Letters
May 2006

Riemer is a fresh voice in local politics

I was disappointed to see Mike Tabor use his column to attack Hans Riemer, a strong candidate for County Council from Silver Spring [Progressively Speaking, April 2006]. The campaign hasn’t even started yet and Hans’ anxious opponents are going negative.

I am excited for a fresh voice like Hans Riemer to put his experience, energy and skills to work for our community. He’s one of the more sincere public servants I’ve met and his accomplishments are inspiring. Go-getters like Riemer could breathe new life into Montgomery County politics. I hope everyone will take the time to learn more about him.

— Sara Hasan Nagy and Jason Nagy
Takoma Park, MD

Mike Tabor is right that we need new energy in Montgomery County politics, though he got his facts wrong about me.

Through my role organizing and leading national citizen coalitions, I have played an instrumental role over the past decade in protecting Social Security from privatization. At Rock the Vote, I played a lead role in registering 1.4 million voters in 2004 and helping to spark a historic increase in the youth vote.

I have spent my career advancing progressive priorities by uniting diverse interests, influencing elected officials, and moving voters to the polls.

At home in Silver Spring, I am a member of the Long Branch Advisory Board which is overseeing redevelopment in that neighborhood; and I volunteer with the Action Committee for Transit where I focus on the Purple Line.

We have major challenges in Montgomery County and I am running for the County Council (D5) because I have the experience to get results for our community. As a member of the Council, I’ll seek input from the wider community and strike a balanced approach on the issues.

Whether breaking ground on the Purple Line, expanding afterschool programs and addressing the achievement gap, or fostering economic development, I will be a council representative who can build consensus for solutions to the County’s problems.

— Hans Riemer
Silver Spring, MD

Go ahead, make our day

The dust has finally settled on the Washington Monument grounds, disturbed by the thousands of illegal immigrants protesting on April 10. Waving flags from Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala and other Latin American nations, this mob of uninvited guests in our country, and their domestic handlers, thinks protesting for legal status and citizenship can be won on the streets of our cities. How wrong they are.

Only in America can illegal immigrants be organized and provided bus transportation to attend a protest by taxpayer subsidized groups like CASA of Maryland, Mexicans without Borders and La Raza (The Race). And to add insult to injury, students in Montgomery County, Maryland, many the children of the illegal immigrants, earned Community Service Hours needed for graduation for participating in the protest. CASA of Maryland, a 501(3)c non-profit, was actually a sponsor of the April 10 “political rally” organized to object to legislation passed by the House of Representatives (HR 4437). Anybody awake at the IRS and Justice Department to investigate this seeming violation of the law by CASA?

Now these same illegal immigrants and their handlers are threatening the country with “The Great American Boycott” on May 1. The plan is to have illegal immigrants avoid shops, work, school and public transportation for the day. Is there anything we citizens can do to help to extend and expand the boycott? Our public schools will rejoice at the end of overcrowding, downsized classrooms and remedial English programs; our roadways will be safer with lighter traffic as unlicensed illegal immigrants are off the roads; our hospital emergency rooms will get a financial reprieve from being illegal immigrant “clinics” paid for almost entirely by citizen taxpayers; our law enforcement authorities would get a break from Latino- related gang activities; and our taxpayer subsidized illegal worker pickup centers can finally terminate their law breaking activities of matching illegal job seekers with U.S. businesses. Is there really a downside to May 1?

Ideally, CASA, Mexicans Without Borders and La Raza would bus their clients to Mexico City, Tegucigalpa, San Salvador, Guatemala City and other Latin American capitols. Once home, the former illegal immigrants could actually conduct “political rallies” and petition their own governments for employment, health care, education, law enforcement and political freedom, as the American people will not be providing these privileges anytime soon. Instead, Congress and the American people will return to rewarding green cards and citizenship to those American flag waving legal immigrants from around the world who have taken the time and effort to apply for legal status in our country. There is nothing heroic or romantic about sneaking into the United States or overstaying your travel/education visa and then demanding legal status and U.S. citizenship. No amnesty or guest worker programs for those who disrespect and break our laws.

—Stephen Schreiman
Maryland State Director
Minuteman Civil Defense Corps

Silverman needs to put money where his mouth is

Mr. Silverman, County Council member, has recently sent an e-mail to Takoma Park residents asking them to support the proposal toward building of a gym in our city. Without arguing as to the merit of such an undertaking, I find Mr. Silverman’s e-mail quite objectionable. First of all, as a resident of Takoma Park, so far I only know about the idea of a gym but of no actual existing proposal: if one does exist, it certainly has not been made public. Even the proposed FY07 Budget for the city is careful to frame the issue as the “possible eventual construction of a gymnasium”. So what is Mr. Silverman talking about?

As a recipient of the 2005 TASDI report, Mr. Silverman must be aware of the issue of double taxation in Takoma Park: although homeowners pay taxes to Montgomery County (as well as to the city), they do not receive the counterpart in services for much of these taxes. In fact, the County tends to shirk on its responsibilities toward the residents of one of the least wealthy part of the County: why expand county funds for investment and services around Takoma Park if eventually the City will pick up the slack?

But if Mr. Silverman is aware of the issue, he has yet to address it in the e-mails he sends to residents since the start of his campaign for county executive. And while cheerleading for the gym, Mr. Silverman is also very careful to mention only “adding funds for this important recreational facility”. In other words, Mr. Silverman is all for a gym as long as Takoma Park taxpayers support the bulk of the financing needs.

Had Mr. Silverman’s cheerleading for the gym been matched by a commitment to seek full funding for it, he would have been credible. As it is, he only proposes a token contribution leaving Takoma Park residents holding the bag. With this in mind, it is easy to see Mr. Silverman’s e-mail for what it actually is, a shameless use of pork-barrel politics in support of his campaign. One can only guess what his targeted e-mail campaign is offering to residents of other municipalities in the county!

It may be too early yet to know how to vote in the November county elections. But, through his recent e-mail, Mr. Silverman has revealed to us what kind of politician he is and probably what kind of County Executive he would be. For that at least, we should thank him.

— Alain Thery
Takoma Park, MD

Elect Joy

I heartily endorse Joy Austin-Lane's candidacy for a seat on the Montgomery County Council!

Champion of the public interest, Joy Austin-Lane is the outstanding candidate for District 5. She has the experience, caring, sensitivity, and good sense to play a strong role on behalf of the public on the County Council.

Energetic and experienced, she is dedicated to working with the public in solving the problems that trouble our lives. A great listener, a fearless questioner, a strong advocate of the people, Joy brings openness, responsiveness, and integrity to government. Let us bring Joy to high elective office!

— Robert Ginsberg, Ph.D.
Takoma Park, MD

We should help our homeless neighbors

The Montgomery County Housing Opportunity Commission (HOC) has announced plans to purchase and renovate the small apartment building at 726 Dale Drive for use as permanent housing for eight formerly homeless adults with disabilities. The prospect of these new neighbors moving in near an elementary school and a convenience store that sells beer and wine has generated concerns about the safety of the neighborhood children, loitering, drunken behavior, etc. These fears are reasonable, but in this case, not well founded.

HOC has assured the community that no one with a history of violent crime or sexual offense, nor anyone with a recent felony conviction or recent substance abuse will be approved for residency. The agency also indicated that the Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless (MCCH) will staff an onsite office, monitor the residents and provide a variety of services to support the residents in independent living. They further stated that any future resident who violates a treatment plan, repeatedly disturbs the neighbors or commits a crime will be evicted.

Most neighbors agree that the dramatic increase in home prices has exacerbated the problem of homelessness in our community and that more permanent housing for those who fall into homelessness is badly needed. However, despite HOC and MCCH having demonstrated success and safety with similar facilities, many neighbors are giving in to their fears and taking the position that “I support this program, but not in my neighborhood.”

I suggest that if this “not in my neighborhood” movement prevails our quality of life will suffer far more than it will if the project moves forward. The heart of Silver Spring is its compassionate openness to diversity of heritage, worldview and income level. Let’s not weaken our community out of fear of strangers. I urge everyone in our community to imagine themselves in the shoes of the homeless, and to then support this much-needed housing project.

— Jamie R. Karn
Silver Spring, MD

War means death or defeat, always. When there is war people die, everyone knows that. Though, if you look around you, everyone is dying. The person living next door to you is dying and the new born babies in the hospital are dying. It is just that some people get a longer life than others. War is a sure way to end a couple people’s lives, even thousands of lives.

For the people who have relatives or good friends in the war, their lives fill quickly with praying and hoping that their friend or relative doesn’t get killed. They want to see that special person alive at least one more time. The soldiers want to see their family or friends before they die as well more than once. They are just hoping that they don’t have to feel pain of dying before the time of their natural death.

When you have a choice between war or no war your choice should always be no war. No war means life. Life usually means happiness to the non-depressed person. Even small wars like the fight between the bully and you or the argument you had with your best friend ends with defeat. Death or defeat leads to unhappiness. Unhappiness is bad for our world.

—Sally Ravitz
Sixth Grade, Lowell School

No comments have been posted to this page.

Want to post a comment to this article? Click here.