Saturday Forum

A New York Reader Recalls His High School Days With Soledad O’Brien; etc.

From: Patrick O’ Doul (e-mail him)

Re: Joe Guzzardi’s Column: By Popular Request: More On Soledad O’Brien—This Year’s VDWIRA

One of the most interesting things about the whole Soledad O'Brien phenomenon is the demographics of her hometown and the often negative things she says about growing up there.

As it happens, O’Brien’s hometown is also my hometown. And as her critic noted, there were not a whole lot of blacks or Hispanics around when O’Brien was in her formative years.

O’Brien and I grew up in Smithtown, New York which is a part of Suffolk County on Long Island’s northern shore. Although we were in different classes, we graduated from Smithtown East High School.

As far as I can remember, during my time in high school only had we had three black students. And if you want to allow that being half Cuban and half black makes you black, then two of them were named O'Brien—Soledad and her younger brother.

At Smithtown East twenty-five years ago, if the African-American students had formed a club they wouldn't have even had enough for a game of bridge.

The rivalries, such as they were, weren't between whites and virtually non-existent blacks or Hispanics but larger ethnic blocks like Irish and Italian.

Although I don’t agree with O’Brien’s politics, as you can imagine, the rest of her family who I knew casually are solid, good-mannered people.

Joe Guzzardi comments: At VDARE.COM we are not concerned if O’Brien is black, Cuban or Irish. We’d be pleased, however, if O’Brien stopped her hypocritical practice of being of whatever ethnicity will earn a big network contract or a large speaking fee. Our main quarrel with O’Brien is that she is an opportunistic open borders advocate who never identifies herself as American. The upper middle class benefits O’Brien enjoyed as a youth and in her professional career come specifically because she is American.

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A Maryland Reader Claims The John Birch Society Is An Ally; Vincente Chiarello Disagrees

From: Dick Stewart (e-mail him)

Re: Vincent Chiarello’s Column: An Immigration Reformer, CPAC Sponsor Reflects On Its Suppression Of Immigration

The John Birch Society had a booth at CPAC and is anything but ignorant on the immigration problem. For years via its magazine, The New American, the organization has written extensively on the problems with illegal immigration. The Society has also produced DVDs on the subject.

Let's give credit where credit is due.

Vincent Chiarello replies: It is my distinct impression, after visiting the Birch Society's booth several times at the CPAC Conference and speaking to their staff, that ending illegal immigration is not one of the issues they actively promote. They offered me a DVD entitled Overview America about the Society's current efforts which I've reviewed. After watching, my doubts about the Society’s commitment to the joining the immigration battle was confirmed.

I don’t not question that, in the past, it may have dealt extensively and favorably with immigration but that emphasis was not evident to me at the CPAC Conference.

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A California Former Liberal Says She’s “Disgusted” With Democrats’ Corruption

From: Lucy Webb (e-mail her)

Re: Brenda Walker’s Blog: La Raza Sob Stories And The New Amnesty Push

Spare me the all-too-familiar sob stories that Walker accurately writes about.

I’m a former liberal Democrat who is disgusted with the party’s corruption. Because of the Democrats’ treason, too many Americans are homeless and hungry.

Like Walker, my compassion is for the children of displaced US citizen workers, many of whom fill tent cities all across our country. Americans, not illegal aliens are the true victims of the economic decimation perpetuated by corrupt Congressional Democrats.

To their eternal shame, those Democrats are pawns of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Business Roundtable, historic enemies of the a decent minimum wage, food, product and drug safety provisions and environmental protection

Alien children like Beatrice Vasquez, who Walker cited, can easily return to their parents’ home, mostly in Mexico.

As for the often-made but preposterous claim that returning home would be a hardship because they don’t speak Spanish, please stop insulting me.

Since more often than not their parents barely speak English, these kids are reared in Spanish, at home.

Deport them all!

Hayes is a health care administrator who says she has heard plenty of “sob stories” on her job.

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Another California Liberal Says He’s “Sick” Of Lies About The Amnesty Debate

From: Paul Harding (e-mail him)

I’m sick of illegal alien activists supporting their indefensible position for amnesty through lies and half-truths.

Although America should be demanding an immigration moratorium, nobody is proposing (as many of the subversion pro-open borders groups falsely claim) to end immigration.

Here’s an example of one of their biggest lies: that illegal immigrants pay taxes.

Some may, but a significant percentage work off the books, and they don’t pay a dime into the system. Does anyone really believe that all the Beverly Hills rich who have illegal alien housekeepers and gardeners withhold FICA as well as federal and state taxes?

Of course, the wealthy do no such thing—which is why they hire alien employees to begin with.

I am a long-time liberal. The overwhelming majority of liberals do not support amnesty or the so-called “comprehensive immigration reform” that would grant amnesty to those who defy on our laws and ignore our sovereign right to decide who may or may not come to America.

Worse is that many of my former Democratic friends have more concern for illegal aliens than their fellow Americans who have at worst lost their jobs and at best had their wages driven down.

Harding lives in San Bernardino

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