Something Rotten in the Town of Port Chester

This story stinks out loud from beginning to end.

Source: AP/Yahoo! (H/T Bad Ass Ev)

PORT CHESTER, New York -- A dispute over voting rights reminiscent of the U.S. civil rights era has broken out in this New York town, where the federal government has thrust itself into the debate and a judge suspended an election.

OK, first off, this is in no way "reminiscent of the U.S. civil rights era" because the rest of the piece makes it clear that at least some of the people whose "rights" are allegedly being denied are illegal aliens. They have no right to vote. They have no right to be represented in this country. They're here ILLEGALLY.

The U.S. Justice Department told the village of Port Chester to rewrite its election laws because they have denied Hispanics a seat in the local government, and the all-white board is fighting back.

Where is it written -- anywhere -- that a particular ethnic group is guaranteed a seat in the local government? The writer, of course, is all too happy to make this about race. As is the guy who brought it all about...

The Justice Department sued Port Chester in December, after a complaint by Cesar Ruiz, a Hispanic who made an unsuccessful bid to be a trustee in 2001.

He ran. He lost. And here's why (emphasis mine):

Many of the Latino immigrants whose rights are at stake remain at the margins of the debate, whether due to a language barrier, economic hardship or fear of deportation.

If you're afraid you might be deported, it's because you're not supposed to be here in the first place. It's called illegal immigration. Go directly to jail. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200...or, for that matter, governmental representation to which you have no right.

The board of trustees of the New York City suburb last year refused to adopt the Justice Department's recommendation to divide the town into districts, which might give Hispanics a better chance to elect one of their own.

Elect one of their own? When I go to vote and want to elect "one of my own," it means an American. Not someone who is white. Not someone whose ancestors, like mine, came from the British Isles. Someone who wants to represent MY people: THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

In the meantime, the citizens of Port Chester -- you know, the ones who actually have the right to vote and be represented there -- are being denied the very rights that the illegals are attempting to claim for themselves.

U.S. District Judge Stephen Robinson then suspended the March 20 election for two trustee spots, pending a trial on the merits of the Justice Department's recommendation.

The town's mayor gets it right, but the writer, apparently having lost any journalistic integrity he may have had, isn't happy letting the mayor speak for himself.

"We've never had a problem with our elections or anything else. Now all of a sudden we have the federal government coming here, dictating to us they want us to have districts," said Port Chester Mayor Gerald Logan.

"There's such greater issues that the federal government could be working on, like what we are doing with our borders," he said, a reference the influx of immigrants -- many of them Spanish speakers from Latin America -- into the United States.

Exqueeze me? I don't believe the mayor said a word about "Spanish speakers from Latin America." Just the lack of control of our borders by the federal government...the same government that seems only too happy to meddle in the electoral process of this small town.

"If you're not part of their clan, they're not going to open the door for you," Ruiz said. "I should have won that election. I definitely want to run again because I feel my election was stolen from me."

A tip for you, Senor Ruiz. This is America. The door isn't supposed to be opened for you. You have to open it yourself. Get enough votes, fair and square, and Open Sesame, you'll find your butt in that seat in Port Chester's government.

And a note to the federal government. We citizens don't like elections that are rigged, by you or anyone else. How about letting the good people -- and by good people I mean citizens -- of Port Chester decide who best represents them in Port Chester.

We voted you into office to do things like secure the border, stop illegal immigration, and enforce the law.

Still waiting.

Technorati Tags: Illegal Immigration, Illegal Alien, Election, Voting, Port Chester, Department of Justice