September 17, 2008

Mayor Becker to address concerns about racial profiling

The Racine Interfaith Coalition is planning a meeting Sunday between Mayor Gary Becker and hundreds of members of the city's Latino community.

The meeting is scheduled for St. Patrick's Catholic Church immediately following the 1 pm Spanish Mass. RIC is hoping 500 people will attend, said Raquel Freeman, who is organizing the event for RIC.

Freeman said people at the meeting will tell stories about racial profiling in city neighborhoods by the Racine Police Department.

"Police pull Latinos over for no good reason," she said. Officers "ask them (Latinos) for Social Security cards and information not pertinent to their arrest. It's illegal."

Others at the meeting will address families split apart by deportation, unemployment among Latinos community and other issues affecting the community, Freeman said.

"We're working to create a better place for Latinos to live and work," she said. "There are not a lot of civil rights for people who are illegal anyway, so we're advocating for human rights in Racine."

Here's the press release from RIC:
Mayor Becker will meet with several hundred members of RIC’s Spanish-speaking membership on Sunday, September 21 at St. Patrick’s parish hall immediately after the Spanish Mass (1:00p.m.).

RIC (Racine Interfaith Coalition) is a faith-based community organization composed of religious congregations in Racine County. Their mission is to address the root causes of social problems and lead to new ways of thinking and acting.

RIC members are concerned about instances of discrimination and racial profiling in their neighborhoods. They seek assurance from Mayor Becker that immigrants – and all residents of the county – will be treated with dignity and respect.

RIC is one of nine congregation-based justice ministries in Wisconsin affiliated with WISDOM as well as the national Gamaliel Foundation.

29 comments:

  1. I hope that the RPD does everything in there power to help end illegals staying in this county.
    Mayor Becker must really want to fight a recall campaign at the same time he is fighting the sexual harassment suit.

    I stand 100% behind the RPD fight on gangs in this city I would hope that Becker would help stop crime f only for his art project and how is that coming? You mean no one is interested might it be the CRIME?

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  2. Colt, racial profiling and discrimination are illegal. Shouldn't the mayor and the police follow that law?

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  3. "Others at the meeting will address families split apart by deportation"

    More and more Becker turns Racine into a sanctuary city.

    Colt start the recall

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  4. Here is a thought. Stop committing crimes and driving without a license and then you won't be harrassed.......tards.

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  5. Hey Raquel Freeman. CCAPs shows that you don't pay your bills, and that you drive without a license. You are a real role model to be making complaints. LOSER!!!!!

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  6. I just GOT to go to this!!!!!!

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  7. Prio....

    Take a video camera. It’s amazing to watch how the Mayor can dance around any question presented.

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  8. Freeman...get a grip, “Others at the meeting will address families split apart by deportation”. There’s no reason for them to be split apart, they know they’re illegal so they should move back to the country they came from with the illegal when he/she gets deported.

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  9. If someone is being arrested for a crime, ascertaining their citizenship status may be pertinent. This is especially true for drug cases, where a lot of illegal drugs make their way here via illegals. If a non-citizen commits a crime, I would just as soon turn them over to the feds for deportation than waste our money prosecuting and punishing them.

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  10. wow. this issue sure brings the 'haters' out.....

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  11. So standing up for America makes us haters? But say in Mexico illegals are treated much more harshly than they are here.
    So we should just grab our ankles as illegals come to Racine?
    Please take the time to read how many BILLIONS are spend on people who should not even be here.

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  12. greg helding:

    so, you're assuming guilt? if they are undocumented then they must be guilty of whatever they are charged with? just deport them???

    and when has a white person had to show proof of citizenship when pulled over for a traffic stop? never, i bet.

    please get a grip on american values and equity...

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  13. I'm not talking about traffic stops. I am talking about drug related and violent crimes. And, I see your point on assuming guilt. We could wait for the justice system to find them guilty, then deport them. Why should we waste money housing an illegal in prison for some number of years only to deport them at that point?

    Another question would be, why not deport them simply because they are illegal? If they are arrested for a crime and it is discovered during processing that they are here illegally, what should be done? Should law enforcement ignore this?

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  14. I'd rather spend billions of dollars keeping families and children safe and together than spending billions of dollars on wars. Do you personally know anyone who is here illegally from Mexico? I do. I know a woman who escaped here with her two young children. Her husband was abusive so she decided to save herself and her children by fleeing here to the U.S. The only place she felt she would be safe. She is a wonderful mother. I know a man who was a child when his family came here illegally and he is now going through the long, gruelling process of becoming a citizen legally. Both of these "illegals" are models of how I wish more Americans would be - caring and sincere with a committment to family and education. Deport any felon who is here illegally, but keep the rest here. They could teach us a thing or two.

    BTW, when are the American Indians and Mexicans going to deport whites? We invaded their land and stole from them, now we think we have a right to tell anyone they don't belong here? What a sad, sad joke.

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  15. Racinegirl, thank you for your comments.

    Many often forget that the United States was founded on such atrocities as the genocide of the native people and the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. What a shameful history.

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  16. So, the United States being founded on the genocide of Native Americans means what, that we can pick and choose the laws we want to obey today? Or does it mean that we don't have to obey any laws? Or does it mean that only those born in the US have to obey the laws, while others don't?

    I just don't understand the reasoning. I don't understand why wanting to see the law enforced makes someone a hater. If thousands of Middle Easterners snuck into our country illegally and demanded 'rights,' what would the response be?

    Someone please explain to me why laws should be applied selectively to certain ethnic groups. Isn't that discrimination? Shouldn't Mayor Becker should be arrested for aiding and abetting those who violate our borders?

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  17. Let me be bunt Illegal Hispanics will be empowered to vote Obama (look what ACORN is doing in Wisconsin and other states and when will the Post report on that?) Becker facing perhaps a recall or even worse as more comes to light on the Sex Harassment case need s all the help he can get. That is why IMHO he is backing the Illegals so much, interesting too who spoke at the Hispanic round table event.
    As for the History of the US Slaves would not been sold if Africans were not selling them.
    The Indian wars ended quite sometime ago also my guess is that tho use so upset about that part of history will go back to their mother counties?

    Racinegirl should know that you can get immigration status for such things as "her friend" needing to escape.
    If you think this county was bad for the Indian wars Mexico was far far worse.
    Build the Fence
    Jail employers of illegals
    Proof of status for any government service

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  18. colt, you forgot:

    Repeal NAFTA -- an agreement that devastated the Mexico people and their economy and has sent many people North.

    and maybe:

    End American economic and military imperialism.

    Maybe we should blame governmental policy and not the people who were harmed by it.

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  19. From the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement site: "To report any suspicious activity please call 1-866-347-2423. Emailed reports of suspicious activity or 'tips' are not accepted at this time."

    This event has been reported. It is the duty of all United States citizens to report violations of federal law. If you know of an illegal, please report him/her to the authorities. Together we can fix our country and take it back from those who sell it for votes.

    Obey the law. Report those who violate it. Work to change the laws that you feel are unjust. Those principles have guided us well for over 200 years.

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  20. Yes! How dare the Mayor meet with residents??? Report them! If there is not a law against this, there should be! Where is Stalin when we need him?

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  21. Anon 10:54 - "Work to change the laws that you feel are unjust."

    Isn't that a part of what this meeting is about? Racine residents who are concerned that the law (or law enforcement) is harming them instead of protecting them? Do our Latino/a neighbors need to prove to everyone they encounter that they are legal citizens? For this to not be discrimination should we all just have a U.S. seal of approval stamped on our forehead so there is never a question about who is legal or illegal? I am afraid that is what it may come down to since so many citizens are more concerned about being right than about being human.

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  22. All of the off-topic statements above aside, I think it is great that Mayor Becker is meeting with the people he serves to hear their concerns.

    This isn't about deporting anyone without documents, it is about public dialog that is open and transparent.

    Thanks to RIC for facilitating it and also to Gary Becker for attending this event.

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  23. There is nothing illegal about the mayor meeting with city residents. I did not say there was. I said that we should report criminals to the authorities. What does Stalin have to do with this? If I see someone stealing something or attacking someone, I will report them to the police. If I know of someone who is in the country illegally, I will report them to ICE. I don't go around spying on people; by the same token, I do report crimes that I witness. Sorry, but I consider that one of my responsibilities as a member of the human race.

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  24. "This event has been reported."

    "There is nothing illegal about the mayor meeting with city residents."

    Your statements are contradictory.

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  25. And thank you RIC for remaining silent about your various religions' complicity in the current situation regarding illegal aliens, and the Crusades, and the Salem witch trials, and the Holocaust, and the slave trade, and all the wars that humanity has fought in the name of God or Allah or Jesus Christ or whatever other figurehead you use to ease the superstitions of hominids while raking in billions and billions of tax free dollars. Yes, thank you on behalf of all the humans who have been butchered in the name of your beliefs.

    It's a comment section Karas - there is no such thing as an off-topic comment. That's like saying aldermanic intelligence: an oxymoron. Maybe without the oxy.

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  26. "'This event has been reported.'

    "'There is nothing illegal about the mayor meeting with city residents.'

    "Your statements are contradictory."


    ICE didn't think so. Reporting an event where there is a very good possibility of attendance by illegal aliens does not necessarily mean that the event is illegal.

    Logic classes anyone?

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  27. So you say you reported it because you were racial profiling?

    Got it. Now I understand.

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  28. Can the German and Irish communities send representatives too?
    How about the American communitiy sending representatives to the meeting?
    Will we all be welcomed?
    I think we are all profiled in one way or another.

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  29. I just hope that someone knows the definition of racial profiling, and the true history!

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