Look Into The Mirror

A few weeks ago I had another of my letters to the Local Newspaper “The Potomac News” published.  This letter expressed my lack of sympathy towards one of our most out-spoken racists complaining about being listed in the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) as a “nativist.”

My letter received a direct letter to the editor rebuttal only two days later.  My follow-up was never published by “The Potomac News,” so I’m publishing it here.

My letter, published March 24, pointedly expressed a lack of sympathy for our own Greg Letiecq, a piece of work who is very proud of his discriminatory stance towards our local Hispanic population.  At least, he was proud, until the SPLC listed him.  Then Letiecq shed great amounts of tears over the unfairness of it all and even threatened to sue anyone else who called him a “Nativist.”

Kind of like what I’m doing right now.

My letter received an immediate (by newspaper publishing standards) response from a Ms. Cynthia Higginbottom on March 26.  Her letter “Do some research on the SPLC” starts:

Mr. Charest, I have a question for you: Did you wife come here legally or illegally? I am sure that Mr. Letiecq and others who share his opinions are all for immigration; they are against illegal immigration.

Why can’t you and others who share your beliefs understand that?

Then she goes on to attacking the SPLC.  I’m not sure, but I think her position is that the SPLC has a hard-liner stance against racism and discriminatory policies.  I thought that was the whole purpose of the SPLC, but, whatever.

I wrote a follow-up letter that was careful not to directly attack Ms. Higginbottom, but attempted to use her questions towards me in making a larger point about the whole “Illegal is Illegal” nonsense spewed by Letiecq, County Board of Supervisors head Cory Stewart, and their minions and straphangers.  My letter was never published.  As I’ve waited a reasonable amount of time, I’m going to publish it here:

On Monday, March 24, this newspaper was kind enough to publish another of my letters. This letter expressed my lack of sympathy towards Mr. Letiecq’s complaints of his treatment at the hands of the Southern Poverty Law Center and local newspapers, as expressed in his March 18 column. In a letter by Ms. Higginbottom published March 26, she asked me two questions in support of her claim that Mr. Letiecq only opposes “illegal” immigration, not “legal.”

There is a larger point I wish to make as response to Ms Higginbottom.

The actions of Cory Stewart, Greg Letiecq, and others have already created an atmosphere of hostility towards everyone and anyone guilty of Speaking–English–With–An-Accent.  Those of us in Prince William County, who are immigrants, and their immediate families, live with the impact of this hostility.  In my opinion, based upon my observations, Mr. Stewart, Mr. Letiecq, and others are merely using “illegal immigration” as a cover for discrimination and a means of advancing their political careers.

People who are here “illegally” performing unskilled labor are working here because they can support their families far better than by working in their native country.  In fact the USCIS offers no option for an unskilled-labor visa other than one subcategory of the EB-3, which is advertised as having “a many years wait.” The H-2B is only for seasonal or temporary work with no path for permanent residency, and has an annual limit on number of issues. Gaining a visa through family-sponsorship requires having immediate family already living in America, then waiting years and spending thousands of dollars.

So, I will answer Ms Higginbottom’s questions to me with a question to all residents of Prince William County; have you ever paid an “illegal immigrant” to work for you?  If ”Yes,” then you only need look in a mirror to see the reason people violate our immigration regulations.  The solution then becomes apparent.

It really is that simple.

I’m going to write another letter, attempting to make the same point in a different way.