The next phase of the debate centered on a church and university backed presentation on Nov. 15th featuring Allert Gort Brown, director of the Latino Studies Institute at Notre Dame.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Immigration Forum Stirs Emotion
Kate Meadows
Staff writer
Friday, November 16, 2007
WHERE TO GO TO LEARN OR TEACH ENGLISH
Frankfort Community Public Library
Contact: Kim Reddington, 654-8746
Frankfort Adult Learning Center
Contact: Eric Payton, 654-9505
Clinton County Head Start
Contact: Marilou Castillo, 659-1100
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Truths and myths surround the struggle over immigration and its laws. For many in the community, it seems Frankfort is in the eye of the tornado. But in the long run, it's not the challenges but how the community works through those challenges that will matter.
Hundreds flocked to Frankfort Middle School Thursday night for a public forum that grappled with that idea, "Immigration: National Challenges, Local Solutions."
Professor Allert Brown Gort, associate director of the Institute for Latino Studies at Notre Dame University, spoke to community members, both Anglo and Hispanic, answered their questions and facilitated civil dialogue even in what were at times tense moments.
To everyone who came, Brown Gort suggested they had at least one thing in common: They all care about this community.
Brown Gort, accompanied by three colleagues from Notre Dame, told the crowd he did not come to Frankfort to tell residents what to think or what to do. They came because they wanted to understand and learn. And they came with ideas and knowledge to share for local residents to consider.
"The most important element is leadership and members of this town committed to having a community," said Brown Gort, a scholar recognized nationally for his research on immigration and cultural issues.
A brief video showed posed some dichotomies. With immigration comes a question of national security against human security, a question of citizenship against discipleship, and a matter of criminal law versus civil law.
Illegal immigration falls under civil law.
"I happen to employ 14 people who are Latino," said one man who addressed the crowd. "They work hard. They pay taxes. They marry others in the community. And they become citizens, eventually."
Questions primarily centered around taxes, language, education and the term "illegal."
Long-time community member Fred Fladd asked Brown Gort to help residents figure out how handle the legal versus illegal status issue in Frankfort.
"Treat others as you would like to be treated is a popular saying," Fladd said. "But the problem is deep-rooted in this legal versus illegal situation ... I hope you can identify that question and break it apart."
Brown Gort suggested the word "illegal" creates a barrier and denies humanity.
"I think we have to get rid of that attitude," suggested audience member Tom Stout, speaking of the concept of illegality.
Rosa Martinez, who works at Frankfort's Open Door Clinic, asked through tears, "Who has the power to ask me if I have a green card? How can we know?"
Gabby, a bilingual high school student, said through a cracking voice, "Most of you will never know what we're feeling. Does it look like I have a green card? Nobody can tell if I do or don't."
Adriela Fernandez, Purdue's associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts, described Purdue as a prime example of a melting pot phenomenon that is happening everywhere. She noted that because of an influx of ethnically diverse students, Purdue is in the process of redefining its mission statement.
She mentioned Purdue's new president, France Cordova, and Cordova's passionate interest in Frankfort and the situation it's facing.
"She's thinking about Frankfort intensively tonight," Fernandez said.
One mom told of her family's move from Arizona to Indiana, in quest to find a reputable school system that still valued English as its primary language.
One of Brown Gort's colleagues, Maria Thompson, told audience members that, being raised in the United States as a member of a Hispanic family, she grew up with the mentality that you learned English or you failed.
"What do you expect of us?" one woman, who moved to Frankfort 13 years ago, asked in Spanish.
Someone asked why after 13 years she could still not speak English.
"What they expect we won't be able to do if they don't help us," she replied.
Invitations to English-speaking classes and calls for volunteers to help teach English followed.
"I'll fill you in with a little reality," Brown Gort told the crowd. "Most of the people who are here are going to stay here. Their children are going to play with your children."
As the evening dwindled, one woman stood up and asked Gabby to come over to her.
She cried as she put her arm around the high school girl.
"We're Frankfort," she said. "I love this young woman."
Now is the time to show the state what kind of community Frankfort is, said Susan Tharp, the extension office director who organized Brown Gort's visit.
"It is your community. And ultimately, it is your choice," Brown Gort said. "You're either growing, or you're dying."
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This article is from the Lafayette Journal and Courier:
http://www.jconline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a ... 7711160350
Frankfort airs views on Anglo-Latino divisions
By ERIC WEDDLE
eweddle@journalandcourier.com
November 16, 2007
FRANKFORT -- Frustrations and possible solutions surrounding the increased Latino population of this town were discussed in frank and honest terms Thursday night.
"I came here in 1991 and we didn't have that problem here," said Fred Fladd, to a smattering of applause. "The division concerning most people is the words legal and illegal. The problem is deep-rooted in how people arrived."
Rosa Martinez responded that Hispanics have been in Frankfort before that year and not all are illegal. She worries about her children being treated negatively because others assume they are not legal residents.
Almost 300 Frankfort residents and guests filled the Frankfort Middle School cafeteria to take part in "National Challenges-Local Solutions," a presentation and forum led by a panel of University of Notre Dame researchers and professors of Hispanic issues and culture. A diverse group of people asked questions and voiced unwavering opinions about taxes, schools, social services, respect, speaking English, fear, and the issues of legality.
"Be assured, we are not here to tell you what to think," said Allert Brown-Gort, the associate director of the Institute for Latino Studies at Notre Dame, who engaged the audience in Spanish and English dialogue. "We are not here to sit in judgment or tell you how to do things one way or another."
The forum, hosted by the Clinton County Purdue Extension, is the second public discussion on the cross-cultural issues facing Frankfort since the Clinton County Chamber of Commerce wrote an open letter asking for enforcement of local laws affecting illegal immigrants.
The evening began with a short video detailing the current national wave of immigration, from the benefits certain industries reap to ways social services can be strained. Also discussed was why some people enter America illegally.
Brown-Gort said divisions between the Latino and Anglo communities are often based on both sides believing stereotypes as fact.
Bob Gray, owner of an insulation company that employs Hispanics, was troubled that the act of crossing the border illegally would taint a person forever.
"I can't understand why we would worry if he had the paper or not if he was a good citizen," he said. "If we do unto others, where are we going?"
When a woman who identified herself as living in the country for 13 years asked a question in Spanish, Janet Dupler immediately asked why she couldn't speak English.
Brown-Gort asked if there were enough English classes in the community, and answers varied.
Father Tom Florek, panel member, said it is important to offer activities in two languages, such as popular religious practices or a mixed church choir, that can bring people together.
Speaking multiple times, Gabby Mora, 14, expressed her frustrations with being treated poorly because she is Hispanic.
"It doesn't feel good when someone says you should go back to Mexico," she said, crying at one point. "If you were to be treated like us, you wouldn't like it."
Clinton County resident Kathy Salem was moved by hearing Mora's stories.
"All of this talk is not going to change one thing. Get the devils out of our mind," said Salem, before asking if she could hug Mora. "Quit worrying about the green card, red card or white card."
Reflecting on the two- hour meeting, Brown-Gort was taken aback and pleased by many peoples' blunt honesty.
"People got up and were visceral and heated, not because they wanted to but because these are real issues," he said.
A panel of community leaders organized by Mayor Don Stock have met once to discuss quality of life issues. They will meet next at 6 p.m. Dec. 6 at a location to be determined.
Since becoming mayor-elect, Chris Pippenger said he had not had time to consider the board's future.