Third Place: Thomas Barraga's Driveway

Newsday's article on the proposal to keep illegal immigrants from congregating on Farmingville streets by building a designated hiring site (supported by Legis. Thomas Barraga, who was quoted in the story) has generated lots of responses from the paper's readers.

We sifted through all the responses. According to Newsday readers, here's the most popular location for the hiring site:


The second-most popular location:

Because a "Get Rid of the Mexicans Bill" Would Likely Be Unconstitutional, Too


It appears that Suffolk County Exec Steve Levy's attempt to curb the day-labor problem with an anti-loitering bill will be for naught. ("For naught" means "it ain't gonna work.")

It's not as if they didn't have other, even less-successful attempts at legislation to eliminate the hordes of Latin fellows seeking unlicensed employment for untaxed income. A previous proposed bill attempted to make it a crime for speaking a word that has a tilde in it.

Shoot First, Introduce Legislation Later

While debating an anti-loitering bill targeting immigrant day laborers, Legis. Joe Caracappa asked other legislators how they'd feel if they lived in communities where immigrants showed up in packs along the road looking for work. Amityville Legis. Elie Mystal replied:

"If I'm living in that neighborhood and people are gathering like that, I would load up my gun and start shooting, period."

While this comment is as refreshingly honest as it is refreshingly scary, we noted that this answer can apply to many issues a legislator faces.

Q: What would you say to homeowners who feel their property taxes are too high?
Legis. Elie Mystal: I would load up my gun and start shooting, period.

Q: Road congestion is a serious problem. On one hand, Route 347, Route 25A, and Route 27A would likely need expansion, but to build more lanes would require the destruction of existing businesses and could affect the quality of life. Where do you stand on the issue?
Legis. Elie Mystal: I would load up my gun and start shooting, period.

Q: The issue of the winter holidays is so controversial these days. Does "Christmas" mean a tree that has no religious significance, or are goverment offices allowed to display more overt religious symbols, like a nativity?
Legis. Elie Mystal: I would load up my gun and start shooting, period.

Q: The recent LIPA increases?
Legis. Elie Mystal: I would load up my gun and start shooting, period.

Q: LIRR delays?
Legis. Elie Mystal: I would load up my gun and start shooting, period.

Q: Potholes along Route 110?
Legis. Elie Mystal: I would load up my gun and start shooting, period.

Q: The recent spate of cold weather?
Legis. Elie Mystal: I would load up my gun and start shooting, period.

Q: Charles Wang's attempt to buy all of Nassau County?
Legis. Elie Mystal: I would load up my gun and start shooting, period.

Q: Finally, what do you think you'd do when a Newsday reporter asks for comments regarding illegal aliens?
Legis. Elie Mystal: I would load up my gun and start shooting, period.

Happy New Year! (And Screw You, Illegals!)

Newsday reports on the first Long Island baby of 2007. Some basic facts about the child's parents:

They live in Copiague, and have been together for four years. Both are from El Salvador [they spoke to Newsday through an interpreter], and each has a child living with relatives in that Central American country.

Thanks to the Newsday forums, we're able to read between the lines a bit, as insightful people provide analysis such as:

and


But the REAL issue is, people in Copaigue are allowed to have children?

Our Problem Was That We Always Confused It With FarmingDALE

Farmingville residents are looking to change the name of a portion of their town to Oak Hills in order to wipe away its association as the capital of illegal immigrants.

Someone might eventually alert these people that there is an Oak Hill, New York, which is so similar that they'll have to pick a new name. We suggest New Mexico City or Xenophobiaville.