“George Mason University Study Shows Deep Anti-Immigration Sentiment in Pockets of Prince William County”

This report came out November 5th.   I am not going to post the entire report, but you can click here to read it in full.

What jumped out at me, immediately, was the fact that overall, the sudden demographic change, i.e. the influx of Latinos, to specific neighborhoods, resulted in a sense of community loss. Residents who had lived in fairly homogeneous populations, were quite suddenly faced with dramatic changes to their perception of what was “comfortable” and secure in their own neighborhoods.  

I am not suggesting there were not real issues of quality of life, but it is clear, the orchestrated deliberate attempt to equate all hispanics as “illegals” was meant to facilitate targeted removal of a specific population.   Many hispanics left, not because they were lacking proper documentation, but because they were afraid of being harrassed. 

FAIRFAX, Va.—A study by George Mason University researchers has found that a majority of residents in two Manassas neighborhoods express deep-seated anti-immigrant sentiments, though fewer than half say immigration has affected them personally. The survey, which included life history interviews, was conducted from Spring 2008 to Summer 2009 to attain an in-depth understanding of the forces inciting a local movement to adopt legislation to “crackdown” on illegal immigration in Prince William County.

Forty-six percent of those surveyed indicated that immigration had had either no effect on them personally or has had a positive effect. A total of 79 percent stated that they like their neighborhoods and 56.9 percent said that they planned to stay in their neighborhood in the next 5 years.

Yet, 53 percent of residents in the Weems and Sumner Lakes neighborhoods surveyed stated that the U.S. should take decisive action to deport illegal immigrants, and/or blamed them for depleting local resources such as health care and education. Some expressed strong anti-immigrant sentiments as indicated by the statements: “The place is being barraged with Latinos…Everywhere you go, there are swarms of them,” and, “Can I send them on a bus and load it up until they all speak English?” Others were more moderate in their sentiments, citing the issue of immigrants having entered the country illegally as a key concern.

“Our research suggests that the changes that have taken place in Manassas in the last 20 years have been unsettling for some residents,” says Debra Lattanzi Shutika, assistant professor of English at Mason. “Many of these residents seemed to be experiencing what I have identified as a type of ‘localized displacement’—they feel out of place in their home community. In some cases, residents told us that they found it difficult to adapt to the changes taking place around them, and that these changes that made their ‘home’ seem unfamiliar.”

 

“Homeowners naturally want their investments to appreciate,” says Cleaveland, a faculty member in Mason’s Department of Social Work. “What becomes problematic is turning this discussion into one about the presence of a particular group of people, and creating a social issue in which a certain segment of the population is targeted. We would have hoped for a debate and response that concerned trash pick-up, parking and overcrowding, instead of one in which a particular group is singled out as problematic.”

[EDITOR NOTE:  Thread moved to current location because of continued interest. M-H 11/22/09]

McCain Might be in Trouble

Senator John McCain, (R-AZ) might be in for the fight of his life to preserve his senate seat.  According to the Huffington Post:

PHOENIX, AZ — Rasmussen announced a new poll on Friday showing Senator John McCain may be in trouble at home where a polarized electorate has him facing constant criticism from both the left and the right.

The poll shows McCain tied with former Congressman and current talk radio host J.D. Hayworth in a hypothetical Republican primary. Hayworth, who has become an outspoken local hero among immigration-control activists, lost his House seat to Rep. Harry Mitchell (D) in 2006. Since then, Hayworth has promoted the Tea Parties on his radio show and has spoken at Tea Party events, including the April 15 rally in Phoenix. Hayworth has expressed interest in running but has been tight-lipped on whether or not he intends to actually file as a candidate against McCain.

Rasmussen has McCain at 45% and Hayworth at 43% (4% margin of error). Although McCain’s loudest opponents from the right usually cite immigration as the key issue, Minutmen founder Chris Simcox only reached 4% in the poll. According to the poll, Hayworth is more popular overall among the GOP, especially among the younger GOP sect. McCain fares better with females and moderate Republicans.

McCain is up for reelection in 2010. It was thought at one time that Janet Napolitano was going to challenge him. As Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, that seems unlikely. What is it about McCain that Republicans don’t like? It seems that he is the darling of the moderates and the villan of just about everyone else. It obviously isn’t all about immigration. The minuteman guy sure didn’t grab up a lot of the votes in the poll. Is it just the mood of the country?

JFK Assassination: 46 Years Ago Today

Its that dreadful anniversary date again. 46 years ago John Fitzgerald Kennedy was assassinated Friday, November 22, 1963 in Dallas, Texas. To this day, conspiracy theories are still abound, with some folks believing that government forces assassinated the President, rather than Lee Harvey Oswald.

Oswald, in turn, was gunned down while in police custody by a small time thug named Jack Ruby. Without Oswald, there was little chance of ever sorting out the truth, despite the formation of the Warren Commission that studied and reported on this American tragedy.

Anyone of the age of reason when JFK was assassinated remembers exactly where they were and what they were doing when they found out about President being shot. No other incident save 9-11 brings about this instant freeze in time in the minds of Americans who are old enough to remember.

Much has happened since that fateful fall day in Dallas. Out of 9 children, only one of the Kennedy clan of that generation survives, Jean Kennedy Smith. Jackie Kennedy is dead. Teddy Kennedy died this past summer. John Junior died in a plane accident in 1999. Caroline and numerous cousins live on.

What do you remember about November 22, 1963? If this date was before your time, what dates do you remember that have been frozen in time. Please share.