Thread: 2020 Plan for NC Hispanics is Stalled

http://www.journalnow.com/


Thursday, June 16, 2005
Goal for ties with Hispanics is stalled
Officials say part of 2020 Plan hasn't gotten off ground

By Erica Franklin
KERNERSVILLE JOURNAL REPORTER

In the Kernersville 2020 Plan, one of the short-term goals was improving community relations with the Hispanic population.

The Kernersville Chamber of Commerce created the plan in 1998 when the town had a Hispanic population of about 320.

Mary Kay Csanyi, an administrative assistant with the chamber of commerce, said that Hispanics currently make up 7 percent or slightly more than 1,400 of Kernersville's 20,494 residents. The plan's short-term goals were scheduled to begin within one to two years.

But Bruce Boyer, the chamber's president and CEO, said that his organization has not made any progress on this goal.

"We are searching for the best way to go about this, but we have not figured this out yet," he said.

Boyer said he didn't know when chamber officials would begin the project.

Mary Sanchez-Boudy, a member of the chamber board, said that Kernersville wants to have better communication with the Hispanic community, but town officials don't have a plan for it.

"They need to hire a consultant to help them with the issue," Sanchez-Boudy said. "If they leave it up to themselves, it will never get done."

The plan needs to be more than just an idea on paper, she said.

The 2020 plan says that a town committee would make the initial contacts with Hispanic residents.

Town Manager Randy McCaslin said he doesn't know anything about a committee, but the town has made efforts to improve its relations with Hispanics. No committee has been appointed.

"The police department has taken initiative to learn Hispanic languages and teach Hispanics about laws," McCaslin said.

Martin Mata, the director of the Hispanic ministry at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Kernersville, said he knew nothing about the 2020 plan. "I have been here for about seven years," Mata said. "I have not had an invitation to any meetings about the issue."

Mata said that it was the right approach for police officers to learn the different languages, but every Kernersville resident needs to learn about Hispanic culture.

He said that chamber and town officials need to call local Hispanic leaders to find out the needs of the Hispanic community and how to improve their relationship with Hispanics.

The U.S. Census Bureau estimated last week that there are 41.3 million Hispanics in the United States. More than 460,000 people of Hispanic origin live in North Carolina, and more than 30,000 live in Forsyth County.

The growing Hispanic population affects the town's educational, recreational and governmental services, officials say.

"We need to become a multicultural society," Sanchez-Boudy said.

• Erica Franklin can be reached at 727-7381 or at efranklin@wsjournal.com

Just when I think I can't get more ticked off than I already am, something like this comes along.

Here goes. My ancestors have been here since the early 1600's, they have fought and bled and died in every war this country ever fought. I never once had any government official at any level try to "improve its relations" with me!!!

Maybe we should expect newcomers to improve their relations with the government and with us!!! Is there no sanity even in good old Kernersville?

Martin Mata, the director of the Hispanic ministry at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Kernersville, said he knew nothing about the 2020 plan. "I have been here for about seven years," Mata said. "I have not had an invitation to any meetings about the issue."

Catholic Church has an Hispanic ministry....why doesn't any reporter EVER ask what this MEANS? Sermons in Spanish? False documents upon demand? Guidance on getting our jobs and money? Bus rides to the polls on election day? WHAT???

Mata said that it was the right approach for police officers to learn the different languages, but every Kernersville resident needs to learn about Hispanic culture.

Right Mata....ask 21,000 people to learn the culture of 1400 instead of asking 1400 to learn the culture of the 21,000. HEY MATA!! This is United States and the Majority Rules.

BTW: Would someone explain to me "What is the Hispanic Culture?" Because based upon what I've learned recently, Hispanic only means Spanish-Speaking and that covers alot of territory from Europe to South America from Central America to that FOXHOLE called Mexico.

Maybe MATA doesn't know that there is NO HISPANIC CULTURE to learn.

He said that chamber and town officials need to call local Hispanic leaders to find out the needs of the Hispanic community and how to improve their relationship with Hispanics.

Why?

The growing Hispanic population affects the town's educational, recreational and governmental services, officials say.

Well....yes, I'm sure that it's DRAINING THEM DRY AS A BONE!!

"We need to become a multicultural society," Sanchez-Boudy said.

Why?

Quote:
The growing Hispanic population affects the town's educational and governmental services, officials say.
"We need to become a multicultural society," Sanchez-Boudy said.

Why? Shouldn't these people be assimilating within our culture, and not the other way around? If I moved to France, should I demand they start speaking english for me, and learning my history and culture?
Ms Sanchez-Boudy needs to understand that these people moved here, and therefore they are the ones that need to change.

This is exactly one reason I recently referred to the Journal as a leftist opinionated newspaper. I don't subscribe to them anymore. They like to stir it up so the general naive public will purchase their newspaper. Well I've had enough of them. The management team there is nothing more than a front for that left field party.

They don't want to help resolve anything controversial but only to keep it stirred up in hopes of the public might buy tomorrow's edition on the subject. I think that is indicative of most liberal media outlets.

They're morally bankrupt.

You'll never hear the Journal call for immigration laws to be respected and enforced.