BOCS decision was a wrong one
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John Steinbach
Published: October 17, 2008
I’m writing today to register my disgust with the decision by a majority of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors (BOCS) to approve Robert Duecaster, a leader in Help Save Manassas, to serve
on the county’s Strategic Goals Taskforce. Duecaster, a member of Help Save Manassas, is a xenophobic extremist who has publicly denigrated, among others, Catholics, Muslims and Latinos.
Supervisors Maureen Caddigan, John Jenkins and Frank Principi should be commended for voting against this outrageous appointment.
During the more than 23 years that I have lived here, Prince William County has changed dramatically. In 1986, the population was approximately 80 percent European-American, 15 percent African-
American and 5 percent others. Today, according to recent U.S. Census statistics, immigrants and people of color make up approximately 50 percent of the county’s population and latinos represent the
single largest minority group.
Rather than embracing and celebrating our new diversity, the BOCS instead chose to approve a divisive and self-destructive resolution written by Help Save Manassas, which has been labeled an
extremist organization by the Anti-Defamation League and the Southern Poverty Law Center.
As someone whose first job as a teenager was working shoulder to shoulder with Mexican farm workers in the fields of southern Michigan, I am outraged that the board of supervisors continues to fan the
flames of hatred and intolerance, dividing our community and pitting neighbor against neighbor.
It is unacceptable that our elected public officials brand residents who dare express criticism of Prince William County’s misguided immigration policies, including the Human Rights Commission, local
clergy and human rights groups, as extremists, while a vocal minority of actual extremists who seem to control the BOCS have been rewarded with a spot on the Strategic Goals Taskforce.
JOHN STEINBACH
Lake Ridge
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Reader Reactions
Posted by ( kgotthardt ) on October 20, 2008 at 2:28 pm
I’d be a pain in the be-hind no matter where I live : )
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Posted by ( do the right thing ) on October 20, 2008 at 12:24 pm
Ms. Gotthardt:
Maybe you should move into Caddigans, Jenkins,and Principi’s district. You would fit right in.
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Posted by ( anonmom ) on October 19, 2008 at 7:17 pm
Oh, yes it did, moon-howler, otherwise you would have simply ignored this. You are protesting too much; surprsing as you are the most vocal of the bunch.
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Posted by ( moon-howler ) on October 19, 2008 at 12:47 pm
Regarding:
Posted by ( anonmom ) on October 18, 2008 at 4:18 pm
You are sounding more and more delusional, kgotthardt. Perhaps you should get up and get out of the house a little. Do you really believe all of these lies, or are you making this stuff up as you go along? Do you really think that your anti gal pals take you at all seriously? Too bad you don’t know EVERYTHING that goes on—or is said—behind the scenes.
Anonmom, the divide and conquor trick is one of the oldest in the book. Bad bosses and adolescents use the technique. It won’t work here.
Furthermore, if there were an issue amongst the ‘gal-pals’ or the ‘guy-pals’ it would be discussed amongst us. You would be the very last to know. I doubt you would know it at all.
Nice try. Anonmom. It didn’t work.
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Posted by ( phdee ) on October 19, 2008 at 5:56 am
DOTHErightthing: all kg’s letters and emails to the BOCS probably were a waste of time. These incompetents always have their minds made up. citizen time is given because it is a requirement usually. It’s govt at it’s worse.
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Posted by ( kgotthardt ) on October 18, 2008 at 9:12 pm
—Mrs. Caddigan, Mr. Jenkins and Mr. Principi showed character and principle.—
Agreed. I should have said “the REST of the BOCS showed poor judgment…“
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Posted by ( blue_doggette ) on October 18, 2008 at 9:10 pm
I was very impressed that 3 of our BOCS had the courage to vote against the current. Would that have happened a year ago? I don’t think so. Mrs. Caddigan, Mr. Jenkins and Mr. Principi showed character and principle.
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Posted by ( kgotthardt ) on October 18, 2008 at 8:21 pm
Blue, it might be a done deal, but the decision is going to come back and haunt this county, and not because some of us repeat public information either.
The BOCS showed horrible judgment in letting this happen, and in doing so, subjected their entire process to scrutiny. If they think they had trouble before, wait until more complaints about conflict of interest start coming in (as they already have).
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Posted by ( blue_doggette ) on October 18, 2008 at 8:16 pm
Everyone is certainly expending a great deal of energy fighting over something that is a done deal.
Mr. Steinbach is entitled to his opinion just as much as anyone else on here. While I might not agree with him, he is a decent human being and deserves to be treated civily.
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Posted by ( do the right thing ) on October 18, 2008 at 8:01 pm
Mr. Steinbach,
The only misguided policies are coming from your organization"Mexicans without Borders” who advocate for illegal immigrants and open borders.
Propaganda from the Mexican without Borders organization. “Mexicans Without Borders (Mexicanos Sin Fronteras) is an organization that arose out of the need for migrant workers to struggle against the various injustices that they face in their daily lives. It is for immigrant workers who cannot cash a check, obtain a driver’s license, rent a house, travel, or obtain higher education because they lack the proper documents. We believe it’s necessary to struggle for permanent residency, which would give immigrants access to all those basic rights.
Notice they are not mentioning the word ILLEGAL or UNDOCUMENTED immigrants. Legal immigrants are entitled to cash checks,obtain driver’s licenses, etc.
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