[riri]

I drove downtown about 6 months ago, admittedly I don't get out of the East Valley much...I was shocked at the shanty apartment houses, etc. All visible as I pulled off the exit.

[Incorrigible]

Aside from the Hispanic graffiti, isn't this what West Virginia looks like?

:-)

[vto]

Phoenix has welfare programs that attract welfare brats.

And jobs.

[Joe Hadenuf]

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.

And unfortunately, it's just the tip of the iceberg.

And looking at what the Bush administration and his home land security chief stated last week, it wont be getting better, as their actions will only give the green light for millions more to enter illegally.

My only suggestion would be to try at all cost, to leave large cities and suburbs. As that is, without a doubt, where the overall majority of illegals are headed..If you can't do that, good luck...

[Weimdog]

This is disturbing -

THE PRESIDENT: "Well, first of all, I have constantly said that we need to have a immigration policy THAT HELPS MATCH ANY WILLING EMPLOYER WITH ANY WILLING EMPLOYEE. It makes sense that that policy go forward. And we're in the process of working that through now so I can make a recommendation to the Congress."

"Let me also clarify something. This administration is firmly against blanket amnesty."

http://www.whitehouse.gov/

[WackyKat]

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.

Bud Light?

At least when I pass out in my yard, it's from drinking Heineken

[fso301]

Let the companies keep outsourcing to India and China and see how long it is before Americans cross over the border into Mexico in search of work.

[gubamyster]

You should see the neighborhoods in the Highland Park area of LA. Aside from the other squalor living conditions, people hang clothes for sale on the chain link fences in front of their houses, turn their front lawns and any empty lot into a bazaar by putting their "wares" on the ground, and sell food from carts (including flaming grills). This is the same type of open-air bazaar I saw when I lived in Turkmenistan. If I was a shop owner who had to buy a business license, follow other ordinances, pay for rent & utilities I would be pretty upset by these squatters setting up shop in front of their house or on the street corners.

[Reaganwuzthebest]

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

The sellouts who are turning the US into the Brazil of the north and think we are a shopping mall in constant need of cheap labor will not suffer any consequences. Those types will live in gated communities or move out of the country completely when the ship goes down.

[Britton J Wingfield]

taco stands, or something that totally caters to Hispanics.

Thank god for plenty of good 24-hour taco stands!

[FeliciaCat]

Many Americans who happen to be Mexican also DO NOT like the decline of neighborhoods, trashy cars in they yard, increased crime, etc. I went to school with many American Mexicans and they were the MOST vocal against the illegals...

[discostu]

Apparently this person has never seen poor people before. The only difference between this behavior and the behavior of American poor people for the last few decades is the accent. They stand around outside getting drunk, they don't clean anything, they cover the landscape in graffiti. Nothing new under the sun except some people suddenly noticed when the poor people in question weren't speaking English.

[DustyMoment]

If control of our cities is what we want, we have the capability. If control of our borders is what we want we have the capability. All we have to do is make more noise than the liberal opposition, somebody will pay attention.

The solution, however, is NEVER run away in defeat. Don't like the illegals transforming the city into the land they abandoned? Take it back!! Make their lives more miserable everytime they setup one of these "open air" junk and puke markets they're so fond of. If that's the type of commerce environment they want, help them move back to Mexico, or instruct them on the right way to lease space in a flea market or strip mall. But, DO NOT just abandon the city in defeat.

Unless your city isn't very important to you.

[Clemenza]

Phoenix is one butt ugly city to begin with.

[Liberal Classic]

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 somethingthat totally caters to Hispanics.

These sound to me to be soccer mom complaints. Add a bait shop next to the tamale stand, and you have something close to heaven.

[Xenalyte]

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

You mean it's not?

[Lady Eileen]

Bump and thanks for the post.

[freeangel]

Third world country coming to your neighborhood soon, courtesy of Tom Ridge and the U.S. government refusing to take a stand against ILLEGALS.

[kegler4]

Hmm, you could say virtually the same thing about a large section of the southeast part of my city, but it's inhabited mostly by whites whose families have been in the U.S. for generations. This is socio-economic more than it is cultural.

[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.