They are changing America by changing the people
Update March 31st: Jamaica repatriated this group of Haitians, here.
I haven’t followed the Haitian issue closely lately so I’m not sure if this is the first report of Haitians taking to boats since the January earthquake or not. 60 have been reported now landing in Portland, Jamaica, from Radio Jamaica here. Floridians might start scanning the horizons!
My previous story this morning about the Liberian gang rape case in Phoenix reminded me that Liberians participated in the Marxist March on America last Saturday. Here is a story from All Africa about that participation.
Hundreds of Liberians in the United States joined other immigrants to press for reforms in the immigration system that would allow millions legitimize their stay in America.
As their Temporary Protective Status comes to end with prospects of deportation since conditions here are deemed improved, they held a rally in Washington D.C., on Sunday, March 21, 2010
“The March For America” was organized by and held under the leadership of the Reform Immigration For America campaign. In addition to this immigration advocacy body, the Union of Liberian Associations in the Americas (ULAA), is also working in close collaboration and partnership with various other like minded activists and pressure groups in finding lasting solution to immigration problems facing Liberian citizens
After the match [march?] American officials spoke to the marchers, including New Jersey Congressmen Donald Payne, Sr., who is also Chairman of the powerful House Sub-Committee on Africa, Patrick Kennedy and Jim Langevin of Rhode Island, Keith Edison [Ellison, America’s first Muslim Congressman] of Minnesota and Rhode Island’s Senator Jack Reed. Liberia’s Ambassador in Washington DC, Roland Barnes also attended the program.
Liberians were granted Temporary Protected Status and allowed to come to the US years ago supposedly “temporarily.” Their time was up and thanks to people like Senator Reed (here), Obama extended the time* they can stay although the turmoil in their country has now subsided. The same status was granted Haitians recently. So what do you think the chances are that any of them will go home?
* I see that their extension is up in 4 days, but I’m guessing Obama has already extended their stay again. If anyone sees that report let me know! Do immigrants with TPS status get to vote?
This is a story we reported here last summer.
Yesterday AP reported that the oldest of the rapist boys would be given over to the juvenile justice system for three years of therapy. Testimony centered around the fact that rape was common in Liberia.
PHOENIX — A teenage Liberian refugee charged in the gang-rape of an 8-year-old girl will be sent to the juvenile system for therapy and released in less than three years, rather than face more than 25 years in prison if convicted as an adult, a Phoenix judge ruled Thursday.
The 15-year-old, whom The Associated Press is not naming because of his age, was 14 at the time of the July assault and had been the only one of four boys charged as an adult. All the children involved are refugees from the war-torn West African nation of Liberia.
Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Michael Kemp decided to send the teen’s case to juvenile court Thursday, meaning he will undergo treatment and be released when he turns 18, possibly sooner.
[…..]
Kemp issued his ruling after listening to four days of testimony and arguments, which included the findings of several psychologists that the teen would be better off in the juvenile system. While prosecutors argued to keep the teen in the adult system, their expert witness said he should be in juvenile court.
Part of the lengthy testimony included a glimpse of the teen’s life before he and his family fled Liberia as a refugee and came to the U.S. For 10 years, he witnessed rape and murder, sometimes of his own family members, and constantly had to relocate to different refugee camps during Liberia’s civil war, according to the testimony.
[…..]
The case prompted an international outcry after police reported the girl’s father said she brought shame on the family and he didn’t want her back — comments a family pastor later said were misunderstood because of a language barrier.
State child welfare officials have custody of the girl. The girl’s 59-year-old father and 47-year-old mother are each charged with eight child abuse counts for abuse and neglect reports dating back to 2005. Those charges were filed in November.
Liberians are largely here on Temporary Protected Status and just last weekend participated in the March on America in Washington, DC, here.
A group of Somalis held a press conference today to complain that the census forms are not in their language and by golly they need to be counted because their political power is growing! Did you get that! The census is all about competing groups wanting their piece of the American pie. Truth be told, that is how the census has been selling itself—fill out the forms so your group will get its fair share of the government goodies!
From the Columbus Dispatch:
About three dozen Somali leaders gathered today to complain that census forms aren’t distributed in their language and the government isn’t doing enough to make sure that members of their community are counted.
“We need to know the real numbers of Somalis in Columbus because our population is growing and has a powerful impact on the community,” said Hawa Siad, executive director of the Somali Women & Children’s Alliance, which organized the press conference at the Global Mall on the North Side.
The groups complained that the U.S. Census Bureau hasn’t done enough to educate the Somali community about why it is important to fill out the form.
They said the census should be available in more than six languages that it is currently available. And they said the Census Bureau hasn’t hired any local Somalis to go door to door in their communities, talking to individuals who have failed to return their forms.
Census officials said they have spent more than a year presenting workshops to Columbus’ Somali community explaining why the census is done and how it should be filled out.
Nevertheless, census officials are now hiring locals to find out why the Somalis aren’t getting those forms filled in.
Don’t you think its funny that they know how to call a press conference but can’t fill out the forms.
Maybe, maybe not, but we’ll take if for now. Thanks to Susan for sending this story from The Hill. Senator Graham (R-SC) says that the healthcare debate has “poisoned the well.”
Let’s now hope that Michael Steele doesn’t see any need to meet with the agitators who sat-in at RNC headquarters recently. You can bet the DNC would have called the cops if there had been 75 conservatives who parked themselves inside DNC headquarters.