Delegate Jackson Miller describes the effect Hispanics are having on the town of Manassas:
“My city is in flames right now! What else am I supposed to do but stand up and scream about these atrocities?” Miller (R) said in a speech Monday.
Ouch. I’m sure the tourism bureau is going to appreciate that one.
Let’s review: an ordinance is passed to specifically target Hispanics in Prince William County based on “probable cause” — which by the University of Virginia’s own numbers drove out nearly 8,000 Hispanics from Prince William County, half of whom were AMERICAN CITIZENS who no longer felt comfortable living in Prince William County.
Manassas is burning?
Really?
“My city is falling apart with huge problems in relation to illegal immigration and it is time for us to stop blaming the federal government.”
Ah yes… William Pitt the Younger had a comment on cries such as these. “Necessity is the plea for every infringement upon human freedom,” he said. “It is the argument of tyrants, it is the creed of slaves.”
Of course, Manassas is not burning, though it has one of the worst foreclosure problems in northern Virginia. And yes, the cost of enforcing laws to sort out Hispanics and figure out which ones are illegal and which ones are just being asked “papers, please?” is ultimately inconsequential.
Instead, we rely on the argument of every nanny state liberal since the dawn of FDR. To hell with federalism, to hell with separation of powers, to hell with whether or not race is a factor… let’s get a posse and mete out some good, old fashioned lynch mob justice — using the legal powers of the Prince William County government, of course.
“I would say if some of this legislation had passed in previous years perhaps some of these tragedies, these atrocities may have been avoided,” Miller said. “I’m sure I’m going to be accused of of using a tragedy for politics and I’m fanning the flames on the immigration debate….(but) there are things we can do to take this in our control.”
Well yes, Delegate Miller. Yes you are using tragedy to political gain. And yes you are fanning the flames of the immigration debate.
And yes… there are things our federal government can do to take this in our control.
But tell me — what is the difference between a local and state government arrogating the prerogatives of the federal government (say: immigration) and the federal government arrogating the perogatives of our state governments (say: health care reform)?
Let’s be clear on this. Manassas is not burning. It’s thriving… or at least it was until the community became so viscerally divided. Yes, there is a housing crisis in Prince William County, but that is due to the enforcement of laws that is costing the locality a fortune and is –sadly — targeting just as many American citizens as it is targeting illegal immigrants.
And for what?
What are we accomplishing here?
The bottom line is that no amount of penalties, restrictions, or ordinances designed to make Hispanics feel “uncomfortable” is going to make the 20 million people here illegally go back to their point of origin. What will it accomplish? Knee-jerk policies will give the nearly 50 million Hispanic Americans common cause with the 20 million illegal immigrants here today — not to mention anyone of a particular ethnic background or a sense of social justice who would equally be targeted as “other” by so called rule-of-law campaigns.
Massive Resistance 2.0 needs to get buried now, immediately and for all time. For one, I am not willing to idly stand by and watch Jose Crow take the place of Jim Crow.
UPDATE: First time I’ve ever been called a race traitor (not that I know what the hell that means). It’s a beautiful thing.
And please don’t confuse me — I don’t for a second believe those voices define others who have a genuine concern in enforcing the borders. I want the borders enforced as well; I’m just not willing to sacrifice the Constitution or a free society in the process.
