Below is a reprint of Mayor Lou Barletta's open letter to the people of Hazelton, PA., explaining his crackdown on illegal aliens in the city. Reading Mayor Barletta's own words just makes him rock even harder. Have a look, then do the same in YOUR town!
From the Mayor's Desk...
An Open Letter from Mayor Lou Barletta:
I believe the United States of America is the greatest nation on Earth. People who are in this country have an incredible amount of opportunities and blessings. But some people have taken advantage of America's openness and tolerance. Some come to this country and refuse to learn English, creating a language barrier for city employees. Others enter the country illegally and use government services by not paying taxes or by committing crime on our streets, further draining resources here in Hazelton.
Illegal immigration leads to higher crime rates, contributes to overcrowded classrooms and failing schools, subjects our hospitals to fiscal hardship and legal residents to substandard quality of care, and destroys our neighborhoods and diminshes our overall quality of life.
The City of Hazelton is empowered and mandated by the people of Hazelton to abate the nuisance of illegal immigration by aggressively prohibiting and punishing the acts, policies, people, and businesses that aid and abet illegal aliens. This is why I proposed the Illegal Immigration Relief Act.
Part of this ordinace, if enacted, would punish companies that hire illegal immigrants by denying them permits, making it harder for them to renew permits and forcing their loss of city business.
Another part would hold landlords accountable. Because people moving into the city naturally require a place to sleep, our landlords are our first line of defense. Landlords who rent to illegal immigrants--that is, who rent to people without checking their documentation, may be fined $1000 for every illegal immigrant staying on their properties.
The final part of this ordinance makes English the official language of Hazelton. All city documents will only be available in English. Those applying for a permit would have to speak English. While our emergency services will never be denied to anyone because of a language barrier, every other aspect of city business will be conducted only in English. Let me be clear, this ordinance is intended to make Hazelton one of the most difficult places in the U.S. for illegal immigrants.
This measure is not racist because it does not target one particular race. The Illegal Immigration Relief Act is intended to deter and punish any illegal immigration in the City of Hazelton. Requiring the use of English does not target any other language; it merely states that no matter what language you prefer to speak at home, English will be spoken when you conduct business with Hazelton officials.
Illegal immigration is a drain on city resources. Every domestic incident, every traffic accident, every noise complaint, each time we send our police department, fire department or code enforcement officer to respond, it costs taxpayer dollars.
If the City of Hazelton began publishing official documents or conducting business in a second language, how would we respond when someone asks us to use a third, or fourth language?
Recent crimes--the shooting on Chestnut Street, the discharge of firearms at the Pine Street Playground, and high profile drug busts--have involved illegal immigrants. Sadly, some of those allegedly involved in those crimes were detained by other law enforcement officials over the years, but were somehow allowed to remain in this country. They eventually migrated into Hazelton, where they helped create a sense of fear in the good, hardworking residents who are here legally.
This ordinance does not roll back the welcome mat to those who are legally in the United States. This country was built on the backs of legal immigrants. My own great-grandparents came to this country seeking a better life. Rather, this ordinance seeks to stem the flow of illegal immigrants into Hazelton. They are not welcome here!
To the residents of Hazelton, I say thank you for your continued support. Hazelton is moving forward and becoming an even better place to live. To our recently arrived legal immigrants, I say welcome. I personally wish you all the best. With hard work and determination, the United States and Hazelton can be a place where your dreams come true. And to illegal immigrants and those who would hire or abet them in any way, I say your time is up. You are no longer welcome.
If you support this measure, please click this link to email us your support. You can also show your support by attending the City Council meeting on Thursday, June 15th @ 7:00 P.M. where this ordinance will be presented to Council for approval. The next council meeting where the second reading will take place is July 13th @ 7:00 P.M. Please mail your petition in before that date to show your support. You may also contact my office at 570-459-4910.
Thank you and God Bless America.
Now those are the words of a true American!
5 comments:
This is an embarassing sight. I lived in Texas from 3-11 and when I told people I lived in Texas they would make fun of me. I never understood why people in Texas get such a bad rap. Now I do, but unlike you, I'm not going to judge the whole state based on one person. but its people like you that ruin it for Texas. How can you say the mayor of Hazleton rocks. Obviously you don't know the situation enough. Your poor? I don't believe it, actually I do...poor in knowledge, intelligence, and compassion. God judges you for this web site. it doesn't contribute to the world anything but hatred.
Anonymous, if you put a lock on your front door to keep unwanted people out of your home, are you guilty of hate?
Just as no individual has the right to enter your home without your permission,no matter how poor and/or non-white he may be, so no individual has the right to enter any sovereign nation without permission.
Being against illegal aliens is no more hateful than being against burglars. Really, if you came home from work one day and found stange people in your house emptying out your pantry, medicine cabinets, and closets, would you think it was ok for them to be there just because they also made your bed and mowed your lawn? And wouldn't you think it outrageous if you were called racist for dialing 911?
Fighting illegal immigration is not about hate nor about not having compassion. There's nothing compassionate about rewarding people for illegal behaviour. Fighting illegal immigration is about protecting the sovereignty and cultural identity of America. I happen to think they're worth protecting. Obviously, you don't. And you say I'm ruining the reputation of Texas!
Is not the same thing Poor girl. Bush himself said its not right to send them back to their countries. Amnesty is totally right either. But people like you tend to have this, "get out of here" mentality--when who knows when your ancestors were illegal aliens at one point. I've read your blogs and its not like your saying, "oh they need to learn... or maybe this is an alternative. No your too into supporting a political side. I personally don't choose a side I deal with issues. I read your blog, saying Michael Berg sucks, who says something like that when a man's son has been killed. Thats soo wrong, thats the problem with right-wings, you lack objectivity and because of you confirmation bias your not able to see the otherside. Yeah I can see why Bush sent troops over there, and I think they need help right. Why else is Bush over there though. Oil, duh. And if you say just to make it free and better, then why not take that same mentality towards immigrants. Why not figure out a program to help them? When have you ever decided to seek to understand why immigration is such a problem and what could be done to remedy it from the ground up, not just send them out of our country. So you see your contradicting yourself. Thats whats so embarassing about you right wing people just as much as the "freechoice" liberals your too closed minded to seek to understand where people are coming from, have you ever read any books from the left's way of thinking. How many friends do you have from other races, that aren't "different" from what you believe those people act like in that race. And its not texas, its America. Still rooted in prejudice and hypocrisy. I'm not saying burn the niggers, kill the mexicans prejudice, because most of America can admit that, but your still stuck in categorizing people and disliking this or that based on race. Anyway sorry if I'm offensive it's just sad. And I do this on liberal web sites as well. Politics are deceiving, people get caught up with one side or the other without thinking about the issues individually and objectively.
I don't think PoorGrrl's views are peculiar to Texans. Indeed, most of the Texans that I know -- and I know quite a few -- are pro-immigrant, in much the same way that George Dubya is pro-immigrant, although Dubya has been pandering to ignorant xenophobes quite a bit in recent months.
The problem with Hazelton's ordinance is that anti-immigrant sentiments are seldom limited to illegal immigrants. Indeed, in almost every discussion that I have had with someone who purports to be concerned with stemming illegal immigration, they have instantaneously conflate illegal immigration with legal immigration and minority status, and that is exactly what is happening in Hazelton. Check out the numbers for yourself, and you will find that there are very few illegal immigrants in Hazelton -- I'd be surprised if there's more than a few dozen. Most of the Latinos in Hazelton are United States citizens who moved to Hazelton, and the White townspeople of Hazelton are using illegal immigration as a pretext for giving these Latinos the bum's rush.
Try this one on for size: The next time someone complains to you about illegal immigration, ask them how they feel about the number of people who immigrate to the United States legally. Chances are they won't have the slightest idea how many people do that.
This is becoming a nice discussion!
First, how is it close-minded to believe that illegal aliens have no right to be here? Anonymous, you didn't answer my question about burglars in your home. Do you believe that someone who enters your home without your permission hasn't done anything wrong and deserves to stay in your house just because he may have done a few household chores?
And as for conflating illegal aliens with real immigrants, Internet Esquire, it's you pro-illegal alien people who do that. You constantly accuse anti-illegal alien people of being "anti-immigrant"; and you never call illegal aliens what they are--illegal aliens--referring to them instead as just "immigrants". Clearly, the pro-illegal alien side is trying to win the argument by delibrately confusing the issue
with Orwellian word games.
As for genuine immigrants, some Americans are against them, too. I'm not one of those. I have no problem with real immigrants, no matter what race they are. The only thing I ask of them is that they learn English and assimilate once they're here.
I really don't understand how anyone could support illegal entry into America, especially during the war on terror. Why do you have to be racist or zenophobic to expect foreigners to come here legally and to demand consequences for those who don't? Again, if someone illegally entered your home, you'd be screaming like a banshee. America is our national home. Why should the standard be lower for her?
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