Nevada town enacts English-only law, bans immigrant benefits

[NVMojo]

(I would never want to live in Pahrump, NV anyways ...)

PAHRUMP, Nev. (AP) - Elected officials in this southern Nevada town have adopted an ordinance declaring English the official language, restricting the display of foreign flags and denying town benefits to undocumented immigrants.

A 3-2 Town Board vote drew a standing ovation and cheers late Tuesday from many of the 250 people at a meeting that featured passionate arguments about the proposal.

"We have to start somewhere," said trustee Michael Miraglia, who sponsored the measure targeting illegal immigrants. He said Tuesday it was "for all our servicemen and women who died for our country," and said he hoped it would provide a model for other cities.

Audience members heckled an American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada official and booed Pahrump resident Vicky Parker, who said she was "appalled at the overt Hispano-phobia going on."

Lee Rowland, an ACLU staff lawyer from Las Vegas, told the board the ordinance would invite an expensive lawsuit challenging its constitutionally.

"If you pass an ordinance that is blatantly in violation of the First Amendment, this town will be on the hook," Rowland said.

more...

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/nevada/2006/nov/15/111510272.html

and a version of the story from the right wing paper in Las Vegas ....

November 15, 2006

After a heated public meeting Tuesday night that was repeatedly interrupted by boos and applause, the Pahrump Town Board adopted an ordinance that targets illegal immigrants.

The ordinance declares English the town's official language, sets restrictions on flying foreign flags and denies town benefits to undocumented immigrants.

Approval of the ordinance was met with a standing ovation and cheers by many of the approximately 250 people at the meeting.

One man wore a stars and stripes bandana on his head and a T-shirt that said: Speak English or get the (expletive) out.

Another proponent, Elliott Brainard, who identified himself as a naval officer who served during World War II, said, "These people who don't speak English ... take money and support away from our citizens who need it."

Another man, who said he was an Army veteran, said since this is the United States, there should be only one language.

more...

http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Nov-15-Wed-2006/news/10847735.html

[BushOut06]

1. How ironic - many of these towns are in occupied Mexican territory

I'm not suggesting for one minute that we should give the entire Southwestern US back. But think about it from their point of view. Less than two hundred years ago, that land belonged to your ancestors. The US goes to war with Mexico and seizes nearly half your country. If Canada were to seize the nortwestern part of the US, I figure that many Americans would be pretty upset about it two hundred years from now.

[NVMojo]

3. or in the realms of Native American lands that was also stolen ...

Hate is still KING in Amerika!

[Vorta]

36. We have a reciept for the land. Paid a lot of money for it too.

[mike_c]

2. the ACLU will jump on this-- that's what the federal courts are for....

eom

[saigon68]

4. a T-shirt that said: Speak English or get the (expletive) out.

NICE

WHERE ARE THE PHOTOS

[Cerridwen]

5. But prostitution is still legal, right? Is the brothel museum still

there? Gambling is also a major industry. Just pointing out the weird inconsistencies.

Pahrump is where many Californians go to get away from the "over regulation" in CA then bitch anonymously because their neighbor wants to put their septic system too close to the water supply. They complain anonymously because they're afraid their neighbor will use his or her shotgun on them should they speak directly.

A friend and co-worker who is originally from Pahrump, told me that Pahrump is the most in-bred, knuckle-dragging bunch of "white trash" she's ever known. Paraphrasing but "white trash" was her phrase.

Pahrump is a social worker's nightmare. I've known several who worked there. Same stories over and over. Child abuse, domestic violence, excessive alcohol and drug use, and on and on.

If NV has a filthy, stinky, unwashed arm pit, Pahrump is it.



edit: typo

[NVMojo]

6. Right wingers controlling the state and it's corrupt businesses! Mormons rule too!

[Cerridwen]

7. Eek! Don't get me started.

:nuke:

[slackmaster]

17. The Pahrump town directory had two brothels advertising last time I was there

December 2004.

I've also heard it's a big town for high desert biker meth labs.

[TankLV]

20. Well, I wouldn't think of an "armpit" when I think of the orifice that Pahrump is...

but maybe that's just me...

[Big_Mike]

32. For that reason, I agree with others

and call it the leg pit.

[LanternWaste]

8. This very same thing happened just outside of Dallas, TX

This very same thing happened in the up-scale Dallas suburb of Farmers Branch just yesterday. The story received a LOT of local air time, but... this being Texas, most people were happy about it. :(

[xxqqqzme]

9. Town Manager David Richards

Is Richards a name associated w/ a native American tribe? I can't place it.

[KamaAina]

10. Restricting the display of foreign flags?

?Como se dice en espanol free speech? :grr:

P.S. Pahrump is home to late-night radio's Art Bell. We'll see if he has anything to say this weekend...

[loves_dulcinea]

13. art bell?

is that fool still wasting time on the airwaves?

[KamaAina]

14. Only on weekends these days

and special occasions like Hallowe'en's "Ghost to Ghost AM" (really).

[mainer]

40. Art's living in the Philippines right now

And isn't he a libertarian? I'd think he'd be against any law telling him what he can and can't do.

[Sequoia]

41. Remember that scence in "The Sound of Music" where

Christopher Plummer had his Austrian flag and the Nazi guy was all upset about it. What a stupid ruling. Bunch of rednecks.

[Tesha]

11. Pahrump, huh. That name don't sound very English.

"Ack ack ack ACK.

Tesha

[Bridget Burke]

12. Guess I'll cancel my vacation to Pahrump...

Until the 1960s, Pahrump had no telephone service and the only roads in were gravel or dirt. However, as Las Vegas grew, real estate speculation became more popular in the area, which led to increased interest in Pahrump. This led to the introduction of telephone service and the construction of a paved highway, from Las Vegas to Pahrump, during the late 1960s... In 1972 Pahrump's first high school was constructed

Since the late 1970s, Pahrump has grown almost exponentially, increasing from about 2000 residents in 1980 to almost 25,000 in 2000. (Est to 44,000 in 2nd Qtr of 2005) Pahrump is a prototypical example of an exurb. Almost all significant agriculture has ceased in the valley, and the surface aquifers have been filled up over the years. Pahrump has also attracted a number of interesting people, including paranormal talk radio host Art Bell, along with a number of individuals with stronger libertarian political beliefs than most. The Frontsight Firearms Training Academy is located in Pahrump....

Pahrump and neighboring Crystal house legal brothels, which helped build the infrastructure of the town.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pahrump

What a dump!

[Odin2005]

15. The English-only and flag things are racist crap, but...

Why should people that are in this country ILLEGALLY get benifits? That's an insult to people who immigrated here legally.

[Tesha]

22. Yeah, those damned Mayflower boat people! Why should they get anything?

It all started going downhill when those damned boat people showed
up on that damned Mayflower. Even though they were granted "benifits"
by the native authorities, they didn't *RESPECT* the native authorities
and went on to create an insurgency that eventually wiped out the
legitimate government of the land, even using Weapons of Mass
Destruction such as smallpox.

Tesha

[BuddhaGirl]

31. good one!

I don't understand all the xenophobia around here :shrug:

[Vorta]

37. You really think so?

I don't understand all the xenophobia around here

Think of it from a sociological sense- resistance is essential to evolution. English is the language of diplomacy, trade, and science int he word now because it's somewhat efficient and endlessly adaptive. It is an organic hybrid. But it became that way through challenge and resistance. It also is one of the most accurate languages because assimilated words came to have more specific meanings or nuance.

Spanish will be assimilated by English, but it has to occur in a way that benefits English. For our culture to accept it as an alternative language would rip a hole in time and space.

[noonwitch]

38. That's basically how I feel about it.

I also think building a wall along the border is not the best idea, but I do support hiring more border agents and installing cameras to assist them with their job.

I also oppose illegal immigration for the sake of those immigrants themselves. I've heard about people exploiting them, bringing them over and leaving them to die, locked in trucks in the hot southwestern weather. Plus, there are the employers who use them as slave labor. Illegal immigration feeds this sort of exploitation.

But the English-only stuff is racist crap. I think we should be teaching our kids spanish from an early age-because it is good for them to learn a second language early, as it helps them later to learn even more languages, if they so desire. They're exposed to spanish on tv, anyways, on "Dora the Explorer", "Sesame Street" and other educational shows.

And the flag thing-if I had the money, I would have a different flag to fly on any given day-the US flag on US holidays (and the day the new congress starts), a mexican flag to fly on May 5, a french Flag to fly on July 14, a British flag to fly on whatever day they celebrate a patriotic holiday, and so forth. I would do it in the spirit of fun.

[DuaneBidoux]

16. A Brit would say: "you think you speak English?"

[lovuian]

18. heres a question for ya A LVN goes to a clinic for a job

and is asked are you bilingual??? The LVN goes No but I speak English

The LVN that speaks Spanish and English gets the job at an clinic in Southwestern America. A bank teller are you bilingual verses a teller with only English... they hire the bilingual

The answer
Learn Spanish

Hmmm changing times in America

Why not do like Canada and make us a dual language so everybody is up to speed

[NVMojo]

19. just a few tiny years ago, we were telling kids entering college to learn

Spanish if they wanted to get ahead in the business world. Now we want to crucify spanish-speaking illegals who work. HAHA!

[Massacure]

21. Banning foreign flags? Unconstitutional, it violates freedom of speech.

[annabanana]

23. Pahrump? PAHRUMP??

Isn't this the town just featured on "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" over the last two weeks? Apparently the TV show "smartened them up some" for the script.

[ckramer]

24. Nev. town to fine for foreign flags

The Nevada town of Pahrump is taking a stand not just against illegal immigrants but flags they may bring with them.
The elected town board in the remote Mojave Desert community voted 3-2 on Tuesday to enact an ordinance making it illegal to fly a foreign nation's flag by itself.

Flying another country's flag, whether it is a British Union Jack or the flag of Mexico, is punishable by a $50 fine and 30 hours' community service, unless it is flown below an American flag.

"Old Glory is sovereign," says Paul Willis, a retired carpenter and board member. "You can't fly any other nation's flag higher than the American flag."

The American Civil Liberties Union says the flag restriction violates the First Amendment's guarantee of free speech.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-11-15-foreign-flags_x.htm

[Marie26]

25. MORONIC. nt

[ckramer]

26. a retired carpenter and board member

LOL

[Hobarticus]

28. Wonder what plank he ran on? n/t

[Tesha]

34. He was probably from a splinter faction. (NT)

[LynnTheDem]

27. America, Land of The Fre... Ummm...

Never mind.

[sniffa]

29. gLad to see there's no more pressing matters

[Arger68]

42. So if someone flies a Confederate flag

would they be fined? That flag was the battle flag of a nation composed of seceded states, so therefore would have been considered a foreign country, no?

[Norquist Nemesis]

30. There goes the St. Patrick's Day parade

No Irish flags either!

Stupid idea. Maybe they can expand the ordinance to include those cutesy teddybear welcome banners, too!

[Marie26]

33. No more cat flags!

Now that's an idea I could get behind.

[Maeve]

43. You can have my Irish tricolor when you pry it

from my cold, dead, flagpole! Sot there.
:eyes:
Dumber than a law against allowing chimpanzees to smoke...

[Vorta]

35. I'm OK with 1 and 3, but concerned about the flag thing.

I assume that by "official language" they mean the language that the government will conduct business in, so that's no big deal since they do that already.

They can't forbid emergency services to illegals, so that rule probably doesn't have much impact.

But the flag thing. Surely they aren't kidding themselves that they can forbid a property owner from flying the flag of his choice on his own property.

[saigon68]

39. bremer's new iraq flag REMEMBER THIS BEAUTY?