How can there be education without dialog?
CommunityPower.tv has repeatedly tried to reach www.support287g.com via their "guestbook message" section of their website. We were attempting to open a channel of communication with them to dialog about the 287g issue. We are concerned that they are not engaging the rest of the community by posting our congratulations for joining the discussion about 287g, and to open a direct line of communication between our two platforms.
Lisa (Administrator of www.support287g.com), we appreciate the freedom of individuals to believe in the things they believe in. However, if our two sides (and there are many more of us on both sides) not open to dialog about this issue online and in public, then we both are just two online platforms hiding behind our login and passwords.
We feel that a "real" open forum regarding 287g should be sponsored by our two platforms, it is essential. Did you know that we originally had a private meeting between the Mayor and Osborn regarding our concerns with 287g, long before the public meeting? In fact, we suggested in that meeting not to bring any lawyers (both sides). Well, it was the Mayor who decided to make it a public forum which did not allow us to present to him, privately, many issues like:
1. the ongoing code enforcement 4th Ammendment violations occuring with our code enforcement officers
2. the fact that our community wanted to support community policing efforts by reporting ongoing crime (immigrants to afraid to do so)
3. the insertion of a Latino liason between the police department and our immigrant community
4. our willingness to help in clean up efforts around town
5. the fact that we started a campaign to minimize bicycle and loitering on the sidewalks
6. repairing the cultural differences of Latino men whistling at pretty women (young and old)
7. any understanding of what else it was we could contribute to our community
Instead, a public meeting was held, offering only 2 minutes a piece for our community to talk (with his lawyer doing the talking). In fact, we made the decision that this was not the place or time to bring these things up and still instisted that many of these issues be handled privately with the Mayor. Unknown to most people, only 3-4 people in our group spoke at the meeting. And, as you know, we presented a file of over a month of research dissecting 287g from a legal, financial and social standpoint. It contained case studies of other towns who implemented 287g with invitations to meet with these individuals. We never heard back regarding that file.
We believe in our heart of hearts, that a public forum should be held allowing both sides to present their information without interruption and without passion. Pure information and research. No politicians and no meeting at Village Hall with dozens of plain clothed cops in the audience. Let the responsibility lie on CommunityPower.tv and Support287g.com to get the information out effectively to our community. We are convinced there is information on BOTH sides that neither one of us is hearing. What if WE THE PEOPLE came to a conclusion about how 287g should either happen or not happen in Suffern. Besides, if the Mayor is doing this for the people, then why not let the people figure out "what" and "how" we want him to do this. Imagine if we came to a solution of how to bring 287g to our town with many other checks and balances in place to make sure that all of the immigration abuses you hear about did not happen in Suffern? Is it possible? We don't know till we talk about it.
Hearing that our Chief of Police is spending an enormous amount time getting a pro 287g petition signed BY EMPLOYEES OF THE VILLAGE seems slighly unethical on a couple of fronts. 1. No one wants to "upset" the Chief of Police? Especially when you work with him day after day. Are Village employees feeling pressured to sign? 2. Shouldn't the head of our law enforcement be more sensitive about the community collective then trying to push through, what is appearing to be, a very personal and passionately pursued intiatiative by him? How are immigrants supposed to get involved in community policing if the perception is that he is the one "trying to get run them out of town"? Again, I am stating a perception, but in politics and local governement, these things are important indicators of a community's (un)balance.
Support287g.com + CommunityPower.tv = A Powerful and Informed Community
Community Power
info@communitypower.tv
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
If anyone takes time to get to know Chief Osborne and his concern for our community you'll know that he has everyone's best interest and safety in mind when it comes to the people of Suffern. This is a man with no ego and I trust him 100 percent. I support 287g. Doesn't really matter the color of ones skin or their nationality. If they commit a crime that can do harm to another person well then they don't belong in our community!!!! And yes DWI is a crime. It can and has killed many people in our country. Lets be proactive and not reactive. It's about time someone grows a pair and stands up for the safety of our community. Thank god we're not covered by Ramapo and have our own village board and police dept. I applaud Chief Osborne and the village board.
Mike Malandra
Post a Comment