I found two stories covering the same Maywood town hall meeting with Congressman Danny Davis. (curiospat posted one in the news stories section). I find the difference in the coverage interesting. Any thoughts?

http://www.pioneerlocal.com/cgi-bin/ppo ... 44891.html

Congressman's talk focuses on immigration
BY DAVID POLLARD | STAFF WRITER
dpollard@pioneerlocal.com
A Maywood town hall meeting with Congressman Danny Davis, D-7th, touched on public safety and other issues but stayed primarily in the realm of immigration.

There were only a few empty seats in Maywood's village council chambers Thursday night. A representative from Dept. of Homeland Security's U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services had little time to talk about the duties of his office because most of those in attendance wanted Davis to take a message back to Washington D.C.: illegal immigration is illegal and should be enforced.

Maywood resident Edward Brownlee asked Davis why the country is letting illegal immigrants have jobs while people released from jail can't find work because of their criminal records. He said in both instances a crime has been committed, but that those released from jail are predominantly black males who are U.S. citizens.

"If you're dealing with immigration reform then deal with penal reform," he said. "You're telling me to get at the back of the line? It's time for black men in America to stand up."

Davis said he could not argue much with Brownlee's statement, but doesn't believe that the immigrant is the enemy. He also stated the fastest growing minority in the U.S are those from Spanish speaking countries.

"Politically do you want to be an adversary or find a way to coexist?," he said.

He said he recently voted against Republican-sponsored House Resolution 4437, which passed in December, because it was too harsh. The resolution asks for increased effort in keeping illegal immigrants out of the country and for strict penalties on immigrants in the country illegally. The Senate passed a separate resolution and the two have not been signed into law by the president.

He said the resolution is too harsh against people who are just trying to better themselves. "I voted against the bill because it would have made criminals of millions of people," he said.

On the immigration issue he identifies more with a portion of the sonnet "New Colossus" on the Statue of Liberty which reads: "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free."

James McCurtis, 67, expressed his displeasure with Davis' decision at the meeting saying he should have supported the legislation.

"It's time to get down to business," he said. "There are people trickling and trickling into the country."

One constituent proposed that the country annex Mexico into the United States, solving the immigration problem.

Lucille Redmond, who's lived in Maywood 40 years, said she is not anti-Hispanic, but believes African-Americans are being overlooked.

"We are saying give us what we have coming," she said. "When we were slaves we didn't have a choice. If you can keep criminal (legal residents United States) in jail, why can't you keep those criminals (illegal immigrants) out?"

Along with immigration, residents brought up concerns about Bird Flu, economic development and education. Davis pointed out that buying within one's own community helps it and not doing so hurts it, stressing that the same goes for black-owned businesses as well.

"Charity begins at home and spreads abroad," he said. "You can't get blood out of a turnip no matter how you slice it or puree it."

Davis added he would consider running for Cook County Board president if John Stroger, the current president, gives up his post or does not run again.

Maywood Mayor Henderson Yarbrough was impressed with the turnout and plans to have a local town hall meeting with the village trustees and staff soon.

#2

http://forestparkreview.com/main.asp?Se ... M=83194.67

6/6/2006 10:00:00 PM Email this article • Print this article
Local residents debate immigration at town hall meeting

By Cyndi Loza, Special from the West Suburban Jour


Congressman Danny K. Davis responded to public concerns regarding the employment of illegal immigrants, border control and other immigration related contentions from attendants of the Seventh District Town Hall meeting in Maywood last Thursday.

The predominant concern the majority of the meetings attendants shared on Thursday night regarded the current illegal immigration issue in the United States. The attendants addressed the congressman with the argument that illegal immigrants are being employed in the United States and consequently harming the existing unemployment problem in the country, particularly for African Americans.

According to the United States Department of Labor, the unemployment rate for African Americans was 8.4 percent in May 2006, the highest unemployment rate for an ethnicity.

"It’s one thing when you have a natural evolution of a population in an environment growing naturally. It’s another thing when you’re injecting a large number of people into that environment," said Maywood resident, Edward Brownlee. "It creates disequilibrium in the environment. As a community we’re trying to adjust to the rapid influx of people that are looking for jobs and services communities can provide."

Davis explained his stance on the current illegal immigration issue rests on the Statue of Liberty in Ellis Island, New York. Davis then proceeded to quote writer Emma Lazarus, who is quoted on Liberty, " Give me your tired, your poor…"

"I don’t think that the enemy is necessarily the poor immigrant who’s trying to get something to eat," said Davis.

Davis’ stance on the illegal immigration in the country sparked much debate at the meeting. Topping the list of contentions among African Americans present was the shrinking job market.

"Do you want to be an adversary or do you want to try and find a way to co-exist and to reach a certain level of hope?" asked Davis.

Among the attendants in favor of immigration reform was Roger Uriostegui, a 42-year-old, Schiller Park resident. He said he believes the mentality that immigrants are taking jobs from the labor pool is narrow-minded. He said that he feels illegal immigrants are being portrayed as criminals, which is unjust.

As a Latino, Uriostegui said he encourages African Americans and Latinos to work together to find a solution to the illegal immigration issue.

"If we create a conflict between the Latinos and African Americans no one is going to win," said Uriostegui.