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Mayor Randy Chastain
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The Mundo Hispano grocery store in Walhalla stayed busy Friday. Although several Latino businesses have had a presence in the community for many years, Mayor Randy Chastain says there also is an illegal presence sapping the small city's resources.
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A Spanish sign in front of a building on South Catherine St. in Walhalla promotes free dinner Mondays from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Walhalla Mayor Randy Chastain claims he has no doubts that the number of illegal aliens is growing in his city.
WALHALLA —Mayor Randy Chastain minced few words in saying that an increasing illegal immigration presence is sapping his city of resources and adding a heavy burden on the backs of Oconee County taxpayers.
At the same time, Chastain categorically denied that the city’s police department, headed by his brother, Tim Chastain, is engaged in racial profiling.
The mayor said he has to set the record straight because published reports gave the impression that Latinos are being arrested for minor traffic violations.
Chastain said the proliferation of graffiti and the arrest last month of an undocumented Guatemalan man charged with murder are signs that a serious illegal alien problem exists in Walhalla.
However, if illegal Latino immigrants are overrunning the city and the county, as Chastain contends, School District of Oconee County student population tallies fail to support that premise. School officials say they have not seen any dramatic spike in the number of Latino students attending Oconee schools.
School spokesperson Kay Powell said 754 Hispanic students are enrolled in grades kindergarten- through 12-grades for the 2008-09 school year. That is a 6.6 percent increase from the 707 Latino student population recorded the previous year.
Given that the total student population in Oconee has hovered around 10,500 for the past 40 years, Hispanics make up 0.07 percent of students in Oconee classrooms.
At James M. Brown Elementary School on Coffee Road in Walhalla, which at one time had one of the largest Latino-student enrollments in the state, their numbers actually declined during the current school year.
Principal John Frady said 171of the 696 students enrolled at the school this year are Hispanic. Last year, 175 Latinos were enrolled there.
Over the past five years, the largest Latino enrollment at the school was 177 students during the 2005-06 school year. During the same period, the percentage of Hispanic students at the school has fluctuated from 23 percent to almost 25 percent.
Frady, who grew up in Walhalla and attended public schools there, said he doesn’t get into the debate about illegal immigration.
“I’m all about education and not immigration,” Frady said. “My job is to educate every child to the best of my ability.”
Frady said the number of Hispanic students has not changed much over the past six years, which indicates to him that a number of Latino families are now part of the community.
“There are radicals that don’t want that sector in the community, and there are others who are more accepting,” Frady said. “I happen to be among those that are more accepting.”
Chastain said he’s supportive of people who are in the country legally, but adds he does not sympathize in the least with anyone who breaks the law to enter this country illegally.
After being elected mayor last fall, Chastain said at the first City Council meeting he headed that Walhalla has an illegal immigration problem. He now says the problem is getting worse.
“Initially, they came here and were basically to themselves,” Chastain said. They didn’t cause much problems. Now they are more brazen; there’s a lot more of them. There’s more now than there’ve ever been. It’s their culture versus the American culture.”
A private investigator and owner of the downtown Walhalla eatery, Bantam Chef, Chastain served on the City Council 10 years before defeating his closest rival in the mayoral race last fall by more than 70 votes.
The feisty mayor said he’s not afraid to speak his mind.
Chastain said he was so disturbed by published reports stating that federal immigration officials have shown little interest in picking up undocumented inmates at the county jail that he contacted U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett, R-Westminster, to complain.
“I’ve been assured by Barrett’s office that this situation has been worked out,” Chastain said. “I think everybody that has a concern should sound off and let their elective representatives know.”
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September 6, 2008
2:56 a.m.Report inappropriate content
Washington has all but abolished immigration law that has been 232 years in the making and the only ones put through the ringer are those that follow the law. If you jump the fence you are treated with compassion and excused from obeying the law and if someone tries to enforce the law they become victims and the enforcer becomes a begot. This is not about race or compassion but of greed and decadence. It is not just one law that these people break but they compromise our laws on all levels and laws without enforcement are just laughable suggestions. No matter how you change the rules the one rule which will remain and that is “if you do not follow the rules you will be denied entry and or be deported. I know it is politically incorrect to speak out on illegal migration but it is something that threatens our nation in a big way. This is a full scale invasion and nothing less. Small towns are being eaten up all across the country by this criminal migration and the worst is yet to come. I live in a small town which has been overrun by illegals and it has become unbearable and I have no place to go. Where is the compassion for US Citizens?
September 6, 2008
8:56 a.m.Report inappropriate content
Amen, Mayor Chastain! Even if the number of school age children have not spiked it is no indicator of how many illegals are presently here. Hard to count someone when it is not documented. I can't stand the thoughts of our school, hospital and governmental systems having to provide provisions for the non English speaking, mostly illegal aliens. While tax payers are paying for these provisions the illegals are, in turn, making American money to send back to their respective countries so as to bring them over the border to.
September 6, 2008
8:58 a.m.Report inappropriate content
Hurray for Mayor Chastain. We need more Mayors like Chastain who actually have a backbone. To the citizens who agree with Mayor Chastain, get behind him and clean up Walhalla. It is long overdue. Thank you Mayor Chastain.
September 6, 2008
9:01 a.m.Report inappropriate content
Here we go again with number games to justify a situtaion. Notice that they selected one, only one school that saw a 4 student drop, to divert attention from the overall county school increase of 6.6%. If our total number of students has remained about the same for 40 years, but Hispanics increased almost 6.6% in just one year, Mayor Chastain is exactly right about huge increases. He needs our thanks and support, because apologists for illegal aliens will certainly jump on the band wagon against those of us who want federal and state immigration laws enforced. No one over ten years old believes these huge numbers of migrants are legally here. We want the laws enforced. We want legal immigrants welcomed and illegals removed. That does not make us the "bigots" Senator Grahamnesty called us a while back, or the "radicals" Principal John Frady just called is. Yes, a man we're paying to run a taxpayer supported school in our county just called many of our taxpayers "radicals". Please give Mayor Chastain a "Thank you!!" call. Then give Principal Frady a call at James M. Brown, and tell him how much you appreciate being called a "radical". Thanks again, Mayor.
September 6, 2008
9:02 a.m.Report inappropriate content
This is a perfect example of southern bigotry. We should be ashamed of ourselves. Other than the American Indian all of our backgrounds are from somewhere other than the US...
September 6, 2008
9:05 a.m.Report inappropriate content
Mr Chastain admits the ever growing problem but doesn't say anything about what his plan is to deal with it. These illrgals have to be working for someone and with his background as a P.I. he maybe should be finding out who employs the illegals and put the heat on those people. The illegals are costing the taxpayers of O.C. big bucks in the health care and welfare system. Better stop it now or you won't be able to stop it later. The law that Gov. Sanford signed 2-3 months should be enforced.
September 6, 2008
9:10 a.m.Report inappropriate content
There is nothing bigoted about following the law. But we are use to those who calls us bigots, racist. And I agree we are all from somewhere but those that came did it right and they are great citizens. The difference in immigrants then and now, is technology. Back then, you didn't have the luxury of the telephone, the computer. You had to learn English, conform to the American ways. Now you have all those things and they(illegals) don't have to learn English. We do it all for them. You gotta come up with something better, riw6534. Perhaps look up the word illegal.
September 6, 2008
9:20 a.m.Report inappropriate content
Here's a thought. Find a way to get citizens to work. Instead of trying to control bad behavior (illegal immigration) let's try to encourage good behavior among our unemployed citizens (taking any job available). If the illegals are here and working then that means there is work to be done. I'm guessing that there are as many illegals working in Oconee County as there are unemployed citizens. I'm also guessing that the illegals didn't need get any "job training" before they went to work which means that anyone willing to work can find it. It might not pay much, but it is there.
September 6, 2008
9:24 a.m.Report inappropriate content
My thanks to our Mayor for the courage in speaking up on how illegal aliens are adversly affecting our community. So many of our politicians and so called community leaders look the other way when it comes to questions of illegal aliens. We do not need to ignore the questions, we need to speak up and ask the question...does an influx of illegals in our small community drain and reduce our limited and precious resources to support those who have broken the law. Keep speaking up Mr. Mayor!
September 6, 2008
9:30 a.m.Report inappropriate content
Where have you been dobrenen. Open the classifieds and circle all the ones who want jobs, brick masons, roofers, sheet rock workers. These are Americans begging for work. But the crooked employer would rather pick up a truck load of illegals at 5:30am in the morning, pay them a hideous wage, could care less if they get hurt on the job, because there will be plenty more waiting at the pickup site the next morning. I say, we go after the crooked employers. I would rather deport them than the ones who are here illegal.
September 6, 2008
9:37 a.m.Report inappropriate content
Let's face the truth. Illegal aliens are here because there are jobs that they are thrilled to hold that pay better than what they can get at home. Legal citizens aren't willing to do this work (after all, why work when you can sit at home and draw welfare, etc...). Did we not create this situation ourselves? Isolating ourselves from our working class based on race will never see a good ending. Let's get on with history and solve the problem without finger pointing about race... Ultimately, they will be a part of our society.
September 6, 2008
9:40 a.m.Report inappropriate content
Immigration laws were passed for good reasons. We now have to import food to feed America. We import oil, clothing and technology. We've filled our land with people and we are using up finite resources to take care of our needs. Illegal immigrants are law breakers and opportunists using up our resources even more rapidly and many break several laws to stay here undetected. Mayor Chastain clearly sees that the bottom line in the ledger means poorer quality of life for residents as illegal immigrants grow in numbers and do their thing. I commend him for looking out for the best interests of Walhalla.
September 6, 2008
9:40 a.m.Report inappropriate content
Price 2544 is absolutely right about the state's new anti-illegal immigration law. It primarily goes after the employers who are responsible for the problem. The new law, much of it already in effect, portions to be phased in soon, provide severe penalties for hiring, transporting, concealing, providing or possessing false documentation, etc., with penalties for employers including up to five years in PRISON and thousands of dollars in fines. The massive costs to taxpayers for education, incarceration, health care, welfare, etc would drop dramatically if the employers who keep the job magnet turned on were punished for being the criminals they are. If you think "criminals" is too harsh, it's been a violation of federal law since 1986 to hire illegals. Yes, it's a criminal, federal offense that hasn't been enforced enough until now. State agencies will soon be checking employers for compliance. Any employer, with any number of illegals on the payroll, and with any sense at all, will legalize his workforce and not risk getting caught. And, rlw6534, truthandjustice is right. You need to learn the difference between the legal way most of our ancestors came here, versus the illegal way migration is happening now, and stop making that flawed comparison.
September 6, 2008
10:02 a.m.Report inappropriate content
Direct quote from the LA Times: "There are an estimated 50,000 Irish illegal immigrants in the U.S.". I haven't noticed a movement to deport the Irish...
September 6, 2008
10:02 a.m.Report inappropriate content
rlw6534, it's never been about race. It's about people that planned to break our laws by overstaying visas or sneaking across our borders. It's about people who use stolen or forged IDs and greedy criminal employers that hire them.
September 6, 2008
10:09 a.m.Report inappropriate content
When plants and factories receive much deserved raids by ICE, there are often more legal citizens lined up at the job application office the next morning than there are jobs to fill. Recently, a meat packing plant in the mid-west was busted, and hundreds of illegals were found. The next business day, with hundreds of jobs now open, American citizens lined up at the door to apply for the jobs....more applicants than the number of jobs. Americans are not too lazy to do this work, many just can't work for the poverty rate wages many of the employers want to pay. Again, the fault lies with the anti-American employers. I agree with truthandjustice, I'd rather deport them.
September 6, 2008
10:13 a.m.Report inappropriate content
I love it when libs get into their "unless you are an American Indian, then you are an immigrant" mode, like the illegal alien hugger anonymous / rlw6534 that accuses immigration enforcement advocates of bigotry. Here's a news flash for you anonymus...the ancestors of American Indians migrated from northern Asia and untimately (how far back do you want to go?) from the plains of Kenya. So unless you are currently living on the plains of Kenya you are the product of immigration. So stop with your bigotry crap and get educated. if you don't want to look stupid any longer...stop using your lame line.
September 6, 2008
10:14 a.m.Report inappropriate content
Arrest, incarceration, DEPORTATION...si se puede!!!
September 6, 2008
10:22 a.m.Report inappropriate content
rlw6534, I may have to stop reading your posts soon, because you have my crying towel nearly soaked already. I have as much empathy as you do for immigrants who want to better their financial situation, do the paperwork, wait their turn, learn our language, pay taxes as new legal citizens, etc. I do not share your empathy for immigrants, from wherever, who ignore our laws and refuse to assimilate as precious immigrants have done. Thanks, though, for alerting us that 50,000 Irish illegals are here also. If your point is that all illegals should be treated equally, you're right on that one point. If so, the Irish illegals should also be shipped home. I don't care where law breakers came from, illegal is illegal.
September 6, 2008
10:23 a.m.Report inappropriate content
OK, this debate was fun. I agree that immigration laws should be enforced. My problem with this story was the intolerance suggested by the quote:
"Initially, they came here and were basically to themselves,” Chastain said. They didn’t cause much problems. Now they are more brazen; there’s a lot more of them. There’s more now than there’ve ever been. It’s their culture versus the American culture."
Perhaps I was sensitive to this statement - but this attitude will not help solve this problem.
September 6, 2008
10:25 a.m.Report inappropriate content
Another idiotic statement, this time from rlw6534..."Legal citizens aren't willing to do this work (after all, why work when you can sit at home and draw welfare, etc"
Here we go with the familiar rant from the globalists and 'progressive' anti-American libs that citizens just won't work hard nor do certain jobs. It's a tired, worn out and totally untrue arguement that the illegal alien huggers throw out to try to make those that don't know any better believe we just can't do without illegals.
Personally, I'm greatly offended when I hear that claptrap. Myself and my father and my grandfather and on and on have all worked hard at blue-collar jobs. It is not that the illegal aliens do the work that Americans won't do. It is that illegal aliens do the work for low wages, little to no benefits, under conditions that are unsafe as per OSHA and illegal as per DOL. When illegal aliens were given legal status during the Amnesty of 1986, many of those legalized aliens began demanding proper wages and working conditions and were promptly fired. Their unscrupulous employers simply hired the next wave of illegal aliens who worked for those substandard wages under often illegally dangerous conditions. These aliens are among those who are now seeking legalization. There is absolutely no reason to believe that history wouldn’t repeat itself if we provide millions of illegal aliens with legal status. Once they were emboldened by their newly acquired legal status to demand proper wages and working conditions, they no longer would be the desirable employees that they had been, and the unscrupulous employers would simply fire them and replace them with the next wave of illegal aliens. That's exactly why the working wages of blue collar Americans have plummeted that are able to remain employed in the landscaping, construction, meatpacking, assembly, service and hospitality industries because of the mass numbers of illegal aliens employed in them. Amnesty begets more illegal aliens which demand another amnesty...an endless loop.
September 6, 2008
10:33 a.m.Report inappropriate content
The number of hispanic children in the schools has nothing to do with the increase in illegals. Not all of them have children. Are they saying that the children in school are illegal? They don't require any documentation from them, so how can they tell? I have no problem with ANY race here if they are legal. If not, then they need to be dealt with.
YOU GO RANDY!
September 6, 2008
10:48 a.m.Report inappropriate content
Mr. Frady, I know you have to parrot the "mantra" prescribed by your employer, but I see you as breaking the law just the same as the people who are here because you are aiding and abetting them, just like poeple who hire them. I would like to know EXACTLY how many teachers are being paid to "make sure" the illegal aliens are able to keep up with their work. That's your tax dollars at work, Mr. Frady, the same as it is for all of us who go to work each day, pay our county taxes, state taxes, federal taxes, social security, medicare, etc, etc, etc that the illegals DON'T pay a dime of. You can call me a "radical" and you're exactly right, if a radical is someone who doesn't want his hard earned money funding illegals.
What's next? Will we turn a blind eye to drugs, stealing, assault? There is no politically correct way to spin this into being right. It is wrong on so many levels.
September 6, 2008
10:59 a.m.Report inappropriate content
If anyone is gullible enough to believe the thousands of immigrants we have in this area are legal, there are only 66,000 H-2B permits/visas that are issued per year nationwide. That means only 66,000 immigrants are allowed to work in the US per year. When these H-2B immigrants bring their spouses and families into our country, their family members are issued a H-4 visa. These H-4 visa holders (family members) are not permitted to work in the US. Are Oconee schools asking these immigrants for their H-4 visas? If not, why aren't they? Could it be there is no need to ask if they are here legally because they already know the answer?
September 6, 2008
11:44 a.m.Report inappropriate content
If anyone doesn't believe it's "their culture versus the American culture", take a trip through La Republica de Walhalla. Look at the Mexican flags on store windows and flag poles. Listen to the Spanish-only chatter in stores and restaurants. Notice all the Spanish-only signs everywhere. Mayor Chastain sees his town, our county and our country being transformed into a culture more like that in Tijuana, and recognizes it for the huge problem it is. They don't learn English, since they don't need to with so many other Spanish-only speakers filling their surroundings. They don't assimilate (again, the Mexican flags popping up increasingly). Yes, it's a culture clash, and I don't want to have to someday carry an English-Spanish dictionary to communicate in La Republica de Walhalla, or anywhere else in this country.
September 6, 2008
11:47 a.m.Report inappropriate content
All this BS talk about illegals doing the jobs American's won't do is getting old real fast. Every time a business is raided and 600-700 illegals are pulled out, Americans line up to apply for the jobs, during the depression Americans were the migrant workers. It's a fallacy that they get slave wages, for the most part they get paid $10-20 an hour in the majority of the businesses, I read a long time ago that Walmart pays them $14 so it's not about the hourly wage it's because employers don't have to provide benefits such as health insurance, workers comp etc. but it's cheaper for employers to pay the wage than provide the benefits. If employers want cheaper labor, start utilizing non violent inmates, make them earn their keep, American prisoners of course.
And what's next? We paid the American Indians for land we stole, we paid reparations to Blacks for slavery, will we end up paying the illegals for land we won? And the current generations had absolutely nothing to do with any of it but yet we're the ones who have to pay. BS
Our founders were radicals, so Mr. Frady, I consider it an honor for you to call me a radical!!!!
September 6, 2008
11:52 a.m.Report inappropriate content
Almost forgot, anyone want to go out to dinner on Mondays between 5:30 and 7:30, I hear it's free?
September 6, 2008
11:53 a.m.Report inappropriate content
gocartmozart, I think that Mr. Frady isn't being just being politically correct in what he says...public schools are in place to educate children. So if you think the teachers shouldn't be helping those children who come from homes where no state/federal taxes or social security taxes are being paid, I guess all of the children in our schools who come from homes supported by government programs should be denied an education as well. It doesn't matter where their parents are from or whether or not they have legally obtained jobs, the children are innocent and should not be denied because of it. Sure, I agree that our immigration system needs to be overhauled. But why would any one want to hurt/deny/ignore the innocent children? Start with the criminals and leave the babies alone.
September 6, 2008
12:09 p.m.Report inappropriate content
Public schools are in place to educate people who are here legally. I know it's not the childrens fault, but as long as we keep handing to and catering to the law breaking parents, the more will come. When all the freebies, government handouts and jobs are cut off they won't be here until they can do it legally.
September 6, 2008
12:20 p.m.Report inappropriate content
Sparrow, I'd like a free dinner every Monday, but I don't speak Spanish. To answer marcus' question, funding is based on numbers of students in schools. If the number of children of illegals declined, the schools would lose the "per student" funding when they left. Schools receive much of their funding based on ADT (average daily attendance), so the more kids they have showing up every day, the more money they get. If students showing up say they're homeless, the school folks tell us they don't have to show records. I wonder how many of these so-called homeless are actually verified to be so.
September 6, 2008
12:39 p.m.Report inappropriate content
Many of us have been complaining about the employers who hire illegals and how they need to be punished. That's true but we also need to go after the landlords who are renting to these illegals. Since employers must E-Verify, landlords who rent are considered to be business people also and should not be left off the hook by not verifying if their renters are in the US legally. A lot more also needs to be done to put behind bars anyone involved with providing fake drivers licenses, fake social security cards, and other phony documents they seem to be able to get so easily.
September 6, 2008
1:01 p.m.Report inappropriate content
riw6534, this is what is good about being an American, we still have the 1st amendment and your voice is always welcome. Not a single person who has commented on this issue is a racist or bigot. We just want the law enforced. You should go after the school system who depends on numbers to get money. I don't think there is single person on today would not agree that we would gladly give our schools more money if they followed the rules like everyone else. We all want our children to have a better education and that goes for the ones who want to come live in America. But they must do it right and they will have our respect. Being illegal is not like being a little pregnant and a little drunk. People all over the country are mad about what illegal immigration has down to this country. Look at all the new stories in today's paper and then show me where all the comments are focused. Illegal immigration. Thanks again for joining our conversation.
September 6, 2008
1:20 p.m.Report inappropriate content
There are two basic strategies for dealing successfully with these invaders:
1) Hunt them like game, round up, deport en mass, if they jump the fence again, dispose of them on sight.
Works for me, but it's heavy-handed, and the compassion fascists would howl.
2) a) Any employer found employing illegal aliens, not complying with the new laws mandating checks, will face potentially bankrupting fines;
b)Children born here of illegal aliens ARE NOT citizens;
c) If you are here illegally now, you can NEVER become a citizen: you've already shown a proclivity for lawbreaking.
d)Illegal aliens are not eligible for ANY social services of ANY kind and their children will not be educated in our schools;
e)Wire transfers of money out of the country by anyone not a citizen will be taxed, say, 50 percent. One of the bulwarks of the Mexican economy at the moment is the estimated $20 billion to $25 billion sent back to Mexico by illegals working in this country. Probably figures for other countries are similar;
d) End these idiotic sanctuary movements. Make harboring and aiding an illegal alien legally comparable to harboring any other kind of criminal.
The mayor is right. America became great for one reason: It was founded and based with a very distinct cultural heritage that took root on its eastern shores.
There is a reason why the Third World below the Rio Grande is the Third World. Face it, most Third World countries are just sewers that have their own flags. They too are a product of THEIR cultures.
We don't need a lot of Third World trash up polluting and destroying the United States.
I'd apply that to Africa, Asia, the Middle East and some parts of backwaters of Europe as well.
September 6, 2008
2:04 p.m.Report inappropriate content
RLW6534....You probably have not lived in Walhalla all your life like i have.
The city of Walhalla was once a great place to live and it still is, but the biggest problem that we have is illegal immigration. I remember when i could leave my car and house unlocked with no worries, i could drive down town Walhalla and just marvel at how beautiful it was. Now you can't do those things anymore because of the illegals or immigrants that have come to my city, Walhalla.
I drive the back roads on catherine street, down to the library and all i see is grafiti, trash along the side of the road, by the laundromat on main street you have this hideous mexican restaurant. This is where all the crime has been origionating from in my opinion.
RLW6534 you better wake up and smell the coffee, look what is happening in mexico right now with all the drug killings and assassinations. I am not saying that Walhalla will be just like that, but these illegals are already making my once beautiful city look like crap and they will not follow our laws of the land so how can you say you have no problem with them being here, you must not have lived in my city of Walhalla like i have all your life for you to feel the way you do.
I have read the article of what our mayor has said and i give him credit because it does sound like we have someone that is going to be tough, but he has not said what he is going to do about our problems.
My fellow americans we need to do something about this problem and we better do it today or else we will be doomed and will not be able to do anything about it until it is too late.
September 6, 2008
4:05 p.m.Report inappropriate content
John Frady needs to apologize to the many thousands of "radicals" who are sending him his regular paycheck. If the school board doesn't insist on that public apology, and Mr. Frady doesn't come up with one on his own, some resignations on a silver platter would be a good alternative. If wanting immigration laws obeyed, and if speaking out on the illegal immigration problem is now considered "radical" by Mr. Frady, I think I prefer that silver platter option.
September 6, 2008
5:21 p.m.Report inappropriate content
When the American taxpayer is feeding, housing and giving free health care, to anybody who slips across the border. When our administration and those before them, allow the export of billions of dollars to Mexico and other third world countries. No wonder our nation is on the edge of a wilting economic precipice?
Even without the war in Iraq, President Bush would have devastated our wavering economy. Mr. Bush nearly forced an illegal immigration AMNESTY on the hurting US taxpayer. But the people screamed loud and clear. NO path to citizenship. No AMNESTY! If we must have GUEST WORKERS for any job's that American supposedly 'Won't Do..? Then they must not expect or receive any path to citizenship.
According to the (1986) Immigration Control act. Section 274 felonies under the federal Immigration and Nationality Act, INA 274A(a)(1)(A): they broke Federal law. It states, "..a person (including a group of persons, business, organization, or local government) Then Mayor Newsom, Mayor Villigrossa who must be held accountable for the deaths of 3 Bolgna family members, Jamiel Shaw under the obnoxious 'Sanctuary City' laws by illegal gang member filth.
Personally I don't trust either Obama, McCain, Palin, Biden or any one of our elected politicians. All they want to do is get elected and it will be basically more of the same, as the corporate donors call the shots. Time will quickly tell, if there is any real change in Washington?
The international globalists don't live in the world regular Americans live in, so issues like illegal alien crime, pollution, energy shortages don't bother their lifestyles.
That's why the US Chamber of Commerce will endow on us with a path to citizenship for millions of illegal alien families. AMNESTY!
We will be expected to support them. Forcibly assigned mandates to us to feed, house and give free health care to, that Americans cannot afford themselves. Look around you! Diversity, multiculturalism and finally balkanization will cause OVERPOPULATION. Unless we make English a mandatory language, America will condemn itself to a third world catastrophe.
We are just importing even more poverty, which we will be supporting. If anything we need THE CREAM of engineers, scientists and PhD like other nations. Our Own people need help, instead of underwriting the impoverished around the world. Only the uncensored truth will open your eyes at NUMBERSUSA, CAPSWEB Read Judicial Watch site about importing poverty into America, that taxpayers are forced to support.
Copy, Paste and Distribute Freely.
September 6, 2008
5:47 p.m.Report inappropriate content
Huh? 754 students out of 10,500 are .07% of the student population? What a way to purposely try to HIDE the truth. Shame on you. 7% is much closer to the truth...and GROWING
Remember adults come first and establish roots..then they bring their families and extended families. Don't be fooled or lulled into non action. Why do you think our area will be different from California, Arizona and the rest of the USA? It won't. We are being invaded. Unless we act NOW, in a few years we will look up and it will be to late and we will all be speaking Spanish. Think it wont happen? Check out Miami, Los Angeles and areas of Phoenix AZ. It will happen if we don not stop it here and NOW!
September 6, 2008
5:58 p.m.Report inappropriate content
What we, the American people should be voting about in the coming election. DOES THIS ISSUE COST THE TAXPAYER ANY MONEY?
Politicians are great at distracting voters from major problems, by offering us small insignificant issues? For an example! Does gay marriage or civil unions costs us any money. NO! Does abortion cost ordinary taxpayers any money. NO! I'm sure the working individual can add many other minor issues, that the players in Washington use to intentionally divert the attention of the population. Ethical YES! But other than the War in Iraq, the elected politicians in all forms of government, refuse to bring illegal immigration to the PUBLIC EYE.
They now know that the cost to the U.S. Taxpayer is overboard. But like all the elected officials, refuse to even recognize it as a astronomical economic draining problem to us. (www.eagleforum.org/sources) California has been hit so hard, by their state assembly deficit, that they trying to keep quiet the $11 billion dollars spent on welfare programs for illegal alien families. We must enact the Federal SAVE ACT (H.R.4088) to stop this mockery of our immigration laws. NUMBERSUSA, CAPSWEB will tell you about the coming OVERPOPULATION>
September 6, 2008
6 p.m.Report inappropriate content
Everybody is crying about the Economy? But do you realize the amount of money taxpayers are contributing to the lifestyles of illegal aliens.Not just 12 million as you hear in America? That number was given 6 years ago? Today it's probably between 20 & 30 million and climbing! You are supporting their free health care, education and more than the unsuspecting taxpayers realizes. Assign to you by the parasite employers all around us. Both Presidential candidates are going to deliver to their corporate donors and special interest groups AMNESTY! That will lead to OVERPOPULATION, because the census estimates we will another 120 million more mouths to feed in just twenty years. A 50% increase in people. But what about the millions, just waiting to scramble across our undermanned border? The SAVE ACT (H.R.4088) is our last chance. Join for free NUMBERSUSA, CAPSWEB and save our nation.
September 6, 2008
6:33 p.m.Report inappropriate content
If they are here illegal lock them up, make them pay to get out. If caught again, lock them up, make them pay to get out. I get to come down to town every once and a while and it look's to me like their is a lot less. Keep up the good Job. We have to pay more everywhere even as small as Dollar General when these people are stealing we have to pay for these items. Run them out.
September 6, 2008
7:26 p.m.Report inappropriate content
This massive invasion is happening all around the country. The government--indeed the presidential candidates--encourage it and want more of it. The Founders of this country faced hanging on the spot by the Brits. It is time to make all the politicians in this country to start fearing for their fat, disguisting sell-out asses!
September 6, 2008
7:42 p.m.Report inappropriate content
As a person or Irish heritage, I say hunt down, jail, prosecute and then deport all Irish illegal alien
nationals.
Michael Joseph McGarry
Aspen, CO
September 6, 2008
8:19 p.m.Report inappropriate content
Thank you Mayor Chastain from a citizen who is as fed up with this situation as you. Thank you to those law enforcement officers who are arresting and processing these illegals. Thanks to any other government officials who are willing to do something about this escalating problem. For any publically elected officials who are sitting on their duffs and have chosen to do nothing (I'm talking about County Council, other City Councils, and other agencies, WHY AREN'T YOU DOING YOUR JOB THAT YOU WERE ELECTED TO DO AND THAT IS TO PROTECT THE CITIZENS?
September 6, 2008
11:29 p.m.(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
September 7, 2008
12:12 a.m.(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
September 7, 2008
2:06 a.m.(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
September 7, 2008
7:35 a.m.(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
September 7, 2008
9:02 a.m.Report inappropriate content
Sparrow and Monkeyshine, don't get down to the level of nordberg63. Just ignore him/her. I want us to keep voicing our opinions without the language that nordberg63 has chosen to use.
September 7, 2008
9:04 a.m.(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
September 7, 2008
9:21 a.m.Report inappropriate content
truthandjustice, I agree with you. We should not drop ourselves to that level. That is one of the things that distinguishes our country from others, we don't stoop to lower levels. We fight for what is right. We just need to start fighting more for our own country instead of others. People here are suffering and our politicians are taking care of everyone else.
Our children need these educations and our elderly need the medical help, not people who are coming here for money. These people are not being true to their own countries if they are sneaking out and are illegally entering ours. How is that an example of good citizenship? They say they want a better way of life, then do it by crossing the borders legally.
September 7, 2008
9:32 a.m.Report inappropriate content
Actions speak louder than words and nordberg63 has just proven to all of us what we have been fighting for. Just ignore him/her. You can't communicate with ignorance so we don't even need to try. So lets all of us get back on track, support Mayor Chastain. The way we can do that is one of two ways or both. We can start attending city council meetings and voice our concerns or we can stage a peaceful march in downtown Walhalla. We can also do both. So we need to put our actions where our mouths have been. Stand up for America. They cannot stop us from marching, but we need to do it right.
September 7, 2008
11:17 a.m.Report inappropriate content
Legal immigrants are proud of what they have achieved and live without fear.
Illegal immigrants are without pride, live in fear of being caught for crimes they have committed and have no interest in making the place they live better. Their motives are necessarily selfish and if given amnesty will never make good neighbors and good citizens. Why would they?
September 7, 2008
2:11 p.m.Report inappropriate content
Folks...Governor Sanford has already signed an immigration law a few months back. Sounds like a good decent law. Now it appears to be up to local officials to make it work. Without their effort that law is just a piece of paper. More local officials are going to have to get as concerned as Mayor Chastain. Going at each other on this site ain't going to make it happen....it just creates strife. Write letters, attend council meetings, ask the hard questions of local leaders, law enforcement, send emails to your representatives. If some noise is not made then most likely nothing is going to happen. After reading the response of what's happening in Pickens Co, they have been instructed by Federal officials to release their illegals from jail,... reason?...ICE doesn't want to pick them up!!!! I'm a firm believer that if enough people make enough noise to the right people, LONG ENOUGH, we can make it happen. I fired off several emails to senators, Congressmen, etc. after reading the news out of Pickens Co. So let's git-ur-done.
September 7, 2008
3:04 p.m.Report inappropriate content
Price2544, you're absolutely right, about making the contacts. Congressman Gresham Barrett and Senator Lindsey Amnesty Graham are both up for reelection. It may do little good to call Senator Amnesty, but Mr. Barrett's offices can be reached at 803-649-5571 (Aiken), 864-224-7401 (Anderson), or 202-225-5301 (Washington). Senator Jim DeMint, one of the good guys in all of this, can be reached at 864-233-5366 (Greenville) or 202-224-6121 (Washington). If enough of us call to melt their phone lines, ICE WILL pick up detained aliens. ICE WILL raid work sites and factories. ICE WILL deport. ICE WILL NOT tell a sheriff, "We're just too busy to come and pick up illegals. Turn them loose". If the problem with the Feds is understaffing, underfunding, or whatever, I can understand. But, if that's the case, Barrett and DeMint can make the contacts for us that will correct the problems. They need to hear how absolutely FED UP we are, and want local enforcement and local results. Then ask how long it will be before we get results. If you want to try Graham anyway (I guess it wouldn't hurt to try), it's 864-250-1417 (Greenville) and 202-224-5972 (Washington).
September 7, 2008
3:35 p.m.Report inappropriate content
"School spokesperson Kay Powell said 754 Hispanic students are enrolled in grades kindergarten- through 12-grades for the 2008-09 school year. Given that the total student population in Oconee has hovered around 10,500 for the past 40 years, Hispanics make up 0.07 percent of students in Oconee classrooms."
Maybe we should quit worrying so much about Spanish/English or Mexican/American, and start worrying a bit more about math. 700 is 7 percent of 10,000, not .07 percent.
September 7, 2008
3:53 p.m.Report inappropriate content
thlhjh76... Thanks for the ph. #'s. I intend to use them and everyone that has made comments on this site concerning ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, I said ILLEGAL, (don't want anyone to misinterpret) need to copy those #'s down, and as you said "melt their phone lines" , just maybe, that might put some life in Sanford's law. But I still believe a lot of the action should start with our local authorities. If something is not done soon this problem is going to be too big to turn around.
September 7, 2008
8:18 p.m.Report inappropriate content
Hey you must know that not every Latino in Walhalla is illegal most of them have papers, that might be the reason of many latinos in the school, and I'm agree about to take actions against all people who broke the law, and I mean everybody, have you seen the list of people arrested in this website (http://www.upstatetoday.com/news/local/a...)
how many of them are illegals, and You are right bobbymccall , the reason of why illegal people is here is because of the companies that take advantage of them, after all who wants to get a job with no goood salaries, no protection, etc.
They get some of the worst jobs and is ironic but an employer wants an illegal over an american, they just think in bussines, more money for themselves.
But lets just think in the big nation that USA is, this is a great country and this may be another good reason to think that we're bless by God because I cannot imagine people from here trying to jump a fence just to go to somewhere else for a better future, because this is the reason of why so many people comes to USA, they come for the AMERICAN DREAM, of course not in a legal way, but most of the people dare to come in that way, some of them try to reach a lifestyle that is gonna be impossible in theirs countries and provide a good living for their families after all who doesn't wants to do the same, in the other hand we have a few people that just comes to make trouble, and this happen in all the communities, for a few bad apples we do not throw the whole harvest, lets give the illegal people a fair judgement after all they are humans like us, by the way most of them pay taxes, I bet that most of you didn't know that. I just think that God made everybody equal but gave us the blessing of being born in USA.
September 7, 2008
8:41 p.m.Report inappropriate content
I appreciate what you're saying Nice and the legals do pay taxes but the illegals do not evidenced by their fake SS#'s. I also beg to differ with you on a few bad apples, there are a lot more than a "few", read news other than local and you will see that. They just executed 2 illegals in Texas for the murders of 2 young girls and there are many, many, many more cases just like that. If they want the "American Dream" that dream is governed by laws and if they want that dream they have to abide by those laws, just by entering this country illegally they have already shown a blatant disregard for our laws. And I ask the question again, instead of hundreds of thousands migrating here because of the conditions in Mexico, why don't they fix the mess they have there, 200,000 makes a pretty strong army?
September 7, 2008
8:49 p.m.Report inappropriate content
First, I resent the reporter's insinuations that brought children into the picture. Mayor Chastain's comments were about illegals. It was the reporter who tried to slant the story away from the point, which was to bring attention to the problems illegals have brought to the area.(not accepting our laws, language and culture)Yes it does upset me that if our children do not provide proof of birth and shot records, the parents are sent a letter informing them their child is not allowed back in school until paperwork is completed. That is not equal treatment. This is not about race, or gender. All illegal aliens have broken the law by being here--breaking other laws, from minor traffic violations to murder, taxes everyone in law enforcement in our county. Thank you, Mayor Chastain for being a strong voice for the citizens
September 7, 2008
9:37 p.m.Report inappropriate content
I am agree but even when illegal people work with fakes SS# they are filling out the taxes, in legal ways, you should ask someone that does that kind of job (prepare taxes), and something else when they go to any store they are paying taxes. And by the way illegal people comes from everywhere not just from Mexico, and if you are telling me to read more news besides local, I ask you to read news of all the world, I think that you have no idea of what happen on theirs countries, do you?.Ok you put an example of two illegals what happen to the rest of the illegals, is everybody the same way or maybe you think that an illegal should keep the same pattern that those who were executed. I do not think that everybody is the same just by the status, because some of them donate blood(that could mean someones life), support the communities, bring food to church when there are disasters, have someone forgot katrina, I do not think that when someone in need opened a bottle of water ask if it came from an illegal, others colaborates with companies that help people, maybe 'cause they had all that suffer in theirs countries and now they can help to someone else. Not all illegal people are the same. I just had to add something hillarious that I just saw the other day, two illegals gave food to a person with a sign asking for a job, a citizen. I couldn't belive it. Most of them have more compasion than we do.
September 7, 2008
10:06 p.m.(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
September 7, 2008
11:14 p.m.Report inappropriate content
Does anyone remember when piedmont Quilting, in walhalla, was raided and how many were illegal? That was about 13 years ago probably longer. Can anyone tell me how much trouble the company got into for this?? Just wondering!!!!
September 7, 2008
11:53 p.m.Report inappropriate content
This is a copy of part of the artice reported by The NY Times in 1989
"Alien Workers Bring Factory a $580,000 Fine"
Published: December 14, 1989
In separate actions over the last two days, the Government has won an indictment and imposed a record fine of $580,000 against a South Carolina pillow factory accused of hiring more than 100 illegal aliens, including a 12-year-old boy.
In separate actions over the last two days, the Government has won an indictment and imposed a record fine of $580,000 against a South Carolina pillow factory accused of hiring more than 100 illegal aliens, including a 12-year-old boy.
Working conditions for the 12-year-old and for two 15-year-old boys, all from Mexico, ''almost bordered on bondage when you look at the age of these people,'' said Thomas P. Fischer, head of the Immigration and Naturalization Service's office in Atlanta. ''They were being paid in cash; there was no documentation.''
The boys were among 85 illegal aliens from Mexico and Peru found working at the Piedmont Quilting Corporation at Walhalla, S.C., in a raid July 17, Mr. Fischer said.
The fine is the largest ever by the immigration service under the landmark immigration law of 1986, which imposed sanctions against employers who hire illegal aliens. The fine today came one day after the company, its owners and nine managers were indicted by a Federal grand jury in Greenville, S.C., on charges of illegally recruiting and harboring 117 illegal aliens. Charges Carry Long Terms
Mr. Fisher said the indictment was based on evidence that the company had employed 32 illegal aliens in addition to those found at the time of the raid.
The Plant owners, Alfred Mizhir, 55 years old, and his wife, Gail Mizhir, 30, both of Spring Lake, N.J., face charges that carry maximum prison terms of 653 years and fines totaling $5.1 million. The nine others indicted face charges that carry the same maximum terms.
The company declined comment on the charges or the civil fine, which it has 30 days to contest. ''There is no comment,'' said a woman who answered the telephone at the factory. She refused to identify herself. The criminal charges resulted from a six-month investigation, which included the use of an undercover immigration service agent who posed as a plant worker, Mr. Fischer said.
The illegal aliens, who lived in cramped quarters in apartment complexes or trailer parks, were deported.
The fine was imposed for hiring illegal aliens as well as failing to comply with procedures to verify that more than 400 employees were not illegal aliens, Mr. Fischer said. ''There was no attempt at all to maintain records,'' he said.
September 8, 2008
12:11 a.m.Report inappropriate content
I haven't seen the printed version of this story, but in this version at least there is no name on it to tell who wrote it.
I thought at first it was an editorial. Does the writer not have the cajones (a little Latino lingo there) to put his name to it?
September 8, 2008
12:37 a.m.Report inappropriate content
I know some people who worked in this plant at the time of the raid and they were even held because they didn't have identification. They were all americans white americans. These people weren't treated with respect at all. They were even held for a certain amount of time before released.
September 8, 2008
12:42 a.m.Report inappropriate content
I also worked there at one time, and most of the mexicans couldn't speak english and didn't even care to try to communicate except in spanish. I even had one guy tell me I should learn spanish because he couldn't understand me.
September 8, 2008
8:16 a.m.Report inappropriate content
Sslader, how do you write 7% as a decimal????
anonymous / ssladler submitted this comment on September 7, 2008 at 3:35 p.m.
Suggest for removal | 0 of 0 people found this comment useful.
"School spokesperson Kay Powell said 754 Hispanic students are enrolled in grades kindergarten- through 12-grades for the 2008-09 school year. Given that the total student population in Oconee has hovered around 10,500 for the past 40 years, Hispanics make up 0.07 percent of students in Oconee classrooms."
Maybe we should quit worrying so much about Spanish/English or Mexican/American, and start worrying a bit more about math. 700 is 7 percent of 10,000, not .07 percent.
September 8, 2008
8:23 a.m.Report inappropriate content
Yesterday, in a 3:04 P.M. post, I listed phone numbers for Congressman Barrett, Senator De Mint and Senator Amnesty Graham. It's Monday now, and their offices are open for calls. Governor Sanford can also be reached at 803-734-2100, or mark@gov.sc.gov. The new state law is tough enough, if we all demand enforcement, to bust the anti-American employers who are causing the problem. Replying to Nice, above, a government study found that for every dollar paid by illegals in taxes, we spend three dollars on benefits and costs to society for illegals. So don't give us that "we pay our own way through taxes" mantra. We need, above all, workplace busts. If illegals (employees and employers alike) are busted, the other problems with health care, incarceration, welfare, education, etc will no longer be the huge problems they are today. One more thing, Nice, about the arrest records you mentioned. I have read them too. Notice how many Hispanic-named arrestees are charged with multiple driver's licences. If they're here legally, why so many licenses? Well? Having 4, 5, or however many driver's licenses is also a crime. The new state law dishes out huge penalties for that too, and it's up to us to demand...DEMAND enforcement.
September 8, 2008
8:37 a.m.Report inappropriate content
clemsonjosh, sslader is right. Seven percent is EITHER .07, or 7%, not both. It's not .07%. My, my, how is it possible to complete junior high school and not know the difference?
September 8, 2008
9:02 a.m.Report inappropriate content
Question for anyone. Why were all the comments removed??
September 8, 2008
10:03 a.m.Report inappropriate content
Any postings with racist connotations, threats, or any form of inappropriate content are promptly removed.
September 8, 2008
10:55 a.m.Report inappropriate content
jenn, i am glad they were removed. look, folks, don't get down to their level. it makes us look bad.
September 8, 2008
11:35 a.m.Report inappropriate content
Nice - your compassion in great, however, I would prefer that legal (race not a factor), now legal American Citizens have the right to the American Dream. If all the illegal people (no race again-any illegal person) get to have amnesty, then I am afraid that my American Dream is at a standstill...although I would like to continue to save for my retirement! And also, my grandchildren's American Dream will be harder to acheive than it should be for them....All American citizens, even some of mixed races.....I wasn't sure about Mayor Randy in reference to a lot of things...but this issue I am 100% behind him on, so maybe the other issues I can look more fairly at....maybe is will be a great mayor for Walhalla in all aspects. Oh, and I worked at Piedmont Quilting when all the round-up took place, and as best as I recall from conversations or gossip, whatever it was....The owners did not do any jail time. And I hated working their because I knew a little spanish "slang" from my daughter telling me from her hispanic friends (who were legal)and some of the words they called us - when most people don't understand "slang spanish" would have landed me in jail probably (or at least cost me my job) if I had responded with "American slang".
September 8, 2008
12:02 p.m.Report inappropriate content
cowboy, my mother worked there when that happened. But when I worked there the way they talked was terrible. Some of the things they would say, not thinking noone could understand them, was sexual harassment. but once again management did nothing about it. I even had a mexican follow me home two or three times, he was told to stop but he didn't. I finally quit!!!!
September 8, 2008
12:34 p.m.Report inappropriate content
Reply to thlhjh76 ,did you know that the people that pick the harvest most of the time are illegal, so you are talking about prices, lets put it this way If anybody else besides illegals would be doing the job, the price of a can of corn would be 3 or even more times higher than is now. The goverment knows this and when the harvest comes they do not put to much security in the border after all is a benefit for everyone who buys a can of corn, just to mention a single product from thousands. Has anyone forgot where does the food comes from? And something else that I just saw in a label "Made in USA" unfortunatly by illegals hands.I just think that God made everybody equal but gave us the blessing of being born in USA.
September 8, 2008
1:28 p.m.Report inappropriate content
I'd much rather pay a little more for a can of corn than what I am having to pay for the free ride these illegals are getting when they fill our emergency rooms getting free health care. filling our maternity wards having lots of free babies, babies we will soon see filling our schools, the diseases of tuberculosis,leprosy and other diseases that were once eradicated. Believe me Nice, that can of cheaper corn is costing us dearly. We Americans are rapidly losing our culture, our standard of living and safety on our streets in many cities. Keep your cheap corn!
September 8, 2008
2:40 p.m.Report inappropriate content
All nationalities are welcome in the United States of America, just "NOT ILLEGALS". I hope that you understand this, Nice.
September 8, 2008
3:09 p.m.Report inappropriate content
Well, Nice, do you remember awhile back when the public was informed not to eat certain items harvested from certain places? Well, I do and that is a shame that you might get sick from the food that is "harvested" because of nastiness. However, that is beside the point. I know how to work a garden, can my food and I have a freezer (I really don't like to can). I also know a lot, a whole lot of people who plant more than they need each year and give it away. I think they would give some corn that anyone could freeze (if you don't know how to can it)to legal citizens if we were willing to deport the illegals. I would plant a garden and contribute, if that's what your point is....it's not one.
September 8, 2008
3:14 p.m.Report inappropriate content
Cheap illegal labor has nothing to do with the price of corn, the govt controls the price and while we're exporting all of our corn and corn products we're imported tainted vegetables that have been irrigated with sewer water from Mexico.
September 8, 2008
6:02 p.m.(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
September 8, 2008
6:30 p.m.(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
September 8, 2008
11:01 p.m.Report inappropriate content
Greetings, I hate to say it but if it wasn't for illegal immigrants and the legal Hispanic/ Latino community this state as well as many other states in the Union would go to pot. Social statistics show that the Hispanic community is the majority minority over African- Americans in the country now and soon to be heading to the majority ethnicity of population in the country over Anglo- Americans. Also South Carolina is in the top five states of Hispanic growth in the country. Next being Hispanic or Latino is not a race it is an ethnicity, because there are Caucasian, black, and South American Indian Hispanics (that is the term for race).
I think that as a very educated Hispanic that grew up in our community (Oconee County) and worked in the military, law enforcement in this state as well as Texas, and private business I have viewed many issues with in the local community and in other communities and have seen things that may help fix our problems.
People forget the time when the Hispanic communities in N.V., N.M, T.X., and C.A. took a break for two days and most private jobs and public administration about fell apart because they lost a majority of their work force. I think the Hispanic community needs to do it again but maybe for a week to two weeks and then lets see how hard it is for private and public business as well as government react and recover.
Next I hate to hear that illegal’s are taking jobs from the legal working citizens. Because we all know the jobs that they do are jobs that most people won't do like lawn maintenance, road work, and demanding hard force labor jobs for slave wages. So if our society has a problem like that they need to get off the welfare system and do those jobs and that would greatly reduce the illegal work that the illegal immigrants do. But for those individuals it is easier said than done because they have gotten complacent and dependent on the welfare and social service system.
Needlessly the mayor seems to forget even though some immigrants are illegal they still provide money to his city by spending monies earned through their jobs for food, clothes, utilities, residential and business taxes, as well as city fines and city functions. But needless to say those truths are greatly over looked.
September 8, 2008
11:08 p.m.Report inappropriate content
As for the school administrator Mr. Frady, he has it right by being concerned with education of the children in our community legal or not. Because if I know what he knows the more education all children receive the better off they will become and if they are illegal then they will soon be able to hopefully become educated, prominate, and legal citizens of our country. Also when it comes to monies for education we must not forget that this state has an education lottery. So needless to say the state needs to use the appropriated funds properly for the school systems so illegal and legal children would not have issues with being educated due to monetary strain. But as history is now showing us all the states that start these state education lotteries tend to misappropriate the funds to other governmental clout instead of where it need to really go and that is education.
Next when it comes to immigration enforcement the federal government needs to just deal with that because that is their job. The problem with illegal immigration is not an enforcement problem for state and local authorities. If an illegal or legal Latino breaks a city, county, or state statute then they should be treated like any other criminal through our Due Process System. Truly we won't save money by sending them to the federal penitentiary system for their crimes committed in our state. The state and local law enforcement offices just need to make sure that their statistics are on file so that they can file proper FY law enforcement grants to supplement their law enforcement agencies to house these criminals during pre-trail and sentenced stays in county jails as well as state correctional facilities.
I have a great respect for U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett and now him and his politics quite well and he more than likely knows that immigration enforcement would cost the state more money than it is able to put out for state law enforcement agencies to do the federal immigration agencies job. So unless you as a citizen want outrageous tax increases or bond amendment that our children and our children’s children have to pay for the rest of their lives then the federal immigration enforcement system just needs to be reformed to work more efficiently when dealing with deportation and housing of habitual offenders.
September 8, 2008
11:10 p.m.Report inappropriate content
Lastly I believe that the upstate at the city, county, and state levels should have a Hispanic/ Latino commission to help the Latino community come together to help improve the condition of our county as well as our state. These commissions are all over the country and work very well in bringing communities into a harmonious social society by working together to find quality living and jobs for all people as well as providing the proper resources to either help illegal’s get citizenship or temporary work visa's so when they are in the country working they won't be harassed by unethical governmental issues and be able to concentrate on their families and be functioning citizens of our community and state.
In conclusion, most people forget again our country was built on the backs of slaves and immigrants. So philosophically and historically all of are family lines are illegal immigrants except for the Native American that were here before all of us. Have a great day and if Mayor Randy Chastain would like to discuss this further please feel free to post a blog and I will contact you for a great conversation at you convenience. The Journal Tribune has my e-mail on file.
Thank you again,
RG
September 9, 2008
12:31 a.m.Report inappropriate content
Forensicman/RG, PLEASE give it a rest.You can try to condone the situation all you want, but the bottom line is the Mayor is right on track. Something's got to change. Why don't you use your education to help your fellow countrymen rather than try to justify an unjustifiable situation. There is NO acceptable excuse for folks coming here illeagally and sapping the system. Take your educated jibberish back to Mexico along with the rest of your bunch...
September 9, 2008
9:04 a.m.Report inappropriate content
let's not all forget that this is about the illegal.....and that is all........and illegal is illegal, and if it is against our law, it needs to be stopped and not condoned because it brings in revenue........so does corn whiskey, prostitution, and a few other illegal acts, if you think about it long enough(a few men with enough money will buy anything).
September 9, 2008
9:06 a.m.(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
September 9, 2008
9:09 a.m.(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
September 9, 2008
9:25 a.m.Report inappropriate content
Read today's arrest report and you can see some of the problems in Oconee County. Where do these people get all these driver's liscense?
September 9, 2008
9:52 a.m.Report inappropriate content
Senator Alexander sent me the full text of the new illegal immigration law, signed into law in June. As for all those fake drivers licenses, here's part of Section 16-13-525:
"It is unlawful for a person to display, cause or permit to be displayed, or have in his possession a false, ficticious, fraudulent, or counterfeit identity document including, but not limited to, a driver's license or social security card..." First offense is a misdemeanor, with fines up to $100, and jail time up to 30 days. For the second offense, he is "...guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than five years." This part of the law is already in effect. Does anyone want to guess if it's being fully enforced when an illegal pulls out a pocket full of bogus drivers licenses? Are these people being fined and jailed now, as the law requires, or just let go?
September 9, 2008
11:06 a.m.Report inappropriate content
Forensicman..what makes you think the Mayor needs to discuss this issue with you or anyone else that justs wants to nod and wink at our laws being ignored. I wouldn't waste my time with anyone that advocates that authorties look the other way when it comes to the issue who is legal and illegal. I would also suspect you are not in favor of protecting our boarders. I hope I'm wrong but.....?
September 9, 2008
12:06 p.m.Report inappropriate content
jsl47, thank you for asking where all of these illegals get their drivers licenses. I've been following the arrest records for weeks now and the record clearly shows that these illegals posess more than one drivers license. According to SC state statutes, Section 56-1-20, it says "...no person shall receive a motor vehicle driver's license unless and until he surrenders to the Department of Motor Vehicles all valid operator's licenses in his posession issued to him by any other state." I do not put the blame with the SC DMV for they do ask you if you have any license from any other state when you apply for a SC drivers license. You can do a simple "google" search on the internet and find numerous companies who can print up fake documents including driver's licenses and social security cards. Those who cross our US border illegally are breaking our laws and are committing fraud when they posess illegal drivers licenses. These illegals show total disrespect for both federal and state laws in our country.
September 9, 2008
10:29 p.m.Report inappropriate content
Greetings Tenman. I just got to say at least education and experience is better than ignorance. I was born here as well as my family. Also if your not totally a true blood native american I guess I would have to say the same thing you stated go back to what ever eastern country your family origniated from. But in Europe or other countries they feel the same way I do and that is ignorance is is no excuse for the lack of education and wordly experience.
Sorry to sound so mean but you have to know politics before you preach them.
September 9, 2008
10:44 p.m.Report inappropriate content
Greetings oldsouth, Again I am not against protecting our borders due to the fact that I worked in Law Enforcement in S.C. and in T.X as well as was a U.S. Marine in my time. So yes I am a patriot and the protection of our country is always a great issue in my life. But when it comes to Naturalization and Immigration issues that reform has to come from the federal government and not from the states due to the fact of state monietary expendaturesbeing so tight and no help is really given from our federal government to the states to make state agencies to deal with the problem.
Also people have to remeber that border protection is ass backwards especially when most terrorist that are caught or monitored by our intelligence agencies are caught coming through Canada and not from Mexico.
The one thing I learned from being a cop in T.X. is that the Hispanic community turn in more suspicious persons crossing the border than the Canadians do. The reasons being is that they may be legal or illegal they want to work. So if we completely shut down the border they lose the American dream just as all of us and our founding members of our families did in the past. I sound like a politician sometimes but I have seen things in many states and other countries that are three fold worse than the minute problems we face in our daily lives. Have a great day.
September 10, 2008
12:42 a.m.Report inappropriate content
Forensicman, your right, I don't know politics as you say you do, BUT, I do know right from wrong, and your statements trying to justify the situation are just plain wrong. You stated you worked in law enforcement at one time, I would think you should know better...
September 10, 2008
7:43 a.m.Report inappropriate content
For anyone who would like to brush up on their foreign languges, the library has lots of books in Spanish.
September 10, 2008
7:53 a.m.Report inappropriate content
I am so sick of this crap about American people won't work. This is supposed to be the "excuse" for illegals taking our jobs. That is a load of bull****. I have seen it in this area and in other areas where people have to make their living from March thru October. For one thing, it's like another said, an employer can go to a "well-known" place and load workers anytime he wants for long term or short term jobs.
The major reason "our people" won't work, is that they can't work for the same money as the illegals do. Think about, it's NOT that they won't work, it's that they CAN'T AFFORD to work. An employer is willing to pay an illegal $9.00/hr, he has no taxes taken out. Yet, the same employer expects us to work for the same $9.00/hr with taxes taken out. Who is getting screwed here? It definitely ain't the boss.
We have one family in our home(unless there is family with hardship). Most have only two working adults to pay the bills and taxes are coming out of both paychecks.
Legal citizens don't have 6,8,or 10 people living in their home, not of legal working age,anyway. Isn't that breaking some kind of housing or health code? Why do we have building codes?
How does the welfare,food stamps, and other government programs work for them? I thought these progams were income-based. They have to get income from somewhere to be driving these vehicles and going shopping at all the places I see them. If they claim homeless, where did the government mail their food stamp card and other government paperwork to?
September 11, 2008
3:30 p.m.Report inappropriate content
I believe that we American’s have to practice what we preach, first of all this nation which is the good old U.S.A is for all of us. Why? Because it never belong to the German’s who settled there in Walhalla in the first place. This land belonged to the Indian’s and the European’s took it from them, and as I recall they even killed some of them. and send them to die in the desert...How cruel is that I’m sure they felt invaded and probably wondered why these foreigners just thought they could just push them out….I’m sure the first American’s were willing to live in peace even though they were thought of as different...But the European’s didn’t except that. No they wanted more. Now tell me how that is the kindness of a good pilgrim. It sounds like history repeating its self…..You know down right even if all this people had their documents…you still would treat them different…..Because that’s you nature. As my opinion that sounds like a criminal act to me, even more an inhuman act. So how can you point the finger at these people who have the right to be here just as much as you do. Even though they don’t have documents. I’m sure the German’s who settled Walhalla had there documents. “Yeah Right". No I wouldn’t think so...So what the hell makes the difference...You people need to ease up on these people, who what to make a life for them selves...and quit being so paranoid...You know if us American’s would just try to get along with other cultures and learn their language and be tolerant of each other this would be a better world….Why can’t we just all get along. And shame on you Mayor Randy Chastain for thinking you own your so righteous.
September 11, 2008
3:55 p.m.Report inappropriate content
No Randy, not shame on you......this has gotten sooooo far away from the subject. (ILLEGALS) (not Hispanics, that are here legally). Do not ease up for all of our sakes.
September 11, 2008
4:46 p.m.Report inappropriate content
john_blmnt....I just wasted a lot of time reading your rant. WE DO HAVE LAWS and we're expexted to obey those laws. Keep in mind that the illegal immigrants are the one in question. As best as I can tell, you want the illegals with no documents, with the exception of 1/2 dozen drivers licence, to be just ignored???? GIVE ME A BREAK!!!! GIT-R-Done Mayor, you've got the backing of the whole county, with maybe exception of one individual.
September 11, 2008
6:11 p.m.Report inappropriate content
john blmnt, perhaps you could start paying their medical bills, education, clean up the neighborhoods that have gone to hell. You take care of all that and we can all get along.