Back in July we told you that the Southern Poverty Law Center had started a campaign to get Lou Dobbs fired from CNN because they disapproved of his speech. Now comes news, thanks to Susan again, that Dobbs’ New Jersey home was recently fired upon. Watch Youtube here for Dobbs’ description of what happened.
Month: October 2009
Elissa works for the International Rescue Committee in Thailand
I’ve taken down this post because I do believe that Elissa or any young (or old) woman should not be posting her photo and location in Thailand. I continue to be shocked that the IRC doesn’t instruct its employees to be more careful about personal details.
My apologies to readers who arrive here and wonder what all the comments below are about. Also, Elissa’s post (not including the personal information) gave us an interesting insight into the selection process for refugees coming to the US and I am sorry you won’t be seeing that.
I know it’s fashionable to believe that everyone in the world will love you and be grateful for your good works, but I have no hesitation in saying I have a great fear for the rapidly expanding Islamic extremists (not to mention your run of the mill sex slavery rings) in Thailand and what they are capable of.
Not every Burmese refugee is sweet and grateful, although I expect 90% are. We have heard first hand information of Burmese Muslims lying their way into the camps in Thailand. Some make it to the US. Here I refer to the now-buried story of the Burmese refugee raping and murdering a little girl in Salt Lake City last year.
Call me scared for Elissa and for us!
Two more food stamp fraud cases; food stamp program history
Your tax dollars:
Last night two more food stamp fraud cases involving immigrants popped up in my alerts.
In the Detroit case, immigrant owners of a “party store” (whatever that is!) plead guilty to getting reimbursement from the federal government for $900,000 after giving cash to customers with food stamps for half that amount.
Then in New Haven, CT, the former immigrant owners of a convenience store plead guilty to ripping off the US taxpayer for $328,000 in the same kind of scheme. What happens is that customers with food stamps want cash instead of food so they are willing to sell their food stamps for 50 cents on the dollar. Then the store owners turn the stamps in to the federal government for the full dollar.
We aren’t talking chump change and small rip-offs in these cases! An issue that puzzles me greatly is, who taught all these immigrants to purchase convenience stores and small gas stations and then set up these scams?
If you are a regular reader of RRW, you know that this is a favorite subject of mine—actually any kind of welfare fraud—medicare, food stamps, etc.
How did the food stamp program get started anyway?
Before I get to that, whenever someone says to you that we are a nation of immigrants and that we took hundreds of thousands in the late 1800’s and very early 1900’s, one of the huge differences is that we did not have a welfare state. Immigrants had to sink or swim in society from shear hard work and will. Many who didn’t make it returned to their homeland. A country cannot survive for long with an extensive welfare system and uncontrolled immigration.
The modern food stamp program which is growing by leaps and bounds only came into existence in 1962! This program hasn’t been around forever. There was a little one during the World War II years, but for 18 years after that, there was none. Check out this lengthy wikipedia article for the full history.
Where are ORR’s annual reports to Congress?
Awhile back I told you that refugee use of food stamps was rising rapidly—way back in 2006! But, it surely has grown even more today, since by many accounts only 20% of refugees are finding work. So, I just now went to see if the Office of Refugee Resettlement had submitted any more reports to Congress which are required by law. Look at this, they haven’t reported since 2006! That is outrageous. I can see bureaucrats being a year behind but we have actually already finished FY2009! ORR, what are you hiding?
Note to SRA International which has been contracted to sniff out food stamp fraud: Don’t go after the small fries buying junk food with their stamps, but begin in “welcoming” cities with large immigrant populations and set up undercover operations in every immigrant-owned convenience store and small gas station. Based on the reports I see weekly, just by googling, you should hit the jackpot!
Next, go abroad and see what you can find out about who trains and sets up these immigrants to come here and set up these scams. You might also want to investigate the E-2 Treaty Investors program.
Oh, SRA International and anyone else interested in more food stamp fraud cases, use our search function for ‘food stamp fraud’ and you will soon see a pattern.
Portland, ME: Isn’t diversity a beautiful thing!
You know your city has become fully multicultural and diversified when the Department of Justice has to send in its team of mediators to settle ethnic disputes and address discrimination complaints. It is certainly one of the joys of having established your city as one that “welcomes the stranger.”
We’ve been telling you about problems (murders, riots, etc.) in Portland, ME for some time (just use our search function and you’ll see what I mean). This week we learned, thanks to reader Susan, that the Justice Department’s community relations division has set up shop in Portland.
From the Portland Press Herald:
The Department of Justice is again working with the Portland Police Department, but this time it’s the community relations division trying to help improve ties between police and the Sudanese community.
A mediator with the federal agency has made contact with members of the Sudanese Community Association and with police officials. The goal is to create an environment where both sides are able to discuss the conflict with the goal of resolving tensions.
“Our basic work is to come into a community to bring conciliation and restoration of peace, where there have been issues based on race, color or national origin,” said George Henderson, legal counsel for the agency’s Community Relations Service.
He said department rules prevent him from confirming the department’s presence in Portland or any specifics about who contacted the department and what issues it has identified.
However, representatives from the Sudanese community and police confirmed the agency’s involvement.
The last time the Department of Justice sent someone to work with the Portland Police Department it was far less amicable.
In 2002, the agency’s civil rights division was assigned to Portland to investigate whether the police force had a pattern or practice of violating civil rights. The agency was asked to investigate in hopes of restoring trust in the police following a series of high-profile excessive force cases.
The exhaustive investigation spanned two years and concluded that there was no institutional pattern or practice of civil rights violations. It did, however, propose a number of improvements and “best practices” that the department adopted.
The community relations division of the Department of Justice — formed in 1964 as part of the Civil Rights Act — has no investigative or prosecutorial powers. It is called upon to heal rifts within communities, but works behind the scenes to recommend practices and bring community leaders together, Henderson said.
There is more. Read on.
Here is what the Justice Department’s community relations division does, and it seems that anyone can call them in.
The Community Relations Service is the Department’s “peacemaker” for community conflicts and tensions arising from differences of race, color, and national origin. Created by the Civil Rights Act of 1964, CRS is the only Federal agency dedicated to assist State and local units of government, private and public organizations, and community groups with preventing and resolving racial and ethnic tensions, incidents, and civil disorders, and in restoring racial stability and harmony. CRS facilitates the development of viable, mutual understandings and agreements as alternatives to coercion, violence, or litigation. It also assists communities in developing local mechanisms, conducting training, and other proactive measures to prevent or reduce racial/ethnic tension. CRS does not take sides among disputing parties and, in promoting the principles and ideals of non-discrimination, applies skills that allow parties to come to their own agreement. In performing this mission, CRS deploys highly skilled professional conciliators, who are able to assist people of diverse racial and cultural backgrounds.
I could give them a few suggestions of cities that need their services.
Endnote: I was just trying to figure out if there was one Sudanese community group in Portland and came across this handy Maine government site for Multicultural Affairs. Some of our Maine readers should look into each of these groups and see who funds them, etc. Also, if they are 501(c)3s, you might want to see how much involvement they have in electoral politics or lobbying for legislation—they shouldn’t have much of a role if they are legit non-profits.
Also, you know your city is experiencing the strengthening power of diversity when you have an organization called the Center for the Prevention of Hate Violence established in your city. Note that this Portland group reaped a federal grant ($184,719) from the Ethnic Community Based Organizations funding initiative of the Office of Refugee Resettlement, here.
Some Gitmo prisoners might go to Georgia, the country not the state
It’s getting closer every day—the deadline for Obama to clear out Guantanamo Bay that he promised last January. Now, here is a story that says Georgia is willing to take some prisoners in what they refer to as a “prisoner resettlement” initiative. At least they aren’t referring to the detainees as “refugees” as some previous news accounts have done.
A senior Georgian official tells EurasiaNet that Tbilisi and Washington are discussing the possibility of Georgia accepting suspected terrorists currently being held at the US military prison at Guantanamo Bay on the island of Cuba.
Georgian National Security Council Secretary Eka Tkeshelashvili stated that negotiations about a prisoner transfer are “ongoing.” She would not specify the nature of the talks, or discuss any potential timetable for a transfer.
President Mikheil Saakashvili has made it clear that Georgia is ready to take Guantanamo prisoners. In a television interview with Fox News in late September, Saakashvili said that the country is “absolutely” willing to host Guantanamo detainees. “You know, whatever we can do to help America on its war on terror, we will do,” he said.
The Obama administration faces a January 2010 deadline to close the Guantanamo facility, which still houses over 200 inmates. An estimated 60 detainees have been cleared for release, according to human rights groups.
But finding homes for the prisoners has not been easy. Georgia is one of just a handful of countries that have offered to take Guantanamo prisoners this year, according to the London-based prisoner rights organization Reprieve.
Meanwhile at the White House speculation continues to swirl about the fate of Greg Craig, the White House Counsel who has been responsible for the now screwed-up Gitmo closure plan.