Wrong Supervisor Stirrup. They didn’t write you in support of Immigration Resolution, they wrote in opposition. Begs the question, does he even read his emails? My personal email has been selectively purged from their list but this just in from some of his other constituents that DON’T SUPPORT THE RESOLUTION!
Thank you for your support for the Rule of Law resolution, which has been very important to me and to the community.
Beginning on Tuesday, July 1, 2008, the Prince William County Police Department began implementing its revised policy regarding illegal immigration enforcement. The policy was amended that police will now inquire into the immigration status of all persons who are under physical custodial arrest for a violation of state or local law. If an immigration violation is believed to exist, police officers will inform the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) concerning that individual. Police officers retain discretion to inquire into immigration status prior to a physical custodial arrest. Police officers will protect crime victims and cooperative witnesses – regardless of their immigration status. Racial profiling is expressly prohibited. Police officers will not detain or arrest individuals based on their national origin, race, religion or creed. During the month of June, all police officers and relevant civilian personnel received training on the new policy and procedures.
More information regarding the Police Department’s immigration enforcement efforts can be found on the web site at: www.pwcgov.org/police.
Due to the numerous emails I have received, my response to you on this issue is general. If I have not answered you according to your need, please email me again at [email protected]
John T. Stirrup
Gainesville District SupervisorPrince William County Government
Sudley North Government Center
7873 Ashton Avenue
Manassas, Virginia 20109Main: 703-792-6195
Fax: 703-792-7664
Website: www.gainesvillesupervisor.com
How do you know my opinions are in the minority? Can you back that statement up with some fact?
Emma,
And you think that textbooks cannot be illegal contraband?
Pot is harmless, but not so ideas…or so our government says when S1959 passes the Senate.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mh_ODqC3g_s&feature=related
I strongly disagree, marijuana isn’t harmless in my book.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_mExzPcS-I&feature=related
Mackie, I don’t lose sleep over the civil rights of the people who planned and executed the attack on the Pentagon that widowed a good friend of mine.
The text of S 1959 also includes the following
It’s my understanding that this bill is still in its earliest stages. Write your Congressperson with your concerns, or just sit back and be paranoid.
You need to take a break from YouTube, Mackie. It’s making you even more paranoid, if that is possible. Your world frightens me more than any anti-terrorism legislation.
I agree with you, Alanna. It is in no way harmless. The people I knew who smoked pot in college were notorious underachievers, some of whom took at least 2 years to finish freshman year. Big surprise to hear about their broken marriages and frustrated careers down the line. And they very often were the ones who fancied themselves as the intellectuals.
Emma,
Here’s a fact: Chief Deane is still, in fact, Chief of the PWC Police. Even after Greg and HSM hysterically branded him a traitor. Even after Corey Stewart dipped his toe into those dangerous waters with his smug email to the chief that, miraculously, made it onto BVBL within hours.
Calls for the Chief’s resignation never amounted to much more than a whisper campaign.
In this case, majority ruled.
And it is a fact that Corey Stewart was elected by a majority of the people who bothered to show up. His stance on immigration was no secret. Corey is acting on his mandate, and doing what the majority wanted him to do. To bad it wasn’t what you wanted.
In this case, majority ruled.
Ah, Emma, I think that Mr. Stewart won because the Republican Party is still strong here and most don’t pay any attention to local elections. “Pulling the lever” still applies. I don’t think his election was a referendum of the resolution. I think many are just figuring out the overall economic impacts to PWC and are now beginning to question the wisdom of the resolution as regards the timing. Did you know that PWC received a “Negative” outlook regarding their bond rating? Certainly not becuase of Mr. Stewart or the Resolution, but the issues with the economy are becoming larger than the impact that illegals could have or the cost for local jurisdictions (one actually, we are the only one in the USA using local dollars) to manage.
I read where Mr. Stewart claimed that millions have been saved in PWC as a result of the resolution. I would like to see an accounting for that. I believe there are bad times ahead for PWC and will wait for Mr. Stewart to identify those funds as a source to alleviate the problems..
Rick or anybody else,
Can someone post on anti Rick’s comments from bvbl that everyone seems to be talking about?
Thanks.
Sending to you now….
I don’t know how I would have felt about being pulled over and rewarded for seat belt use and I am probably not even a good person to evaluate it.
My daughter was awarded a ‘Saved by the Belt’ award by the state of Virginia. She was not in any mental shape to go receive it. Her best friend had been killed in the same accident. When your child is alive and someone else’s is dead because of wearing or not wearing a seatbelt, I say go Chief! (but I confess to not being rational on this subject)
The creator of the other blog recently posted a topic called HARD TIMES ON ROUTE 234, in which he wrote that a local pool hall that had a gay night was closing, and a Hard Times Cafe restaurant would be taking its place.
Rick followed the link and read an earlier post that said some unkind things about homosexuality. He responded…
“You’re not worried the building may be infected with gay germs? Any chance that young children will touch the walls and become gay?”
“I followed your link and read :
[We can put every illegal alien on the bus tomorrow, and we’ll be right back in this spot in a year if we don’t defeat the liberalism that causes not only illegal immigration, but pandering to homosexuals as well.]
Liberalism helps to promote homsexuality? If so, what does conservatism help to promote? Closeting of gayness.”
There is much more. He really read Greg the riot act. Emma supported him, as well as myself and some other posters from this blog.
Alanna – check your email….
Thanks.
I have to say, being away at the beach for a week, breathing in the salt air, feeling the ocean breeze on my face, splasing with my kids in the waves, was truly a welcome relief. Now I come back to being called a fat chick?! I could have gone a lifetime and not read those comments. It amazes me how cowardly some people can be in this world. Can you imagine, saying those things to my face, or Alanna, or Katherine? Say what you will about my views, but are you so intellectually bankrupt that you can’t argue the issues? What in G-d’s name is Katherine’s ex doing discussing their personal affairs on a cyberspace blog anyway?
Juturna,
I too would like to see the FACTUAL accounting of the millions that was saved by the resolution. I would venture to say that once you factor in the COST of the resolution, that we are now right back to where we began, with the 287 G already in place, we have LOST millions. Hmmm, maybe the blue bird bus, meals on wheels, and the other few social programs is where we saved all our millions from the “illegals”?
Welcome Home! Elena 🙂
Thank you, it’s good to be back? 🙂
where did you go elena? fat farm?
Emma,
Maybe we wouldn’t have to worry about terrorism if we stopped practicing it.
And actually alcohol is more dangerous than marijuana. You know, like the alcohol one finds in wine.
Emma,
Where do you think the term wino came from. It came from those people who drink wine.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROKVIpzlm0w
Please put down the wine bottle and don’t blog drunk. Or this could be you:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRXvHeMmY3M
My 2004 Bennett Lane Cabernet I’ll be having with dinner tonight? That sh*t cost $95 a bottle! How could that be bad for you?
And I loved the first video. I would probably give him a buck just for being honest.
Elvis, tuck that old beer belly back in your pants, brush the crumbs off your mustache, and drag your sorry old ass under that rock you crawled out from under.
How come you ain’t out ridding the world of ILLEGALS? Time’s a wastin’ boy! Get out there an’ get crackin’! Brush up on dem readin’ skills while you are at it!
Wow! A $95 bottle of wine? Will it cook the dinner for you?
I certainly wouldn’t advise anyone to become a pot smoker, but mainly because getting busted could ruin your whole life, particularly as an adult. That said, the main (not only) health problem with marijuana is the “delivery system” of smoking. That could be avoided if someone wished to. But again, it isn’t worth the risk of being busted.
Also, about half of all American adults have tried marijuana. So Emma it seems kind of odd to equate lack of success with pot smoking in college considering that was commonplace for boomer and later generations. If one could wave a magic wand and remove everyone who ever smoked pot from the United States, the government and most institutions would grind to a halt. I would imagine it would be difficult to find that many boomers or Gen X folks on the Hill, for example, or in the executive branch who didn’t, much less in other institutions of our society like universities, scientific laboratories, etc. Obviously by most standards they are successful in their lives.
I am still awed by the wine!
I still want to know why Frank Principi never answered my email. I did not even get an automated response back. At least Stirrup ended his letter with:
What if they don’t answer you at all?
I should have added that it would seem the issue (apart from ruining your life with the law) is moderation. It isn’t worth the risk, but I don’t see any health issue with pot different from social and limited drinking. Both can be abused. And users of either shouldn’t drive etc. etc. at the time.
Now you can even be President!
The wine was a gift, Leila. My budget runs more to the finer French wines at Trader Joe’s.
Emma,
In regards to this illegal stop that Chief Deane imposed upon you. Do you still have the reward ‘citation’ that he gave you? If so, you have proof and you can sue him if you’d like. You have every right to do so since he was wrong to have stopped you without probable cause. The fact that you are upset about it means you now have something
However, after you won your court case against him do you know what would happen to you? Everywhere you go, the PWC police would be busting you for anything they could.
Welcome to Driving While Black. Or in your case Driving While Emma.
It’s called selective enforcement. 10 people drive by going 10 miles over the speed limit but the cop pulls over the young black male and ignores the 9 white drivers.
Cops know that if they tail anyone long enough, eventually that person will commit some moving violation that gives the cops probable cause to pull them over. Something stupid like not using your right turn signal when turning right, not signaling a lane change, or going 70 in a 65 mph zone:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svMi0rI9GV8
And if they can’t find some reason to pull you over they can just make something up that is impossible to disprove like crossing the center line,
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/11/23/racial.profiling/index.html#cnnSTCVideo
This police harassment would probably drive you out of the county eventually. This is the way the system really works.
So, if you want to know how the other half lives, please proceed with exercising your constitutional rights and seeking justice (which you have every right to do) for having your rights violated.
Emma,
Most of them do NOT respond to email. Furthermore, they should be responding to their consitinuents. Our BOS does NOT respresent you, and they don’t owe you jack sh!t. I hope you are in this kind of contact with YOUR local officials. If you are how do they respond to you.
If they don’t answer your email, try the old fashined method of picking up the phone and talking to an Aide. You will DEFINATELY get a response then.
Mackie……
2007 was one of the deadliest years for law enforcement in the last two decades, with 181 fatalities nationwide.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHHMfjJEYts&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kx7lVLLB-z0&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gC1xZK00EoM&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWoAeuFQbU4&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KojnGJdZZEk&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYv-7J7B01M&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fPBo5t89ZY
So now what?
Emma,
First, nice gift-giver! I am curious what you are having for dinner with such a stellar bottle of wine. I once was given a 50 euro bottle on my birthday (before the euro reached the lofty heights it is now). We just had it with cheese and chestnuts, but it was lovely. My problem is I don’t know anything about wine so the choices at Trader Joe’s are a mystery. As long as this topic came up, I would love to hear some recommendations both at TJ’s high and low ends, especially for reds. The last wine I bought there was just for marinade, so I didn’t care.
Elvis,
I have come to the conclusion that you must be a freshman or sophmore in high school. Please, go back to your video games and leave the actual grown up discussion to the adults. I mean that sincerely, you are obviously still a kid and I am sure your parents would be horrified by your openly rude behavior.
Elena,
It’s more like middle school if you ask me.
You could be right Chris. I find that the kids who bully and say cruel comments are usually the ones most suffering on the inside, enveloped within their own pain. I do feel sorry for Elvis, he/she must be a very unhappy child.
Juturna,
Here is an example of a cop criminally assaulting an innocent cyclist and THEN CHARGING THE CYCLIST! with attempted assault, resisting arrest, and disorderly conduct. So this guy gets illegally assaulted and then he has to face getting his life ruined with a criminal record for life so that this cop can cover his ass?
Everyone here who wants to help immigrants please carry a videocamera everywhere you go and when you see the police, start filming. Here’s why:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUkiyBVytRQ#
And do you think all the other good ole’ boys in blue are going to testify against this criminal with a badge? And their refusal to testify, doesn’t that make them accessories to the crime? Cops like this should not be reprimanded nor suspended. They should be fired and then charged with assault and battery like any other citizen.
I have no problem with cops who have the morals to do their job and respect our rights at the same time. Unfortunately that’s about 2percent of the force. Even the so-called good ones aren’t so good when they cover up the crimes of the bad ones.
In the video I linked, there was another officer who witnessed the criminal assault. Why didn’t he arrest the criminal cop? Doesn’t that make him an accessory?
The root of the problem is lack of accountability by the police to us the citizens. One idea I have is that hey should be elected from us. Each neighborhood should be able to vote for their officers and we should reserve the right to vote them out of their jobs. Then police brutality will drastically drop.
Long, so of course ignore at will.
Mackie, About the laptop etc. search/confiscation issue. I agree with your objections, but the story isn’t new and so I don’t think you or other citizens can claim a cover up.
What is new is the official policy was published last month by DHS. There was a flurry of discussion of this in the news last Spring and there were even Senate hearings. As for rights at the border, there basically are none for citizens in terms of customs powers. The 4th Amendment doesn’t apply. Ie. they have always had the right to search anything you are bringing into the country at whim. Nothing new about that. I would suggest never being in the least bit snarky to the ICE officer because he/she is the one who will mark your customs declaration with a search sign even if the actual customs officers would have waved you through. I also think they are going to do this to very few people without probable cause, not that that makes it any more right. But they don’t have the man power or the time to worry about this much. Even more Orwellian is they can take all of your books/papers etc to see what you are reading and writing again without probable cause or any suspicion of wrongdoing.
I think where this policy has a chance to be challenged is in the area of proprietary business material (it could be viewed as industrial espionage) and in the aspect of indefinite property confiscation. I am no techie, but I am a big fan of Bruce Schneier’s security blog and he has posted ways, some drastic, some not, of cleaning the machine and making any such search very hard. You can see a link to an essay explaining how here: http://www.schneier.com/blog/
slashdot.org (news for nerds) has had tons of threads on this too.
Also the CNET coverage, available through Google News, had some hints for the less nerdish like me. Now my laptop doesn’t have anything remotely interesting (vacation photos anyone?), but I would do it just on principle because I am a committed civil libertarian. I certainly would clear any and all histories. I also think having your “wallpaper” be the Bill of Rights might be amusing as well as a gesture should they decide to turn my machine on.
The trickier question is what to do if they demand passwords to your work and other email accounts. If all this concerns you, you should write to Sen. Russ Feingold who has promised to sponsor legislation on this issue and who chaired hearings on the issue in June. His opening statement is very strong.
On Schneier’s completely invaluable blog, this comment from someone named Thoria was interesting and I think true: “Perhaps it’s the classic bargaining opener of asking for way more than you really want? Knowing that Congress is likely to address this matter soon, maybe they are intentionally publicly over-reaching so that they can “compromise” down to close to what they really want, anyway. Otherwise, they could end up with a law that requires them to (shudder) adhere to the Constitution.”
On what do you base your comment that 2% of the force “respect our rights”? Let’s see, 2% of PWCPD is about 11 of the 560 cops. Certainly there would have been a lawsuit by now with almost 550 mean guys running amouk, carrying guns, abusing power all over the place?
What is your theory as to why no lawsuits?
Mackie,
I ran across this article with video links and instantly thought of you. 🙂
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/08/03/jimmy-justice-videos-vigi_n_116590.html
Juturna,
HAPPY belated BIRTHDAY! 🙂
Mackie, yes, I still have the “evidence”–a mug that says “Mugged by Chief Charlie Deane.” This happened almost 20 years ago, so I don’t think I’d have much of a basis for a lawsuit. It was just a dumb way to do business, that’s all.. I think the PWC and Manassas City cops do a great job, for the most part, and it is probably one of the toughest jobs around. I’m sure there are plenty of bad eggs, as in every profession, but they are hardly in the majority of officers who are risking themselves for our protection every day.
And Chris, events in PWC have a very direct impact on surrounding areas, and I do have every right to express my opinions to them as well as to the city leaders, and I have received responses from the BOCS, just not Mr. Principi.
I should add a disclaimer that I do NOT support vigilanties
Emma,
Of course you have the right to conatact any and all leaders nationwide. I’m NOT disputing that, as much as trying to make the point you some of the supervisors don’t respond to their OWN constituents. So, don’t have any great expectations of them they are mere mortals just like the rest of us. We all respond to different things in different ways. Your voice and concerns are equally important as anyones. I never once said that. This is the second time today you’ve wanted imply things about me. Well, if it makes YOU feel better. I say GO FOR IT!!
Guess I must have misunderstood the jack sh!t part, Chris. I stand corrected.
Emma,
I should’ve been clearer meaning the supervisors feel they don’t owe you that. I’ve contacted all the Supervisors numerous times, and there are only a couple that respond to all emails. If you live in the City of Manassas which it sounds like you do. Of course what goes on in PWC has direct effects on the City of Manassas, and the same could be said for the City of Mannassas with relation to the county.
Agreed 🙂
Leila, the $95 wine was great! And, true to the Manassas hillbillies we really are, we drank it with pizza.
Emma,
“Leila, the $95 wine was great! And, true to the Manassas hillbillies we really are, we drank it with pizza.”
That’s what I ‘m talking about! LOL! This just proves you are genuine-true to yourself 🙂
at least in my book 🙂
Refresh my memory. Why are you drinking $95 wine with pizza? I missed something.
Leila,
Thanks for all the background info on the laptop confiscation issue and thanks for the link to that guys blog. I’ll be sure to check it out.
I knew that at the border, your 4th amendment rights were restricted but I did not imagine they were completely eradicated. At the border I thought that they at least had to have mere suspicion to detain you and do this kind of search.
As for being snarky, it is definitely not wise but it is our right to be snarky to any public official. When they punish us for being snarky it is abuse of power. Unfortunately, it’s quite acceptable to them to abuse their power like that. It all comes back to accountability. Over time, government has grown so far reaching, self-serving, and self-protecting that it’s extraordinarily difficult to make them accountable to us.
Moon-howler,
And you think they will remember? LOL scroll up. I would also like to add to the discussion of alcohol or pot, both effect people differently. There are people that can drink and not become drunks and there are people that can smoke pot ( I can’t for one, it makes me go into a panic attack, lol) It is all tolerance BUT my opinion would be that pot is LESS dangerous than drinking. WAY less if given the choice of two evils 🙂
And also speaking of 95$ wine, there is a price difference in weed too…there is a market for everything 🙂