Paltry crowd hears protests over illegal student
by Kathryn Dobies

May 21, 2010

MARIETTA – A small group of immigrant rights activists gathered before a paltry crowd on the Marietta Square on Thursday to protest Sheriff Neil Warren’s treatment of illegal immigrant Jessica Colotl, claiming he unfairly targeted the KSU student, but gives preferential treatment to his friends and colleagues.

“Why would a big man with a badge go after a 21-year-old college student, who’s a top performer, an asset to this country, an asset to this state? The questions are just too many,” said Rich Pellegrino, director of the Cobb Immigration Alliance, to a crowd of about 20 residents and media members.

Pellegrino and his supporters called for Warren to reply to the allegations of selective law enforcement. They also called for him to drop the charges against Colotl, who did not attend the gathering, and repeal 287(g), an agreement Cobb County has with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency to check the immigration status of everyone booked into the county jail.

If the sheriff does not respond to the allegations, Pellegrino warned, he and his supporters would possibly seek civil rights charges against him.

“From this point on, the coalition will be watching,” Pellegrino said. “We will watch the sheriff and the other law enforcement officials, the elected officials, to see if they really believe in the rule of law or if it’s just a neat slogan in order to expediently target who they don’t like.”

The sheriff was not available to comment Thursday; however, Chief Deputy Sheriff Lynda Coker said Warren would respond within the next few days.

“Sheriff Warren hasn’t had a chance to review all of the allegations made against the sheriff’s office, and plans to respond as soon as he’s had that opportunity,” Coker said. “In the many years that I have worked with Sheriff Warren I have never observed him being selective in enforcement. He always legally and consistently enforces the law.”

Colotl, 21, was stopped on KSU campus March 29 for a traffic violation and later arrested for driving without a valid license. After Colotl was booked into Cobb Jail, she was turned over to immigration authorities. She was taken to the Etowah County Detention Center in Gadsden, Ala., on April 1, but was released May 5. Immigration and Customs Enforcement authorities agreed to defer any action against her for one year so she could return to her studies at the university.

On May 12, the Cobb Sheriff’s Office obtained a warrant for Colotl on a felony charge of lying to law-enforcement officials, based on a reportedly false address she provided upon her book-in at the Cobb County Jail in March. On May 14, Colotl turned herself into Cobb authorities and was released on a $2,500 bond.

D.A. King, founder of the Dustin Inman Society, an anti-illegal immigrant group, applauded Warren for his work as a law official.

In response to Thursday’s press conference, King said, “It looks to me very much like the Thursday train from cuckooville has arrived in Marietta, Georgia, and the usual suspects have disembarked and are demanding attention with race-bating. The despicable attempt to discredit the brave and dutiful Sheriff Warren in Cobb County is coming from all the right enemies. Neil Warren is an American hero. Here in Cobb County we are very grateful that he has authority to enforce the law.”

Pellegrino, however, said King is an example of Warren selectively enforcing the law.

Pellegrino cited an August 2008 Cobb County Commissioners meeting, in which King displayed two fraudulent Mexican identification cards. King said he had obtained the fake IDs and enlarged them to show how easy it was for illegal immigrants to get them. As obtaining a fake ID is illegal, Pellegrino filed a complaint with the Cobb County Sheriff’s Department. King was investigated, but never charged.

Officials said the IDs, which were blown up to the size of desk calendars, were clearly not intended to be used. However, Pellegrino quoted Georgia Code, which states that intent to use is not a factor in the law. Pellegrino also accused state Rep. Matt Dollar (R-east Cobb) of similar charges regarding a presentation of fake IDs in the Georgia Assembly. Dollar did not return calls for comment from the Journal. King called Pellegrino’s charges against him frivolous.

You Don’t Speak for Me, a Hispanic-American national organization against illegal immigration, reached out to the Journal on Wednesday in response to Colotl’s case.

Mariann Davies, vice-chair and charter member of the 20,000-member group, said it’s unfortunate that Colotl and other students like her don’t take advantage of educational opportunities given to them in their home countries. Davies said all Mexican nationalists are eligible to attend the National Autonomous University of Mexico in Mexico City for free.

“Again, it’s unfortunate what this gal did – she violated the law … You don’t do that,” Davies said. “I see this as a very black and white issue and I don’t understand why anybody would think she’s deserving to stay. Plus she has every opportunity available to her to go to a world-class university in Mexico for free.”

Pellegrino said, “The big picture is about immigration and immigration reform.”

In Washington on Thursday, Mexican President Felipe Calderon spoke to Congress in opposition to the new Arizona immigration law, saying that comprehensive immigration reform is vital to secure the countries’ border.

A spokeswoman for U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-east Cobb) said Isakson did not have a response to the speech because he was unable to attend due to an ethics

Read more: The Marietta Daily Journal – Paltry crowd hears protests over illegal student HERE

see below for Pellegrino’s media release

Media Statement from D.A. King and the Dustin Inman Society regarding the latest attacks on Cobb Sheriff Neil Warren from Rich Pellegrino et al.

21 May 2010

Today’s race-baiting attacks on Cobb Sheriff Neil Warren are despicable, but unsurprising.

Not wanting to be rude and use the term “useful idiot”, in Cobb County, it has long been the habit of most people paying attention to refer with a grinning, polite wink to the usually entertaining Rich Pellegrino as our “village thinker.”

Rich’s latest smears and mindless attacks on our much loved and respected Sheriff have likely erased the amusement and last vestiges of goodwill with which genuine Cobb County thinkers regard this desperate character.

While he constantly bleats about being somehow morally superior to the Americans who want secure borders and immigration law enforcement, Rich’s long held anti-enforcement agenda has steadily devolved into rabid race-baiting and frantic associations with such radical separatist groups as GALEO and Louis Farrakhan’s Nation of Islam as well as appearances with American leftist terrorists such as William Ayers .

By being the first sheriff in Georgia to taking advantage of the 1996 287(g) tool, signed into law by former president Bill Clinton, Sheriff Neil Warren has demonstrated his sense of duty, his respect for his oath of office and the courage that the majority of Americans in Cobb County and Georgia admire so much.

It is still America here, thanks to the leadership of Sheriff Neil Warren.

A large part of the reason Warren is respected here is his attention to duty. Rich Pellegrino filed a frivolous complaint against me in August 2008 which was investigated in depth, presented to the Cobb solicitor and dismissed. We support Sheriff Warren because he is an honorable man and when it comes to the law he is charged with enforcing, he is well known for his commitment to its equal application. Look up “Great American”, you will not find a photo of Rich Pellegrino or his attention starved associates, but you may see Neil Warren.

Sheriff Warren is an honorable man, a brilliant example of dutiful public servant and an asset to the well-being of Cobb County.

We note that Rich Pellegrino and his fellow travelers could learn much about honor and integrity from Neil Warren.

We are gleeful and grateful to Rich for so efficiently exposing his true self and educating the general public on what many of us have known for some time.

For information on the Mexican matricula consular ID, the ID in question of which I had a mock-up, see HERE and HERE
————–
Media Advisory: Press Conference, Thursday, May 20th, 2pm, Marietta Square

Submitted by the Cobb United for Change Coalition: Press Contacts: Rich Pellegrino, 404-573-1199, pilgrim1@mindspring.com ; Stan -Joseph Jennings, Author, 770-222-9291 bergetti@comcast.net

Cobb Sheriff Enforces Laws Selectively Based on Race, Vulnerability and Political Expediency

May 19, 2010

Marietta-GA. In a statement to the press regarding the justification for his arrest of college student Jessica Colotl, Cobb Sheriff Neil Warren stated “Georgia law establishes legal criteria for every potential offender, from traffic violations through capital felony murder. … I follow the Georgia Code and enforce those statutes. That is my oath of office and duty to the citizens of Cobb County.” The Cobb United for Change Coalition, composed of many and diverse Cobb based organizations and supporting organizations from around the state and country (CIA, NOI, NOHRO, SCLC, NAN, GLAHR, GALEO, SPLC, etc.) begs to differ and stated: “Sheriff Warren only follows the Georgia Code and enforces those statutes when it is politically expedient to do so, as in the case of college student Jessica Colotl, and looks the other way when the offender is one of his supporters or friends, as in the case of anti-immigrant activist D.A. King, State Representative Matt Dollar, and State Senator John Wiles ( documented proof of these allegations will be presented and distributed at the press conference). This is nothing but bullying with a badge, political pandering in the guise of “the rule of law”, an egregious violation of his oath of office, corrupt and unethical behavior of an elected official, and grounds for his removal from office,” states Richard Pellegrino, a spokesperson for the Coalition and Director of the Cobb Immigrant Alliance. “We will call for the Cobb County Commissioners, the Governor, and the U.S, Department of Justice to launch investigations into these actions of Sheriff Warren and his failure to apply the law equally and fairly in Cobb County.”

The Cobb Coalition, according to spokespersons Charles Muhammad, of the Nation of Islam, Rev. Dwight Graves, of the SCLC, and Gerald Rose, of New Order, will be planning and implementing direct actions and events in response to the continued racial profiling of immigrants and minorities in Cobb by the Sheriff and other law enforcement agencies—including a community/town hall forum at or near Kennesaw State University to educate the public regarding the facts surrounding the case of Jessica Colotl and other undocumented students and immigrants residing in Georgia and the abuses of the 287-G agreement the Sheriff is abusing, a solidarity march and rally uniting all of the diverse elements of Cobb County to say enough is enough, a meeting with Cobb Police Chiefs to solicit their cooperation in abandoning the Sheriff’s political pandering and racial profiling under 287-G, and are also considering several civil disobedience actions, if necessary, if this racial profiling and witch hunts are not halted immediately.

“We are going to send this message loud and clear to the Cobb Sheriff and all law enforcement agencies and elected officials—we will not tolerate racial profiling, political prosecutions and witch hunts, unequal applications of the law in Cobb County, which clearly the case of this college student represents, as well as many other cases involving people of color. Nor will we allow Georgia to copy Arizona’s apartheid and police state mentality.”

.

HERE and HERE

From Rich Pellegrino Date Friday, May 07, 2010 2:37 AM
To D.A. King ; Senator John Wiles; Chip@SenatorChipRogers.com

Gentlemen: Thankfully none of the anti-immigrant bills passed this session, and you all should be thanking God because even if they were passed, and if anyone tried to pull an Arizona stunt here, we will shut down the state, just like we’re doing in AZ and will do in any state, and the entire nation if necessary, until a sane and just federal immigration reform bill is passed and your attacks on my good neighbors are stopped. Soon they will be equal and great citizens of this great land–and believe me, we will not rest until that happens.
They will soon be your equal neighbors so why not put your very capable talents and energies into other more noble and positive endeavors befitting of true public servants and community leaders. My offer of aid below still stands.
Cheers!
Rich Pellegrino
404-573-1199

—– Original Message —–
From: Rich Pellegrino
To: D.A. King ; John Wiles ; Chip@SenatorChipRogers.com
Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2010 4:37 AM
Subject: Re: you both from Rich Pellegrino in AJC report on SB 385 ( blog)

Thank you for forwarding this, D.A., as I was going to send it directly to both Wiles and Rogers myself (since I don’t believe in backbiting). Can you please forward it to Rogers’ private e-mail address as well and save me the hassle of searching for it.
And please add the following:

Enough is enough. You should know by now that enforcement doesn’t work as Georgia’s undocumented immigrant population has increased since your draconian laws and 287-G agreements have been implemented. Your mean-spirited antics targeting our good neighbors–hard working immigrants and their families who have built this state and country with their blood sweat and tears, just like your and my ancestors did in the past, and are doing no wrong– are over. You have crossed the line with this foolish “bounty” bill. You can pass all the new Jim Crow laws targeting them you want–but they will not be enforced. We have had it and will not tolerate any more random enforcement in Cobb or anywhere else. We will give this same message to the Governor if it passes the House and he dares to sign into law such racist and meaningless nonsense, and will call him out as the modern day George Wallace. We are giving this same message to the President and DHS (which we did 200,000 strong last weekend, which is just a drop in the bucket of the force we will mobilize if necessary). While we are working in Washington to end it at the Federal level either through immigration reform legislation or executive order, if Georgia tries to implement any more enforcement measures I am giving notice right here and now, we will do whatever it takes–non-violently– to stop you, just as we did in the 60’s (yes, I was there and risked my life to get rid of Jim Crow once before so this is relatively nothing and kid’s play). We have been in touch with and are receiving support from African American and other civil rights leaders here and nationwide, and are being trained and prepared to mobilize and resurrect Dr. King’s and Cesar Chavez’s civil disobedience movement on a scale not witnessed in history, and will use your backyard–Cobb County–as ground zero and as the “Birmingham,Selma and Montgomery” of this day. You are fore-warned.

On the other hand, and just to show that I and we are reasonable– if you want to be reasonable– if you really want to help your constituents with jobs, healthcare, and education, and are willing to consider stopping the targeting and blaming of immigrants, I am prepared to help marshal our considerable resources–both human and capital– which we have amassed to fight the above cause, and instead help provide you with assistance for your districts–especially for those who have or feel that they have been displaced or negatively impacted by the growth of the immigrant population here. We are doing this in other districts in GA and nationally with success. In fact, I have offered this before, both publicly through the media and events, and to the Cherokee County commission when it was considering anti-immigrant ordinances, and they took it under consideration before voting (and interestingly, withdrew their proposed ordinances). We will work with you and assist displaced workers until they find adequate replacement jobs (we have been doing job placement and recruitment workshops periodically), we will open up additional free healthcare clinics (have already helped open two in Cobb), and will provide volunteer support and funding for educational and housing issues. When I say “we”, I mean I am part of a coalition of businesses* (as a small business owner), a coalition of non-profits (as a board member of several), and a coalition of advocacy groups (as a director and board member of several). And these coalitions would all rather work together with you to solve the community’s problems rather than fighting draconian laws and those who promote them–which would be a much better use of all of our time and resources. So it is your choice–and if you choose this high road I will certainly apologize for any harsh rhetoric directed at you and will admit I was wrong about you and your motives (and may even support your re-election campaigns)—but if you are not willing to consider this offer then what other motive could you possibly have? (And please don’t insult my intelligence and give me the crap about “the rule of law”,”national security”, etc. , unless you really want to privately or publicly debate those reasons on their merits–which I will be happy to do anytime as they are so full of holes they make swiss cheese look solid.)
The ball is in your court….the carrot or the stick?

P.S. The same offer goes to you, D.A.–we will be happy to aid your constituents in the same ways if you and they will back off from blaming others–in this case, immigrants–for their predicaments; you can still work against the open border and North American union advocates. And Wiles and Rogers, feel free to write or contact me privately if you wish.

*Good article on immigration reform from the perspective of the business community…Fw: Tamar Jacoby: New heartland voices on immigration | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News | Opinion: Viewpoints
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/opinion/viewpoints/stories/DN-jacoby_19edi.State.Edition1.268aa14.html

Cheers!

Rich Pellegrino
404-573-1199

—– Original Message —–
From: D.A. King
To: John Wiles ; Rich Pellegrino
Sent: Wednesday, March 24, 2010 10:03 PM
Subject: you both from Rich Pellegrino in AJC report on SB 385 ( blog)

Rich Pellegrino

March 24th, 2010
6:18 pm

This is just political grandstanding on the backs of the most vulnerable. These same politicians did it on the backs of blacks–now it is “browns” who built their homes, took care of their kids and picked their food. If it does become law it will never be implemented or enforced. And if they try to enforce it: listen closely and read my lips–we will shut them down just like we shut down Bull Conner,
George Wallace and those before them. Believe me, if Wiles and Rogers and their ilk could, they would be wearing white hoods and night riding. It is easy to see their stripes….

Rich Pellegrino

March 24th, 2010
6:27 pm

Tell it like it is: please study the history of your country–”like it’s always been done”–who came here “legally”–the Irish (no, smuggled in for cheap labor), the Italians (no, changed their names and came in with false papers through Canada), the British (robbed, lied, cheated and killed their way in, then made treaties which they illegally broke), the blacks (brought in against their wills and against every moral and statutory law by the same people calling others illegals in the south today). How did the Mexicans get here by the millions–you and I invited them(that’s right–the government and every capitalist corporation in America–invited them for cheap labor). So don’t try and whitewash your guilt by some pollyanna view of history. They are no more “illegal” than you or I or the thousands who drive illegally over the speed limit on 285 every day in Atlanta. Let’s take the mote out of our own eyes and then we can see a little more clearly.

( Note from D.A. – Rich has a reputation of not playing with a full deck. He also regularly reveals delusions of grandeur… and sanity. Try to be nice to Rich. He is a former illegal drug dealer who apparently tried far too many of his own products)

Received from Rich Pellegrino in an 4:24 AM email – he is asking me to forward his rant to Georgia Senators Chip Rogers and John Wiles. Rich is a race-baiting useful idiot who is the puppet of Jerry Gonzalez, who is a puppet of Sam Zamarripa ( pack a lunch before you begin, Rich loves to hear and read himself): ADVICE! NEVER GET BETWEEN RICH AND A TV CAMERA!

You can see Rich on TV HERE

Thank you for forwarding this, D.A., as I was going to send it directly to both Wiles and Rogers myself (since I don’t believe in backbiting). Can you please forward it to Rogers’ private e-mail address as well and save me the hassle of searching for it. Rich Pellegrino
And please add the following:

Enough is enough. You should know by now that enforcement doesn’t work as Georgia’s undocumented immigrant population has increased since your draconian laws and 287-G agreements have been implemented. Your mean-spirited antics targeting our good neighbors–hard working immigrants and their families who have built this state and country with their blood sweat and tears, just like your and my ancestors did in the past, and are doing no wrong– are over. You have crossed the line with this foolish “bounty” bill. You can pass all the new Jim Crow laws targeting them you want–but they will not be enforced. We have had it and will not tolerate any more random enforcement in Cobb or anywhere else. We will give this same message to the Governor if it passes the House and he dares to sign into law such racist and meaningless nonsense, and will call him out as the modern day George Wallace. We are giving this same message to the President and DHS (which we did 200,000 strong last weekend, which is just a drop in the bucket of the force we will mobilize if necessary). While we are working in Washington to end it at the Federal level either through immigration reform legislation or executive order, if Georgia tries to implement any more enforcement measures I am giving notice right here and now, we will do whatever it takes–non-violently– to stop you, just as we did in the 60’s (yes, I was there and risked my life to get rid of Jim Crow once before so this is relatively nothing and kid’s play). We have been in touch with and are receiving support from African American and other civil rights leaders here and nationwide, and are being trained and prepared to mobilize and resurrect Dr. King’s and Cesar Chavez’s civil disobedience movement on a scale not witnessed in history, and will use your backyard–Cobb County–as ground zero and as the “Birmingham,Selma and Montgomery” of this day. You are fore-warned.

On the other hand, and just to show that I and we are reasonable– if you want to be reasonable– if you really want to help your constituents with jobs, healthcare, and education, and are willing to consider stopping the targeting and blaming of immigrants, I am prepared to help marshal our considerable resources–both human and capital– which we have amassed to fight the above cause, and instead help provide you with assistance for your districts–especially for those who have or feel that they have been displaced or negatively impacted by the growth of the immigrant population here. We are doing this in other districts in GA and nationally with success. In fact, I have offered this before, both publicly through the media and events, and to the Cherokee County commission when it was considering anti-immigrant ordinances, and they took it under consideration before voting (and interestingly, withdrew their proposed ordinances). We will work with you and assist displaced workers until they find adequate replacement jobs (we have been doing job placement and recruitment workshops periodically), we will open up additional free healthcare clinics (have already helped open two in Cobb), and will provide volunteer support and funding for educational and housing issues. When I say “we”, I mean I am part of a coalition of businesses* (as a small business owner), a coalition of non-profits (as a board member of several), and a coalition of advocacy groups (as a director and board member of several). And these coalitions would all rather work together with you to solve the community’s problems rather than fighting draconian laws and those who promote them–which would be a much better use of all of our time and resources. So it is your choice–and if you choose this high road I will certainly apologize for any harsh rhetoric directed at you and will admit I was wrong about you and your motives (and may even support your re-election campaigns)—but if you are not willing to consider this offer then what other motive could you possibly have? (And please don’t insult my intelligence and give me the crap about “the rule of law”,”national security”, etc. , unless you really want to privately or publicly debate those reasons on their merits–which I will be happy to do anytime as they are so full of holes they make swiss cheese look solid.)
The ball is in your court….the carrot or the stick?

P.S. The same offer goes to you, D.A.–we will be happy to aid your constituents in the same ways if you and they will back off from blaming others–in this case, immigrants–for their predicaments; you can still work against the open border and North American union advocates. And Wiles and Rogers, feel free to write or contact me privately if you wish.

*Good article on immigration reform from the perspective of the business community…Fw: Tamar Jacoby: New heartland voices on immigration | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News | Opinion: Viewpoints
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/opinion/viewpoints/stories/DN-jacoby_19edi.State.Edition1.268aa14.html

Cheers!

Rich Pellegrino
404-573-1199

Rich Pellegrino in the AJC blogs on passage of SB 385 in the Georgia Senate

March 24th, 2010
6:18 pm

This is just political grandstanding on the backs of the most vulnerable. These same politicians did it on the backs of blacks–now it is “browns” who built their homes, took care of their kids and picked their food. If it does become law it will never be implemented or enforced. And if they try to enforce it: listen closely and read my lips–we will shut them down just like we shut down Bull Conner,
George Wallace and those before them. Believe me, if Wiles and Rogers and their ilk could, they would be wearing white hoods and night riding. It is easy to see their stripes….

Rich Pellegrino

March 24th, 2010
6:27 pm

Tell it like it is: please study the history of your country–”like it’s always been done”–who came here “legally”–the Irish (no, smuggled in for cheap labor), the Italians (no, changed their names and came in with false papers through Canada), the British (robbed, lied, cheated and killed their way in, then made treaties which they illegally broke), the blacks (brought in against their wills and against every moral and statutory law by the same people calling others illegals in the south today). How did the Mexicans get here by the millions–you and I invited them(that’s right–the government and every capitalist corporation in America–invited them for cheap labor). So don’t try and whitewash your guilt by some pollyanna view of history. They are no more “illegal” than you or I or the thousands who drive illegally over the speed limit on 285 every day in Atlanta. Let’s take the mote out of our own eyes and then we can see a little more clearly.

HERE and HERE.

Rich Pellegrino and Bill Ayers.

“On that well-worn stage will stand a variety of speakers, the headliner being author, teacher and former Weather Underground member Bill Ayers (see interview on facing page), who became a political lightning rod during the high-stakes final stretch of last year’s presidential campaign. The preceding day’s featured speakers will be Constance Curry and Bob Zellner, both authors and activists regarded as “Civil Rights pioneers” by festival spokesman and Banner-Herald columnist Ed Tant. Zellner, the son and grandson of Klansmen, participated in political organizing with African Americans during the Civil Rights era, an especially dangerous undertaking in the South.

The youth program, with music by children of all ages and backgrounds, will kick off the festival on Saturday. (An entire kids’ area, with children’s arts and crafts, sand play, face painting, drumming, llamas, magic and more will be available 10 a.m.–7 p.m. on Saturday and 2–7 p.m. on Sunday.) Later in the evening on Saturday will be Athens’ first Festival of Immigrant Rights, featuring, among others, two politically charged Latino punk bands from Atlanta and a speech by Richard Pellegrino, an Italian-American immigrant rights activist whom Atlanta Latino magazine recently named “Person of the Year.”

HERE

Rich, Rich, Rich: race-baiting with the ACLU, an open borders agenda, Socialist Jerry Gonzalez, a coalition with the Nation of Islam, international drug dealing …and Bill Ayers?

Marietta Daily Journal

Bruce Clements: Tired of immigration advocate’s ‘racist diatribes’

Published: 11/17/2008

DEAR EDITOR: Re: Inger Eberhart letter, “Amused by amnesty advocate’s race-baiting,” Thursday’s MDJ

Ms. Eberhart sure pegged immigration advocate Rich Pellegrino when she stated he seems to think “the only answer is totally open borders.”

I, too, resent his narrowly reasoned and frankly, racist diatribes. I am a white male, 61 years old, Marietta High Class of 1965, born in Charleston, S.C., lived in metro Atlanta for 60 years. Yet, before I reached high school I knew the wrongness of racism. By the time I graduated high school I was a vocal advocate of integration and full equality for black Americans.

Over the years I continuously supported left-wing politics. I demonstrated against the war, participated in a “rights” march, worked for the Carter campaign, was dismayed by Reagan’s election, etc.

Not until I reached a position of some little authority in the business world did I begin to recognize the dishonesty and foolishness of the left. I learned that my beliefs and integrity mattered not at all, even to people who knew me well. If I didn’t agree, then I was a racist, liar, etc.

Pellegrino’s latest reveals his prejudice by his neatly worded statements about “… it explodes in our faces” and “… our gated communities in east Cobb. ” Not to mention his misdirection about crime rates. At least he honestly states what Obama is going to do vis-a-vis the Mexican immigration problem.

My subdivision, in 30066 – the middle of east Cobb – consists of homes valued in the lower $100,000 range, resided in by retired people, young families, singles, whites, blacks (both American and African), Hispanics, south Asians, etc. No gates anywhere to be found. Imagine that!

Pellegrino’s prejudice prompts him to be the first to disparage our persons, then ignore and never address any reasoned position. Simply put, he argues that we are all racist liars out to take advantage of anyone that is different from us.

Mr. Pellegrino needs to know that I and many others, even in the South, got over it 40 years ago. He is the worst kind of dishonest, political antagonist. I deeply resent his prejudiced views. My recommendation is that you find someone else’s letters to run in the MDJ. He’s had his turn. Plenty of times.

Bruce Clements

East Cobb

HERE

Inger Eberhart/Letter to the Editor: Amused by amnesty advocate’s race-baiting Current rating:5 by 2 users.
Published: 11/13/2008

In his letter Mr. Pellegrino of the Cobb Immigrant Alliance accused Cobb County residents (and voters in other Southern states) of voting along racial lines and said that the margins of victory by candidates were “not landslides” but “race-slides.”

I am amused by his ignorance, puzzled by his race-baiting, and offended by his lack of recognition of people – of all backgrounds – as individuals. Please understand that just because someone looks like me does not mean that person shares my values. I am an African-American and, as a conservative, aware voter, I did not vote for Barack Obama.

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., stated that it is more important to assess others not by the color of their skin but the content of their character. I must hope that Mr. Pellegrino tries much harder to understand that concept.

Mr. Pellegrino alluded to the amnesty approach to solving the illegal immigration problem.

In 1986, “one-time amnesty” was attempted to solve our illegal immigration crisis forever. At the time, illegal immigrants totaled 2.7 million. As of 2008, there are more than 20 million illegal immigrants in our nation! Clearly, amnesty, as Mr. Pellegrino proposes, does not stop “undocumented neighbors” from coming to America illegally.

In 1995, Bill Clinton appointed African-American former U.S. Rep. Barbara Jordan (D-Texas) as the Chair of the Commission on Immigration Reform. She was very clear on what it would take to gain credibility on immigration policy: “Those who should get in, get in; those who should be kept out, are kept out; and those who should not be here will be required to leave…”

Mr. Pellegrino must recognize that our “undocumented neighbors” must be required to leave.

By the way, there is already a “path to permanent residency” which has been taken by law-abiding immigrants of all descriptions, from all over the world. Last year we made more than one million immigrants citizens of our great and diverse nation.

For the Pellegrinos of the world, it seems that the only answer is totally open borders.

Inger Eberhart

Acworth

Original letter AND you can comment here

Richard Pellegrino/Letter to the Editor: Hopes Obama win paves way to citizenship for illegals

Published: 11/10/2008
Marietta Daily Journal

DEAR EDITOR: Thank you for your editorial of Thursday in which you noted the victory of President Obama and expressed hope for the future of our country under his leadership.

I, too, from both a personal and immigrant rights perspective, was given great hope by his election. I have confidence that his leadership will continue to motivate people of all races, backgrounds and ages to participate in this democracy and serve each other and especially those less fortunate than ourselves. I also have confidence that now, since that there is a progressive president and Congress, the federal government will enact truly comprehensive immigration reform legislation ( Note from D.A. – it is doubtful that Rich the Thinker has read this…but we don’t think Rich reads much) that includes a path to permanent residency or citizenship for our current undocumented neighbors who have earned the right to continue living in and building this great country – which will put to rest any local or state efforts to deny the same.

Regarding the election of the first African American president you wrote, “the fact that that event has now taken place is another testimony to the greatness of our country and its people, and how far we have come,” and I wholeheartedly agree.

But let us not forgot, especially here in Cobb and the South, that we still have a long way to go.

It is apparent that Cobb County and the Southern states in general voted mostly along racial lines, and while President Obama won overwhelming support from whites of all ages in the rest of the nation, that was largely not true in Cobb, Georgia, and the deep South. In our local countywide elections in which African American candidates ran against and lost to white candidates the margins of victory mirrored their percentages in the community, making the margins not “landslides” but “race-slides.”

As a community we need to have frank dialogues regarding this and not sweep it under the table pretending that somehow we participated in or supported the national “unity in diversity” results and or are representative of the rest of America in its progress. Our elected officials need to strongly consider appointing qualified minority representatives to management and leadership county positions in law enforcement, the schools, the courts, and other agencies, and to step up recruitment of the same. And we have to openly discuss the racial profiling and inequities in sentencing which does take place in Cobb.

This is how we can truly applaud and take part in the victory and opportunity presented by this historic election.

Richard Pellegrino

Director, Cobb Immigrant Alliance

Mableton

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