New Haven Independent

Posted by: on whalley | July 24, 2007 8:41 AM

I love how the background in the photo resembles the French flag. Fitting.

I suppose I could take the time and space to defend the JBS but there isnt anything in it for me. If a few people affiliated with a larger group starts saying idiotic and racist things the group is bound to be stereotyped. Its no different than a person believing all Democrats to be socialist tree huggers or all Republicans to be conglomerate loving war mongers.

People, if so inclined, can do their own research.
The greater shame is that research often invloves forming an opinion then searching for evidence to support that preformed opinion. Of course, then the obligatory blanketing of anyone or thing remotely associated with that "research" be that association by race, dress, accent or membership. Now, if you'll excuse me, my Nikes suggest I am late to remove my testicles and hitch a ride on a comet.

Posted by: Fedupwithliberals | July 24, 2007 8:59 AM

No other city in this nation can refer to a specific date in time where it's downslide into oblivion began. Amazing what lengths politicians will go through to gain or maintain power at whatever cost to town or country. All politics is certainly local!

Posted by: jeanruss | July 24, 2007 3:07 PM

I am not a loon because I oppose water fluoridation. I am the mother of a child who died of bone cancer, a disease that is more prevalent in fluoridated communities than those that don't ad this toxin to their water-Latest Harvard research again highlights this correlation-European countries banned fluoride over ten years ago, yet politicians in America perpetuate the myth that it is harmless-do your own research and keep this toxin away from your family. I regret that I trusted the government and medical authorities and undermined my child's health. Our story is at annieappleseedproject.org under Brett Russell.

Posted by: The Sieve | July 24, 2007 3:24 PM

There is plenty of room for legitimate difference of opinion on this issue without a sad descent into racist rhetoric.

The #1 obligation and responsibility of municipal government is to ensure the safety and welfare of the that municipality's inhabitants.

It is true in the case of New Haven that some of those inhabitants are here illegally. Certainly, this is a federal problem. New Haven has neither the money nor authority to make or enforce federal immigration policy.

Are the municipal ID's the equivelant of a Green Card? Do they confer any federal recogntion on the recipients.

The rehotic of opponents would have you believe it does. It simply does not.

The ID's are the city's way to gaurantee the safety of its inhabitants. That some of those inhabitants happen to be foreigners or illegals is irrelevant. If you live in New Haven, you are a resident of New Haven.

I commend Mayor Destefano and the BOA for their decision. As a resident of New Haven, I support the card and welcome the legitimate debate that this brings: about our federal immigration policies, the struggles of our cities the current white house's abandonment of issues that effect the average worker or average citizen.

Posted by: gaurantee the safety | July 24, 2007 3:40 PM

If I have been reading correctly. NHPD is under intense scrunity because people in New Haven don't feel safe. Is there some implication here that the card makes people safe?

Posted by: cedarhillresident | July 24, 2007 4:16 PM

These are my neighbors, members of my community! There children go to school with our children! I am PROUD TO BE A NEW HAVEN RESIDENT TODAY! And I stand by, no I stand with the immigrants that live in this city. I hope that more New Haveners go and get the ID Card, not just for it's uses but to show that we may have our differences but we are a city that sticks together!! We may fight about the way things are runned, what area gets this and that, but at the end of the day we have one thing that ties us all toghther, we are NEW HAVENER'S everyone of us!!

Got mine today! dang that was one long line!! And the things I over heard the people out front saying mad me a bit sick. They are just mad that they are not New Haveners!

Posted by: jade | July 24, 2007 5:54 PM

To "fedup..." and anyone else who wants to keep immigrants out, I have only one thing to tell you. Your parents or your parent's parents or their parents WERE IMMIGRANTS to this country. There are not too many people here. (Go visit Hong Kong!) Be a decent human being and GET ALONG!

Posted by: True New Havener | July 24, 2007 6:06 PM

On Whalley,

Defend the John Birch Society? Are you kidding us? This is not a question of some Republicans (or Democrats) being bigots so the whole party is racist. This is a group built entirely on the belief in substantial absurd conspiracies. To belong to the John Birch Society is to subscribe to the idea that you are existing in "The Matrix."

John Birch conspiracies include:

* That Dwight D. Eisenhower was a communist agent.
* That Martin Luther King was a communist agent.
* That the Illuminati somehow connected with the Freemasons have quietly ruled the world for centuries.
* That Franklin Roosevelt knew about the Pearl Harbor Attack and facilitated its success to start World War II.

They don't hide from any of these conspiracy theories.

And it is another grand conspiracy theory that is at least one of the reasons that they hate immigrants. JBS believes that the presidents of Canada, the US and Mexico regularly meet secretly to do away with all three countries and create one big country. Immigration facilitates this grand scheme and is thus to be opposed.

I said "at least one" because it does appear that John Birch has existed in an EXTREME conservative world since its founding. If something were to benefit people of color, JBS opposed it. From Civil Rights to the New Deal to immigration JBS has been opposed to expanding opportunities for people of color. This is not something that can be said across the board about the Republican Party or lots of other conservative organizations which have always had members who for example marched for civil rights but were opposed to affirmative action or supported anti-lynching legislation while Democrats refused to allow it to come to a vote in the Senate.

JBS has no such redeeming parts of its history or inclination for such members. It has been exclusively antagonistic to the advancement of people of color. But JBS is also just plain odd.

Don't sully your otherwise potentially good points by comments such as "I suppose I could take the time and space to defend the JBS but there isnt anything in it for me. If a few people affiliated with a larger group starts saying idiotic and racist things the group is bound to be stereotyped. Its no different than a person believing all Democrats to be socialist tree huggers or all Republicans to be conglomerate loving war mongers."

There is a big difference between JBS and the Republican Party or the Democratic Party. JBS makes people who are different into enemies, even if it needs a vast world-wide conspiracy to justify this. In gloatingly affiliating themselves with JBS, these anti-immigrant folks can be painted with the JBS brush: ultra-conservative, hate-filled and almost certainly irrational.

Posted by: THREEFIFTHS | July 24, 2007 10:08 PM

True New Haven
I Am Not A Fan Of The John Birch Society But I Can
Tell You That Freemasons Who Made The Money We Use
The Thule Society The Illuminati And Even Go Old
Skull And Bones Right Here From Yale Are Not Absurd Conspiracis But Are Real!!! Goggle In Ancient Mystery Schools And Read Anthory Sutton
Book On Skull And Bones Even Now The CIA Is Full Of Skull And Bones Members. About These I.D.Cards
Let Them Have Them, I Do Not Care About The Cards
Beacuse As I Have Stated If You Find Illegally Immigrants Than All You Have To Do Is Call ICE Yourself Case Closed.

Posted by: New Haven | July 25, 2007 10:27 AM

Hey Jade- You are absolutely right, My parents are immigrants. My father was proud enough to serve in the army here as well and waited years to become a citizen. I noticed that there was one word you failed to put into your post. That word is " ILLEGAL".

Posted by: Taxed To Death | July 25, 2007 11:50 AM

I take great exception to NHI's phrase to describe WELI - "hate radio" - that's not what the station stands for, nor is it the language of its morning host. He like many of us, feel abused by City Hall and its practicioners of race baited, socio-economic baited plantation politics. Let me also point out, that these cards DO NOT allow illegals to open bank accounts. It's one of the myths of this story. It is up to the bank to accept whatever forms of ID it requires. The to be formed Community Bank says it will accept these cards, but at last disclosure, the community services department did not have any bank who had committed to their acceptance.

Posted by: mindoflen | July 25, 2007 1:48 PM

There is a new force in the city today (apologies to Karl Marx), and that is causeless hate. Read more about it, and about Paul Bass, the latest whipping boy for some of you, in http://mindoflen.blogspot.com

Posted by: jade | July 25, 2007 3:35 PM

Dear "New Haven",
Right. If the native americans had a law banning illegal immigrants, would that have stopped my ancestors on the Mayflower? Let's not repeat history.

Posted by: John | July 25, 2007 11:25 PM

When I see Illegal Immigrants lined up for identification cards in the city of New Haven, it makes my blood boil. Yes, I realize there are many of you out there who believe that this is a harmless and needed process to keep track of who's here illegally. But, lets' face it, this represents a clear picture of our local government caving in to a flood of individuals who chose to disregard our laws and snub their noses at our disorganized and inept system. I don't care if we are handing out cotton candy, these people do not deserve anything except a paper saying, "go home - you broke our laws".

My employee received a similar note (9 pages in all) from our Department of Homeland Security and Immigration Services. The only difference is that no laws were broken. He came to the United States legally on a tourist visa which was later changed to an H1b work visa. Three years later, his visa was up for renewal and it was denied by Immigration. They stated that the job he was performing didn't require his level of expertise and education and quote "This decision leaves you without lawful immigration status and you are therefore present in the United States in violation of the law. You are required to depart the United States. Remaining in the United States without authorization may result in the initiation of removal proceedings against you and may affect your ability to return to the United States in the future". Is this how we treat our legal immigrants? The ones who paid enormous sums of money in legal fees, paid taxes yearly, and abided by our laws and regulations, only to have their dreams dashed by some bureaucratic organization that can't get out of its own way.

The success of my business has relied on my employee's ability to increase the size of our operation 7 fold. Hence, this success has also increased our tax obligation to the United States Government enormously. Instead of recognizing a growing and thriving entrepreneual company, our government felt it was in their best interest to scrutinize and play hard ball with a company and individual that played by the rules. One can easily state that the United States Government has truly" bit the hand that feeds them".

So, I ask the ones waiting in line for another governmental giveaway, what did you do to deserve the right to come to this country?

John S

Posted by: on whalley | July 26, 2007 8:48 AM

John S, "local government caving in to a flood of individuals who chose to disregard our laws and snub their noses at our disorganized and inept system" got me thinking a bit. Everyday there's a local story or two about some pedophile being busted for molestation or child porn or rape and who knows how many nationally. The numbers appear to grow constantly and more often I read about how people want to study them and show them sympathy. So, how long before the pedophiles in America represent a substantial voting base and how long after that will politicians begin fighting to legalize whatever it is they do? How long before murderers, theives, drug dealers or any other group of criminals unite into a large enough group to force a political hand?

It's only a matter of time if things keep going the way they are.

Illegals are here by virture of breaking federal law. If they had a leadership structure it could be called an invasion. But it's okay. America is the worlds doormat and the more crap on peoples shoes the better.

A comment by NETRAM under Bass' destruction of America article mentioned: "Seems funny they never paid much attention to Latinos until the demographic shift. Because of that I question their motives." Hmmm... where have I seen this before? Oh, thats right! When the Democrats started painting their opposition as racist bigots and promised black America huge and grand things. In the end the promises were broken and in face to face conversation with my neighbors and friends many if not all of them have very conservative values about limited government, fiscal restraint and personal responsability yet they continue to vote one way by virtue of "tradition." Now, anyone who votes one way simply because of their party registration is an idiot to be sure but it is a fine example of how this all worked out in the past and how they are trying to get it to work again.

Everyone out there should register Independent and stop letting these parties look at the numbers and assume they have that many votes. It messes everything up. Its all about recruitment now rather than actually having ideas or being a viable candidate. My landlord at a time when I was registered as a Republican actually told me it was illegal for me to vote for Lieberman because he was a Democrat. WTF is that? No, it wasnt a primary. I suppose I shouldnt be surprised by peoples everyday stupidity but naive me I still am.