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Culpeper debate on the Internet
Allison Brophy Champion
Staff Writer
Thursday, September 7, 2006



Even as the debate continues to simmer locally, the World Wide Web is paying close attention to Culpeper and its attitudes toward undocumented immigrants.

Saturday’s pro-immigrant march - led by Mexican businessman Martin Bernal - and anti-illegal immigrant meeting - hosted by Town Councilman Steve Jenkins - lit up the Internet with “bloggers” debating the good, the bad and the ugly of this complicated national issue.

And a few days before local activists took to the streets and stepped up to the podium, a Texas blogger named “Dixie,” posted a “debate forum” about the Culpeper issue at the Web site of Americans for Legal Immigration PAC - a N.C.-based political action committee devoted to supporting candidates “who make illegal immigration reduction a top priority,” according to alipac.us/index.php.

“Culpeper, VA Focus Campaign - SUPPORT!” Dixie writes in the August 30 posting.

The avid contributor - this person has contributed 2,948 writings since April - goes on to implore ALIPAC activists to contact Culpeper Town Council members “asking them to please pass the ordinances to prevent illegal aliens from city employment and rental properties.”

As part of his ongoing proposals, Jenkins supports measures fining employers and landlords for doing business with undocumented workers.

A few dozen cities nationwide have adopted such local laws, aimed at discouraging illegal immigrants from settling in their communities. However, like the “Illegal Alien Immigration Relief Act” of Hazleton, Pa., civil rights groups have challenged the legislation, claiming it’s unconstitutional and that only the federal government has the power to legislate immigration.

As a result, The Hazleton City Council recently decided to delay enforcement of its Act.

Federal issue or not, illegal immigration - and the 11 million undocumented residents living in America - has generated heated deliberation nationwide, including in Culpeper.

Some residents, as they expressed at Saturday’s march, embrace the diversity of the immigrant community and are not concerned about citizenship status.

Other residents, as they expressed at Saturday’s meeting, feel it’s unfair and illegal for immigrants to enter the country without proper documentation.

The latter was the side taken by Dixie in their recent on-line call to action to the Culpeper community. If the federal government won’t address the issue, Dixie says, then it’s up to the states, cities and towns to do so.

“Illegal immigration has many negative repercussions for our communities including depressed wages, increased health care costs, increased costs to taxpayers, increased crimes, infectious diseases and lost American jobs,” Dixie writes in her sample letter to the Culpeper Town Council.

The Web page contains the names, addresses, phone numbers and e-mail information for all nine council members, and ends with a few postings in support of the Culpeper movement.

“Change often starts at the grassroots, and if legislation can be introduced and passed (and enforced!) at the local level, positive change will resonate to the higher levels,” writes Joe Fleckenstein of northern Virginia.

Allison Brophy Champion can be reached at 825-0771 ext. 101 or abrophy@starexponent.com.