Choose The Right Forum for Change

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Choose the right forum for change Friday, December 12, 2003

Richard Lodge, Editor in Chief, MWDN Metrowest Daily News

The most racially, ethnically and philosophically diverse place in MetroWest this week was the public hearing room in Framingham's Municipal Building Monday afternoon.
It was the second meeting of community leaders, advocates and everyday citizens who came to discuss the town's racial diversity -- and ways to keep that diversity from being a wedge that some might use to slice the town into factions.
Sprinkled throughout the room were members of the local NAACP chapter, the MetroWest Latin American Center, the Brazilian American Association (Bramas), an immigration lawyer, a legal service lawyer, members of local churches and synagogues, the Framingham Human Relations Commission and others. Members of CCFIILE, including brothers Jim and Joe Rizoli, attended, along with members of the Massachusetts Coalition for Immigration Reform, a group whose Web site declares it a "non partisan organization dedicated to reducing legal and illegal immigration."
The main order of business was to discuss and refine a statement that might be adopted to declare Framingham as a place that welcomes all people. Members of the Coalition for Immigration Reform, in particular, tried to quiz meeting moderators state Rep. Deborah Blumer, Gerry Desilets (SMOC planning director) and Framingham Selectmen Chairman Charles Sisitsky about just how welcoming the town wanted to be.
Russell Gale, a coalition member from Weymouth, questioned whether the proclamation would lead to Framingham becoming a sanctuary for illegal immigrants. The moderators tried to stick with the purpose of the proclamation: to tell the world that Framingham is a tolerant place, a place that recognizes and celebrates diversity and stands tall against bigotry and hatred.
One member of the audience tried to push the discussion to the issue of immigration and enforcement of the law, but the focus returned to the draft position statement, which is likely to end up before the Framingham selectmen for a vote some time soon.
It was clear, early on, that the divergent viewpoints about immigration would take center stage at the meeting, although Desilets, the former town moderator, did a masterful job trying to keep the discussion on the high road.
Rob Kaufman, executive director of the Framingham Charter School, suggested the group put a positive spin on the mission statement. Rather than declaring that Framingham is against bigotry, hatred and discrimination, he said, why not say what the town stands for: tolerance, inclusion, and a welcoming spirit, for example.
It appears there are a couple of things in play here. The first is the goal of getting this statement drafted, vetted and voted. It should not be that difficult to agree about the town declaring itself a place that welcomes a broad spectrum of people. Such a statement is just a formal way of telling the outside world that Framingham thinks diversity is good, that cultural differences are something to be appreciated and celebrated, not reviled.
The second order is more complex. Those in the community who want to reform the immigration laws -- or want stronger enforcement of the laws on the books -- need to take their energy and voices up a level. Invite U.S. Rep. Ed Markey to a meeting and launch that discussion.
Do you want tougher laws to limit immigration? Do you want to close down the borders, limit who can work in this country without citizenship and make it harder for someone to become a citizen? That's not my cup of tea, but if that's what you believe, then call your congressman and make a cohesive and coherent argument for change.
Do you want local police to have the authority to arrest illegal immigrants, something which doesn't happen today because those cases are the purview of agents from the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement? Work with your congressman, write your U.S. senators, take your issue to the right forum and make your case.
Cracking down on illegal immigration isn't the role of the average citizen, the board of selectmen, the police chief or any other local governmental body. Those discussions belong in a different forum, at the federal level, one where the laws are made and rewritten to reflect the issues that society believes are worth spending time on. If that's what you believe, then go for it. Just put the debate in the right forum.
With all the rancor of the past few weeks, it would be refreshing to see a positive statement of common purpose put into the public spotlight. The people of Framingham may come from all corners of the world, but I would wager that most of them would stand together for that declaration.

Choose the right forum for change	Friday, December 12, 2003
Richard Lodge, Editor in Chief, MWDN	Metrowest Daily News
The most racially, ethnically and philosophically diverse place in MetroWest this week was the public hearing room in Framingham's Municipal Building Monday afternoon. It was the second meeting of community leaders, advocates and everyday citizens who came to discuss the town's racial diversity -- and ways to keep that diversity from being a wedge that some might use to slice the town into factions. Sprinkled throughout the room were members of the local NAACP chapter, the MetroWest Latin American Center, the Brazilian American Association (Bramas), an immigration lawyer, a legal service lawyer, members of local churches and synagogues, the Framingham Human Relations Commission and others. Members of CCFIILE, including brothers Jim and Joe Rizoli, attended, along with members of the Massachusetts Coalition for Immigration Reform, a group whose Web site declares it a "non partisan organization dedicated to reducing legal and illegal immigration." The main order of business was to discuss and refine a statement that might be adopted to declare Framingham as a place that welcomes all people. Members of the Coalition for Immigration Reform, in particular, tried to quiz meeting moderators state Rep. Deborah Blumer, Gerry Desilets (SMOC planning director) and Framingham Selectmen Chairman Charles Sisitsky about just how welcoming the town wanted to be. Russell Gale, a coalition member from Weymouth, questioned whether the proclamation would lead to Framingham becoming a sanctuary for illegal immigrants. The moderators tried to stick with the purpose of the proclamation: to tell the world that Framingham is a tolerant place, a place that recognizes and celebrates diversity and stands tall against bigotry and hatred. One member of the audience tried to push the discussion to the issue of immigration and enforcement of the law, but the focus returned to the draft position statement, which is likely to end up before the Framingham selectmen for a vote some time soon. It was clear, early on, that the divergent viewpoints about immigration would take center stage at the meeting, although Desilets, the former town moderator, did a masterful job trying to keep the discussion on the high road. Rob Kaufman, executive director of the Framingham Charter School, suggested the group put a positive spin on the mission statement. Rather than declaring that Framingham is against bigotry, hatred and discrimination, he said, why not say what the town stands for: tolerance, inclusion, and a welcoming spirit, for example. It appears there are a couple of things in play here. The first is the goal of getting this statement drafted, vetted and voted. It should not be that difficult to agree about the town declaring itself a place that welcomes a broad spectrum of people. Such a statement is just a formal way of telling the outside world that Framingham thinks diversity is good, that cultural differences are something to be appreciated and celebrated, not reviled. The second order is more complex. Those in the community who want to reform the immigration laws -- or want stronger enforcement of the laws on the books -- need to take their energy and voices up a level. Invite U.S. Rep. Ed Markey to a meeting and launch that discussion. Do you want tougher laws to limit immigration? Do you want to close down the borders, limit who can work in this country without citizenship and make it harder for someone to become a citizen? That's not my cup of tea, but if that's what you believe, then call your congressman and make a cohesive and coherent argument for change. Do you want local police to have the authority to arrest illegal immigrants, something which doesn't happen today because those cases are the purview of agents from the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement? Work with your congressman, write your U.S. senators, take your issue to the right forum and make your case. Cracking down on illegal immigration isn't the role of the average citizen, the board of selectmen, the police chief or any other local governmental body. Those discussions belong in a different forum, at the federal level, one where the laws are made and rewritten to reflect the issues that society believes are worth spending time on. If that's what you believe, then go for it. Just put the debate in the right forum. With all the rancor of the past few weeks, it would be refreshing to see a positive statement of common purpose put into the public spotlight. The people of Framingham may come from all corners of the world, but I would wager that most of them would stand together for that declaration.

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