Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2006 | 7:45 a.m.
The "English Language and Patriot Reaffirmation Ordinance" proposed in Pahrump is a flagrant attempt to violate constitutional rights and further disenfranchise our most vulnerable communities. Instead of taking a constructive stand on comprehensive immigration reform, people in a position of authority are targeting specific communities to limit their opportunities to lead productive lives.
This specific proposal raises so many questions, constitutionally and logically. How are they going to enforce all these conditions? Are they going to routinely waste man hours checking out the order of flags in neighborhoods? Are they going to form a separate enforcement team to question all businesses to check the status of their employees? Are they going to thoroughly investigate every "mom and pop" store that closes on certain days just to make sure they're not acknowledging a "foreign" holiday? I am sure a fast-growing town such as Pahrump has better ways to spend its money.
The reality is people want, and will continue, to come to this country and seek to live happy, healthy lives. How are we going to continue to uphold our values, the values of our country, if we pick and choose the beneficiaries of our freedoms? I ask that elected officials hoping to pass similar legislation to this "English Language and Patriot Reaffirmation Ordinance" ask themselves this very question. Now that's a question they should be honestly answering. The values and future of our freedoms depend on it.
A.J. McClure, Henderson
archive
