Writer sets the record straight on her letter
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Michelle Parker
Published: April 14, 2008
Judging from the Grundys’ letter on April 13, they obviously did not get the message I was trying to convey.
First of all, Mr. and Mrs. Grundy, Mexico isn’t my adopted country. My mother is Mexican-American. Her parents were Mexican and their parents too. How dare you insinuate that I’m just an American pretending to be Hispanic? I am also not obligated to this country or by any other. No one owns me and the same goes the other way around.
Do you really think I must turn away from my Latino side to be an “obligated” American? You really did not understand my message. I brought up that I am a foreign service brat not to brag. I truly understand and know how it feels first-hand to live in a country that does not want “my” kind. Let me tell you, it hurt really bad. In some countries overseas, being an American is a crime. The same way it sometimes is for the immigrants here. I have lived in Canada, Mexico, Chile, Africa and El Salvador. Living in those countries opened my mind.
I find shameful the way Mr. Stewart and his ilk on the Prince William Board of County Supervisors have pandered to the worst instincts of a portion of the population of this county. Just think about all those letters that speak so disparagingly of “Latin businesses, Latin music…” etc. I submit that these people exhibit quite convincingly the racism that is behind the immigration initiative.
My family has resided in PWC for over twenty years. We too have watched the population of the county change, but unlike some, we like diversity. We are enamored of all the different ethnic restaurants and stores that have appeared since our arrival. When I had moved here for the first time, I had moved from Africa. I was berated, discriminated and singled out by my peers in school because I lived in such countries. They couldn’t understand how I can be an American and live away and out of this country. I was reminded that the KKK had their own P.O. Box in Manassas.
As I can see, the racism here still lives here to this day. Do the Grundys still think I have had too much Cabernet Sauvignon? People should have all the facts before they try and personally attack somebody.
MICHELLE PARKER
Manassas
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Reader Reactions
Posted by ( MikeG ) on April 16, 2008 at 4:57 pm
Phdee, you are very obviously a very bitter man, and you bring little if any objectivity to any of your posts. You walk about constantly pointing at everyone around you shouting “look at those racists!“ OK, so you had it rough as a kid growing up in the south. I had it rough growing up in the Northwest, but for economic and social reasons, not racial. We’ve all got our own crosses to bear. That said, I’ve known lots of extremely successful blacks and others from disadvantaged origins (economic as well as racial), and I don’t see any of them wallowing in self pity and accusation of all who had it better than they did. Sorry, but you only know your own, personal circumstances…you really aren’t qualified to speak for your race or any other minority as far as standards of treatment or anything else is concerned. That’s why it’s so ridiculous every time you throw up these tired, lame arguments about “native” Americans, or the Japanese, or whomever. To say that your generalizations about Pakistanis or Chinese, or Hispanics are not racially motivated is absolutely hilarious; you’re so transparent that it’s a joke.
If you want to persist in insisting that the PWC BOCs were motivated by race, and not the law, that’s your right—you have the freedom to say anything you like, since your right to free speech stops at the end of my nose. But that doesn’t mean that I, or anyone else (outside of those who take your arguments seriously) on this forum give your arguments any credibility whatsoever.
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Posted by ( phdee ) on April 16, 2008 at 3:04 pm
MikeG. There is nothing racist at all about those statements. Look around - open your eyes. Hispanics do construction, landscaping, laborer jobs. Koreans have dry cleaners. Chinese have restaurants. You obviously know little about racism. You alsxo haven’t discovered that certain ethnic people flock to certain occupations. But I guess you consider that a racist observation.
As for the resolution, the BOCS could not possible say in it this is for Hispanics only - for obvious reasons -legal. But it was the Hispanics the racists were after, from the BOCS, HSM, lzewtiecq, et al. Why deny this? The police and BOCS have to be careful - they don’t want a lawsuit. Laws are always written to try to get around a block in the road - got to pass legal and constitutional muster. As I have said before, I grew up in the racist South from way back - and there’s nothing - or very little - I don’t know about how “racism” functions.
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Posted by ( barnun ) on April 16, 2008 at 2:40 pm
MikeG, I agree with you. I dont think the citizens are against immigrants. All of Nova is a very diverse culture. I think people Just want the laws upheld. This appears to be against the hispanics since they are overwhelmingly the population of illegal immigrants, but it’s not against hispanics, it’s against all illegals. I dont see any of the other races crying that they are being picked on in any way, yet the resolution applies to all people of any race from anywhere outside the US borders or territories.
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Posted by ( kgotthardt ) on April 16, 2008 at 12:27 pm
“I challenge you to find one statement by
anyone who disagrees with you that equates the resolution to “Hispanics” in
our county, or that reveal that our concerns focus solely on illegal
“Hispanics.“
John Stirrup in his reference to “the invasion.“ He left Arlington because there were too many Hispanics. Now he wants to “save OUR culture.“
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Posted by ( MikeG ) on April 16, 2008 at 11:46 am
“Do you hear any anti complaining about Pakistani’s having the cabmbusiness,
Koreans having dry cleaners, Chinese having restaurants, middle easterners
having gas stations, etc. No. Just the occupations of Hispanics and their
alleged “social misberhavior”.“
Now that, PHDEE, is one of the most racist remarks I’ve heard out of anyone in this forum. And as usual, you do nothing but stir up your own racial insecurities with every post. I challenge you to find one statement by anyone who disagrees with you that equates the resolution to “Hispanics” in our county, or that reveal that our concerns focus solely on illegal “Hispanics.“ That has never been my argument, and I can’t recall it being anyone else’s, either. And what’s this “anti” BS? If you want to classify us as anything, make it something like “Resolution Supporters”. The only thing I am “anti” about is the abrogation of my beliefs that the rule of law applies to illegal aliens as well as the rest of us.
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Posted by ( PWCMom ) on April 16, 2008 at 10:07 am
phdee: First of all, I am not your honey, not will I ever be, so please refrain from calling me that.
As far as your comments, they show me that you really don’t know what probable cause is, and have not taken the time or trouble to really look at the resolution. Instead, you would rather inflame the issue by making unsupported allegations of racism without having the facts or evidence to support them. This is a tactic that people use when they don’t have a defense for their actions, and it shows me once again you don’t have one.
The bottom line is that the resolution calls for checking status for those people (whatever color, race or whatever) who are stopped for a violation of a crime. Got that? A CRIME, not social behavior as you would like us to believe. A crime can be a traffic violation, a misdemeanor or a felony. If that person who is stopped cannot produce a valid ID, or gives a false name or is otherwise unidentifable, then PROBABLE CAUSE exists to check into his background, including status, warrants and wants. EVERYONE in this country is subject to this, so it is NOT a racist act, despite your desire for it to be so.
As for your comment about NO INFORMATION being out there, then I urge you to take your head out of the sand and read the resolution and watch Chief Deane’s report on the resolution and its effects that was recently before the BOS. No where in the resolution does it say any ONE race is targeted, so your comments alleging this are totally ignorant of the facts. Moreover, Chief Deane testified that Hispanics were NOT the sole race of the people who were detained, so your argument is totally without merit.
What makes you think that Hispanics are entitled to more consideration than other races? I don’t see you arguing for other races-does that make you a racist? Seems like you have your own perceptions and I would suggest you look in a mirror before you start slinging mud or unsupported allegations.
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Posted by ( phdee ) on April 16, 2008 at 8:05 am
pwcmom. I direct my efforts to exposing racism (of which I CERTAINLY know the roots and causes), and I spend time asking where the anti crowd gets its “facts”
and information (notice how they can never say). There is NO information out there - for either side - on immigration. Which is why you and the anti’s can never cite a source. As to how the rou up is affecting illegals and what types, I haven’t the foggiest idea, and neither do you. Moreover, I have never clai ed such information or made such an allegation. Saying the resolution is to catch any illegal is in my opinion a “must say to cover the butt” statement. We know the resolution was aimed toward Hispanics.
Do you hear any anti complaining about Pakistani’s having the cabmbusiness, Koreans having dry cleaners, Chinese having restaurants, middle easterners having gas stations, etc. No. Just the occupations of Hispanics and their alleged “social misberhavior”. Wake up honey.
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Posted by ( MikeG ) on April 16, 2008 at 7:55 am
Boy, talk aboug missing the point, Mushelle. I guess it’s the result of all those years living overseas; you never picked up a thorough command of the English language and an appreciation for the use of linguistic gymnastics such as analogy, sarcasm, irony, and subtlety. So sorry, Mushelle. Well, let’s skip the analogies and such, since you can’t seem to figure them out anyway.
The point is that you apparently identify more with the country of your mother’s origins than you do with your own, the U.S. That’s too bad, because while there are many interesting and enjoyable aspects of the Mexican culture—many of which have taken root here—there is very little to admire about the Mexican government and the country’s treatment of its own citizens. I’m pretty sure your mother was overjoyed to be able to leave her own country and come here when your dad married her; who would want to live in a sub-standard economy with few jobs, few civil rights, a lack of security, high crime, especially in the cities, and weak prospects for their own citizens to become successful and comfortable? It’s no wonder that so many Hispanics are among the millions of illegal immigrants who have come here….they want what we have and what their own government won’t provide them—Job security; a steady income; the ability to support their families in a comfortable fashion; good health care; good schooling; the ability to live without fear of police harassment. Ahh, Mushelle, do you see the subtle ironies imbedded in there?
The fact of the matter is, you ARE obligated to this country, by the mere fact that you are a citizen who not only deserves all the benefits offered under our constitution, Bill of Rights, and laws of the land, but also because you have an obligation to uphold our laws, live according to the demands of our society, and give back to this country (e.g., military service, volunteerism, etc.) when the demand is upon you. To do otherwise means that you are a false citizen, willing to accept the benefits but unwilling to express your gratitude for what you have here through loyalty and respect. You wear the cloak of citizenship but possess the heart of an expatriat. You needn’t deny your latin roots in order to express your American loyalties. In fact, most of us, immigrants all, do just that. While I don’t hyphenate my name as so many minorities do, I still feel an attachment to the country (countries, actually….I’m English, Irish and German, as well as a touch of “Native American”) of my family’s origin. And I’ve lived in (not to brag) more countries on more continents, and longer I’m sure, than you have. Rather than being a racist, as you seem to be implying, I have a healthy respect for all cultures and races. In my circle of close friends there are Hispanics, blacks, Asians, Persians, and I could go on and on. I, as you do, enjoy the diversity you can find in our country.
But I draw the line at accepting an element not of our society or nation that intends willfully to circumvent our laws, customs and national identity to achieve their own desires without earning them. As they say, there is no such thing as a free lunch. And again, as I said before, I applaud all the efforts being undertaken—not just here in PWC but around our state and nation—to finally get a handle on a problem that the Federal government has failed to adequately address previously. Comments like “Stewart and his ilk” only serve to demonstrate your disconnect with your own country; you use your identity as a Hispanic first-American second to defame others who are only doing what is necessary to uphold the laws of this land, and respond to the will of the majority. Like it or not, them’s the facts, Mushelle.
Oh yes, and if you’re going to use my name in a letter, you better get the spelling right (catch the sarcasm there, Mushelle?), in the singular; leave my wife out of this discussion.
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Posted by ( gbear3199 ) on April 16, 2008 at 1:08 am
“But the argument is shown to be phony when these “legalists” go further and speak of DUI, ESOL cost, social services, ER, food stamps, crime, tall grass, trash, culture, not learning English, assimilation, no drivers license, murder, disease, overcrowding, taking merican jobs, loitering, day loborers, having children, sending money back home, parking on grass, displaying signs, etc. “
How is any of the above “racist”? These are concerns no matter what country you are from. And unfortunately, a small number of the Hispanic population are giving the rest a bad name.
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Posted by ( raywilliams ) on April 15, 2008 at 5:21 pm
Spot on Abril. Spot on. Focus on the issue of illegal and leave the myths, behaviors and stereotypes out of the equation.
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