My letter to Philly Inquirer

SO again, I have written a letter to Ms. Yant of the Philly Inquirer to let her get a residential perspective on what occured at the rally/protest. Here is that letter

Dear Ms. Yant,

As you are probably aware, the Riverside Rally was yesterday. I just wanted to write you again and give a residential point of view.

I went down to the corner of Pavilion and Scott with my mom because she has never seen anything thing like this. Back in her country she never did any type of protesting or rally. This was going to be my first rally/protest.

From the moment I got there I could tell this was going to be my 1960’s Civil Rights. I was just getting the sense of what it felt like to protest. I felt for those that were against the ordinance. I saw a small crowd of them, about 50 people, at about 2pm. They were on one corner and what seemed like the rest of the population of Riverside…most of the white majority of Riverside, were standing on the other three corners. They had their signs and were doing the chants of “USA” “Show us your green card” and even the perplexing “The south shall rise again”. There were sights of Confederate flags and even a group of young kids with their shaved heads and Aryan skin in a black Bronco skidding through the middle of the street and the people of Riverside were cheering them.

Is that what Riverside wants to be known as? They want to be known as people who cheer the white man’s forced dominance over the ethnic people? They want to be known as people who want Slavery back? They want to be known as the “White Power” Riverside? Well after all during spirit week they do paint the motto’s Maroon most Mighty and White will win. Maybe some people take that too literally.

I feel so bad for these immigrants that come here for a better life. Now they need to fear these hate filled people.

There were jeers being thrown at the protesters. Some so cruel you really wonder about humanity. Then you have people that came to the rally just to say they came. Some go there, throw out insults, and see a friend and are laughing and joking. I’m glad to see they know what the issues are and the gravity of the situation.

What made me even more disappointed was that there were teenagers and kids there. These kids are too young to understand what is really going on. They just see their parents and agree with them. Because after all, our parents know best. They are never wrong, even when one screams out, “The south didn’t lose”.

What was so deplorable about the day was there was a smell of beer and pot in the air. People came drunk to the rally. When you have alcohol, heat, and a hot button issue like this, you can only expect something to happen. Now nothing got too out of hand, thanks to the many cops from surrounding towns, but I have a strong feeling if we only had our cops, some type of violence may have occurred. Violence that most likely would have started by those that are for the ordinance.

The people that were marching that did, did what our founding fathers stated in the Constitution. They had a peaceful assembly. They had solidarity. They will continue to protest and fight the way our founding fathers intended us to protest. I just hope that the legal citizens will realize that and respect them for doing it that way. But sadly, our wonderfully educated adults seem to forget that part of our history.

I took pictures of the event but I am getting them developed. I will pass them onto you when I get them back.

Thank you,

Deirdre Lynds

Tags: Immigrants ; Illegal Immigrants ; Racism ; New Jersey

The air smells of Beer and Cigars…..

That’s what the four corners of Riverside, NJ 08075 smelled like at approximately 2:00pm on Sunday the 20th, 2006.

Today was the protest against the Riverside Immigration Ordinance. I knew it was going to be a crazy day. Tempers and emotions were being fueled by the xenophobic mentality of small town America. I went down to the corner of Pavilion and Scott to see the rally. On the 3 corners were the stereotypical W.A.S.P.s waving their American flags showing their support for the ordinance. And on the one little corner, the ethnic faces gathered to support for the people that come here to work to make their families lives better.

There were jeers from the pro-ordinance side of “Show me your green card” “U.S.A” chants and the ever perplexing shouts of “The south will rise again”. Yes,the pro-ordinance people were cheering when the Confederate flag was being waved. However, that is not the surprising part. When the Confederate flag was being waved, a black girl was cheering. Um, you agree to that? You cheer the racist connotation the flag gives? You praise and cheer the white supremacists? You agree to the white man’s dominance to any ethnic race?

Well, she was a teenager. So you can’t really give too much serious thought into that. When you have ignorant minds and the poor educational system we supply our kids with, there is nothing but irrational and uneducated thoughts that will come out their mouths.

I don’t have a problem with people agreeing with the ordinance. That is your right. But have some fact or rational and understandable reason behind your feeling. I would like to understand and vice versa. That is the only way we can come to an understanding and a compromise.

Today also made me realize that there is an epidemic in small town America. We don’t see this problem coming out of the cities or more populated towns of America. NYC, Miami, L.A., Chicago, Philly…etc. you just don’t see this problem.

I feel when you move to the small town, people are trying to get away from the big bad world of the city and all it contains. People think that nothing bad can happen in this small town they moved to. They are happy with the same faces, same language, same culture. If they want to experience a different culture they take that 20 minute trip to the city and eat at an “authentic” Mexican restaurant (authentic by the American standard, not by real Mexicans”) and they had their experience and can now return to the safe land of monotony. However, when culture comes to them, they get scared and grab their children and lock their doors. They become afraid of the big, bad minority groups. A couple of them are fine, but when they see a huge wave of them, Oh no!

I stood there quietly taking pictures of the protestors on both sides. I took pictures of the signs and even the skinheads that showed up. This is something that I want to remember and make people realize that this doesn’t happen here in Riverside, NJ. This will happen in any Small Town, USA. Until the government can come up with something that can appease both sides, this will never end.

It pains my heart when people scream such hurtful words and claim to be Christian. It hurts me when these supposed Christians are yelling at a Priest and a Pastor because they are supporting the immigrants. The priest and pastor are doing the Christian thing and helping those in need.

And to say that these immigrants are nothelping the economy becuse they don’t pay taxes? The economy is a cycle. Regardless if you pay taxes or not, they are putting money back in our economy by buying food, clothes, paying the rent, buying gas for their cars..etc. Plus they are getting paid a FRACTION of what Americans are getting paid and they aren’t complaining.

There was a guy who had a sign that read “Who Will Work?” and a white guy from the side I stood on screamed ” I WILL” then he said something so stupid it made me laugh. He said “Who will work 12 hour days for $5 an hour? Illegals will!!” To me that statement just backfired on him. He basically said illegals work harder than they do and for less money. Who wouldn’t want to hire them? I would in a heart beat. I respect them for working harder than any person I’ve seen. They are the only ones that will walk or bike to work without any complaints. Will any spoiled American teenager/adult do that? Not any from where I live. All the kids needed a car. I admit it. I wouldn’t walk to work. I want my car. I am spoiled. But I will not put down anyone that works hard for their family. That is honorable.

Plus, the protestors kept bringing up the fact about medical care. They don’t pay medical bills. Ok, so what. Even American Citizens don’t pay for health care or can’t afford to pay it because it is just outrageous. Maybe if our government would deal with a real issue like healthcare and stop spending wasted money in an illegal and unjust war like Iraq and what is to come in the future because our president likes to instill fear in us by repeating terrorism and bad bad muslims, we can spend that money on something more useful like healthcare. But I won’t go into the whole Anti-war thing right now. But there is a connection between the whole terrorism bullshit and illegal immigrants and its false fear.

I have so much to say on this subject, but I will wait until I am a little more rested. Today was a long day. I will post my pictures when I get them developed. I’m still old school. I don’t own a digital.

So Peace, Love, Understanding to everyone. Even those that disagree with me.

Tags: Immigrants ; Illegal Immigrants ; Racism ; New Jersey

Riverside, NJ Immigrant Ordinance

I live in Riverside, NJ and there has been a lot of craziness going on the past week that had to deal with illegal immigrants. OK that is what Whitey is saying on the outside, but he is really saying ” I hate the Brazilians”. He is basically saying that all Brazilians here are illegal. So Riverside passed a unanimous decision 5-0 on making it illegal to house or hire, illegals. OK wasn’t it illegal to do that anyway? But whatever. I hate the ordinance. I don’t agree with it.

Here is a link to an article that made the NEW YORK TIMES!!! of all things, a little 8000+ population town of SOUTH JERSEY made the NY times! wow.

NY TIMES RIVERRSIDE, NJ article

But I wrote a letter to a writer of the Philly Inquirer, so here it is. Please let me know what you think. And please refrain from the hate comments. If you disagree fine. But remain civil. I’m all for debates, but if you resort to being childish, it just proves more and more your ignorance and incapability to hold an adult conversation.

——————–

Ms. Yant,

I read your article in Sunday’s paper. I happen to be a resident of Riverside for the past 6 years. Before that I lived in the neighboring town of Delran. Recently, there has been quite a stir of emotions and now our town is getting some media attention. I’m not saying that is good or bad, but it has made me examine my view on my town more so recently.

I for one, am against the ordinance. I don’t like the idea of stopping people from working. A lot of these people come here to send money back home. They aren’t some terrorist cell plotting to take over Riverside, NJ and the Riverline. They work hard and keep to themselves. And let me clarify this, when the big, bad, white man screaming at the
top of his lungs during the meeting about illegals, we who live here know its not about the illegal Mexicans or Chinese or whatever culture happens to be here illegally, it’s about the Brazilians. JUST the Brazilians. He is upset at the Brazilian population and the vans with ladders on the roof (apparently their preferred mode of transportation) because they are taking away construction and labor jobs away from us legal residence. The big, bad, white man is making seem like there is some invasion of this culture. Like they are moving in on every street, 20 to a house. But it just so happens that the majority live in a concentrated area. Pretty much the area which surrounds Riverside Park. That is where most of the Brazilians live. Now I don’t know if they are illegal or not, but I do not care. I understand they want to work and send money home for the betterment of their families. I find that honorable. They have a great work ethic that I notice a lot of people around here are lacking. This poor work ethic is passed down onto our lovely red-blooded American children.

If Riverside wants to start passing ordinances, pass one on the teenage kids that go to Riverside Park to smoke, drink, buy/sell/do drugs and even perform acts that are deemed indecent in public. That is what really bothers me. That is what is really wrong. Instead of instilling the ideology of respect, communication, civility, and hard work into our children, we send them out of the house with the punk down the street to play “Monopoly” when they are actually lighting up a joint and getting high in broad daylight in the park. Apparently, our 15 person police force isn’t enough because we can’t even get these kids out of the park. Maybe, I should be like Marsha Whitworth and get a badge and a gun and become the new vigilante law enforcement. Wouldn’t that be the safest thing to do?

Also, I wanted to comment on our civility at the town meeting. We apparently lack it. I understand it is a hot button issue, but if you are going to yell and boo at people with “accents” it is just showing the lack of respect you have for your families that have
come to this country way back when. OK granted, maybe if the “accents” were of Irish or English sounding instead of “Spanish” sounding then the people there yelling, wouldn’t be yelling. They would show the utmost respect. In fact, there probably wouldn’t need the school auditorium for the town meeting. They probably wouldn’t have had a meeting at all.

Thank you for writing this article. I just hope people like me really wake up because this doesn’t just affect the towns that surround the Mexican border (notice how we don’t care about the Canadian border, eh?) but the little 8,000+ population towns across the U.S.A.
This really made me examine that this isn’t an illegal immigrant issue, it is more of a race issue. Personally, I don’t mind if they are here, I would just like to have some sort of registration type deal going on. Anyone would want to know who is coming in and out of
their own country. But to deny someone the right to work for a better living because their own country doesn’t care about them, is just inhumane. We seem to be a country that voted on “morals” during the last election but we are failing miserably in showing any compassion or morals to those that need us. It seems we only pick and choose who we want to help. If you are the right shade, you are deserving of our compassion. I can hear the “Oh great another person playing the race card” chant. But for the Big, Bad White man that is screaming it at the top of his lungs, I have this to say to you, “You are white, you don’t experience the type of prejudice that people like me have had to experience. So you will never, ever understand what someone of a ‘different’ shade has to go through.” I am half white. My mom is Filipino my dad is practically all western European. So being bi-racial, I have experienced prejudice. Granted, I haven’t had to go through the struggles of the 60’s, but it just proves that racism is still alive and well.

I’m sorry that I ranted, but I just wanted to thank you again and I hope you will write more articles, not just about the dealing of the Riverside ordinance, but on this topic in general.

Yours very truly,

Deirdre

Tags: Immigrants ; Illegal Immigrants ; Racism ; New Jersey

I don’t get excited that often but…

This summer I am looking forward to 2 events. One starts this Friday and end July 9th. and the other comes July 4th.

Well the first one is

I am so excited for this. I get to cheer on my sexy British men! I hope they do well. Although, it is a bit weird. I am American. Born and raised. But I cheer for my motherland. I actually don't really care how the Americans do. I wonder if that makes me anti-American. I mean I'm not, I just don't cheer for American Teams. It's like when the olymipcs comes around, I don't cheer for the gymnastics team, basketball team, or dive team. I dunno, whatever. So for a whole month I'll be English. Well, I'll cheer on 1 half of my heritage. Well, not half, but a pretty big part. The Lynds Part.

And for the second reason I am excited is for July 4th!!! at Cooper River Park. One of my Fav bands are going to be playing there for a free concert. (Cooper River does this every year)

I Can't wait! Last year it was Blue Oyster Cult (They rocked. They were so awesome. Great drum solo for the song Godzilla. They were just the shit!) When they played "Don't Fear the Reaper" the camerman scanned the crowd to find the Cowbell guy. And they did! Great Cowbell song. Also there last year was Joan Jett. She sucked ass. She was the headliner. My god it was bad. You know she was bad when the COVER BAND was better than them. Cry Wolf is a local Jersey band. They were cool. Played cover songs of Lynrd Skynrd, Gun's N Roses. They were just so much better than Joan. And the year before that was Pat Benetar. She was great. Everyoen loved her. She even played the song from one of my fav movies "Legend of Billie Jean" Invincible.

So that is was I am looking forward to this year. I hope there will be something else. So I leave you with:

GO ENGLAND!!!!!!!!!! Oh layyyyyy oh lay oh lay oh lay ooooooohhhhh layyyyyy ooooooohhh laaaaaaayyyyy

And Foreigner ROCKS!!!!

Tags: World Cup Soccer Sports Music