Racist Law Kills Riverisde Economy

by: Juan Melli

Wed Sep 26, 2007 at 01:13:29 AM EDT

Remember Riverside's anti-immigrant law that sought to punish those who hired or rented to illegal immigrants in the town?

Within months, hundreds, if not thousands, of recent immigrants from Brazil and other Latin American countries had fled. The noise, crowding and traffic that had accompanied their arrival over the past decade abated.

Mission accomplished!

The law had worked. Perhaps, some said, too well.
With the departure of so many people, the local economy suffered. Hair salons, restaurants and corner shops that catered to the immigrants saw business plummet; several closed. Once-boarded-up storefronts downtown were boarded up again.

Although the law was never actually enforced, it worked, despite some unintended consequences. Last week Riverside reversed course and repealed the ordinance, but not because it was racist. They just didn't expect it to be so darn expensive!

"I don't think people knew there would be such an economic burden," said Mayor George Conard, who voted for the original ordinance. "A lot of people did not look three years out."

Awww, cry me a river. Even though it is, you know, his job to think about the consequences of the laws they pass, I can't say I'm surprised that anyone with their head planted so firmly up their ass wouldn't be able to see very far, let alone three years out. Their righteous stand for the rule of law was simply a thin smokescreen to obscure their true motivation.

But even bigots give up on hate and scapegoating when it hits their bottom line. Unfortunately for Riverside, that doesn't change the fact that they're still horribly racist.

Juan Melli :: Racist Law Kills Riverisde Economy

Tags: George Conard, Riverside, (All Tags)

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Racist Law Kills Riverisde Economy | 4 comments

Didn't think three years out? (0.00 / 0)

It was three months that the piss it the fan, you moran.

by: huntsu @ Wed Sep 26, 2007 at 13:17:10 PM UTC

by: you @ soon

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Twas ever thus (4.00 / 1)

"But even bigots give up on hate and scapegoating when it hits their bottom line. Unfortunately for Riverside, that doesn't change the fact that they're still horribly racist."

It always astonishes me that these bigots will hire immigrants at lower wages when the price is convenient. I never hear of a homeowner demanding that all the workers coming to his house be documented. If these people are concerned about illegal immigration, why not demand that employers do their jobs and make sure every employee has the right to work in this country?

by: the pollster @ Wed Sep 26, 2007 at 14:41:04 PM UTC

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For an interesting question... (0.00 / 0)

If I hire a contractor to perform a service, am I legally permitted to:
1. Ask if all his employees are legally permitted to work?
2. Ask for and/or demand documentation proving such?

And, on the other side, is an employer legally permitted to give such documentation to any potential client? It seems doing such would be a major violation of the employee's rights.

Hence, an interesting dilemma results. Even if all my employees are legally employable, do I have any way of proving such?

by: dennisl @ Wed Sep 26, 2007 at 20:51:25 PM UTC

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I imagine (0.00 / 0)

That actually doing the work and making sure your employees are legally employable is good enough. Then you can merely tell your customers that, yes, you checked, and they all are fine. You don't have to give any specific info to the client. That would be a violation of an employee's rights, I agree.

by: the pollster @ Thu Sep 27, 2007 at 15:27:11 PM UTC

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