Thread: Police Investigate 'Anti-Immigration' Fliers

http://www.localsource.com/articles/200 ... 821776.txt

Kenilworth police investigate ‘anti-immigrant' fliers
By Jerome Hule, Staff Writer Wednesday, July 20, 2005 12:57 PM EDT

Kenilworth police are investigating alleged anti-immigrant literature that appeared in the borough during the first week of July.

Some fliers were posted on utility poles in the borough with the picture of a handgun and the inscription, "Over 20 million illegal aliens in America. How safe is your family?"

Police Chief William Dowd confirmed that two of the hate posters were seen and removed by a detective on Sumner Avenue on the borderline with Roselle Park. Dowd said his department contacted other neighboring towns about the poster but they have not reported seeing any such literature.

"This is despicable, as far as I am concerned," Dowd said, adding that the police were looking into the matter to find out where the literature came from. Dowd said that, in his 34 years as a member of the Kenilworth Police Department, he has never before seen this kind of literature in the borough. "I hope it will not happen again," he said.

Immigrants make up about 18 percent of New Jersey's population and are becoming the fastest growing segment of the state population. A recently released report in The Star-Ledger showed that 32 percent of children born in the state in 2002 were to immigrant mothers. Some counties had even higher figures, with immigrants accounting for 55 percent of new births in Hudson county and 51 percent in Middlesex county.

Since the terrorist attacks on the United States in September 2001, some anti-immigration groups have made their presence known in the country, though none have been identified in or around Kenilworth. All of the 19 terrorists identified in the 2001 attacks were immigrants from the Middle East.

But some communities have also raised concerns about the impact of illegal immigration on jobs and the cost of health and education services. In some southwestern border areas, citizen groups have been formed for the purpose of keeping illegal immigrants from crossing the nation's borders.

Though the anti-immigration movement has not turned into a violent campaign in most places, a sense of citizens' feelings can be gauged from the results of referendums in some states, which showed that citizens approved restrictions on the access of illegal immigrants to social services.

There is nothing hate filled in asking that question as it is reasonable to do so when that many come in unscreened. For citizens of the United States to wish it's government to exercise the same protection of citizen interest that Mexico does for theirs is neither hate or wrong.

Hmmmmmm? Hate literature? Is it now hateful to pose a question about people who brake federal law?

It DID NOT single out all immigrants, just illegal immigrants.

The thought police are working overtime in this city.

The only possible "crime" here is posting the flier on a telephone pole, but that's an issue for the telephone company.

I think this police department needs to review the Constitution and attend to more important matters. Some phone call and emails may help.

I sent this little email to the editor:

Dear Mr. Canavan,

I came across this story in your online news:

http://www.localsource.com/articles/...f564821776.txt

I’m not seeing the ‘hate’ in this message in question. Since the flier described isn’t displayed, it is hard to judge whether the handgun is part of the problem mentioned below, or perhaps a recommended solution.

“…the picture of a handgun and the inscription, "Over 20 million illegal aliens in America. How safe is your family?" “

When you consider that 25% of inmates in federal prisons are illegal immigrants convicted of crimes *other than* being here illegally, and 8% to 10% of the populations of state and local jails across the country are also filled with illegal immigrants, it seems a logical conclusion that illegal entry into this country is often only the first of the crimes certain people intend to commit after they are here. Again, they are incarcerated for *committing crimes* other than just being in this country illegally.

Perhaps the handgun in question is a reference to the disproportionate number of criminals, many of them violent, many of them in gangs, who are here *not* to do honest hard work. The question then seems quite on target – just how safe *is* your family, and mine, and my neighbors.

The issue is not hate, sir, it is one of legality. There is a process, and it would appear whoever posted this flier believes 20 million people have ignored that process. This process includes a check of the background of those we allow into our country, a check of their criminal records. This small measure of security makes perfect sense in this day and age.

Is it illegal in your township to post fliers on telephone poles? If it is, then yes, there is an issue, otherwise, I posit there is one in your community who exercised his free speech and someone else didn’t like it. A price we pay to have that right.

I wish you well,

I don't see anything wrong with it either. In fact, it's a good question plus information that many citizens might not have dug up on their own yet. (Hey, they could be zoning out somewhere on another planet) But I see absolutely NOTHING hatefilled about wanting our laws enforced.

RR

Instead of wasting the taxpayers money looking for the posters of the flyers... maybe the police should spend their time looking for the crimals. Now theres a thought

I would also hope the citizens would remember this on election day in this town, sounds like they need a NEW mayor & chief of police.

Police Chief William Dowd - 908-276-1705

I sent an email to Editor in Chief Canavan also, hopefully he will print our emails

Dear Mr Canavan,

I would think Police Chief Dowd would be more concerned with removing the illegal aliens in residence in Kenilworth. The fliers were not “despicable� or hateful; they were informational and directed toward Hispanics that are here illegally. The legal U.S. Citizens are tired of supporting illegal aliens and that the local, state and federal governments are not enforcing the immigration laws. Chief Dowd must be dreaming when he says “"I hope it will not happen again,�, in fact, it is going to get a lot worse.

Police officers take an oath of office that in part states; "and will to best of my ability preserve, protect and defend the Constitution and Laws of the United States, and of this State, and of this City". By not enforcing the federal laws regarding illegal aliens, the Kenilworth Police Chief has broken his Oath of Office. What good is an "Oath of Office" if it is not followed and upheld???!!! If the police not performing their sworn duties, they do no deserve any respect, especially if they are not going to arrest criminals illegally in the United States.

Spreading these fliers is a First Amendment right, so why is the police "investigating" it? Would not "investigating" it be a crime in itself, since these police are trying to impede Constitutional behavior?

Anti illegal immigration bumper stickers on telephone poles work well too. The reason is because the message is easily readable even when hung high enough to make them difficult for the pedestrian public to remove.

Thats what I heard anyway.

Yeah--whatever happened to Free Speech?