City Council Overturns Racist "English Only" Law in Small New York Town

Last year, Councilman Roger Meyer of Jackson, New York, pushed through a very restrictive "English Only" law. The town's focus on making English the official language struck many outside of it as intriguing – foreign languages have not been an issue there. Its foreign-born population is 2.4 percent of the total community of about 1,800 people, far below that of the state, which is 20.4 percent.

Meyer concedes that the measure was more of a pre-emptive strike against what he sees as the "very likely presence sometime in the future of foreign-language speakers who would demand that government services be provided in their language."

“There might be a need in the future,” Meyer said, adding that language use in public services could become an issue “40 years from now.” ”I think it’s heading that way, people seem to be getting more separated,” he said.

You can once again conduct Jackson town business in Spanish, Italian, or any other native tongue. The Town Board voted Wednesday evening to repeal its restrictive English language-only law by a 4-1 vote. It ends a year of notoriety for the community that drew criticism from across the country and resulted in a threatening letter from state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who warned the town that the law was illegal because it was too discriminatory.

About two dozen local residents and a representative from the New York Civil Liberties Union attended the meeting, held in this Washington County community's town hall, a former one room schoolhouse. A number of town residents have been fighting the law since it was first proposed by board member Roger Meyer about a year ago.

"It sends an unwelcoming message about who we are, both to our community and to the greater community beyond Jackson," resident Peg Winship said before the board vote. "It also puts our town at financial risk because it is unlawfully discriminatory and unconstitutionally infringes on free speech and the right to access information about town government."

Republicans: Out to Destroy the Unions and Anyone who Opposes their Big Business Agenda!

Republicans are up to their dirty tactics again. This time, they are out to bust the unions. During their Republican Governors' Conference, they set the agenda. Bust the Unions. Why? Traditionally, Union Members tend to be Democrats. By busting the Unions, this is their way of disrupting votes for the 2012 elections. We are seeing their Union Busting agenda in action right now in Wisconsin. They are targetting the Teachers' Union and other Government Worker bargaining units. We all know Teacher's traditionally have low pay, but they do have good benefits, thanks to the unions. Republicans are also attacking Teachers' pensions. Can you imagine how the teachers in Wisconsin feel right now? They've given their lives dedicated to educating our children for little pay. Now the Big Business supporting Rethuglican Governor Walker and his cohorts are after Teachers' pensions and health insurance.
The Gov. says he is attempting to Destroy the Union because of the impact on Wisconsin's economy. However, Wisconsin Fiscal Bureau disagrees. They said the "Current Budget Shortfall Is A Direct Result" Of Governor Walker's Tax Cut (for Big Business) Policies.

Meanwhile, the Rethug Women Haters in Congress are attempting to demolish Planned Parenthood. Nevermind that the Government has NOT funded abortions in decades. Nevermind a FAKE Video by James O'Keefe's protege Lila Rose has been proven to be a blatant lie. Nevermind that Planned Parenthood helps women by providing birthcontrol and health assistance. The Republicans don't like Planned Parenthood and their plan is to Demolish it! Such a Blatant attack against women!

Republicans are such an engima. Their 1st goal after the 2010 election was to EXTEND the Tax Cuts for the Rich! That accomplished, their next goal (per Mitch McConnell) is to Defeat President Obama in the 2012 election. Their plan is to destroy the Unions, demolish Planned Parenthood, Eliminate Entitlements including: Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. They also want to privatize Education. They want to shut down the Government and not extend the budget in March.

They say they are Pro-Life, yet they support the Death Penalty and advocate the use of weapons of terror - open carry - assault weapons and ammo.
They say they are for an improved economy, yet their first agenda is to extend tax cuts for the rich.
They say they are for the middle class, yet they aim to eliminate regulations and safety standards. They want to eliminate/cap our right to sue when we are harmed by dangerous products.
They say they want all Americans to have access to Healthcare, but they want to eliminate the Healthcare bill which includes eliminating the Pre-Existing Conditions clause. They advocate privatizing Medicare and all Healthcare. No restrictions.
Many in their groups advocate Mass Deportation of the 12M here and Racial Profiling ala bills like sb1070.
They do not believe in multi-culturalism. They do not believe in Freedom of Religion for all or equality for all. Instead they wail: "I want my country back...from a Black President."

Republicans.....how can any rational, logical person ever, ever vote for them??

Profile - Rep Steve King: Named NEW Chairman Immigration Sub-Committee

Loony Tunes right wing extremist Rep. Steve King has been named the Chairman of the Immigration sub-committee. I find it very troubling that Republicans have already named this person the head of the powerful Immigration sub-committee, especially considering his long history of very racist and controversial statements. King is not one to shy away from controversy. He hates the President and he hates Latinos -- at least that is what his controversial statements indicate.

King is also aggressive. Though newly named to this Chairmanship, he has already given an interview to CBS News saying he is “looking at dropping a bill early in the 112th Congress” to change the 14th Amendment (Jus Soli). King was quick to state he is proposing this bill specifically targetting those whose parents come here from South of the Border. He said he expected hearings “in the next couple months” after the legislation is introduced. I wouldn't be surprised if his intent is to make this law retroactive!
After this proposal to change the 14th Amendment, given his history, we can expect King to introduce bills which support Mass Deportation, national immigration laws which resemble racial profiling bill sb1070, "Official English" bills which support ending the printing of all government documents in any language other than English, and the end to government interpreters. He may even extend these laws into the workplace.

The Republicans move to put King in this very high profile position sends a very clear signal. They care NOTHING about the Latino Vote or the Minority Vote. Given this aggressive and negative stand by the Republicans, the racist ANTI Latino thugs will surely feel empowered. NumbersUSA and other Hate Groups (as identified by the ADL) strongly support Rep King. In fact they have scored him A+ on their Immigration Report (Hate) Card. On Nov. 11, after his Republican appointment to Chair the Immigration sub-committee, King even hosted an ANTI Latino Immigration forum which feature Roy Beck from Numbers USA and other Hate group members. They used this forum to begin developing their ANTI Latino Immigration Agenda for 2011. Check this link to see the cast of characters attending, including Steve Camarota (CIS) and Jerry Kammer (CIS) of the CIS - John Tanton Network.

The ANTI Latino rhetoric and hate crimes we have seen in the past are sure to increase in the months ahead. Let's be prepared for the inevitable. Our only hope is for everyone to be aware of their actions for what they are and draw attention to them. We also must register as many fair minded people as possible for the 2012 election!

King's long history of racist comments against our President, Blacks and Latinos include:
Remarks about President Obama/Government:
. attacked President Obama saying his policies "favor black people."
. "Obama will certainly be viewed as a savior for them (terrorists).... That's why you will see them supporting him, encouraging him."
. promoted a false conspiracy theory that President Obama was bringing Muslims into the U.S.
. said Obama’s decision to use his middle name, "Hussein", when he was sworn in as the 44th President of the United States to be "bizarre" and “a double-standard."
. King said he "empathized" with the man who flew a plane into the IRS building in Austin, Texas, killing himself and an IRS employee, saying he is also opposed to the IRS.
Remarks about Latinos / Immigration:
. compared undocumented immigrants to cockroaches
. Illegal Immigrants Can Be Spotted By Their Shoes Or A "Sixth Sense"
. re: sb1070 "(Racial) Profiling has always been an important component of legitimate law enforcement. If you can’t profile someone, you can’t use those common sense indicators that are before your very eyes."

Background: Rep. Steve King - Chairman of the Immigration sub-committee
Steven Arnold "Steve" King is the U.S. Representative for Iowa's 5th congressional district, serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party. He was born May 28, 1949 in Storm Lake Iowa. He does not have a college degree. He was an Iowa State Senator from 1996 - 2002. As a state Senator, he was largely responsible for making English the "Official Language" in Iowa.
He was elected to US Congress in 2002. His record:
. He continually voted for growth and expansion of the Iraq War
. King opposes race based quotas and affirmative action.
. King has stated: “There’s been legislation that’s been brought through this House that sets aside benefits for women and minorities. The only people that it excludes are white men...Pretty soon, white men are going to notice they are the ones being excluded.”
. King voted against the $52 billion Katrina Aid package.
. Democratic Congresswoman Barbara Lee, claimed that King's "campaign of innuendo and unsubstantiated 'concern' is better suited to the era of Joseph McCarthy than today's House of Representatives," King responded that history showed McCarthy to be "a hero for America".

Guest Voz: Patrick Young - Long Island Wins: Proposed AZ Anti-Immigrant Law Would be WORST in Nation! (Racial Profiling)

Guest Voz: Andrew Young - Long Island Wins
Proposed Arizona Anti-Immigrant Law Would Be Worst In Nation
Passage this week of a bill aimed at immigrants by both houses of the Arizona legislature will impose new hardships on Latinos living in the state. The bill makes anyone who entered the United States illegally a criminal guilty of state trespass.

An analysis of the bill by the ACLU details problems likely to result:

"It gives local police officers authority to investigate, detain and arrest people for perceived immigration violations without the benefit of proper training, exacerbating the problem of racial profiling and raising concerns about the prolonged detention of citizens and legal residents. "

The damage this bill will do to police/community relations is incalculable. The bill overturns local policies preventing police from asking crime victims and witnesses about their immigration status. Police have repeatedly said that they cannot work effectively in Latino communities without guaranteeing the confidentiality of immigration status of thos cooperating with investigations. Another provision of the bill requires police to investigate the immigration status of any person they have reason to believe may be in the country illegally.