Nava, McNamara address Escondido Council on immigration
Chris Nava & Paul McNamara
EDC Vice President for Political Action Chris Nava and President Paul McNamara addressed the Escondido City Council May 26 with comments on how the Council is handling the illegal immigration issue.
Nava protested the way proposals from Council member Olga Diaz were voted off the agenda at the Council’s previous meeting (see post below) and asked that the Council demonstrate leadership to unify the community.
McNamara also asked for leadership in dealing with the issue, calling the actions of May 19 a “lost opportunity.”
See video of their comments HERE. (Click on “Oral Communications,” the sixth item from the top. You must have or download Microsoft Silverlight to view the video. Doing so is quick, simple and FREE. A link to download will be shown on the page if your computer does not already have the plug-in.)
Read the remarks by Chris Nava and Paul McNamara after the jump.
Read a related North County Times Community Forum commentary by EDC member Jenifer Leiendecker.
Remarks by Chris Nava, EDC VP for Political Action
I came prepared to speak last week in support of Council woman Olga Diaz’ proposal against the Arizona law SB1070 and her proposal to rescind resolution 2007-16. Instead, Olga Diaz was shut down and discussion was denied the many of us who came to speak on an issue that is front- and -center in our city.
To argue that t allowing this discussion will polarize the city and create a circus is to disrespect Olga Diaz and those of us who understand that the city is already mired in divisiveness. In denying discussion of the problem you further deepened that divide.
No one can deny that our nation’s immigration system is terribly broken and that reform is necessary if it is to survive as a healthy county. That will only happen when the public is able to engage in intelligent discussion and when all sides come together to offer constructive solutions to the problem.
The Arizona “show me your papers law” is noxious and deeply flawed. It leads to racial profiling at its worst. It threatens the individual rights of U.S. citizens, and goes against the values of our nation. SB 1070 reaches to ban teachers with heavy accents from teaching English and seeks to ban ethnic studies from its curriculum. Racial profiling. You bet!
The Escondido Resolution 2007-16 is an ill-advised resolution that has guided decisions of the city council that are both regrettable and divisive for our city. Decisions of the city council since the signing have had broad consequences in raining down the negative image that Escondido is now drowned in. They have impacted our business community and the ability of the city to draw businesses to Escondido. The resolution is prejudicial and mean-spirited and has no place in Escondido government. I urge that you rescind Rs 2007-16.
Finally, I remind you that you have an obligation to all Escondido residents, legal and illegal, to provide for their safety and welfare This is not possible when half its citizens live in fear and distrust, and the others live in hateful resentment .
You need to start thinking solutions. You have to start leading in a way that helps us all toward greater understanding of each other and bring us working for a common Escondido.
Remarks by Paul McNamara, EDC President
My name is Paul McNamara, I am a resident of Escondido, I am also the General Manager of a technology company. I am here before you today to comment on the City Council’s lost opportunity last week to demonstrate leadership, inclusiveness and most importantly good business sense.
The issue of illegal immigration is hurting the perception of this city. As a consequence we are struggling more than is necessary in this economy and by extension your actions of not addressing this issue are hurting the value of our properties and our city.
Whether one wants to acknowledge it or not, this city has a population that is over 40% Latino who are legal and not going away. So when a city makes overt actions to address illegal aliens of the same ethnic background, it has the net effect of alienating the legal population. This alienation is resolving nothing and dividing the city. It’s bad for business!
This council is not going to solve the immigration debate currently being held in the nation but it certainly can make it worse. And frankly it has. Last week you were offered a chance to hear from your citizens express their opinions on this issue. Rather than take on the debate you chose to avoid it. Allowing a problem to fester only makes it worse and doesn’t resolve anything.
Two of you seek our votes to be the next mayor. Then I challenge you to demonstrate the leadership and vision necessary to be the Mayor of the entire city not just a particular constituency. Show us that you can bring us together. Show us that you can resolve the concerns of all the citizens of this city. Show us you are more than just politics as usual. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. We need to change how we do business because it’s good for business.
Thank you for your time and attention in this matter.