganda that it is the Iraq war and the war on terror that is bankrupting us.
I now find that to be RIDICULOUS.
I hope the following 14 reasons are forwarded over and over again until they are read so many times that the reader gets sick of reading them. I have included the URL’s for verification of all the following facts.
1. $11 Billion to $22 billion is spent on welfare to illegal aliens
each year.
Verify at: http://tinyurl.com/zob77
2. $2.2 Billion dollars a year is spent on food assistance programs
such as food stamps, WIC, and free school lunches for illegal aliens.
Verify at: http://www.cis..org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.html
3. $2.5 Billion dollars a year is spent on Medicaid for illegal aliens.
Verify at: http://www.cis..org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.html
4. $12 Billion dollars a year is spent on primary and secondary
school education for children here illegally and they cannot speak a word of English!
Verify at: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.0.html
5. $17 Billion dollars a year is spent for education for the
American-born children o f illegal aliens, kno wn a s anchor babies.
Verify at http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html
6. $3 Million Dollars a DAY is spent to incarcerate illegal aliens.
Verify at: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html
7. 30% percent of all Federal Prison inmates are illegal aliens.
Verify at: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html
8. $90 Billion Dollars a year is spent on illegal aliens for
Welfare & social services by the American taxpayers.
Verify at: http://premium.cnn.com/TRANSCIPTS/0610/29/ldt.01.html
9. $200 Billion Dollars a year in suppressed American wages are
caused by the illegal aliens.
Verify at: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html
10. The illegal aliens in the United States have a crime rate that’s two and a half times that of white non-illegal aliens. In particular, their children, are going to make a huge additional crime problem in the US
Verify at: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0606/12/ldt.01.html
11. During the year of 2005 there were 4 to 10 MILLION illegal
aliens that crossed our Southern Border also, as many as 19,500 illegal aliens from Terrorist Countries. Millions of pounds of drugs, cocaine, meth, heroin and marijuana, crossed into the U. S from the Southern border.
Verify at: Homeland Security Report: http://tinyurl.com/t9sht
12. The National Policy Institute, ‘estimated that the total cost
of mass deportation would be between $206 and $230 billion or an average cost of between $41 and $46 billion annually over a five year period.’
Verify at: http://www.nationalpolicyinstitute.org/pdf/deportation.pdf
13. In 2006 illegal aliens sent home $45 BILLION in remittances
back to their countries of origin.
Verify at: http://www.rense.com/general75/niht.htm
14. ‘The Dark Side of Illegal Immigration: Nearly One Million Sex
Crimes Committed by Illegal Immigrants In The United States.’
Verify at: http://www.drdsk.com/articleshtml
The total cost is a whopping $ 338.3 BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR. Are we THAT stupid?”
Can we picket on the sidewalk in front of it with our own signs or do we need a permit to do that?
we need a permit
Well, perhaps we all do need to do something about the sign. Whether it be picketing in front of the sign, or erecting a sign of our own and suing the city for discrimination and biased law practices. The main problem is no one wants to do anything, because fear of criminal charges, lawsuits etc. We can’t sit around and talk about doing something forever, especially when they ARE doing something. We all need to group up and do something.
ProudVirginiaCITIZEN said on 2 May 2008 at 8:45 am:
if you all are really up for it - i will check it out - i have to run out for an hour or so - but i will be back
KP said on 2 May 2008 at 8:39 am:
Can we picket on the sidewalk in front of it with our own signs or do we need a permit to do that?
manassascityresident said on 2 May 2008 at 8:40 am:
we need a permit
=========
You need a permit to organize a peaceful demonstration but you do not need a permit to stand “vigil” on public sidewalks - as long as you do not impede the flow of foot or vehicle traffic.
You may also legally park your cars on a city, county or state roadway with your “message signs” clearly displayed in or on the vehicle.
If you play your cards right, you might even pick up some part time yard or construction work.
I am up for it, we ALL need to push them to put a stop to this. The illegals want to be treated as equals, then by God, they need to be treated as equals when it comes to our laws, not by some double standard nonsense.
Yeah, kids won’t do the jobs. I live in Strasburg now and it is different going into stores and seeing teens working instead of illegal aliens. It is a refreshing change, and that money will stay here and be spent instead of being sent out of country.
It’s protected free speech. It’s the non-tech equivalent of a blog (with a tone similar to this blog when one thinks about it) for people without access to or literacy in technology. I am constantly amazed that a group of supposedly Conservatives aren’t defending this sign (the content is irrelevant) regardless of whether you agree or disagree with it.
You are keeping the sign alive with the attention that you give it. The sooner you drop it, the sooner it will go away. You don’t have to put up your own sign… you are lucky enough to have this blog.
If you picket (which will only give the sign more publicity), make sure its a political statement about the sign’s content and not about the sign’s right to exist as the former will be protected free speech and the latter will be just a demonstration.
Your wrong Contrarian, it is NOT protected speech when the method for the speech is a blatant disregard for the laws governing the medium in which it was presented.
What ProudVirginiaCITIZEN said on 2 May 2008 at 9:15 am
I’m afraid you have made the classic mistake of confusing the medium with the message… but I’m content to agree to disagree.
june_reston said
“If you play your cards right, you might even pick up some part time yard or construction work.”
Woohoo! I can always use the extra income to pay my M’Park property tax!
I didn’t think hate speech was protected.
What legal2 said on 2 May 2008 at 9:36 am
Read the sign… and then read this blog. Which are you referring to?
Contrarian,
What part of “ILLEGAL ALIEN” don’t you get? I also don’t see anywhere here that has any reference to hate groups such as the KKK.
Illegal aliens DO NOT CARE about this City, State, or Country.
I’m new to this and I’m sorry if has been brought up before, but, has anyone put up a competing sign of similar size and scope on their property? Maybe it is time to expand the marketplace of ideas in Manassas City a bit. It seems to me that the city would have to treat the two (or more) similarly situated signs equally in order to avoid regulating sacred political speech. Maybe the city just needs to have a sign war of words next. Bring the blogs onto the lawns. I definitely find some zoning rules to be just too much. If a sign is on private property and expresses a political view and it doesn’t pose a safety threat then I’m all for the government butting out for the most part. If there were ten of these signs, say, of various messages, would the city act differently? I find people who vandalize other people’s signs to be pretty darned low and I know I’ve heard about people doing that to this one (100% wrong), but why not put up another sign with a different message? Hey, I had to live in Arlington next to someone who insisted on illuminating some kind of Nazi flag in his front picture window at night. I found it absolutely repulsive, as I’m sure you would, but the neighbors and I were stuck with him. There were a lot more American flags on our street than any other in Arlington and this was way before the resurgent flag waving after 9/11, because it was partly our way of saying that he’s not with us. Fortunately, due to the triplet forces of location, location, location, our neighbor and his odd message didn’t have any affect on our property values.
KP, couldn’t have said it better myself buddy.
Contrarian, the point is, the illegals want equal treatment, give it to them, throw old Gaudencio in court, slap him with the maximum fine/penalty possible, and let em see what equal treatment under the law is really like.
Also, it’s funny, just as you are now, the woman from the meeting the other night was complaining how this board, Greg etc, are always throwing out names and labels concerning the illegal immigrant movement (extreme leftists, liberal jerks, anchor babies) but doesn’t the pro-illegals do the EXACT same thing? The hate group, racist, nativist, xenophobe card is getting a bit played out don’t you think? Here’s a new word for the pro-illegals to learn, and a good starting place for those who don’t know the English language, HYPOCRITE.
I hate that sign. However, the more attention called to it, the more important it will become to defend. There are all sorts of ways to get around the code violation and I am sure some slick lawyer has already suggested it.
Perhaps money talks. Buy the property. Community ownership.
Pardon my legal ignorance but is the sign really a “sign” or is it a “dwelling”?
If it’s a “dwelling”, or part thereof, couldn’t it be condemned as unsafe and forced to be torn down under the aupices of that particular authority?
dilly said on 2 May 2008 at 10:09 am:
Well, I may be wrong, but I thought that “thing” was supposed to be demolished last fall - yet, it’s still there.
June - Thanks for the info regarding picketing. What next?
Here’s the thing - we have been ignoring it. No vigils, no peaceful protests. No nothing. Has it gone away. No. Has the city done anything? No.
So, what good does ignoring it do?
MANASSASCITYRESIDENT, I completely agree, and that’s the point the whole sit back, wait and watch approach isn’t helping our cause. The illegals are acting, we should be as well.
Proud -
I emailed Greg and asked him to send you my email address.
Have you ever heard of freewayblogging? It’s similar to what was done with this sign. You paint a sign and put it up within view of the highway, such as on an overpass. The benefit is, your message will be read by up to 100,000 people per day!
Most freewaybloggers post messages against the war and the president, but nobody’s stopping you from posting a sign stating your opinion. Check out freewayblogger.com to find out how it’s done, and freewayblogger.blogspot.com to see the latest pics.
Maybe if there were demonstrations, stand-ins etc 24/7 by large groups of people in front of the sign, maybe the MCC would take note of the fact and figure out they have a problem. Apparently they don’t think there is a problem.
I have lived in the City of Manassas for over 20 years and the citizens that I have talked to HATE this sign. It is definitely an eyesore and something needs to be done. This thing has hung around too long!
I understand the city is giving the lawyer a $25 dollar an hour pay raise. I would like to know what he is doing to get the sign issue taken care of. I think we need a new lawyer - there are plenty good ones around the area who could possibly do more for the city!
The sign is definitely an embarrassment to the residents and tourists. No wonder people go out of town to shop!
Mr. Fernandez, remove the sign and remove yourself from our fine city!!!!!!!
Dudeman:
I’m pretty artically challenged and have no clue how to go about making a nice sign like those on the blog. Are there templates or commercial sources I could go to?
Good point about the city lawyer and $25/hour pay raise. What has he done for us? City backed down when lawsuits came over the overcrowding statute that was briefly enacted. I haven’t seen one single thing the lawyer has done to deserve any $25/hour pay raise.
out local government continues to fail us. Yet, we only complain about Masassas Park.
Why doesn’t HSM demonstrate before the Manassas City Council? Or has that been done before.
“I found the above poll on CNN this morning, even though they didnt hit a super-large section of the population this is pretty telling.”
Actually Josh, it’s more than telling…it is very close to the customary sampling (number) accepted among pollsters to be within a 3%+- accuracy. Additionally, being on a news site, the participants are also FAR more likely to be educated voters than you might find in a random sampling. It is very likely to accurately, as much as any poll can, represent the mood of voters in this country. Given that all the current major Presidential candidates (McCain, and either Clinton or Obama) are ALL favorably disposed to amnesty and a further influx of illegal aliens, it may bode well for any Independent candidate who may remain on the ballot, and who has taken a firm stand on a crackdown on illegal aliens and the sealing of our porous border.
manassascityresident I’ll even help you build the sign!!!!!!
What if every house that is foreclosed upon as a result of poor immigarnts taken advantage of by predator lenders starts posting their own signs? It would be some time before banks get around to taking down individual signs throughout PWC, and the Manassas Cities.
This would be a highly visual and prominent way to show Greg and HSM what happens when you try to limit the freech sppeach rights of la raza!
I am contacting some advocacy groups I know of with this idea. Just wait for it, amigos.
Viva….LA RAZA….en PWC!
(you may as well accept us b/c estamos aqui!)
Well UnMasMexican, go ahead…it could also be considered vandalism and treaspassing. I’m sure that there would be INNUMERABLE neighbors of those properties who would love to snap those pictures as those signs are going up. Please DO underestimate them!
KP - $338.8 billion is, what, ten bucks each? Gimme a break! Say what you mean and mean what you say!
Yup just go ahead and show just how stupid y’all are. I suppose there is a reason why you have to have Americans provide for you and your families.
Ignoring the sign will not work.
As soon as we forget about it, they change the message and stir the pot once again.
The other tactic may also be this “vandalism” that may or may not have been carried out by the very people that put it up.
BTW….UnMasMexican, how many of your illegal buddies want to engage in acts that will illicit a response from the police in this area? By all means, please do. PWCPD would be happy to take another plane full down south.