Posted on Sun, Nov. 26,

Farmers Branch column stirs up readers

By Bob Ray Sanders
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

The fallout was so great from last Sunday's column on Farmers Branch that I might as well have dropped an atom bomb.

But I suppose when I used a certain word to describe the small Dallas County town's new anti-illegal immigration laws, I should have expected explosive reactions.

The Farmers Branch City Council, led by Councilman Tim O'Hare, enacted a series of ordinances that made English the official language, banned the rental of property to immigrants without legal papers and charged its police to crack down on "criminal aliens" by cooperating with federal officials.

My suggestion that these new laws were "acts of bigotry" upset many readers, and more than once I was asked, "What about illegal do you not understand?"

Because of the overwhelming reaction to the column, I could not respond to each person individually. Therefore, without adding new commentary, I will share some of the readers' reactions to what I wrote.

"Shame on you, Bob Ray, for defending criminals and putting down people who are trying to be law abiding. If the people you are trying to defend want to become part of our culture then they should speak the language."

"Why I read your column I will never know, but I do. You are a good writer, except I usually disagree with your message, even accepting the fact that you are a racist. You have a prejudice against the Caucasian race. ... Why do you always play the race card?"

"I, as a legal taxpayer for 75 years, did not pay into a system that will give to people who come here for a handout. AND I SAY TO FARMERS BRANCH, ROCK ON."

"Seems to me that Webster's definition of 'bigot' fits your foot much closer than Mr. O'Hare's."

"THANK YOU, thank you, thank you for hitting the nail on the head! I am a Caucasian female, married to a Caucasian male and we have lived in Farmers Branch for over three years and I am sincerely appalled and disappointed in our city and our city council."

"Why am I not surprised that you would take the side of criminals? I don't know why, but this seems to be the way y'all feel. You wonder why there is still bigotry when you take this kind of attitude."

"By your line of reasoning it is perfectly acceptable for anyone, immigrant or otherwise, to break any law in this country. After all, if it's okay to break our immigration laws why isn't it okay to break all other laws?"

"If a city chooses to enforce statutes that the Feds haven't, why the outrage? They have chosen to be here illegally. Should there not be consequences. While I disagree, you do state your case well."

"We have lived in several states and a couple of foreign countries. Unfortunately, the actions of Farmers Branch enhance widely held negative opinions of Texas. Thank you for continuing to write about what you think is right even when it will open you to much criticism."

"I have major issues with actions taken by cities when the sole purpose of those actions is to divide its citizens. I believe that making landlords/apartment managers responsible for enforcing immigration laws is beyond stupid."

"Your article was quite amusing! Thanks for the pre-game laughter you provided me on Sunday with your article on the brave and determined efforts of Farmers Branch to stop the flow, and the intrusive presence of ILLEGAL ALIENS in their community."

"Right on!! Those people on the Farmers Branch council just hate the descendents of the Indian peoples of the Americas. 'The only good Indian is a dead Indian' or at least not one living in Farmers Branch."

"The race card only serves to show the infinitely narrow thought process that people take towards difficult subjects. When you try to compare the immigrants, such as my ancestors, with those that come here illegally you are doing a great disservice to what we refer to as the melting pot of America."

"Farmers Branch is not a community of Bigots. That is irresponsible journalism on your part."

"I am SO glad you stated ... exactly what I was feeling about Farmers Branch's bigoted action. I can't believe that sensible people in the 21st Century can get so carried away."

"I think there is a ton of stories going on in your town to keep you busy for the next twenty years. 'But no.' You have to put your two-cents in something you think you care about. Look at yourself in the mirror and you may find some bigotry in there somewhere."

"I have lived in Fort Worth all my life, 72 years on the East Side. The illegals have moved into Poly and Handley by the hundreds. They come with their friends, 10 people living in a 2- and 3-bedroom house, 10 cars (six in the driveway and 4 in the street). My Poly looks like the scums and it [is] all because of illegals and minorities that have moved in."

"Who gave you the license to label people?"

"What we don't need is a bigot with a byline adding the wrong ingredient into the mix concerning the problem with illegal aliens."

"The saddest part was that the FB ordinance was passed on the same day that a Republican president, a Democrat contingent and the Black aristocracy met on the Washington Mall to dedicate a spot for the Martin Luther King memorial. All I could think was that Martin must be so sad on his special day."
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