Author: Elena

Barack Obama has now clinched enough delegates to win the nomination. As usual, he gave a truly compelling mesmerizing speech. What I found the most interesting, is that he spoke about his grandmother, Hillary Clinton, and the American people. There was very little “I” language. The focus was all about everyone else, truly an amazing speech. If I can find it on youtube I will post it! 

My most favorite moment in his speech was this, ” before we are democrats, before we are republicans, we are Americans first”

Please join Barack Obama for a Rally in Prince William County, where he’ll talk about his vision for bringing America together and creating the kind of change we can believe in.

Rally with Barack Obama

Nissan Pavilion
7800 Cellar Door Drive
Bristow, VA

Thursday, June 5th
Doors Open: 3:00 p.m.
Program Starts: 6:00 p.m.

 

The article in the Washington post, which focused on allocating money for services to help LEGAL immigrants become citizens, was the target of many bloggers to spew hatred. It was interesting to me, having read so many previous self righteous comments from the “anti illegal immigrant side”, that there would be this outpouring of disgust for a program that would promote citizenship to LEGAL residents. Isn’t that what we all want, integration? The reality is that this issue DOES revolve around an anti Hispanic theme, fear of being “overtaken” by a different culture, fear of losing our “Americanism”. But what is America? As a culture, have we not evolved from so many different immigrant experiences? I believe being American is not about a specific culture, but about an ideal. An ideal of freedom, of individualism. A belief that we can all achieve our dreams if we are willing to work hard. We are the land of opportunity. We are Americans, all connected, by a common goal……freedom.

“This is about getting people who have become [legal] permanent residents to become U.S. citizens . . . so they can become full participants in this society,” said J. Walter Tejada (D), chairman of the Arlington County Board, at a news conference to announce the proposal.

The three-year plan, which was primarily developed by the advocacy groups CASA deMaryland and Tenants and Workers United of Virginia, is modeled on similar initiatives in California and Illinois. It would use a combination of federal, state, county and private sources to fund as many as 25 “Naturalization Support Centers.” The centers would provide a range of services, including educational outreach, test preparation, legal counseling, referrals to English courses and assistance with filling out applications.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/28/AR2008052802973.html

Thanks Cindy B for posting the link to this Manassas Journal article in an earlier thread! Being that much of what people have concerns about involve their neighborhoods, this seems like a proactive approach to dealing with issues that arise!

http://www.insidenova.com/isn/news/local/article/county_to_discuss_problem_of_home_vacancies_tonight/16165/

Citizen action is what’s needed to combat Prince William’s growing trend of housing vacancies, said the county’s Neighborhood Services Division, and the hows, whys and whats of a new plan to compel just such is scheduled for presentation tonight.

“Vacant homes tend to progress from tall grass to broken windows, which must be boarded,” according to a county press release on the issue. “Graffiti, criminal activity, structure deterioration and blight often follow.”

Concerned residents can report homes that have fallen into this state to the county via a form posted on the division’s Web site, called “A Neighborhood Eyes and Ears Checklist for Vacant Houses.” Staff will then follow up the report with a visit to the property, the county reports.

It’s this resident reporting initiative that will be presented to the public tonight at 7 p.m. at the McCoart Building, in the Potomac Conference Room. Called “Vacant Houses, County Resources and Citizen Actions,” the presentation is aimed at reversing the trend of abandoned and emptied homes that has left the county with about 7,000, according to recent Neighborhood Services statistics.

The complaint system is anonymous for those who opt.

Right now, the menu of reportable code violations is extensive. Aside from tall grass—the county has an ordinance that limits grass height to 12 inches—and broken windows, complaints can target vehicles that are parked on grass and gravel as well as vehicles that do not display current state registration tags and county stickers.

Furthermore, anonymous complainers can also report when neighbors erect fences or build decks, garages and housing additions without proper zoning approvals; alter housing systems like cooling and electrical without build-ing permits; operate home-based businesses, to include child day care, without the necessary occupation and special use permits; leave trash and furniture outside; and exceed occupancy limits for their particular homes.

The meeting is open to the public, but registration is requested by calling 703-792-7018.

The time has come for our elected officials to address this impending health crisis in Prince William County. Not only are the sheer number of foreclosures a fiscal crisis, but there is a rising health concern as well. Now we must all band together and start creating some innovative solutions to deal with the foreclosure crisis. This issue affects us all!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/26/AR2008052602036_2.html?hpid=artslot

No county in the region has been hit harder by the foreclosure wave than Prince William, where there are nearly 7,000 empty houses, said neighborhood services coordinator Michelle Casciato. Given recent census estimates, that means about one in 20 houses in the county are unoccupied.

The county has had only a few cases of West Nile virus in recent years, he said, but it’s more of a concern this summer. “The risk is increasing with these vacant and unmaintained homes,” Meehan said.

And new residents aren’t filling up the empty houses fast enough. Although home sales in the county increased 14 percent from January through April compared with the same period last year, foreclosures in the county have gone up 211 percent in that time. There were 645 foreclosures last month in Prince William, Manassas and Manassas Park, court records show.

Frustration and impatience have turned some residents into lawn-care vigilantes, who attack the blighted yards with their own mowers and implements. Technically, it’s trespassing, but health and safety matters come first.

What amazes me, is that there is a segment in the community of PWC that would rather see these small latino businesses go under, than acknowledge that ALL businesses play a role in the fiscal health of our community.  I have said this for several years, we cannot thrive if our revenue is based solely on real estate revenue.  Each one of us is experiencing first hand what happens to a community that depends on real estate taxes to “pay the bills”.  Even though our real estate assessments are plummeting, our taxes are increasing.  There is nothing wrong with catering to different ethnicity’s!  Has anyone ever visited New York City, been to Washington D.C. ?  These communities THRIVE on their diversity!  How about “Chinatown” or “little Italy”, clearly they too cater to a specific ethnic group, this a part of what makes America awesome!

http://wtop.com/?nid=730&sid=1410316

Despite the mounting evidence of these recruitment practices, the Pentagon denies that illegal immigrants are in the military. “If there are any,” says Pentagon spokesman Joseph Burlas, “then they have fraudulently enlisted, and when they’re caught, they are discharged.”

That is what happened to Army Pvt Juan Escalante, whose illegal status was discovered while he was serving in Iraq. He was discharged and shipped home, and ICE began deportation proceedings against him and his parents, who had smuggled him into the United States from Mexico when he was four years old. However, Escalante’s unit commander wrote a letter on his behalf, saying he had served with distinction, so ICE reversed its decision and accepted his citizenship application. The deportation case against his parents, who also have two U.S.-born children, is still pending.

What recruiters do not tell their targets, however, is that the military itself has no authority to grant citizenship. It forwards their citizenship applications to ICE, which will then scrutinize them and their entire families for up to a year. Created under the Homeland Security Act of 2002 as the successor to the law enforcement arms of both the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and the U.S. Customs Service, ICE has been tasked “to more effectively enforce our immigration and customs laws and protect the United States against terrorist attacks.” ICE does this, as its website explains, “by targeting illegal immigrants: the people, money and materials that support terrorism and other criminal activities.”

Recruiters also do not tell their targets that citizenship can be denied for the very same past criminal offenses that the military may have overlooked when admitting them—such as being in the country illegally.

As the war in Iraq drags on and recruiters step up their efforts to enlist high school students—even demanding the right to come into classrooms—teachers, parents, and students themselves are doing what they can to slow the rate of enlistment of young immigrants who believe that military service is their path to citizenship. But as long as American citizenship remains a kind of salvation myth for the Latino community, military recruiters will be able to exploit their longing for it.

The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill (S 1639), which failed to pass the Senate in June, proposed to give legal permanent residency to any “alien who has served in the uniformed services for at least 2 years and, if discharged, has received an honorable discharge.” In other words, illegal immigrants have been in the military all along, and the government was getting ready to admit it. Now, with the bill’s defeat, they will be forced to remain hidden, and the sacrifices they have made for this country will continue to go unacknowledged.

http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/continued/3271/illegal_immigrants_uncle_sam_wants_you

From what I understand, having been told by attendees at the forum yesterday, the overall tone was very warm towards the dilema of illegal immigrants.  Little of the Help Save Manassas rhetoric, except for a few “regulars” we all know from PWC, were there to speak.  We have to remember to keep what is happening in PWC in persective, it is easily to lose sight that there are plenty of people, like many of us who post here, that want to find long term positive solutions to a broken immigration system. Our “collective voice” just needs to be heard! There are ways to some up with solutions that will not tear our community apart. We can empathize with people dealing with neighborhood issues while not allowing misinformation, fear, anger, and propoganda to set the agenda for creating new solutions to our outdated immigration policy.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/22/AR2008052203655.html?hpid=moreheadlines

A state commission studying the costs and benefits of immigration to Virginia heard mainly about benefits yesterday at its first public hearing, where most speakers exhorted panelists to pursue efforts to integrate immigrants and shun policies intended to drive out illegal immigrants.

“In a nation that can afford to be generous to the least of these, too many people live in fear of a knock on the door because they are of Latino descent,” Front Royal resident Tom Howarth told the 20-member panel. Echoing others at the forum, he said he was “embarrassed by the treatment of immigrants in Prince William County.”

Just wanted to put this link up and see what people thought. Are other counties struggling with this mowing crisis? How can we deny that the resolution did not have some impact on our double foreclosure rate? Obviously, if Fairfax and Arlington received many of our students that left PWC, they must be living in homes in that county! Whether they rented or owned, many Hispanics in our community left and now we must reap what we sow. What was the final number we have spent on the resolution so far? How much more money at ADC? What services are we NOT funding now….Adult Day Care, children’s group homes, etc. Are we a county that now mows grass instead of provide critical services to the elderly and the young, the most vulnerable in our society?

http://www.examiner.com/a-1390202~Foreclosures_spike_bill_for_lawn_mowing.html

Apparently Corey stated that his amendment to the already amended resolution would not be discussed OR voted on today.  What is he doing?  Does he even know what he is doing?  This obsession with the resolution is moving into a realm of irresponsibility.  This county has many serious issues before it, and continuing to be mired in the resolution is NOT addressing those very serious problems in PWC.

Alanna said it best at citizen time, short and sweet……”it is time to move on”

 

I know we posted this story before, but this is a recent article in the New York Times and it bears repeating! People come to this country, not to take us over in some bizarre plot to overthrow our democracy, but to have an opportunity that we all were blessed to be born into. We have people within our own PWC community, having come here “illegally”, that are now thriving business owners. Yes, we have issues that need to be constructively resolved, but lets not forget, that ALL our ancestors came here as immigrants, dreaming that they too, could live the American dream.

At the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Alfredo Quiñones-Hinojosa has four positions. He is a neurosurgeon who teaches oncology and neurosurgery, directs a neurosurgery clinic and heads a laboratory studying brain tumors. He also performs nearly 250 brain operations a year. Twenty years ago, Dr. Quiñones-Hinojosa, now 40, was an illegal immigrant working in the vegetable fields of the Central Valley in California. He became a citizen in 1997 while at Harvard.

 WHEN YOU HEAR ANTI-IMMIGRANT EXPRESSIONS ON TALK RADIO AND CABLE TELEVISION, HOW DO YOU FEEL?

A. It bothers me. Because I know what it was that drove me to jump the fence. It was poverty and frustration with a system that would have never allowed me to be who I am today.

As long as there is poverty in the rest of the world and we export our culture through movies and television, people who are hungry are going to come here. There’s no way to stop it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/13/science/13conv.html?ex=1211601600&en=71650dca2f060786&ei=5070&emc=eta1

Tough immigration enforcement with no parallel comprehensive immigration reform, will only bring severe negative consequences to everyone!

Citing a November Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll, the Manhattan Institute’s Tamar Jacoby noted recently that “63 percent of Democrats, 64 percent of Republicans and 57 percent of independents favor allowing illegal immigrants who meet certain conditions — registering, being fingerprinted, paying a fine and learning English — to earn citizenship over time.”

Riverside, NJ

The law had worked. Perhaps, so me said, too well.

With the departure of so many people, the local economy suffered. Hair salons, restaurants and corner shops that catered to the immigrants saw business plummet; several closed. Once-boarded-up storefronts downtown were boarded up again.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/26/nyregion/26riverside.html?_r=2&hp&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

Arizona

Arizona’s new “enforcement only” immigration law, which mandates the use of an electronic verification system and subjects employers to the loss of their business license for hiring the wrong person, has turned out to be a disaster that might rank up there with the Edsel or New Coke in the pantheon of bone-headed ideas.

The unintended consequences haven’t been pretty, and now the very lawmakers that thumped their chest about getting tough on illegal immigration are trying to enact some sort of state-level guest worker program in order to bring those undocumented immigrants back to the state.

The state had a very low unemployment rate when the law was passed — it was, at least in part, a “solution” to a problem they didn’t have. Unemployment was at 4.1 percent when the law went into effect in January and had been at 3.7 percent when a judge upheld the measure in early 2007.

Arizona is now faced with labor shortages, and when combined with the loss in demand from all those worker-consumers, the whole enchilada might end up costing the state’s economy tens of billions of dollars.

http://www.alternet.org/immigration/85022/?page=1

Prince William County

County business leaders have created “image committees” to examine the direction Prince William is heading. Now, some analysts said, the economic downturn makes it a bad time to carry out the immigration measures.

“It undermines the image of the county as a good place to invest,” said Stephen Fuller, director of the Center for Regional Analysis at George Mason University. “The political environment has made people feel unwelcome.”

Richard L. Hendershot, who chairs the Prince William County Greater Manassas Chamber of Commerce, said it has been hard to sell Prince William as progressive, dynamic and thriving.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/19/AR2008041900943.html?nav=rss_metro

Last month, Prince William County had the most new filings of any Washington area jurisdiction, followed by Prince George’s, Fairfax, Montgomery, Loudoun and the District, according to RealtyTrac Inc., a California-based company that tracks real estate trends.

When foreclosures rise, crime often follows, researchers said. A 2005 study by the Georgia Institute of Technology and the Woodstock Institute found that, holding other factors constant, each foreclosure in a 100-house neighborhood corresponded to a 2.4 percent jump in violent crime.

Law enforcement agencies typically don’t keep statistics for crimes that occur in vacant houses, but the concerns of local officials are mirrored across the nation.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/26/AR2008042601288_2.html