Thread: The Sixx O'Clock News: Reports from Carlsbad

REPORTS ON THE CARLBAD (CA) IMMIGRATION TOWN HALL BY (1) A REAL PERSON AND (2) THE "MAINSTREAM" NEWS MEDIA!

(1) FROM A REAL PERSON. My friend Phyllis wrote a report for the anti-illegal immigration group in her home city. Compare her narrative with those of the news reporters--you'd really wonder if they attended the same gathering! I did listen on KOGOs live coverage, so I do know that her description of the speakers' comments is accurate.

I have just returned from Carlsbad. My friend, Eunice, was so glad that she went, but she was taken a bit aback by the HUGE police presence. She looked at the line of people waiting to go into the Cultural Center (read "auditorium" of the High School) and commented that none of them looked very rowdy, as they were mostly the "Granny Brigade" (and Grampa Brigade) type of folks who had volunteered for the "Neighborhood Watch" (MMP) at the AZ and/or CA border. There were signs posted stating "No Bags, No Signs, No Food," so we all took our purses to our cars, but then we were told we could take in our bags, but that we had to be willing to have them inspected. We were not going back to collect them at this point.

Eunice and I planned to leave right after she did some deaconess visiting following her work day. We had thought this would mean a departure of no later than 3 p.m., but we did not get started until 3:15. When we got close to the intersection of the Foothill and 57 Freeways there was an announcement on one of the freeway announcement boards that ALL lanes were closed leading to the 57 Freeway! We had thought that traffic was unbelievable for 3:35 in the afternoon, so then we knew why. I had not heard this alert either when I tuned in to get the traffic report. (I should have checked www.sigalert.com as my son does!) Heaven favored us, however, as just as we got to the intersection, a lane cleared and we were able to go south on the 57 after all. We zipped into the carpool lane and made up for the lost time! We had our munchies with us so we went straight to Carlsbad High School. We arrived at about 5:20, parked, and got into line.

Eunice said that it was "old home week" for me as I saw some people from the Hedgecock Hold Their Feet to the Fire and from various rallies! I had worn my Hedgecock D.C. lobbying trip T-shirt so I was recognizable! It was fun! Tickets were handed out as we waited in line. Only 400 people could be accommodated, and I saw only a handful of vacant seats--all in the press section! At 6 p.m. we were allowed to enter, but had to leave any bottles (plastic or otherwise, so I thought of Dottie Dalton, who was there) and food on a table or in the trash! Eunice was surprised that she had to abandon her plum, but the lady cop said that it could be thrown at someone!! We were able to find seats in about the 7th row center, which was perfect. There were some glitches with the microphone, but we were still able to hear the speakers until the backup arrived.

I do not know who mentioned that there were 250 protesters, but that is a GROSS exaggeration! We saw only a handful ahead of the event, and about a dozen of them were girls and/or women dressed in Muslim garb who merely paraded by the long line (waiting to enter the auditorium)!! By the time the event ended at 9 p.m. the police had us exit by a door that led us directly to the parking lot, with police all over the place. When I asked about a rest room the officer I queried said that they were in the opposite direction, and no one was being allowed to exit the way we had entered because that is where the protesters had congregated. There were about 100 protesters at the peak time, but the police had everything under control. There was no repeat of Garden Grove! There were no mounted police, but there certainly were SWAT members, motorcycle cops, and everyone thanked them for how smoothly they had organized and controlled everything. The lady who sat in front of me said the extent of the police presence reminded her of living in East Germany during the Cold War!

We were able to write out questions to be answered, but we never got to the Q & A session because each of the speakers went over their allotted ten minutes. We had to be out by 9 p.m. and the final speaker finished at 8:56 p.m.! Roger promised that there would be another Town Hall and soon.

State Senator Bill Morrow started the evening by thanking Peter Lepiscopo, Roger's attorney, whose legal actions made the whole evening at Carlsbad possible. Sen. Morrow asked how many people in the audience had come to the conclusion that illegal immigration was an out-of-control problem. Almost every hand was raised. He then asked if there was anyone who had the opinion that illegal immigration is not a problem. TWO hands went up!! They were encouraged to submit questions, and told that they were welcome. He then said that the police wanted him to announce that if anyone behaved in a matter inconsistent with the spirit of the Town Hall, they could expect to be removed. We did not have ANYONE behave in a disorderly manner. Sen.Morrow said that one would have to have one's head in the sand not to realize that illegal immigration presents a major problem in CA and that he intends to keep focusing attention on this problem in the state legislature. He listed some facts as to the extent of illegal immigration in CA. He showed the audience his official Minuteman badge.

The first speaker was Dr. Madeline Cosman, professor emeritus of medical law at City College of NY. She had adapted or revised her very effective presentation from the Immigration Summit in Las Vegas, and added some new information. The gasps from the audience were audible when she indicated all the diseases that have reappeared in the USA, such as leprosy, and how much the health care was costing the taxpayer (each and every taxpayer is paying $519 towards the public services illegal aliens received in CA last year!). She added that within this next week two more hospital ERs are closing in CA, bringing the total to 86 in the last several years.

Peter Nunez, former Asst. Atty General in San Diego office, spoke of the need for INTERIOR enforcement. I, for one, would be thrilled to have the "sweeps" of June 2004 resumed. Otherwise, it is like having an alarm system in your house so you can be ready to blast the intruder with your gun, but having no windows or doors to deter the intruder's entry!

Jim Gilchrist, co-founder of the Minutemen Project, mentioned several sub-issues of illegal immigration, starting off by saying that the opposition used bricks, whereas he preferred a pen to preserve the First Amendment. He mentioned the problem of the linking up of the MS-13 vicious El Salvadoran gang with Al Queda to smuggle WMD into the USA, as some people have paid $50K for help with illegal entries into the USA via Mexico.

He was followed by Rep. Tom Tancredo, whom I have heard in person before, but tonight he was really "on!" He was almost a "stand-up comic" at times, especially when he imitated the lofty demeanor of Senators! He said that his message was one of hope, as he knew things were changing for sure when he read in the LATimes about two weeks ago that the President, Ed Gillespie, and Dick Armey were charging businessmen $50-$250,000 to stop Tom Tancredo!! Further, he said that even if they could succeed in "marginalizing" him, he is not worried, because all of us will keep the heat on.

Ray Haynes said that it was unfair that he had to follow Tom Tancredo! Some law prevented him from discussing the CA Border Police Initiative, but that he could speak about the legislation (he gave the bill number) that appeared on one side of the sheets we were given (petitions to take home and get signed!) He said that for once the liberal Dems were interested in how much some legislation was going to cost!! Assemblyman Haynes has figured it out that for each dollar we spend on the CA Border Police, the taxpayer will SAVE $9! He found it ironic that Nunez wanted to spend about the same amount of money on a day labor "training" center, which did not make sense since it is ILLEGAL to aid and abet illegal aliens to find jobs, much less to "train" them to break the law!

Canyon County, Idaho Commissioner Robert Vasquez was the "clean-up" man. He told of the various ways that he has pursued the goal of stopping illegal immigration in Idaho. His latest avenue is to institute RICO charges against four employers who hire illegal aliens. He received a good laugh when he followed his comment that he sent Vicente Fox a bill for the $2 million that illegal aliens had consumed in public services in his county in southwestern Idaho with, "I'm sure the check is in the mail!" Vasquez said that the actions he had taken could be replicated anywhere. He is convinced that self-deportation would occur IF the sanctions were swift and serious so that employers would finally be hit in the wallet with hefty fines if they hired illegal aliens.

Roger, always the consummate broadcast professional, did a fantastic job of emceeing the Town Hall. He made oblique references to the fiscal and legal troubles into which America's Finest City (San Diego) had gotten itself. He announced that the entire program was being broadcast on KOGO 600 AM.

Tune in to Roger's program tomorrow (Friday) at 3 p.m. via either 600 AM (for Californians ) or the Internet at www.kogo.com (click on "listen live" where you see Roger's photo) as I am sure he will give a recap during the first hour of his show.

Everyone with whom I spoke or whom I overheard making comments had only positive remarks. This evening was very informative, very upbeat, and very safe. For those of you within driving distance, I would urge you to attend the next time Roger and/or Sen. Morrow plans a Town Hall.

(2) FROM THE MAINSTREAM NEWS MEDIA.

And now for 2 reports from the Fourth Estate. Do journalism schools teach the difference between reporting hard news and writing editorial commentary?

Article #1:
"Activists pack Carlsbad town-hall meeting," North County Times, August 12 2005
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2005/08 ... _11_05.txt

Phyllis' comments:
I arrived at 5:20 p.m. and was probably 35th in line, so it is patently untrue that one had to arrive by 4 p.m. in order to get a "coveted seat!"

It is obvious that Roger would give his listeners a "heads up" about the meeting since he was instrumental in helping Sen. Morrow get the Town Hall a "green light" after the revocation of permission. ANYONE who listens to Roger would have known, NOT just "activists!"

It is grossly misreporting to say merely that no questions were taken. Since each speaker went over the allotted 10 minutes each, they had to forego the Q & A because the venue was contracted for only from 7-9 p.m. That is why Roger said that there would be another Forum ....and soon, but the reporter fails to mention these facts.

And, of course, he had to mention about the Minutemen, "many of whom were armed." This paragraph was totally unnecessary, esp. since he did not mention that about 50 or 60 people in the audience were Minutemen who served on the CA or AZ border.

To call Dr. Madeline Cosman "strident" is really mischaracterizing her power-point presentation. She had the figures "at her fingertips," and did not merely "rattle off a litany. (Having heard Dr. Cosman speak, I'll offer my comments on her "rattling a litany." When she appears on radio-talk shows opposite illegal-immigration advocates and/or the apologists for George W. Bush and his "good-hearted people," she makes mincemeat of them. I understand individuals don't repeat the mistake of going up against her. It's easy to understand why an obviousty pro-illegal immigration reporter would resent her authoritative style and undeniable expertise. When she speaks on this topic before doctors and other medical people, she earns fees this reporter will never see!)

Wow, if I had not been there myself, I would not relate to what this "journalist" is reporting. The impact of illegal immigration is EXTREMEMLY devastating, and her presentation could not help but press this info home on the listener/viewer. Note that he does not tell about the appearance of leprosy, which had been eradicated in the USA many years ago, or MDR-TB. The old form of TB could be treated with $2K worth of drugs over 6 months, but the newer form that is being brought in from third world countries is Multi-Drug Resistant TB, which takes 2 YEARS to treat at a cost of $250,000 PER PERSON! He also did not include that 363,000 babies were born to ILLEGAL alien mothers last year, and that the babies are IMMEDIATELY eligible for welfare benefits, courtesy of the US taxpayer!

My comments: Of course Superintendent Cock-Roach didn't like all the e-mails and phone calls to his office. Like most authoritarians, anyone who disagrees with him or objects to his dictatorial manner is "hate-filled" and "racist." I do wish the pro-illegal immigration people would get some new material-writers.

Article #2:

Article #2 in the North County Times
"Illegal Immigration Forum draws hundreds," North County Times, August 12, 2005
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2005/08 ... _11_05.txt

doesn't mention that CA State Senator Bill Morrow has asked that the school district pay the legal fees he incurred to force School Superintendent John Cock-Roach to obey the law.

Superintentent Cock-Roach apparently thinks he should be immune from paying the cost of his willful misconduct by usng "the childrens' school and education" to shield him. The reason he didn't consider that when he initially eancelled Senator Morrow's signed contract for the space rental is that Cock-Roach didn't expect anyone to challenge him. By the time he realized he was in trouble (when the angry e-mails and phone calls arrived), he was in over his head.

"Lawyers' fees remain after school lawsuit dropped," San Diego Union-Tribune, August 11, 2005, http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/nort ... wsuit.html

Should the district lose THIS case, it won't endear Superintendent Cock-Roach to the voters that his incompetence and arbitrary behavior cost school money. Unless their behavior has a cost people like Cock-Roach never learn.

and pictures..

http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-8023.html

Originally Posted by ladyofshallot

and pictures..

http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-8023.html

The Sixx O'Clock News now has a photographer.

I was at the meeting and the report sounds dead on accurate to me. I always find it disturbing how the media always distorts or slants what really happens. For example they always paint a picture of the police trying to keep both groups apart, when the reality is they are trying to keep the Nuevo Laredo mob at bay. However the media makes it appear both sides were trying to get at each other. By the way that is the best write up of the event I have seen so far.