[RP TownTalk] Fwd: Posting Suggestion
CHRISTINA DAVIS
book-smart at verizon.net
Mon Apr 26 17:27:09 UTC 2010
This is has been an interesting if not totally comfortable discussion to
follow.
Recently I have been pulling together RP's historical documents to send to
the Fred DeMarr Library and found again the 1920 Census, the year of the
town's incorporation. The census showed that the townspeople where almost
all White, one Asian man was a servant for the family at Riversdale at the
time, and a few Black families were scattered around.
Many families were identified as German, and from what I know of the history
of those families, many were recently arrived to the country. On every
street were households with more than one generation in them, with
grandparents, parents and children, extended family members with additional
children, roomers, servants, and such. What my grandmother tells me about
Hyattsville in the 1920s and 1930s, and my grandfather tells me of Riverdale
Heights at that time, it was the same there as well. And life was not always
comfortable: my grandmother's oldest sister Edith, living in Hyattsville
Hills, was married to a first-generation German American photographer who
had to give up his cameras, and livelihood, during WWII because of his
ancestry.
1920 marked the beginning of a growth spurt in the town, with many of the
founders' families leaving home and building or buying their own places
nearby as the decade went on.
In the 1990s, Washingtonian Magazine used the 1990 Census data to show how
the town was almost statistically even in its balance of races and cultures.
Today, the crowding seems more prevalent and problematic because of the
economic downturn, the fact that the new arrivals to America are more shy
and distrusting, and the stakes are seemingly higher. In the past, the town
found ways to solve the issues of public safety, heavy use of services,
school crowding, and differences in yard maintenance styles. Perhaps someone
currently in office can share how Riverdale Park is managing these issues in
these tough times.
Chris Davis
-----Original Message-----
From: towntalk-bounces at riverdale-park.org
[mailto:towntalk-bounces at riverdale-park.org] On Behalf Of Jeffrey Yorke
Sent: Monday, April 26, 2010 11:27 AM
To: Don Lynch; OurDollMom; TownTalk
Subject: [RP TownTalk] Fwd: Posting Suggestion
Don,
Check out these recent stories about immigrants paying their taxes
(below). The fact is many or most immigrants, legal or illegal do pay
taxes out of their weekly salaries. (Not all immigrants are found in
front of 7-Eleven waiting for day employment, many actually have real
payroll jobs.) Then they do not file tax returns to claim refunds at
the end of the year. That leaves the US Treasury with billions of
dollars in unclaimed refunds each year. Illegal aliens are afraid to
file tax returns because they believe IRS will share that information
with INS. While the Feds say that rarely happens, tax filings could
also be audited by IRS which could trigger interest in immigrant
filers by INS. So, the funds due immigrants are left on hold with the
government.
Most immigrants, legal or illegal, don't trust the government -- the
one here or the one they came from. (Seriously, we all have a some
level of doubt with government) but their trust level could be more
stressed by being submerged in surroundings where the indigenous
population resents them. Certainly immigrants, Hispanic, Indian,
African, Asian, even European, would feel uncomfortable after reading
TT over the past few days. I know I do.
One other point,: Why is it important that everyone here become a U.S.
citizen? If I move to Costa Rica or Mexico or Italy, should I be
forced to renounce my U.S. citizenship and join their club? As long as
I pay my taxes to the local authorities, obey their laws, what's the
difference? How many foreigners - non U.S. citizens -- do you think
are serving in the U.S. military in Afghanistan or Iraq?
Again, the recent stories below might be interesting ...
Jeffrey
Illegal immigrants paying taxes?
More undocumented workers are filing returns, advocates say.
By JOHN LANTIGUA
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Updated: 11:10 p.m. Sunday, April 25, 2010
Posted: 9:41 p.m. Sunday, April 25, 2010
IMMOKALEE — Americans angry about the current immigration morass utter
a common complaint: “Illegal aliens don’t pay taxes.”
But many undocumented workers have taxes taken out of their checks and
an increasing number are filing tax returns, according to IRS
statistics, local undocumented workers and immigrant advocates.
President Obama’s promise of an immigration overhaul is a major reason
for the increase in returns. That change could open a path to legal
status for about 12 million people currently illegal.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/illegal-immigrants-paying-taxes-621300.htm
l
Illegal immigrants filing taxes more than ever
While trying to avoid one federal agency, they collaborate with IRS
Carlos Diaz, right, looks over his tax return that was prepared by
Esteban Ramirez, in Richmond, Calif., April 4, 2007.
Jeff Chiu / AP
updated 6:37 a.m. ET, Fri., April 13, 2007
RICHMOND, Calif. - Carlos Diaz broke the law when he crossed the
border and took a job as an office janitor. But he’s not about to
break another by failing to pay his income tax.
“I’ve been talking to other people who’ve done it, and I want to
follow the law,” said Diaz, an undocumented immigrant from Guatemala
who squirmed in his seat at a neighborhood tax preparer’s office.
Tuesday is Tax Day, when millions of illegal immigrants find
themselves collaborating with one federal agency — the Internal
Revenue Service — while trying to avoid another — Immigration and
Customs Enforcement.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18077009
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Don Lynch <dlynch at garretroomstudios.com>
Date: Mon, Apr 26, 2010 at 10:36 AM
Subject: Re: [RP TownTalk] Posting Suggestion
To: OurDollMom at aol.com
Cc: yorkedial at gmail.com, nbmooney1 at yahoo.com, towntalk at riverdale-park.org
Emily,
You're missing one very important point.
Yes, we are all immigrants, but we became USA citizens.
If all of our residents in Riverdale Park, were USA citizens, then
there wouldn't be a problem.
They, like us, would pay taxes, vote for mayors, etc.
I won't defend anyone in our country who refuses to become an American
citizen.
Go knock on their doors and help them become citizens, if you truly
believe in what you say.
This is a great country if you are truly part of it.
Don
OurDollMom at aol.com wrote:
>
> I have been reading the exchanges on Town Talk
> about the immigrant situation in the USA. Our great country was founded
by immigrants
> We "immigrants" booted the American Indian
> A very unkind thing to do to the orig.peoples
> Americans feel threatened by immigrants
> Their answer is to "boot" out the immigrants
> Hitler booted his jews to protect his own
> Jews & Palestine fighting to the end
> Iraq groups fighting to the end
> African groups fighting to the end
> One common "thread" is we cannot live together
> If you threaten my "rights" you have to go
> Our country will fall with "you" in it
> I have to protect my Rights & privileges in USA
> USA did not fall your when your family immigrated
> USA will not fall with its immigrants now
> But those that do feel this way - what/who gave
> you the right to have one single "right" that is
> at the expense of another human? It is my right to
> smoke & I dont care if you get cancer. My right to
> drive drunk - if you get in my way-oh well!. I would
> have more rights if you were not here - so you must go.
> If you say Then they should not come here - think
> back, your family came here or you would not be here.
> Immigrants will always come because they want to
> better their life, better their children's life--just like
> you want to better yours & keep what you have. But
> are you going to keep what you have or what you
> might have had in the future - at another person's
> expense??? Is this what we are about??Is this
> what you want to be remembered for? I think it is
> the "attitude" that I object to. Working together to
> solve challenges in a understanding caring way is
> so much more humane, unselfish. If we & the
> world keep fighting over this challenge, maybe
> our spiritual lesson is to drop the attitude &
> work together for the betterment of all...even if
> it means a little less for each.
> In a message dated 4/24/2010 6:03:25 P.M. Eastern Daylight
Time, yorkedial at gmail.com writes:
>
> You don't need to be Frederico Fellini to see the subtitles
> developing here in the most recent threads of TownTalk. The
> pitchforks are being thrust into the air, German accents asking
> "Vere are your papers" wafting up from the no-so-great state of
> Arizona into Riverdale Park. If I were from El Salvador, I might
> be telling my young children "If anyone asks, we are from Iceland."
>
> There's an ugly pot of stew brewing and some of the cooks ought to
> be rethinking their menus...
> On Sat, Apr 24, 2010 at 9:28 AM, Nancy Mooney <nbmooney1 at yahoo.com
> <mailto:nbmooney1 at yahoo.com>> wrote:
>
> Thanks, Kathy!
>
> Also you can go to the top of the email and click on the
> address to just send a 'fresh' posting. You can cut and paste
> the subject if you'd like.
>
> Thanks also for the great exchange of opinions regarding the
> overcrowding of single family homes. So much of what people
> said was soooo interesting. On the practical side, Audrey's
> suggestion to take photos of homes that are going to ruin to
> the town and give them to the code enforcers directly was
> great. Of course, then I thought "I really like that family,
> they are so warm and friendly" and wondered what would happen
> to them if they were found to be in violation of something (or
> their landlord) and had to move. But then I think "That house
> is destroying our property values".....
>
> I was disappointed to not hear from our Mayor. I had assumed
> that he would have been the most knowledgeable about the
> affect this has on our town's resources.
>
> Nancy
>
>
>
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>
>
>
>
> -- Jeffrey Yorke
> Yorke Property Management, Inc.
> Yorke Partners
> Jeffrey at YorkeRents.com
> 301-502-1243
>
>
>
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>
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> For more information about Riverdale Park, visit
http://www.riverdaleparkmd.info
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--
Jeffrey Yorke
Yorke Property Management, Inc.
Yorke Partners
Jeffrey at YorkeRents.com
301-502-1243
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