MJM: A Sarcastic Thanks for Clearing Our Community
A letter to the editor from a local teen appeared yesterday in the Manassas Journal Messenger.
Suzie Eskelund
Published: July 20, 2008I am a 17-year-old caucasian girl who has lived in Manassas my whole life. I just want to say thank you for allowing the white, self-righteous and supremacist legal citizens of this fine, upstanding county
to once again have the important jobs back, like fast food and construction. I know it has always been my dream to work the drive through at my neighborhood McDonald’s and now you have made that
dream more possible. I am so proud to be a part of a city that is taking a stand against those pesky brown people. I was riding in the car with my Hawaiian friend when we got pulled over so the nice
policeman could make sure she wasn’t an illegal Latina. I know that in my heart I couldn’t be more thankful for those new laws that you helped pass to racially profile everyone with dark skin. Gee, I don’t even know why I’m friends with her.I know that no one who eats tacos and burritos can be a good person. I mean hey, I don’t want that new Chipotle on Liberia Avenue! These people just need to go back to Mexico and take their children.
They deserve to starve, be in constant danger, and have a poor education.After all, they were born in an inferior country! I don’t want any new customs in my life.
I want to be closed-minded and be surrounded by my pasty friends forever. Please get that diversity away from me!
Now people say that all Americans immigrated here. Well that may be true, but at least all of mine spoke English when they came here! Oh wait… except for my Danish, French, and German relatives.
But no matter, at least it wasn’t Spanish. When I was in high school and I was trying to learn another language, I had the hardest time and struggled through all three years. I hardly remember any of that
language, but who cares? Learning a second language may be really hard for anyone, but it doesn’t matter if your first language was English.Now I look around my upper middle-class neighborhood and see that there are far fewer children for my neighbors to play with. But I rest assured knowing that when they play tag, they won’t get tagged by Latino cooties anymore.
Next, we should give them disease-infested blankets; it worked when we wanted to get rid of Native Americans.
Thank you once again for your efforts to cleanse our community,
SUZIE ESKELUND
Manassas
Ah.. so a white girl feels as though a fast food job is beneath her some how? I too grew up here and I worked in a fast food place as did the majority of my high school friends. Not one of us had the idea that working fast food was beneath us. While I was in college I worked as a dishwasher, after my husband graduated from GMU he was a landscaper for the city of manassas public works. Been there and done that. Glad that hard work is not your dream little girl, lucky for you that the hispanics have taken over the hard work for you. It’s always been your dream to work fast food or construction? I say go for it. You might actually learn something about hard work. The entire first couple of sentences of your post are a slap in the face to hard working, minimum wage workers across the USA regardless of their race.
Glad to see evidence that young people are joining the debate!
And DB stands for ??????
Perhaps you should have finished reading rather than stopping after the first couple of lines. I rather think you missed the point…or perhaps it was too painful to acknowledge.
I agree with Diversity Gal. It is good to see young folks joining the debate. They bring a perspective not seen by older people.
I imagine that this young lady, if she attends Osborne, probably lives in a fairly diverse part of Manassas. She should be commended for taking the time to express her feelings in a letter to the editor. I found it interesting, that her perception was that her friend was pulled over because of her color. Now, I have faith that Chief Deane hires the best, whether it is true or not, that she was pulled over because of her skin color, does not seem all that important to me. The reality is that their PERCEPTION is that they WERE pulled over because they believe the police department is fulfilling Corey and Gregs resolution, which in many peoples mind, was clearly ethnically targeted. It saddens me to see the this perception in PWC by its own citizens.
I don’t know if this is still true, but when I used to go to Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, and someone made a great catch in the stands on a foul ball, the P.A. announcer would say, “Give that fan a contract!”
That was my reaction to SUZIE ESKELUND’s searingly sarcastic and astonishingly adroit thank you note above. Sign her up! She probably knows more about internet blogging than any of us. Susie, if you read this, I hope you’ll join the discussion here. You are setting a great example for people your age that it is never too early to become politically savvy and politically aware. And you are setting a great example for most of the Anti-Immigrant Lobby contributors to this blog … that it is also never too late!
Suzie, I hope you will attend Friday’s screening so that you can meet the AntiBVBL gang, and also educate yourself about the changes made to the Immigration Resolution. The perception may be as you described above, but the reality as of April 29 is not nearly that bad.
Elena, excellent point. After all, perception is reality.
Many people don’t have clear perimeters on the Immigration Resolution or even what it says or doesn’t say.
Those of us who have followed all the political party games have a hard time seperating truth from fiction. Thank goodness for 9500 Liberty, Annabel and Eric for documenting what has really happened. Proof of the confusion is probably best exemplified by both ’sides’ claiming victory on April 29.
Darth spoke that he had won and the epigones all cheered. However, that was a ruse as we saw on the film at the last economy recovery party. No, nothing was altered. The words came out of the right speakers mouth. Clearly Darth walked away with not quite the prize he wanted.
“I just want to say thank you for allowing the white…to once again have the important jobs back, like fast food and construction. I know it has always been my dream to work the drive thru at my neighborhood McDonalds, and now you have made that dream possible.” This is sarcasim? Dissing those who work the fast food business by saying that it has “always been my dream to work the drive thru”. Has she once stopped and asked herself if her local drive thru worker had that same dream? Does she have a clue about what the dreams of local service workers are? So she may live in a diverse neighborhood…so what. She is as insensitive as the latest New Yorker magazine.
Junkyar dog,
DB stands for my name.
I am glad to see young people wanting something more than working the drive through. Thank goodness their sites are set higher. From a purely economic point of view, this kind of work is no goal for a young person. You cannot support a family on this kind of work.
As a matter of fact, some of the workers at the drive though windows around town are very pleased because they are making more money than they ever thought possible.
Everything is relative. Where is the base line? There is absolutely nothing wrong with good hard work, but many of us choose to have different jobs than working the fast food line.
DB,
Cut her some slack why dontcha’?
I thinks this letter is really something to think about. I work with young people mostly (the 18-26 y/o crowd) and my impression of their opinions is that much of the angst and anger generated by their predecessors is going to be a mute point when their generation takes over. They’ve grown up with diversity and don’t have the same insecurities about their place in the world that characterize the BVBL and white supremacists who oppose immigration.
I also think her comments about lower level employment gives us something to think about. The reality is, whether we want to acknowledge it or not, that most middle and motivated American citizens do see this work as beneath them. Let’s be honest, do you really want your kids flipping burgers? Do you want to pick fruit for a living? It is the move away from labor-intensive and low -end employment by the citizen population that has encouraged the growth in immigrant employment in those sectors. I don’t want my kids waiting tables, washing dishes, or cleaning toilets, and I don’t want to do that work myself.
I don’t see how having higher aspirations is a bad thing. It only becomes a problem when we assume that there are people who deserve that type of work, and we allow working conditions to become substandard because of that belief. That is the problem with our current immigration system. We’ve not only allowed immigrants to fill those jobs for us, but we’ve allowed corporations to victimize and abuse them in the process. We should be working to change the culture of work for low-wage labor, not just avoid it for ourselves and our kids.
Would any of you found it sarcastic and funny if the author of letter substituted a drive thru worker with a low level army pfc on his second tour in Iraq? What if she professed that her wish was that she wanted to replace a green card soldier and risk her life for less than poverty level wages. What if she said she wanted to take a job that many non US citizens have already done. Would you all find her letter funny then? Isn’t it bad enough that there has to be people in this country living in dire straights? And it’s okay to poke fun at what they do? My parents grew up very poor, as did my husband, and if there is one thing I am adamant about, all jobs are important and no deserves to be put down because of the job they have. People rant about racism in this country, but the fact is elitism is even bigger. I suggest the author of this letter read such books as The Working Poor, or Growing Up Empty: Hunger in America before she pokes fun at the lower class ever again.
DB,
I for one, am not laughing. The reality is that we push our kids to graduate from college at a bare minimum these days. The outrage is that the republicans fight minimum wage hikes EVERY step of the way saying these low paying jobs are for “teenagers” and no working mom or dad would have to work at a mcdonalds. Do I want my kids working at Mcdonalds as an adult, not really. But if they were happy, I guess that is all that matters. It isn’t elitest, its economic reality. Minimum wage is not designed to support the working family. That simple. I don’t believe her intent was to put jobs down, I believe her intent was to point out the irony. And as a high school graduate, on her way to college, I am sure her goals do not include spending thousands upon thousands of dollars, only to end up working a minimum wage job. I can guarantee you, that is not the goal of her parents either!
Our immigrant mothers and fathers worked those lower paying jobs so that their decendents, you and I, could have opportunities they never had. Let’s not forget that proud legacy.
DB is employing the same technique to distract that is so frequently used by those on the other blog, as well as some who post her, when they are hit with inconvenient facts or opinions that they can’t refute. Rather than address the salient parts of the discussion or position, they isolate a single thought, take it out of context, spin it up into a controversial talking point — and make that the focus of the discussion. Unfortunately, it tends to work.
This discussion has become one about defending the dignity of the fast food working rather than the greater lessons to be learned from Suzie’s letter.
Why do we let them take ownership of the debate?
I didn’t find what Suzie said to be funny either. I thought she captured sarcasm quite well.
Now, having said that, I have heard enough crack shots taken at Elena, Alanna, and KG over where they live. Somehow their opinions belong to a lesser God because they live in what perceived to be more elite neighborhoods than some of the people here grousing about illegal immigrants. I don’t see any of the black velvets coming to their defense. In fact, I see them slinging the slurs. The residence slurs.
DB, I think you just want to take issue. Why just the other day you were on here accusing someone, me, I think, of trivializing childbirth. Now someone is trivializing low skilled workers, in your mind.
What’s with the victim mentality? I am not as nice as Elena. I will call it as I see it. I sit behind a computer screen and make fun of low skilled workers like bartenders and store managers and people giving birth, even though I am a woman with 2 children who do those very jobs. Get over it. No one else is going to play the game.
Casual Observer, you are correct. No one else is going to play along with DB. Game over! No more victim mentality. Find another ploy.
I take ownership of the debate because I am a former fast food worker, waitress, retail worker, nanny and dairy farm worker. I am also a college graduate who found herself with a college graduate husband who could only find part time work, and an infant. I personally know what it is like to rely on WIC to feed a child and pay student loans as well. I know what it is like to have no health insurance. I know how to work 60 hours a week at two jobs, and just deal with it. That is why I have great respect for those who work hard and long hours to help their families both here and abroad. That is why I never turn my nose up at service workers, and I always remember how hard their jobs are. That is why I feel all workers deserve respect. That is why I have no problem supplying clothes or food for families that are struggling as my family once did, and if what I believe and have been thru makes me anything like “those on the other blog”, then they can’t be that bad.
No more victim mentality? Would you say that to those fighting the resolution? My mentality is that society has too many SES victims, and when we poke fun of those whom we perceive as lower than us (ie fast food/construction workers) we further victimize them. I thought this blog and those on it stood up for the little guy, the down-trodden. I guess not. Instead of worrying about what you perceive as my victim mentality, and telling me to get over it, focus instead on the reason you were so accepting of Suzie’s blatant stereotyping.
DB: I just cut and pasted Suzie’s letter into MS Word. It contains 410 words (not including the intro and close). Her reference to McDonalds constituted exactly 17 of those 410 words, and is tangental to her thesis — which is that the PWC Rule of Law Resolution is having a negative on our teens: those here illegally, and those who befriend them.
PWC High Schools are diverse places indeed. I have a child in one of the most diverse. A lot of those “illegal” teens have woven themselves into the social fabric of my child’s circle, and these kids are concerned for their friends, who live with the stress of wondering if theirs will be the next family ICE identifies.
Suzie, like my own child, isn’t interested in the legal debate. That’s why her letter is important, and worthy of discussion. Her generation is hot on our tails, and one day it will be their turn to set public policy. Don’t forget that today’s HS kids will be PWC and Manassas voters the next time Corey Stewart is up for re-election. Wonder if he’s thought about that.
Suzie’s letter had really nothing to do about the uninsured, WIC, minimum wage, student loans, etc. All of those are issues I’d love to discuss (and have — getting America on the road to Universal Health Care is my passion), but they aren’t the focus of Suzie’s letter. Judging from the tone of Suzie’s letter, I think she’ll grow into an adult interested in many of those same causes.
So, what did you think about the rest of her letter??
Here’s my “sarcasim” bit:
Dear Mr. Fernandez,
Early this morning on antibvbl, two posters, Moon Howler and Censored decided that the victim mentality game is over. Therefore, you must remove your large sign since the complaints of white europeans and the fact that you no longer want to be slaves is a bit victim mentality-ish. We are so sorry that the Europeans messed up the native american culture, and we are very sorry that that so many of the immigrants in this country live on slave wages, but Moon Howler and Censored have declared…No more victim mentality!
DB,
You make your arms bare and show your scars. What right does anyone have to deny them? You paid for them. They belong to you.
I recognize them from before. I saw them on my father. He was not your enemy. He lived his life with his heart and his arms wide open. And for this, he was not forgiven. An honest days work for an honest days pay. He kept his end of the bargain. And his reward was to be denied the golden years that are normally filled resting in the embrace of one’s family. Years he richly deserved were denied to him. Because a long time ago somebody thought my beautiful father didn’t matter. Because he couldn’t speak English. Because he didn’t have a piece of paper that said the word ‘american’.
DB I think your first comment was obtuse and beneath you - you must up your game if we’re to continue us to condescend to answer you.
Suzie,
Whilst others here, and elsewhere, will pick through your excellent piece looking for elements they can target and object to; sadly it will always be thus - that is the role of the small minded bigots who don’t have better stuff to deal with!
Your youth belies your intelligence and alacrity I hope you continue to use these gifts as effectively as you’ve shown here.
Godspeed, good-hearted young one…
My view of the world around me at 17 was based on little experience. My world outside my family was my friends. If you picked bad friends then your world view was going to be much different than if you picked good friends. Why do you think kids wind up in gangs? It’s because they and their friend went in the wrong direction at some point. Suszie’s world view is her friends, and from her point of view that is what is important to her. Home ownership and the economics of raising a family in a safe and law abiding community is harding uppermost on a 17 year olds mind. Most people commenting on illegal immigration are folks who’ve been around and know when things are going in the wrong direction. They have a much broader view of the world and all of its life challenges and experiences. This is why 17 year olds don’t make the rules.
What a snotty brat. I worked at a McDonalds when I was her age, like so many from my generation. The very idea is anathema to her.
Who cares what she has to say at age 17? Perhaps someday she’ll pour everything she has into owning a home and watch the neighborhood around it turn into a Spanish ghetto. If so she’ll probably do that 180-degree turn towards conservatism like so many other spoiled pampered white kids make.
Off thread, this is for MH,
People previously made supporting statements for illegals crossing into the US saying that they’d do the same thing if their family was starving. Most here support that notion even if it means breaking the law. Ok, so if breaking the law to feed one’s self or family is noble, then why not anyone? Why is there only compassion and support for illegals and not the local homeless citizen? This is what I don’t get. People being more supportive of non citizens than those who’ve worked to build and support this country, meaning US citizens! And don’t give me that crap about Mexicans building America. I watch tons of documentaries and Mexicans are rarely if at all mentioned in the building of this country. European immigrants as future citizens are who built this country. You know, the ones Fernandez hates!
SecondAlamo, you do know that all the arguments you find yourself “winning” in your head are with non-existent scarecrows who hold positions you can oppose with the same three ideas you always repeat, as exhibited above.
Look, if the only resistance you see to your legislative agenda are people who don’t honor America and dislike Caucasians, then Tom Tancredo should be leading in the Presidential race by 40 points right about now. The fact is most Americans are not as dumb as you make yourself during times you’re convinced you are winning this debate.
I want to thank Suzie Eskelund for her FASCINATING latter to the Journal-Messenger. I have been on tenterhooks during the past year or two, waiting for the high school crowd to weigh in on the local issue of our time. The perspective of those unencumbered by home ownership, tax payments, or the need to work one of those nine-to-five “jobs” that so many adults have an inherent respect for is a perspective sorely needed and appreciated by those of us trapped up in the petty concerns of working, providing for families, etc. etc.
Suzie really hits a strong point when she mentions the Chipotle denied on Liberia Avenue. This is undeniable racism. The fear of burritos is alive and well in Prince William County. The mob torching at the Taco Bell on Route 234 is proof of this, as was the massacre that occurred at California Tortilla Company last October.
Similarly Suzie’s point about the lack of diversity in Prince William County, which has always had sizeable populations of Hispanics, African-Americans, Asians, and immigrants from various countries, is right on the mark. Remember the anti-black marches last February? Remember the attempt in 2004 to detain all citizens of Middle Eastern blood or appearance into detention centers, for the duration of the War on Terror? And what of the refusal to sanction a Chipotle on Liberia?
Suzie, thanks so much for your perspective. I hope that someday you can rise above the trauma of having your car stopped. That has happened to me a few times in my life also, and the trauma was almost too much to bear. What is this, Nazi Germany??! Sometimes I thin k that it was the pain and suffering from those traffic stops that lead to me starting my work career at McDonalds - something you’ll hopefully never have to suffer. We can leave those jobs from now on to the “brown people”.
See you at Chipotle,
Rick Bentley
WHWN,
If I’m on the losing side, then how do you explain the passage of the Resolution? Results, not minority opinion, make the rules.
Why is there only compassion and support for illegals and not the local homeless citizen? This is what I don’t get.
SA, why do you assume that people don’t support both? Do you support building more homeless shelters? Or support drug/alcohol rehabilitation centers? Or group homes? Or job training centers? Or better health care so that people aren’t saddled with debt that might cause them to lose their homes?
I agree with Sara. Young people today - and even their older siblings - are more at ease in a diverse society. That’s a good thing because the world is certainly headed in a less homogeneous direction and we may as well deal with it.
As for the article, I’m glad to see a teenager get involved in a social/political issue and have the ability to write about it and understand its impact on the community in which she lives. Just because a person isn’t saddled with a mortgage doesn’t mean that his or her opinion is less valid. Maybe we old, debt-burdened geezers are just too timid or tired or feel we have too much to lose to speak out for the other guy!
“This is sarcasim? Dissing those who work the fast food business by saying that it has “always been my dream to work the drive thru”.
She is being sarcastic in that the anti-immigrant crowd seems to believe all young people want a job in fast food. Talk about a stereotype! She obvioulsy doesn’t want adults or anyone speaking for her. In other words: “I don’t NEED your help in defending MY choice of jobs.”
“Suzie really hits a strong point when she mentions the Chipotle denied on Liberia Avenue. This is undeniable racism. The fear of burritos is alive and well in Prince William County. The mob torching at the Taco Bell on Route 234 is proof of this, as was the massacre that occurred at California Tortilla Company last October.”
This isn’t racism. This is sarcasm to people like YOU Rick
“Ok, so if breaking the law to feed one’s self or family is noble, then why not anyone?”
It is not “noble,” SA. It’s survival instinct. Most of us have it.
“Who cares what she has to say at age 17?”
Because your seniors in high school are the next wave of voters, Rick, and they will not put up with racism, especially when they have mixed groups of friends.
“This is why 17 year olds don’t make the rules.”
We cannot and should not dismiss the opinions and perspectives of our young people. It ALWAYS works against us if we do.
If an 18 year old can go to war, s/he is certainly capable of making informed decisions.
first…snotty brat as mentioned above.
second…how does she know that the cops pulled her over because of her color, not because she broke a traffic law?
third…how about she give us the rest of the story?
fourth…a passenger in the car has nothing to do with the cop pulling anyone over, it’s the driver
I’m calling the BS flag on this one, it’s a clear fabrication to me and could easily be cleared up by calling the police department. I would like to see the police report on this traffic stop which should freely be available via FOIA. in fact, I’m going to request such report today as the young lady was kind enough to post her name and I’m going to assume the date of the stop was recent enough as well.
It’s one thing to post a valid opinion, another to post falsehoods. before anyone rallies around this young person for posting things that they clearly back, how about getting the true facts first? that seems to be a big problem on this board from the beginning.
and the swipe at fast food restaurants? I’m sure plenty of people worked at those same restaurants as a kid, if any kid deserved a spanking this is one who needs a few of them.
DB, Suzie writes better sarcasm than you do.
Elvis, you must have missed this: “She is being sarcastic in that the anti-immigrant crowd seems to believe all young people want a job in fast food. Talk about a stereotype! She obvioulsy doesn’t want adults or anyone speaking for her. In other words: “I don’t NEED your help in defending MY choice of jobs.”
DB,
I like what Mackie said: ” You make your arms bare and show your scars. What right does anyone have to deny them? You paid for them. They belong to you.”
I hear you, and you make a valid point about jobs (having said that, I understand what MH and CO are saying, too). Point definitely taken. What do you think about the rest of the letter?
Rick and Second Alamo,
I am not ready to write off the opinions of youth. If you listen to them, even the really young ones, they have interesting and important things to say. Sure, they do not have the life experience of their elders, but they do have something unique to add to the conversation. Only they can tell you what it’s like to be a student in public schools in PWC, Manassas City, or Manassas Park RIGHT NOW. I see a lot of debate on this blog and the other about schools. We hear from parents and educators. Are we ready to hear from the other population of experts on school…the kids?
SA,
I sure don’t think I am more concerned about non-citizens than I am about the homeless. One of the current outrages in my book is that we have homeless veterans. I don’t feel that breaking the law to feed your children is noble. I think it is human and I understand it. Understanding it and endorsing it are not the same thing.
I watched Cinderella Man the other night. Have you seen it? Boxer trying to eek out a living to feed his family during the depression. He worked the docks during the day. I think these folks were Irish. It relates to your comments.
If you have a grown daughter then you were taught as I was taught in school. We were taught about the great accomplishments of the white men while the white women scurried around as their secondary support. A few special women were noted and about the most extraordinary were Sacajewea and Poccahontas. The Chinese and Indians were mentioned as a group. I believe the only Muslims I was taught about were the Barbary pirates and the ‘opposing side’ during the crusades. I learned about Booker T. Washington and George Washington Carver. I learned who the real Yellow Rose of Texas was as an adult, not as a student. I had sung about her as a child. I can’t answer your question about Mexican contributions. Look at my education!
Elvis, did you miss where she said “I was riding in the car with my Hawaiian friend when we got pulled over so the nice
policeman could make sure she wasn’t an illegal Latina” ? Nowhere does she say she was driving the car.
Don’t ask me why, but somehow I suspect that if Suzie E. had written to the MJM taking an opposite tack, Messrs. Alamo, Elvis, and Bentley would fall all over their elder selves congratulating the young woman for being so astute and so involved at just 17. Imagine their pride if she had, for example, written to the paper about how MS-13 hoods dogged her every step.
For my part, I think it’s great that a 17 year old was concerned and wrote to (and presumably reads) a newspaper. I would say that regardless. She is obviously showing up a lot of apathetic adults in that regard.
Yes, she could have phrased some things slightly differently to have avoided some of the more obvious attacks on her here. But she was being both sarcastic and honest. And it is the honest situation. The youth of Northern Virginia are not going to supply the labor for all the minimum-wage jobs this area offers. Maybe in other, less affluent regions, but not this one. This region can’t even find enough American teens to work as life guards or other once-desirable summer employment.
But as others have said, to focus only on her lines about fast food is to ignore everything else in her letter. Take, for example, her mention of her immigrant forebears. In the Ellis Island era, perfectly legal immigrants were blasted for not learning English fast enough, for taking Americans’ jobs, for eating the wrong foods, or practicing the wrong religion, etc. etc.
Elvis fumes he is (allegedly) going to search for a police report. Well not every stop results in paperwork with names recorded etc. I have no reason to doubt her account, and she is free to speculate on the reasons for the stop.
Finally SA watches lots of documentaries he alleges, but can’t remember seeing anything about the role of Mexicans in building America and says, instead, that “European immigrants as future citizens are who built this country.” Wow. Sometimes people can be transparent as all get out, can’t they. Only Europeans? So no enslaved or free people of African descent, so no Chinese labor on the railroads, so no Mexican-origin labor in and beyond all the areas of the country that Mexico once ruled, etc. etc. So nobody with origins in any other continent. Just Europeans. What are you watching SA? Did David Duke start a cable channel and I didn’t notice?
Hum, I typed a long comment, but it is “awaiting moderation.” I think that is because I missed a letter in my email address, which I have now fixed. Ah well.
And you have been liberated. I don’t know why you were stuck.
Elvis, you have just confessed to being one of those pains in the neck who foia’s? Tell me it isn’t true. Do you know the kind of expense people like you generate to local government? Big brother is alive and well and Elvis is spying on us all.
I think that is the latest and greatest threat of the millenium: I am going to FOIA you. (stern glare)
It’s more evidence that the younger generation is not going to follow in the sins of the fathers. How many sons and daughters of the HSM crowd are turning 180 degrees from their parents ignorant ways?
Rick, there is nothing you can do to stop the galvinization of the humans against hatred, all your efforts to maintain the dark ages in PWC will fail, you are out of time. You are surrounded by the hope revolution, members of your own army are deserting you at an alarming rate and to top it all off your HSM organization has been compromised by the most unlikely person. You have been used like a shallow puppet by some local politician and they will soon abandon you for the price of a small progression in their own career, even now they are using HSM for what little amusing value you have left. The resolution is the chain around your neck that when pulled made you dance around and entertain the politicians.
It’s over Rick, there is nothing you can do to stop the change in your neighborhood, The change in your country.
No great ethnic food or beatiful clothing, pottery, hand-made leather shoes, music etc.? Come on.
[...] In MJM: A Sarcastic Thanks for Clearing Our Community at Anti-BVBL a Manassas youth thanks her town for helping to “cleanse” her town. While a portion speaks ill of those working low paying jobs (which I don’t agree with) the majority of it brings the ‘crackdowns’ into perspective. [...]
Could it be her friend was speeding and that’s why she was pulled over? People like to make excuses for being pulled over, and it could very well be now they are just trying to claim “racial profiling” or some such thing. It is interesting there is no mention of WHY her friend was pulled over, what she was accused of doing. The police aren’t going around and pulling people over just because they “look Latino”. Come on. Either she is making this up or there was a REAL reason her friend was pulled over, and they are trying to ignore the REAL reason. Yet now everyone on here is applauding her like she’s some kind of visionary or something!
To speak to just some of the global, important contributions made by Hispanics and Latinos, Second Alamo, this ones for you (includes info I posted on another blog)
I found a lot of advances originating from Latin America. I looked around and found many references for the following Latin American contributions to the world (I left out the ones I could not find corroboration for):
*architecture which inspired Frank Lloyd Wright
*creation of the world’s first team sport
*biogenetic domestication of corn into its modern form
*astronomy style that influenced European astronomy after 1492
*antispasmodic medicine for surgery
*mandatory, universal education for both genders and all classes
*one of the first people in the world to use the number zero (not as a placeholder) as part of their mathematics system
*predated Europeans with a base 20 (vigesimal) math system
*created the latex treatment to make rubber
*Alejandro Corichi, Mexican physicist who contributed to the understanding of black holes
*Guillermo Gonzalez Camarena, Mexican who invented one of the first color TVs
*Luis E. Miramontes, Mexican chemist who coinvented progrestin (synthetic progestogen which can be used for oral contraception or hormone replacement therapy)
*Ignacio Martin-Baro, Salvadoran priest and philosopher whose theory of social psychology influenced studies of community psychology worldwide
SOURCES: Wikipedia (I know, I know, not always reliable…but often includes source sites), St. Andrews School of Mathematics site, US Dept of Energy - Newton “Ask a Scientist” site, National Autonomous University of Mexico site, Google Patents, Journal of the American Chemical Society, MIT’s The Tech Online Newspaper, etc.
I think the history of Europeans in America is very important, but I also believe that we have to face facts. European-Americans (of which I am one) are the ones who recorded it, and so it is overwhelmingly Eurocentric. It is a shame that people seem to imply that their culture or ethnicity is better, simply because you can read more about it in reference material.
A spoiled little girl, who doesn’t understand that in order for a society to function, laws must be obeyed and those that break them punished. I can see in her words denegrating those who work in the fast food industry, the liberal elitism that threatens our gret nation. Moral equiviction is not valid argument. Perhaps when she’s completed her education, gone out into the real world and starts paying taxes, owns a home, etc. she’ll finally see the wisdom in demanding that laws be followed. Perhaps she’ll see that the Rule of Law resolution is an exercise in democracy. Perhaps she’ll see that if you dis agree with a law or policy, the proper thing to do is to work within the democratic process to change it, and not to just break laws you don’t agree with.
Elena:
I wanted to let you know I just watched the video in the “About” section. You gave quite an impassioned presentation, and I hope many in the audience and on the committee were positively moved. You gave a human face to the issue, and what you presented was a superb witness against the inhumanity that pervades a great portion of the “anti-illegal immigration” crowd.
I’ve read that there is a meeting this Friday somewhere near you. At an Episcopal church I believe. Unfortunately I am away this Friday through Sunday, but if circumstances were different I would have been happy to come visit. Manassas/Prince William County is only three hours away from where I live. Perhaps another time.
Ed,
Yes, perhaps Suzie will come around to your way of thinking with time and experience; you can hope for that. Perhaps not, though. There are enough experienced adults on this blog with a different opinion to let you know that time and experience don’t necessarily mean that she will grow to see your version of “wisdom.”
Perhaps she will keep her valid opinion at least until she’s 18. Will it be so easy to dismiss her vote? I only wish that all the young people near voting age in PWC, Manassas, and Manassas Park could see how some seek to put tape over their mouths until they meet your responsibility standards.
andy,
Chief deane warned us that there could be an increased perception of racial profiling and it appears this has come to fruition.
I hope Suzie knows if she will be 18 by the election in November, she can register to vote now if she has not already.
(off topic) OK…now I’m not imagining things…I had a comment of mine removed on the other blog. I responded to someone who said a kook was blaming HSM for grafitti. I said that NotGregLetiecq admitted he was only joking and apologized. I asked how many times posters had blamed Mr. Fernandez for vandalizing his own site, and cited one such posting. And that is a reason to remove my comment?
I know, welcome to the club. It’s just frustrating. I was trying to play by Greg’s stated rules, and what I said was not an attack and not rude. What the heck?
Robb,
We would love to have you visit us!
Thank you for your kind words, many people , after I spoke, reached out to me. I have spoken many times before the Board on land use issues, but this time was different for me. I did not realize that I was so affected by the hate I had seen, until I read the words aloud to everyone.
No rhyme or reason diversity gal.
Elena, I give you credit for even reading the words aloud. I don’t know that I could do it.
Andy, perception is reality. You could very well be right. The friend could have been speeding.
Had all this business in PWC not turned so ugly it might not have ever occurred to the kids that it might be thought that her friend was Latino. They might have acted like normal kids and blamed it on teenagers being picked on.
Elena,
I have often wondered…what is your take on the BOS response to your reading of the blog and the slide show? It is hard to tell from film footage, as there is a quick cut-away from Corey Stewart. Did anyone say anything about it?
This is why 17 year olds don’t make the rules.
Perhaps, but at some point within the next year Suzie will turn 18. She’ll be an 18 year-old young adult who will bring her world perspective into the voting booth with her, as we all do.
Unless your planning to strip voting rights from 18 year olds, you should care very much about Suzie’s concerns. Am I the same person I was at 18? No. But I voted as a Democrat then, and I do now. The first time I voted my biggest concern was trying to find a way to reverse Reagan’s cuts to the federal student loan program. Now, it’s fixing health care and the economy.
Oops… I should have attributed the first line of my response to SA:
SA wrote:
Diversity Girl, Apparently the kids do not matter, even though they are the ones living the good life in public schools. (and private also) They have just as much right to address issues as anyone else does. Suzie will probably be voting in an election this fall. Maybe some of the readers might want to look at how the young are being courted by the candidates. Say what they want, agree or disagree, their vote might be making the huge difference if they are involved.
In general,
I find it disturbing that some of the contributers here not only dismiss what young people say, they actively try to lock them out of the process. Be careful. As a person who grew up in the 60’s, I advise you that you might awaken a sleeping giant.
I voted democrat too when I was 18. I’ve wizened up since then.
What floors me now is, basically, all we have is 287(g) and mandatory checks on those arrested. I thought that was what everyone wanted. Yet still all this hoopla and rhetoric…
Mando wrote:
Dictionary.com
Should wizened old men with their wizened old perspective on the world even be allowed to vote? Why should we care what they think? This is the New Millennium! We want to hear from the younger voters, who will be the next generation of leaders!
And, yes, that was snark!
Mando,
GHM, I used to be a Young Republican in high school…largely due to the influence of my parents. You can PROBABLY tell from my posts that I am definitely a Democrat now…have considered myself one since my freshman year in college. I guess you can say that I, too, have become wiser…as have my mother and brother, I can gladly say.
Party affiliations aside, young people shouldn’t be counted out for all of the reasons so many have listed above.
As for the hoopla, I don’t think for one minute that what is currently in place is all some people want. I was asleep and not talking about the issue before this all went down. I’ve seen and heard some pretty disturbing things during the continuing debate, so I plan to stay awake, keep listening, and keep talking.
Children are our future. This young lady very well could be 18 by November, and voting in her first presidential election. The fact she’s a teenager does not lessen the value of her opinion. This is her perception of her hometown.
And we ALL know perception is reality, right?
Mando said
This is probably the best question of the day. Mando, we have spent $4 million bucks because of the HSM shinnanigans. They continue to attempt to influence local politics, lie about our economic condition here in PWC, and lie about our crime. I guess we have just become the self appointed watchdogs for groups like this who try to take over our county.
PWC policy should be decided by its residents, not a small, select group of people who bring the political agenda of FAIR into the county. Policy should be subject to public hearings. None of the Immigration resolution was. The night of the million speakers, October 16, 2007 was not a public hearing.
But excellent question. Thanks for asking it. I think we are satisfied with it. I do not believe the Order of the Red Circle was pleased at all, judging from the face on Corey. Greg and Corey put that spin on it so it didn’t look like they got nipped back a bit. The film shows all this.
“PWC policy should be decided by its residents”
It has been. Residents got sick of what had become of our communities.
“As for the hoopla, I don’t think for one minute that what is currently in place is all some people want.”
If you don’t want 287(g) and mandatory checks then your outside of what the majority of residents want. People can bemoan the “genocide” and “ethnic cleansing” all they want, but if those two items are repealed for some crazy reason, you will see a wave of citizen revolt like you’ve never seen.
“you will see a wave of citizen revolt like you’ve never seen”
only to have the wave break against the rocky shore of reality, it will waste it’s self untill it’s anger dies out and it submits.
It’s over…the nativist vision has failed.
rod, the resolution was a completely different animal than the 287(G) program and mandatory post arrest immigration checks. I don’t think many people here are against those two actions. Why would anyone want a criminal element released back into their community? Are you against those two points?
““you will see a wave of citizen revolt like you’ve never seen”
only to have the wave break against the rocky shore of reality, it will waste it’s self untill it’s anger dies out and it submits.
It’s over…the nativist vision has failed.”
You are very delusional my hooka toking friend. Either that, or you don’t read very well.
Sounds like the author of the Washington Post editorial is against the post arrest immigration checks at least that’s how the last paragraph of the editorial reads.
Maybe then rod is the one who wrote that editorial!
Wow! What an amazingly, brave, and informed young lady this is! The is the type of white girl that makes me extremely proud! She has the intellect to see beyond her own needs, to analyze life enough to realize that what we are doing to immigrants will affect her needs too, and to tell a community of racists exactly what they should hear!
Your parents should be extremely proud! I know I would be. Suzie Eskelund…you are my hero, young lady! I see bright stars and great successes in your future. How completely unselfish of you to stand up for people who are being treated unjustly, and to do so at the ripe old age of 17 is amazing!
Signed,
Another white woman with a husband being tortured while applying for asylum
To the racists of Manassas:
This country is much larger than Manassas. And we vote too! And we watch cities who demonstrate this vile behavior and react to it, by writing our Senators, the President, and Congressmen. We also write the newspapers, and many of us outside of your little enclave are disgusted with the arrogance and ignorance you have demonstrated in your city council meetings.
When your city needs Federal help to recover from the financial devastation created by your premeditated social genocide towards Hispanics, then don’t ask America for a thing! You’ve made your racist bed, now lie in it!
Don’t ask Latinos to offer your city any respect! Don’t ask other whites to value your opinions. And don’t complain when the rest of us ask that the Feds stop sending you any money for earmarked for FEHA, because clearly your agenda expressed the fact that you have no concern for equal opportunity!
And to Suzy and her family, I wish you nothing but peace, harmony and respect. You should be proud for raising such a bright young lady with enough courage to take on an entire redneck, racist town!
I support the 287g aspects (as redundant as it is) it’s the hate wave that will be broken. HSM is looking for any chance to grab the shotguns and start a suscession. The resolution is the limit as to how far they are allowed to go, but are they satisfied? Rick Bentley is not, I remember him only being content with tattoo’s, beatings and torture to drive them out. Are you of the same mind Mando? is the resolution enough for you are or you willing to do what it takes to drive every last illegal imigrant out, even if their only crime (if it can be so called) was crossing the border?
Mando, without public hearings and with a false sense of support built on an ocean of out-of-state,FAIR influenced emails, the BOCS passed a resolution that didn’t reflect PWC residents’ priorities. In fact, it didn’t reflect the opinion of the majority of the residents present at the marathon meeting. If the BOCS learned anything from this fiasco, I hope that it’s that they learned to recognize drummed-up emails sent by a lobbying firm from emails and calls from their actual constituents.
@ rod2155
No
@ Censored bybvbl
Sorry. I didn’t know you were the appointed representative of the majority of PWC residents.
Mando, I don’t claim to be. But I know HSM sure isn’t.
Censored -
Then watch statements such as these:
“the BOCS passed a resolution that didn’t reflect PWC residents’ priorities”
Individuals running for office that were commited to doing something effective to stem the tide of illegal aliens in PWC won (with the exception of Colgan) and those that didn’t lost. Spin it however you like, but that was the priority and wil of the residents.
Don’t forget that Colgan jumped HARD on that bandwagon too - he sent out a pricey colorful mail ad all about how tough he was going to be on illegal immigration. I remember very clearly thinking about walking over to hand it to the illegal alien next door who was hostile and chattering about me in Spanish at the moment I pulled it from the mailbox. I found it very heartening that even Colgan understood the political climate at that point. I’ve kept mine, for evidence.
Mando, Corey Stewart ran on an immigration platform. He would have run on any platform that he thought would benefit him. His signs were the ones mentioning immigration. Most of the people I know didn’t even consider immigration as an issue when they voted…even the Republicans I know. They voted party lines as they usually did. I don’t remember Supervisor Nohe running on an immigration platform. I’m using him as an example as he’s my supervisor and I’m generally satisfied with the job he’s done.
Since there were no public hearings, the only measure of how people felt on the issue that can be viewed with any degree of reliability is the large October BOCS meeting and the majority of the speakers as well as attendees were anti-resolution.
Moon,
FOIA is put there to ensure YOUR civil liberties are protected. as a die-hard democrat even you can appreciate that.
I rarely submit FOIA request, however in this case I have, did so today in fact. If for anything to prove this is all a farce. I dont believe anything in that letter to editor for a second. In fact, I bet I come up with nothing on the FOIA request and she didnt get pulled over at all.
and another thing…you pay a fee for FOIA requests and that is to cover the time for administrative processing of such requests.
There is a lot of misinformation being spread around and this blog spreads plenty of it. I doubt reading the FOIA request yourself would prove anything to you people, you believe what you want to believe, even if the truth stares you in the face you’ll still believe otherwise.
“Most of the people I know didn’t even consider immigration as an issue when they voted…even the Republicans I know. ”
Wow. Every mailer that landed in my mailbox was about immigration reform.
Mando, most mailers that land in my mailbox go straight into the trashcan or recycle bin - unread, even those from candidates I support.
Jennifer Lawson - Zepeda - apparently another person confused or doesn’t want to believe that the City of Manassas is a separate entity from Prince William County…..
You racist gringos of Manassas - you deserve being called for what you are! You will see the results when we show our numbers and overcome you! We will make sure everyone knows who you are and the place you live in is trying to force us out! We shall overcome!
VIVA LA RAZA!!!
Admin’s Note: This message comes from Leaving Point of Woods, Anon, Mayor of Munchkinland. IPAddress = 67.159.44.138. This has been a very popular tactic employed by those from the anti-immigrant side by flaming the tensions. It’s counter-productive to finding any solutions and proves some will go to any lengths to twist things for their own purpose.
Thanks for the note above. No surprise here. Some just think they are so cute. Just another form of bullying.
I don’t know how I feel about coming to this meeting on Friday. People are misinterpreting my letter to be about fast food. I have nothing against fast food workers and I have friends who do that very job. It wasn’t my intention to put them down, it was just the first example that came to mind. All I meant was that if you ask any teen these days you will be hard pressed to find one who aspires to do this as a life-long job. To those who do, good for them, but all I was trying to say is that I keep hearing people complain about how the immigrants are taking our jobs. Well, honestly, were you going to do that job if they weren’t? Probably not.
As for other issues, I was not the one driving the car. And I am free to call it as I see it. Sorry if my opinion of that incident was not something that you would like to acknowledge, but at that point in time it seemed obvious to us both that there was racial profiling.
I certainly hope I don’t become insensitive as I grow up, pay taxes, and get a mortgage.
I am 18 for the upcoming election and am already registered.
And finally, I completely overlooked the illegal/legal issue in my letter on purpose because from my perspective that doesn’t matter. People are people no matter where they are from. My point was only to say that public policy should not be based on bigotry and hate. Don’t you think these policies are affecting the legal immigrants too? Well they are, I have friends who will say that from experience.
I know I was dramatic in my letter and that was kind of the point, would anyone have paid attention if I hadn’t been? I’m sorry to have offended people but it seems that people are getting offended for the wrong reasons. All I meant was that diversity is OK and it’s happening and I’m not afraid of it.
Once again, I don’t know if I will come to this meeting. It’s been hard enough reading these comments, I don’t really want to be slammed in person. We’ll see I suppose. But I don’t regret writing this letter.
Suzie
Suzie,
Thanks for coming and commenting. I hope you noticed that most of the commentary here is supportive of your letter and your POV as a PWC teen. Did you see that it was the same three or four people harping on the fast food remark to the exclusion of all your other points? Because of the constant repetition it just seems like there are more of them.
I also hope you realized that many of us here tried to steer the comments and discussion back to the real point of your letter. Check some of my posts and you’ll see what I mean.
Again, welcome! And I’m so glad you’re registered to vote! Despite what others inferred, you have the right to vote, and the absolute right to use that vote.
Suzie, I was slamming your imperfect use of sarcasm and expressing my own anger about illegal immigration. But I didn’t mean it in any especially personal way. I don’t think you need to worry about anyone going to a meeting and attacking you personally - we’re all just woofing on a bulletin board.
On the fast food issue, there is something of a generational divide. In previous generations, there was no shame in working a fast food job and many people, later bound for college and likely professional success, worked those jobs during summers or after schools when young. It seems sad to us that that possibility is so slim around here now - the employers are hiring illegal immigrants instead, because they will work for less and will work more hours - no messy business of attending school during the day to inhibit the employer’s scheduling.
Welcome Suzie to the world of blogging, anonymous people can at times be vicious.
However, Rick has proven that although we disagree, for the most part we are not disagreeable.
Suzie, you are a brave an insightful woman. Please don’t be intimidated by childish tantrums and transparent tactics. My advice, go to the screening, watch it, and don’t “out” yourself unless you really trust the person you are chatting with.
As for the transparent tactic of feigning outrage over something tangential to your argument like fast food … well, I’m sure you can guess that they do that because they don’t stand a chance of contending with the substance of your argument.
This is not only because you argued it successfully, but because it has become the prevalent view in this county, and in this country. It is too difficult to take on your message, so they attack you, the messenger, hoping to intimidate others who might dare to speak out.
This worked for a short time last year. But if you take a look around, there are A LOT of people who are no longer intimidated. Members of the Board of Supervisors, members of the county government, ordinary citizens, the newspapers, the blogs, letters to the editor… it’s everywhere. People are no longer willing to be pushed around by anti-immigrant, hateful bullies. You are but one shining voice in a chorus, Suzie. Don’t be afraid. Don’t back down. Your uneasiness with being criticized (however foolishly) is their only hope and their only weapon against your sound reason and the prevailing sentiment it represents.
Re: Admin’s Note: to Pedro Cortiz, 22. July 2008, 18:27
Admin’s Note: This message comes from Leaving Point of Woods, Anon, Mayor of Munchkinland. IPAddress = 67.159.44.138. This has been a very popular tactic employed by those from the anti-immigrant side by flaming the tensions. It’s counter-productive to finding any solutions and proves some will go to any lengths to twist things for their own purpose.
You didn’t have to post his IP. The IP should only be known to the the operators of the blog and the user, and NOT publicly known. What he/she said was vile and disgusting - no disagreement there. But, you could have posted his/her aliases and left it at that. I looked for some kind of “privacy policy” on here but couldn’t find one. Nevertheless, I consider that a breach of a user’s privacy.
I have run and used various types of messaging systems since 1987 - long before the Internet was popular and ‘blogs’ were created. Never, in those 21 years, have I seen an operator/admin OUT someone’s connect info.
Now you’ve set a new precedent. You’re the first blog I’ve seen that posts a user’s IP. Who’s next? Anyone that disagrees with you?
Don’t respond. I won’t see it.
Diversity Gal,
I did read the rest of Suzie’s letter and I have to wonder why the cop did not tell her why she was pulled over. Suzie certainly had the right to ask the police officer why, and she deserved some sort of explaination. I am going to go out on a limb here and suggest that perhaps Suzie and her friend were age profiled. With the rash of teen motor vehicle deaths over the past years, laws have changed and I believe that teen drivers can only have passengers that are a certain age, and can only have so many teens in the car with them. Maybe the cop wanted to take a looky loo to be sure there was no alcohol in the car. Did he take her license and run her plates? Or did he merely look at the licenses of Suzie and her passenger to determine their ages, and do a quick window peek into her car? I also read on some of the above posts that Chipotle was denied on Liberia. I thought that the restruant denied was Pollo Comperano (sp?) an El Salvadorian chicken franchise that was slated to go where Weiss Market used to be. There is a Chipotle on Liberia already by Wal Mart.
Suzie wasn’t driving the car.
Diversity Gal,
There is a youtube video on 9500liberty that is titled “corey stewart distances himself from Greg Letieque” At least I think that is the title or close to it. That was his “shock” at some of the things I had read from Greg’s blog. My understanding though, is that Corey is an avid blogg reader.
I think what some people are failing to grasp, is that the 287 G was already in place at the ADC. Now, in addition, to the ADC, police officers are required to run the check also. Seems quite redundent to me, and at some point, I believe it should go back to the ADC entirely (Lucky Duck, please correct me if I have this wrong). The whole point is that Greg, et al, are hoping for a climate of attrition. That PWC is so unwelcoming to “illegals”, “illegal alien apoligists and abetters”, not only will illegals beat feet out of town, but they will take all the other rif raf with them. THAT is what so many people object to, that tactic of promoting hate and intolerance.
Suzie,
Welcome, and please remember, it is easy to attack people from behind a keyboard, blogging can be a very unhealthy way of communicating. The hope of some, is that if they “degrade” you enough, you will stop speaking out, please don’t be intimidated and instead take what people say with a grain of salt.
I thought your letter was very courageous. Many adults are too afraid to put pen to paper and make their feelings and thoughts known to the world, you, on the other hand, showed great moral fortitude. Your parents should be VERY proud of you
es_la_ley,
In case you do return -
Maybe you haven’t been privy to the whole fiasco with the comment about ‘HSM being wiped out of existence’ but for some history, visit - http://www.bvbl.net/index.php/2008/06/24/topping-over-the-top/
Now this same person who made that outrageous comment pretends to be an illegal alien with wacky VIVA LA RAZA statements. It’s his antics that I’m opposed to. If he were to stop, and argue his position in a respectful manner then I wouldn’t have a problem.
If anybody wants to try and convince me that I shouldn’t post his ip or has a better course of action - I’ll entertain other suggestions.
Thanks KG
es_la_ley, 22. July 2008, 21:00
I think admin forgot to include “one for the road” also is another multiple personality of anon.
I don’t actually see what it matters if we know the IP address, maybe its because I am technically challenged, but what do I care? I think the more important point is that this person has created alot of tension here on anti, making people jump through hoops with nonsensical posts, just to have a giggle and waste people’s time. I take enough time away from other things I could be doing and don’t really want to deal with this person’s childish silly behavior. He/She is a complete distraction from real discussion.
DB,
Maybe Suzie was joking about not wanting the Chipotle on Liberia, which is the newer one in Manassas. I don’t think she necessarily meant anything about denying a new restaurant. Did Manassas City say that Pollo Campero can’t come to the Davis Ford Shopping Center? What was the reason? Aren’t there some empty spaces in that shopping center?
Suzie,
Please don’t be scared off. You are truly brave, braver than I, for writing a letter using your real name. As I mentioned in my former post, I and so many others value your contribution to this discussion. You have important things to say. Hey, I’m even willing to admit that not all people your age may have the same opinion. However, that doesn’t mean that young people don’t have just as much right as their elders to express their opinions.
People will try to shut you up on the internet. They may respond by calling you names over their computers. When it gets to you, know that so many of us are with you, supporting you. I don’t think( and sure hope not), that they would do this at one of the gatherings. My advice is to come to film showings and the economy parties. Bring other friends your age and your family so that you feel comfortable. Find Alanna and Elena, and they will help you feel more at home. I, for one, can’t wait to meet you.
DiversityGal is right, Suzie. The first screening was de