Phoenix: Is this what we want in our city (The effects of illegals)

PhxNews ^ | azred

[hsmomx3]

Something I often see missing in the news about illegal immigrants, is what they bring to America. We all know about the financial drain on health care, and welfare, but what about the culture shock to American citizens?

Have you seen how some of our cities are looking lately? Illegals are coming over in such great numbers that we are starting to live in their cultural standards.

My neighborhood is now filled with people that think the front yard is a parking lot, and that standing in the front yard drinking Bud Light and partying after work is OK.

Businesses that fold because of declining neighborhoods are reemerging as dollar stores, check cashing marts, taco stands, or something that totally caters to Hispanics.

Loitering day labors are a terrible eye sore in our communities, but the police do nothing to stop it. If our own citizens would take the initiative and call the police something might get done.

The social and visual impact is frustrating to our citizens. How can we have a sense of class, or dignity when we look around at our environment and see nothing but trash and poverty?

Look at the poles while driving down the streets. They are covered in Hispanic graffiti. There’s hardly a pole untouched in the city of Phoenix. If you don’t see it take your blinders off.

Those who are selling out the people of America for cheap labor, will themselves ultimately suffer the blight that it has brought us all.

[Xenalyte]

Well, considering that a) white people suck and b) men suck too, and we ALL know that's true, you're absolutely right.

(saith the warrior princess whose redneck dad drinks beer in his front yard)

[Reaganwuzthebest]

But they don't and they wont.

In order to do those things like close the borders we have to have the political will. I don't see it coming from Bush who repeated his mantra today about matching up willing employees with employers.

We're probably going to have to wait till 2008 for a presidential candidate who hears the people on immigration, although there is a chance the CLEAR Act will pass Congress next year.

[international american]

2008 will be too late, I think.

[Reaganwuzthebest]

2008 will be too late, I think.

If any kind of general amnesty gets passed between now and then I agree it'll be too late.

[satan]

It's not only Phoenix. Following describes intimidation of Manassas, Virginia City Counsel - drinking on the lawn is cultural!

Mexican consul attempts to bridge cultural divide


By SARI KRIEGER
skrieger@manassasjm.com
Monday, November 17, 2003


Edgardo Flores Rivas, the Consul General for the Mexican Consul in Washington, D.C., wants Manassas officials to better understand his countrymen living in their city.
"It's important you understand the Mexican culture, because you're getting a lot of Mexicans," Rivas said.

Rivas spoke to a group of about 40 police, fire and government officials Monday afternoon at the Kellar Family Theater in the Old Candy Factory in Old Town.

Mexicans often don't understand the American laws and customs, and officials don't understand Mexicans, Rivas said. He wanted officials to know they can call the consul for help.

Some of the troubles Mexicans face include getting important American documents because of different birth certificate practices in their home country. This makes things like getting paychecks and interacting with police officers difficult.

"We often have problems, particularly in the area of obtaining legal and recognizable documents that allow us to identify an individual," said Manassas Police Chief John Skinner.

The consul can help Mexicans get passports, and it issues its own identification card. Rivas encourages all immigrants to obtain a Consul identification card, or Matricula, to prevent false arrests and misunderstandings.

"It's important for us that our people are not confused with terrorists or criminals," Rivas said.

Selling property in Mexico and registering children are also tasks that may be daunting for an immigrant, and the consul seeks to help. But mostly, Rivas worries that Mexicans in legal trouble aren't getting lawful treatment or don't understand their rights.

"We're not here to get drunks out of jail, but if it's a serious offense and will get complicated, we want to be notified," Rivas said.

Even illegal immigrants have rights, Rivas said. Workers without residency papers still have the same labor rights as legal residents, except back pay, according to Rivas.

"You can't exploit a worker because he doesn't have legal documents," Rivas said. "We make sure the legal rights of the person are observed."

Rivas wanted those in attendance to think of Mexicans as hard workers, not as criminals. But sometimes they will loiter or gather in conversation instead of working, he said, because frequent social interaction is of paramount importance to their culture and emotional well-being, not because they're lazy or wish to break any laws.

Some Mexicans have often been harassed, according to Rivas. He said they are known to store money in their pockets or homes because they can't open a back account without identification.

Drinking alcohol in public is acceptable in Mexico, and when immigrants are arrested for alcohol related violations here they don't understand, according to Puerto Rican native and Prince William County Sheriff's deputy Janice Hetzel. The language barrier makes interactions with police even more difficult, and Hispanics often think normal confiscation of the money and property on their person during arrest is a payoff for police, as occurs in Mexico, Hetzel said.

"They have a lot of money in their pockets, and they think they're paying for services to let them go," she said. "But the word has gotten around that they return your property to you."

Hetzel said communications have improved with the hiring of Spanish speaking deputies like herself, but Hispanics have often already experienced miscommunication with officers and others by the time they reach the sheriff's office.

Hank Azais has been active in Hispanic issues in Manassas, and Skinner said he is an important liaison between authorities and the Hispanic community. Azais said he tries to educate the people that deal with Hispanics.

Education in general is often a problem for Hispanics in America, Rivas said. Parents who don't speak or read English can't help their children with homework.

Woodbridge District School Board Representative Denita Ramirez said she would like to see an increase in English as a Second Language programs for parents, which could help foster a greater understanding between Hispanics and their new community.

"It's important that the schools are able to reach out to the families," Ramirez said.

[abigailsmybaby]

My neighborhood is now filled with people that think the front yard is a parking lot

And the backyard is a landfill.

[k2blader]

My neighborhood is now filled with people that think the front yard is a parking lot, and that standing in the front yard drinking Bud Light and partying after work is OK.

What exactly is wrong about this?

Also, I'm assuming the author is assuming these folks are illegal immigrants. But don't many American citizens across the country also park and drink beer in their front yards after work??

[HiJinx]

how many parents that live HERE refuse to speak anything but Spanish, and expect US to cater to them!!

HeHe!! I know of at least one small town hospital where they are simply SOL! The two ladies working the front desk probably know three words of Spanish between them..."Hasta la Vista".

If the patient can't communicate in English, they don't get helped. It's amazing how many of them drop the pretense and speak English when the patient registration clerk stands her ground.

[chicagolady]

Again, it has been mention many times before. They do not want to come here and become Americans. They want to come here and make America...MEXICO!

[dozer7]

"I'm sure you can figure it out. Just go down to your major hospital ER for a clue."

I compound fractured my toe on a sunday morning here in Wichita Kansas. I went to the ER, it was like a day at the UN. Only myself and and another man there spoke english. I moved back to Kansas from California when I retired because it had turned into a third world cesspool. Kansas it not far behind. Go to Dillons on a saturday morning and there are illegals selling power tools out of the trunks of their tricked out cars. I bought a house in the coutry hope to come into the city as little as possible.

regards,

the dozer

[dozer7]

" I can name at least a dozen in southern California alone. It's unbelievable what this state is turning into, Mexican colonias like Tijuana."

Rialto California in the early 70s was a beautiful place. Orange groves - sleepy comfortable community. Five years ago my mother-in-law finally sold out and moved to northern california after the second drive by shooting and the forth time her house got robbed. At least now it is very diverse.

regards,

the dozer

[dfwgator]

Phoenix: Is this what we want in our city?

I thought this was going to be about the Arizona Cardinals.

[janetgreen]

Rialto California in the early 70s was a beautiful place. Orange groves - sleepy comfortable community.

Rialto was lovely, I remember. Same with Santa Ana. Now SA is 90% Mexican, and you don't drive through there at night if you value your life.

[breakem]

...........we did burnouts in the driveway,which is right by their house. We finally quit about one in the morning.

Wellllllll, isn't that special! Let me know if a house goes up for sale near yours.

[calawah98]

I do the faxing, calling, emailing also, but thought if enough would start forwarding all the news articles, to all of them, it would just be another way of letting them know, it is just not the same people doing the same thing all the time.

I figure if every one I forward the email to, does the same forwarding, etc, it is going to reach people that really do not get that involved.

Just another far out idea, that I hope enough people will try, and see what happens, probably nothing, but as you say we have to keep trying.

Did you just get an email from Fair, to send faxes? Just got through faxing a bunch of them.

[John Robertson]

"This is socio-economic more than it is cultural."

That's a little too simplistic for me. The socio-economic and cultural aspects are so intertwined as to be inseparable, in my opinion. Here's something: If you suddenly tripled their income, would they they suddenly be sophisticated, caring, responsible citizens? By sophisticated I mean, would they appreciate our form of government, our founding principles, the American way of life?

I don't think so. Bad culture drives out good. Variation on Gresham's Law. Always has, always will.

[breakem]

In WVA we parked in the yard because we never got rid of a car or truck. After all, ya never know when you'll need a carb from a 51 GMC panel truck.

In Cal they park in the yard because there's only room for two cars in the driveway and two in the street and there's 11+ adults living in the house.

[Joe Hadenuf]

I compound fractured my toe on a sunday morning here in Wichita Kansas. I went to the ER, it was like a day at the UN. Only myself and and another man there spoke english. I moved back to Kansas from California when I retired because it had turned into a third world cesspool. Kansas it not far behind. Go to Dillons on a saturday morning and there are illegals selling power tools out of the trunks of their tricked out cars. I bought a house in the coutry hope to come into the city as little as possible.

I have no answers. It's very sad watching this happen before our eyes.

I've voted, screamed, protested, called my congressmen, worked for CA propostion 187, and none of it did any good. The people entering illegally are never ending....Get worse by the month.

I have told people for several years, what was happening in California, Texas and Arizona would soon be coming to their *own* cities and suburbs...And it's happening from Georgia to Oregon and all points in between.....

This is obviously what the government wants. I'm sorry.

As I said earlier, I've got no answers, the only real escape would be to leave the city and suburbs and try and make it in a more rural environment. Unfortunately, for some people, that isn't possible. We decided life was just too short....

[mvpel]

Hank Hill and his buddies are standing in the back alley drinking beer, not in the front yard.

[Clemenza]

Riverside Park, Central Park, Inwood Hill Park, The West Village, Upper East Side by Schurz Park.

Hell, its even prettier in the outer boroughs: Brooklyn Heights, the western part of Bay Ridge (by the water), City Island, Whitestone/Malba in Queens, Fieldston in the Bronx (although the Kennedys lived there once). New York is more than Times Square...