Date: Mon, 2 Mar 2009 07:27:46 -0500
From: Heather Johnson
Subject: Response to George Lucier forum withdrawl
The Chatham Conservative Voice held our Community Forum on the ICE Resolution last evening. We have been working hard to thoroughly research the resolution and the process by which it was drafted.
Clearly with Lucier backing out at the last minute, the meeting also became a rally cry for open government! For this group of elected officials to decline an opportunity to come before the people of Chatham, even if we don’t agree with them, says a lot about who they are willing to take input from. This same group of elected officials campaigned on platforms of open
government.
I received the same flyers from outside groups the commissioners did. I contacted the group that sent the flyer immediately and demanded they not come, that our Forum was not on 287G and that we wanted to hear from Chatham citizens only! I am quite certain the same concern was not extended on their parts, since an urgent request went out for the input session last Monday, where special interest groups and people from outside our county crowded the courthouse and gave MORE input on the resolution. They were waving signs
saying STOP RACISM and the speakers likened those opposing the resolution to Nazis. Those who spoke in opposition to the resolution were hissed and yelled at during their speeches and Lucier had to stop the meeting to call it back to order.
Our County Commissioners drafted a resolution that states their refusal to cooperate in enforcing laws that would deport illegal aliens that COMMIT CRIMES. This resolution displays a lack of respect for our law enforcement officers and has divided our community. Special Interest Groups like the ACLU, Hispanic Liason, Southern Poverty Law Center and Southern Coalition for Social Justice helped draft the resolution. As CCV has researched the minutes of their 9 months of meetings, we find that there was a decision made not to release this information to the public until after the resolution passed.
George Lucier told me that this issue is not “that important” to him. He told me he believes CCV is being disingenuous holding our meeting instead of focusing on other county issues. What should that tell you? Why does he insist we should discuss the matter in private? He knows how CCV feel about this. The citizens have a right to learn about the issue the BOC and HRC would like to be so quiet about. Just because they say we should be done discussing this matter does not mean that the citizens are ready for that.
The citizens demand that the BOC withdraw this resolution and we will not rest until they do.