Carpentersville Blocks League of Women Voters Immigration Discussion

Source: Chicago Tribune

A meeting sponsored by the mild-mannered League of Women Voters has proven too hot for Carpentersville.

That's because the discussion was to focus on immigration, a subject that set passions aflame in the village after two trustees proposed an ordinance to crack down on undocumented residents.

Several thousand people showed up in this sleepy village when the board met to discuss the proposed ordinance. We showed up, too...see our video report here.

The immigration meeting, scheduled for Thursday, was to be part of a statewide effort by the league to come up with an official position on the issue. Many of Illinois' 45 local chapters have already held public discussions without incident, said Paula Lawson, president of the League of Women Voters of Illinois.

"This is just meant to be an informational discussion," she said. "There really aren't going to be any decisions made."

Discussion is good, right?

"I think I've got a real education on this based on the reality of the emotion on both sides," said Sarto, who opposed the ordinance. "It's heated and volatile, and there's a possibility for violence.

"We never got to the point [at Village Board meetings] where the public made any comments."

So, the man elected to lead the village of Carpentersville -- who opposes the ordinance -- says it's heated and volatile with a possibility for violence even though they never got to the point where the public made any comments?

Methinks the village president doesn't even want to give the legal residents of Carpentersville the opportunity to speak up and discuss the issue.

"I'm really fearful that if you allow the public to ask questions or make comments, it has the real potential to create problems."

Yeah. Like finding out that the public doesn't agree with you. If you give them the chance to speak out, you might actually have to do what they want, instead of cramming your own political agenda down the throats of those who elected you.

And where's the fun in that?

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Illegal Immigration * Carpentersville * Bill Sarto * League of Women Voters