Thread: Activists Want Investigation of Suffolk Hate-Crime Stats

Newsday.com
Activists call for investigation of Suffolk hate-crime statistics
BY REID J. EPSTEIN
reid.epstein@newsday.com
6:53 PM EST, December 2, 2008


The Suffolk Legislature should create a task force to investigate the county's official hate crime statistics, Legis. DuWayne Gregory said Tuesday.

Gregory (D-Amityville) said he will introduce legislation later this month to create a 12-member panel to study the Suffolk Police statistics that show anti-Hispanic hate crimes fell from 15 in 2004 to one in 2007.

Marcelo Lucero, an immigrant from Ecuador, was stabbed to death Nov. 8 in Patchogue after a group of seven teenagers in search of a Hispanic man to harass surrounded him.

Gregory, who called the county figures "suspect," said he wants to launch "an open discussion about hate crimes in Suffolk County." The task force, he proposed, would include members appointed by the Legislature, the police department, the county executive, the district attorney, local clergy and school districts. His proposal would include a $5,000 budget and give the task force a year to issue a written report.

Legis. Jack Eddington (I-Medford), the chairman of the Public Safety Committee, said he would work with Gregory to create the task force. Eddington said he was unaware that teenagers in his district regularly targeted Hispanic men to beat up, as police have reported since Lucero's death.

"I thought this was an isolated incident of some real stupid kids," he said. "Now I'm hearing there's a history of this kind of behavior, and I was not aware of that." Gregory's proposal came after activists from across Long Island called for legislators and Attorney General Andrew Cuomo to investigate the county's hate crime figures. Speaking during a morning rally, Patrick Young, the program director of the Central American Refugee Center in Hempstead, said the decrease is not credible.

Neither Cuomo's office nor County Executive Steve Levy's immediately responded to requests for comment.

The morning rally drew a crowd of about 50 supporters, a class of 20 Connetquot fourth graders and a pair of officials from the federal Justice Department. More than three dozen activists spoke during the Legislature's public portion, urging legislators to disavow laws that require contractors doing county business and the county's 17,000 licensees to verify their employees' legal working status.

Omar Henriquez, a member of the AFL-CIO's Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, said legislators have a chance to make things right with Hispanic and immigrant communities.

"You have the opportunity to make things right when it comes to issue of immigration," Henriquez said. "But first, those who previously proposed and supported anti-immigration ordinances must take responsibility and admit that they were on the wrong track."

Despite the parade of activists decrying anti-immigrant rhetoric, two proponents of restrictive laws spoke to defend their cause. Paul Forthmuller of Hampton Bays, of the Suffolk County Coalition for Legal Immigration No Amnesty, said he is trying to determine whether Lucero, who was born in Ecuador, was a legal immigrant.

And Elaine Kahl of Water Mill said immigrant activists should not make requests of legislators to help people who arrive in the country illegally. "Do not come in here and demand of my leaders to break the law and to suit the law to your private agenda when it isn't suited for all," she said.

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/suffo ... 8183.story

Related:

"Illegal Aliens Urge Policy Change After Suffolk Stabbing"
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-139590.html

"Suffolk Hispanic Board Aims to Build Trust"
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-139497.html

Why aren't they interested in the crimes committed by these people on AMERICANS. They just see it one sided. There are many more against us then there are on them.

Apparently there's not enough hate crimes for them. They need MORE "hate" crimes to further their agenda.

The simple answer to the "E-Verify" objections is that in these economic times we must make doubly sure that the taxpayers money goes to American workers and NOT illegal aliens.