Thread: Bakersfield proposal ran into opposition

A proposal for the city of Bakersfield to take a stand on issues surrounding illegal immigration ran into opposition Wednesday, both from the public and members of the City Council.

A full audience waits to give opinion as well as listen to remarks about proposed resolutions from Councilmember David Couch at the City Council meeting on Wednesday. The resolutions would say that English is the official language of Bakersfield, say that Bakersfield is not and will not be a "sanctuary city" for illegal immigrants, and instruct city staff to look for city services that can be cut off to illegal immigrants.

The proposal by Councilman David Couch was criticized as divisive and mere symbolism, and 25 of the 30 members of the public who spoke opposed the measure.

Couch's proposal is a set of resolutions that would:

* Declare English the official language of Bakersfield.

* Declare that the city is not a "sanctuary city."

* Ask staff to determine whether any city services can be withheld from illegal immigrants.

Couch admitted that his proposals are largely symbolic. The city would still provide interpreters for people who want to address the City Council but don't speak English, he said. The "sanctuary city" resolution would only reiterate what is already true. And staff might find that there's no practical way to deny services.

It's that symbolism that drew Councilwoman Sue Benham to oppose Couch's move.

"My priority from where I sit up here is substance, not symbolism," she said. "I will not support them just to jump on a bandwagon."

What she would support, she said, is calling on the federal government to make real progress on border control, and to reimburse local governments that provide welfare services, hospitals and education -- all areas the city doesn't deal with.

Councilwoman Irma Carson also said she would oppose the proposals.

"I cannot support one of them," she said. "I think we need to remember that all of us, we've come from various places."

She said there are other, more important issues for the city and the country to deal with.

"Thank you so much for coming," she told the crowd packing the room. "I know we can do better, and we will."

But Councilman Zack Scrivner said that while the crowd was against the proposal, the vast majority of e-mail and calls he has received have been supportive.

"It is such a big subject on everyone's mind that it would be a disservice if we let it go," he said.

He said he would prefer to see something more substantive dealing with the issues, although he's not saying yet whether he would support it.

And Councilwoman Jacquie Sullivan said she had been relieved that immigration isn't a city issue, and dreads having to cast a clear-cut vote.

"I am talking on both sides of the fence, because it's just not an easy clear-cut issue," she said.

Members of the predominately Hispanic crowd told the council that the proposal would only divide the community along racial lines. A few recalled the climate of the 1940s and 1950s, including deportation of Hispanic citizens and making schoolchildren eat soap if they were caught speaking Spanish.

The city needs to better appreciate the laborers who make cheap products, including food, available, said Catalina Garcia.

"Somewhere along the line, everything you ate was touched by an undocumented immigrant," she said.

"It serves only to incite and polarize the community, and this should not be what Bakersfield is about," said Magda Menendez.

"This is a horrible resolution," said Dolores Huerta, president of the Dolores Huerta Foundation. "Divisive, negative, it doesn't help anybody."

But supporters of the proposal said they are frustrated that people are breaking the law to work here. And some said they are frustrated that in America, employers are giving preference to workers who can speak both English and Spanish. "If you're an American, why should you have to be bilingual?" said Wesley Crawford.

The proposal may come back to the council at one of its meetings next month, set for Aug. 15 and 29.

Seven City Council members represent specific areas of Bakersfield.

They can all be reached by calling the city clerk at 326-3767 or by writing to Bakersfield City Hall, 1501 Truxtun Ave., 93301.

The general e-mail address for the council is city_council@ci.bakersfield.ca.us.

Contact phone numbers are:

Ward 1: Irma Carson, representing southeast Bakersfield, 325-4327.

Ward 2: Sue Benham, representing central Bakersfield, 325-8273.

Ward 3: Ken Weir, representing northeast and sections of northwest Bakersfield, 619-2472.

Ward 4: David Couch, representing northwest Bakersfield, 663-4620.

Ward 5: Harold Hanson, representing much of southwest Bakersfield, 663-8663.

Ward 6: Jacquie Sullivan, representing the south and southwestern parts of Bakersfield, 834-4943

Ward 7: Zack Scrivner, representing south and southeastern parts of Bakersfield, 304-4065.

The city needs to better appreciate the laborers who make cheap products, including food, available, said Catalina Garcia.

ummmmm....WHAT? Why would the city need to appreciate criminals making a few corporations more profit for sub-living wage labor? Yes, continue...

"Somewhere along the line, everything you ate was touched by an undocumented immigrant," she said.

Yeah, and THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM...WHY?!? This is EXACTLY why the immigration laws NEED TO BE ENFORCED by the US, at Federal levels, at State levels, and at City levels.

Very interesting. Only this week our mayor announced on the radio that they would be looking into English as our offical language. He said the timeline was in a month or two. I'll keep alipac aprised as to if this goes anywhere for us.

To hear some people talk, you would think America was just in a bind and that chickens were getting plucked, cows weren't being milked, burgers weren't being flipped, and houses weren't being built before the illegals.

How can anyone, anyone mouth this garbage and keep a straight face.

:Personally, I would be afraid to be standing close to them - lightning might strike them for their lies.

Very interesting. Only this week our mayor announced on the radio that they would be looking into English as our offical language. He said the timeline was in a month or two. I'll keep alipac aprised as to if this goes anywhere for us.

It definitely appears your fine city has found the rope to pull yourselves out of the hole. California found a rope too, it says made in Mexico and hangs around our necks.

Typical California liberal bleeding heart far left wing thinking. No wonder their state is the most extremely affected (negatively, of course) by illegal immigration. With the majority of politicans cut from this mold and the millions of illegals in California, there will never be any substantial legislation passed that would solve the problem without a no nonsense group of hardnosed people and politicians. Further disaster likely awaits for this once great state.

Originally Posted by nntrixie

To hear some people talk, you would think America was just in a bind and that chickens were getting plucked, cows weren't being milked, burgers weren't being flipped, and houses weren't being built before the illegals.

I do agree with the substance of what you are saying but do believe it is going to take some deeper changes to do without the illegal aliens.

In about the same chronological era as this country became "addicted" to foreign oil, we were simultaneously becoming addicted to foreign labor. Both of these trends can and should be reversed but it won't be real simple.

I think we want to give young Americans the chance to advance themselves in rewarding careers and not be stuck in dead-end jobs, such as the ones you mention. (Exception: I don't think building houses is a dead end job). So America will have to relearn some things such as:
1. Get off the fast foods. Go back to fixing your own lunch and using union grocery clerks
2. Stop eating stuff just because it tastes good. Diversify your diet and get off the high fat, deep fried and abnormally high protein diets. Then we won't need nearly as many slaughterhouses and chicken pluckers. Grow your own vegetables.Owners and managers of those businesses need to find other work. But building houses is good, I do it.
3. Accept lower standards in hotels. I think it is ridiculous that someone who stays in a hotel or motel for longer than one night expects to have new linen everyday. Get over it! You don't do that at home do you? Perhaps that would rduce the rates somewhat.