Thread: NJ: Latinos Councilman's Online Remarks "Bigoted"

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Latinos: Councilman's online remarks "bigoted"


Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 03/1/07
BY NICK PETRUNCIO
FREEHOLD BUREAU

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FREEHOLD — A borough councilman's comments that some segments of the Hispanic population are promiscuous and expect society "to subsidize their mistakes" have outraged some civil rights groups, who are calling for him to apologize and resign.

Councilman Marc LeVine posted the comments on a Web site run by a group called PEOPLE, an acronym for Pressing Elected Officials to Preserve our Living Environment. The group was formed by several Freehold residents in September 2003 as tensions mounted over the growing immigrant population and the day laborers' muster zone.

"There is definitely a very promiscuous flavor in — at least — parts of Hispanic culture," LeVine wrote in the Nov. 14, 2006 post. "All of this is highly problematic in a society in which these people often expect to subsidize their mistakes in growing large families that they cannot afford to support on their own.

"It does seem to be true, in my own experience, that a little less of this promiscuous behavior is seen among Mexicans, while much more is found among Dominicans, as one example," LeVine wrote.

LeVine, founder of PEOPLE, said the comments he made were observations from his time working in the "light industrial staffing industry," are not his beliefs, not a "dogma" from him and there is no pattern of him making such statements.

"If anybody feels there is an apology that is owed, I am certainly glad to make that apology," LeVine said, but he added that he "absolutely" will not resign and that he represents all the people of Freehold.

Latino leader "appalled"


Lazaro Cardenas, deputy director of the Monmouth County chapter of the Latino Leadership Alliance, said he found the statements a couple of weeks ago. The alliance this week informed the Asbury Park Press of the post.

"I was appalled that someone in the public capacity was saying this. I was quite offended by them to be quite truthful," Cardenas said, adding that the comments were nothing more than an ignorant stereotype.

In Freehold, officials have been trying to address illegal immigration. Some residents blame illegal immigrants — the majority of whom are Hispanic — for overcrowded housing and schools, high taxes and loitering.

LeVine posted the comments a day after the borough settled a lawsuit with the advocates of day laborers.

The councilman was participating in an online discussion about a fall 2006 article, "Hispanic Family Values? Runaway illegitimacy is creating a new U.S. underclass," in the quarterly urban-policy magazine City Journal. It is published by the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, a right-of-center think tank based in New York City.

Frank Argote-Freyre, chapter director of the alliance, wondered if LeVine looks at him, a Cuban-American, as someone who is promiscuous and looking to be subsidized by the government.

"It's absolutely bigoted and racist," Argote-Freyre said, adding that the comments make him "extremely suspicious of this mayor (Michael Wilson) and this governing body."

LeVine said he is neither a bigot nor a racist and that his observations may not hold true "in the overall picture."

Council President Kevin Kane said he did not see the post and declined to comment on it.

However, he did say, "What Councilman LeVine says or does is him personally and does not reflect the opinions of the mayor or council."

Kane referred to a past lawsuit brought by Latino plaintiffs against the borough and said that matter is over and the borough wants to move on.

He said the issue the borough has is about illegal immigration, not about a certain race or ethnicity.

Wilson did not return calls seeking comment.

Rules for posting on site


PEOPLE's Web site — in addition to having a message warning users to "be on good behavior" because a local weekly newspaper, the News Transcript, has visited it — posts rules stating that racist comments will not be tolerated.

Brian Sullivan, the site's administrator, did not remove LeVine's post, but on Nov. 15 did express concerns about the comments. Sullivan wrote he feared they would take the focus off illegal immigration issues and instead put it on race- or culture-based ones. He further wrote that if 20 million redheaded Irish people were in the country illegally "engaging in unlawful and deviant behavior," the same discussion and crisis would be taking place.

He also wrote the nation's Latino and Hispanic communities have enriched the nation's culture.

Lucilo Santos, president of the Dominican-American Council of New Jersey, said LeVine ignored the many significant contributions Dominicans are making in the form of small businesses such as grocery stores in communities such as Washington Heights, N.Y., and in Hudson, Passaic, Bergen and Middlesex counties.

"You can go there and see how hard the Dominican community is working," Santos said.

Both the Dominican-American Council and the alliance want LeVine to resign.

LeVine called the alliance's actions mean-spirited and a character assassination. He said Argote-Freyre and the alliance dug up and publicized the post in response to flak the alliance director took for publicly criticizing, as a borough ad hoc committee member, a recommendation prohibiting landlords from renting to people in the country illegally.

Nick Petruncio: (732) 308-7752 or npetruncio@app.com

I'm still trying to figure out what's wrong with his comment.

While this councilman's remarks might have been offensive to some, he has a right to state his opinion based upon his observations. They in turn have the right to express their opposition to his remarks. That's the way it should be. There is entirely too much bullying by these special interest groups in order to regulate any kind of speech they might find offensive. That's why we have been so crippled with PC. Free speech is a two way street, not just reserved for those in a "protected" category.

I think anything coming out of the council and the mayor's office is probably being watched by these groups.

They'll jump all over everything they can to bully the government(city,state and federal).

What is wrong with the comment is that it is the truth and some of the Latino activitist don't want the american people to hear or see the truth. They want everyone to believe that they have wonderful family values better than americans and that these values will improve the american society. While the truth is that have problems and that many women have children out of wedlock so that they can stay in the US and receive benefits that were set up for Americans.

many groups, aclu for one, are very active protecting the 'rights' of these criminal invaders, where are they now? why are they not protecting this individuals 1st amendment rights? seems like a double standard to me... very P.C.

I think we need to ban the word "appalled".

Side Note:
This is a great example of how the enemy works overtime to take anything.....to search overtime for anything that they can use to twist and morph into 'racism.' Then they run with it in the press to divert attention and cry 'racist.'

ALIPAC's been victim of this abuse as well. And if they can't find anything, they'll come in and try to post &/or race bait so that they can get our folks to 'slip up.'

This post is a great example of the enemy's strategy. Thanx CC.

It would be interesting if statistics backed up his musings.

Does the Hispanic population have a higher fecundity rate than other racial groups?

Are more hispanics receiving pulbic assistance (i.e. food stamps, free medical, housing subsidies, etc.) than other racial groups?

I know hispanic leaders have said they want to increase their population in the US, osetensibly to help them 'take over'.

Glad I posted it Sis.


Here is the text from the post:


http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/articl ... 004/NEWS01


Text of LeVine's remarks
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 03/1/07


Posted on PEOPLE's Web site:

Freehold Councilman Marc LeVine made the following remarks at 4:07 p.m. Nov. 14, 2006. He is referring to an article in City Journal, an urban policy magazine:

"It is a good read.

I have observed many of these orientations and trends, first hand, during my time in the light industrial staffing industry. There is definitely a very promiscuous flavor in — at least — parts of Hispanic culture. I must also admit that this is somewhat prevalent in many other peoples of lower socio-economics, too.

All of this is highly problematic in a society in which these people often expect to subsidize their mistakes in growing large families that they can not afford to support on their own.

It does seem to be true, in my own experience, that a little less of this promiscuous behavior is seen among Mexicans, while much more is found among Dominicans, as one example.

Refreshingly, I have also worked very closely with the Asian community. Their living standards and family values/goals are much higher than those of many other immigrants. Matter of fact, I am in cultural awe of Asian Indians, who I respect and embrace for maintaining a higher level of personal pride and for displaying good family values and solid social responsibility. They seem to make better family planning decisions and prefer to pay their own way — at least, the many I have known.

Will others share their thoughts on this subject and share any first hand observations they may have?"