Editorial: Stumped by Pahrump

Thursday, Nov. 16, 2006 | 7:07 a.m.

Many, many congratulations to those deep thinkers on the Pahrump Town Board who have pushed ahead with their plan to single-handedly solve the immigration issue.

Tuesday night the board on a 3-2 vote approved an ordinance that makes English the official language of the town, bans the display of foreign flags without an American flag also on display and outlaws providing benefits to illegal immigrants.

This, we note, is the toned-down version of the ordinance, which was changed after it ran into opposition by businesses - mainly banks - that objected to a clause that outlawed doing business with illegal immigrants. The businesses wanted no part of becoming the immigration police.

The ordinance is baffling on many fronts, including the fact that the town provides no clear government benefits to illegal immigrants, although Lee Rowland of the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada said the discussion by the town board brought out the possibility that "it could include things like police and fire services."

Will ambulance crews have to ask for a valid ID before picking up a dying person? Will firefighters wait to put out a burning building until it's cleared of those without proper documentation? Will crimes against people who are in the country illegally be ignored?

"Those are obviously ridiculous questions," Rowland said, "but this is a ridiculous ordinance."

It's beyond ridiculous. It's mean, it's inane and it's wrong.

English is the language of this country and immigrants obviously need to learn it to succeed, but this is hardly the way to address the issue - unless Pahrump is hoping to get free publicity by being mocked on the late-night talk shows.

The folks in Pahrump apparently forgot that this is a country founded by immigrants and those immigrants and their descendants laid out a clear vision of freedom for all. Rowland notes that you "don't need to go to law school to know this is clearly unconstitutional."

The law will almost certainly be challenged, which will only cost taxpayers money they didn't need to spend, and that is simply muy estpido.

Think they'll understand that in Pahrump?