Saturday Forum
08/29/2009
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08/28/09 - A California Hispanic Says Crimes Statistics Reflect Rising Latino-On-Latino Violence

A Florida Reader Wonders Why Russians Are Considered The Only Marriage Scam Artists; etc.

From: Wanda de Jesus (e-mail her)

Re: Joe Guzzardi's Column: Russian Women For Sale—$31,500! (Sorry, Cash Only!)

Why are marriage scams to gain a U.S. green card and citizenship considered unique to Russians?

I live in Florida and my daughter has already been twice offered $8,000 to enter into a fake marriage.

One "proposal" came from a Moroccan guy who is living in America illegally (with his wife!). The second offer came from a young Brazilian boy who just met my daughter.

Fake marriages are common throughout Florida among virtually every ethnicity.

de Jesus, a Third-generation American, is a primary school teacher in the Miami area. Her previous letters about Miami mayor Manny Diaz and charity for illegal aliens are here and here.

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A North Carolina Home Owner Says He Can't Rent A Room In His House Without "Discrimination" Hassles

From:  Brian Van L. (e-mail him)

Re: Robert Weissberg's Column: Is The Affirmative Action Frankenstein On Its Last Legs?

Weissberg wrote: "...job applicants with identical resumes are named 'Richard' or LaTishya...'"

I bought a house near a university ten years ago with a plan to rent out the extra two bedrooms to college students.

Imagine my surprise when I went to place an ad for my rooms and discovered I can't advertise for "students". This, I was told, constitutes discrimination.

Nor can I run an ad for male or female housemates or for people of a certain age group and so forth. All those specifics represent discrimination. Even though my ad clearly stated that my rooms are in a private home and are not commercial rental property, none of that mattered.

In the end, I got burned when I agreed to meet an applicant who gave her name as "Julie" but who, in fact, was a young black woman named Latoya who had learned the trick Weissberg referred to about lying to people about her name.

My rental situation soon turned messy. I consider myself fortunate to have gotten out of without being sued or subjected to a civil rights complaint.

As the saying goes, live and learn.

But I think we're way past the point of reason where the government thinks it has a right to control who lives in my own private home.

Van L. is state employee who specializes in computer systems.

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A Reader Blames "Organized Jewry" For Minority-Based Programs; Robert Weissberg Replies

From: M.L. (e-mail him)

I just read Weissberg's column on the affirmative action Frankenstein.

Going by Weissberg's last name, I note that he conveniently forgot to mention that we would have no problems with minorities if it wasn't for organized Jewry.

Weissberg knows the truth of this as well as anyone.

Robert Weissberg responds:

This is a deceptively important comment. Today's forceful, unabashed patriotic conservatism (or whatever label one might use) cannot get out of first gear until it loses its anti-Semitic odor.

To be sure, Jews still flock to the Left though it is increasingly anti-Semitic. But old political habits die hard. So, just when Jews think it is safe to "go in there," i.e., join the Right, something like this shows up.

And I'm sure my Jewish friends will say, "See, I told you so, VDARE.COM is filled with Jew-haters, so why do you even associate with them?" If I had a nickel for every time I was asked why I write for VDARE.COM or Taki.mag since "they" are there, I would have at least a dollar.

What makes the anti-Semitism reflected in this letter so frustrating is that it is impervious to reason, let alone evidence.

It is pointless to note that countless non-Jews vigorously pushed Affirmative Action (including Richard Nixon) or that many Jews abhor it. And that it's equally foolish to needlessly antagonize potential Jewish allies with such rants.

Perchance an anti-Jewish is gene buried deeply in the conservative DNA and it just periodically erupts. This inclination is a disaster far beyond an ill-tempered comment.

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A Veteran DC Journalist Says We Have To Keep Pressure On For Rational Immigration Policies

From: Hal Burnett (e-mail him)

Re: Don Collins' Column: Democrat Calls On All Progressive Americans: Ignore Smears—Reform Immigration

As Collins writes, the pressure for rationality on immigration and population issues must continue.

I realize that there's already far too much on the federal government's plate, but population growth and rampant influxes of immigration are unlikely to just go away until our leaders pay serious attention and soon.

Immigration policy is a political hot potato that shows no signs whatsoever of cooling down.

Like Collins, I've yet to see the immigration reform formula with which I'm entirely satisfied or feel Congress would adopt.

Maybe I'm willing to settle for half a loaf, if only I knew what that would be.

While some dispute whether it is practical to round up all illegal aliens and ship them back to where they came from, my concern is that before too long the immigration debate might turn into something ugly in terms of racial/ethnic hatred, etc. If the U.S. would only enforce laws already on the books, it would be helpful.

The more I think about the immigration problem, the more I'm convinced that anything less than really clamping down hard on the "pull factor" (employers) will work; it's the only remedy I see.

The "push factor" is hopeless so long as remittances are such an element in countries of origin.

And I mean huge penalties on those companies that hire illegal aliens: meaningful fines, removal of business licenses and the long jail sentences.

But if the U.S. fails to enforce immigration laws for political reasons or misplaced humanitarian concerns, then we're leading with our chins — always dangerous.

I'm surprised the discourse hasn't already turned uglier.

But as the national unemployment rate nears double digits, I'm convinced that horrible internecine conflagrations may ensue.

Burdett has been a newspaper reporter, political writer and columnist and an editorial page editor for newspapers in Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis. He retired earlier this year as Vice President for Communications of the Population Institute, an international nonprofit organization headquartered in Washington, DC. His previous letters about the wisdom of a national ID card and keeping English as our national language are here and here.

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