A Neighborhood Planning Newsletter Published by Action Langley Park Issue Number 250, September 2012 EDUCATION 1. LATINO/AS in SCHOOLS & COLLEGES Latinos plus Latinas now are the largest minority group on the nation's four-year college campuses, the Pew Hispanic Center reports based upon newly released Census data. "For the first time, the number of 18- to 24- year-old Hispanics enrolled in col- lege exceeded 2 million and reached a record 16.5% share of all college enrollments. Hispanics are the largest minority group on the nation's college campuses?- four-year and two-year com- bined?-a milestone first achieved in 2010." And in the country's public schools, Latinos + Latinas "also reached new milestones. ?For the first time, one-in-four (24.7%) public elementary school students is Hispanic. Among all pre- K through 12th grade U.S. public school students, a record 23.9% were Hispanic in 2011." Being in school is necessary but not sufficient; the next step is to move into good jobs and have enhanced influence in local, state, and national affairs. In Maryland 8.2% of the residents in 2010 were Latino/ a; in Prince George?s County, 15.2%. How is this re- flected in higher education? In the University System of Maryland (13 state public institutions) during the 2011-2012 academic year, Latino/as accounted for only 5.1% of the total enrollment. (Males and females had almost the identical percentage.) At the University of Maryland (College Park) campus, it wasn?t much better: 6.4% (M=5.6% F=7.3%). The University of Mary- land University College, heavily night school and online, made it to 6.9% (7.3%, 6.5%). What about community col- lege? The Latino/a percentage in Maryland community colleges was 6% in Fall 2011. Latinos and Latinas in Mary- land are not keeping up with higher education. Too many youngsters drop out without graduating secondary school, and too many of them drop out before getting their two? or four -year degrees. These are family problems, community problems, and school problems. GUN VIOLENCE A few days ago, someone started shooting near the Empire State Building, and there were deaths and inju- ries. Not too long ago, murderer James Holmes killed people in a movie theater that some observers call a mas- sacre. J. T. Ready was the gunman in a mass murder- suicide at a house in a suburb east of Phoenix. An Arizona jury on Monday convicted anti-illegal immigration activist Shawna Forde of murder in the killing of a Latino man and his 9-year-old daughter during a 2009 vigilante raid she led on their home. And six Sikhs were murdered days ago because they looked different, they looked to be outsiders with brown skin. The murders in Mexico are in the tens of thousands, and probably most of the victims were killed with guns purchased in the USA. And yet in our country any criminal or any crazy per- son can legally purchase a machine gun or other weapon without any check by the seller to find out if there are indi- cations of danger. Some hunters and others don?t want any checks at gun shows and some other no-check sources. Hey, if you?re not a criminal and not crazy, you can (alas) pur- chase your weapons. But by not screening for criminality and insanity, many of us and others around the world are in jeopardy. Will the next Holmes pull the trigger near us? At us? Let?s hope that there are no guns in the wrong hands in Langley Park?or at the party conventions. But alas, we know that there are, so we look more than both ways? and much socializing stops at dark because of danger. ?Education? continues on Page 4 Deporting Mothers "She went for her papers," he says. "And she never came back." The ?he? in the report is the father of a family. The family includes a citizen father and citizen children, but the mother is undocumented. "How can my country not allow a mother to be with her children, especially when they are so young and they need her," the father asks, "and especially when they are Ameri- cans?" The result: many children are put into foster care, and some are put up for adoption against the wishes of their de- ported parent(s)! Most of the printed comments following the article about this case argue that the deported parent should take her children back to the home country. Sure. But what if the children only know the USA and its prevailing language?and the USA is their only citizenship? Read the full article and comments at http://news.yahoo.com/parents-deported-happens-us-born- kids-160817545--finance.html. News & Notes FUTBOL PITCH Call it futbol or soccer, a pitch or a playing field, the equipment on the space behind Langley Park McCormick Elementary School has been rotated about 90 degrees and it is once again possible to play soccer there. Thanks to those who made this happen. Once again, residents have a pitch close to home and a dumb idea was undone. WILL WE STILL BE AMERICA? IMMIGRATION: Immigration lawyer Roger Algase writes in Immigration Daily (17 August 2012): ?Enacting draco- nian anti-immigrant laws in order to turn America into a whites only, two-tiered, society, inspired at least in prin- ciple by the South African Apartheid slogan ?Die blanke moet baas blij? (?The white man must keep on being the ruler?), is a blow against America's leadership, its great- ness, and its ability to gain respect throughout the world as a beacon of hope and opportunity for everyone who wishes to and is able to contribute to our society. But turning the clock back on voting rights for US citizens is a dagger poised at the heart of America itself.? AFTER TAX INCOME: The Tax Policy Center looked at the tax reductions in Paul Ryan?s economic plan, which also included offsetting?but unidentified?cuts in tax credits, exclusions, and deductions. TPC found that in 2015, rela- tive to today?s tax system, those making $1 million or more would enjoy an average tax cut of $265,000 and see their after-tax income increase by 12.5 percent. There are probably readers who think increasing the take of those earning a million dollars or more is not fair, is increasing the gap between the rich and non-rich. Sour grapes! After all, in a country where for each individual the sky is the limit, it is clear that if one wants more money, one should earn at least a million dollars a year. Just think: Every resident of Lang- ley Park can become a millionaire! Hey, Oprah did it, Kobe did it, Bill Gates did it. It?s up to you! (Or is it?) MONEY FOR SCHOOLS: Education Week (20 August 2012) comments: ?U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan's selection as the Re- publican vice-presidential candidate could spark a na- tional debate about the future of education spending, an issue that's gotten short shrift in the presidential cam- paign so far. As the two national party conventions ap- proach, Democrats are already charging that the Wiscon- sin lawmaker's controversial budget blueprint, which [now] GOP nominee Mitt Romney has largely endorsed, would scale back college financial aid and slash other funding for education. Rep. Ryan seeks to put the nation on a firmer financial footing in part by dramatically curb- ing domestic spending. But it also sets up a clear con- trast with the record of President Barack Obama, who has pumped unprecedented sums of money into educa- tion programs.? RUNNING THE BEAT In support of the county-wide Transform- ing Neighborhoods Initiative (TNI), the Prince George?s County Police Department has been ?Running the Beat.? Police officers and dignitaries participated in the final run of the year in Palmer Park. Running the Beat began April 30 in Langley Park as part of TNI, a plan to improve the quality of life in focus area communi- ties. Throughout the summer, the County Executive has joined police commanders, academy recruits, and other government officials in morning runs in our six focus ar- eas: Langley Park, East Riverdale/Bladensburg, Kent- land/Palmer Park, Suitland/Coral Hills, Hillcrest Heights/ Marlow Heights, and Glassmanor/Oxon Hill. Together, approximately 40 miles were covered in an effort to en- gage the community and identify issues in need of the government?s attention.? (From a county web site) SEX OFFENDER ON THE LOOSE! What does a sex offender look like? White or brown or black; old or young; etc. See photos?the men are linked with PG County and all are on the national sex offender list. News item: ?A Bowie man who was arrested and released on bond twice for alleged child sexual assault charges, could be arrested again if further offenses are discovered. Michael Bro- chu of the 3900 block of Croydon Lane was re- leased Friday. Combined with a previous bond, Brochu has been released after posting about $250,000, said John Erzen, spokesman for the state?s attorney office.? (Gazette, 21 August 2012) So he can do some more abusing until he?s caught for the third time? And then he?ll be released on bail again? The release is a scary decision. Of course, Mr. Brochu is not the only threat. Here are two additional items from the same Gazette issue: A Montgomery County judge sentenced a former Prince George?s County teacher to more than one hundred years in prison for the repeated rape and sexual abuse of a female student more than ten years ago. And a 24-year-old Landover man is in custody after allegedly climbing into a neighbor?s home and sexu- ally assaulted an 11-year-old girl in her bedroom. Are the attackers rare evil-doers? Certainly not: the reports of rape and other abuses are constantly in the news, even in the halls and showers of a major univer- sity. Maybe the answer is to enhance sex education in the schools starting no later than middle school, and perhaps to decriminalize prostitution. Let?s hope some- one comes up with a way to reduce these awful crimes. TEMP WORKERS ?You know those people in Langley Park. Many of them don?t even have a full-time permanent job, so they are like temp workers. How unusual!? No, not unusual. Almost one-third of American work- ers now do some kind of freelance work?and they typi- cally lack the economic and health security that perma- nent full-time workers have traditionally had. A ?contingent worker? (the more formal name) is someone who doesn?t have a permanent job. They work as free- lancers, temporary workers, on contract, or on call, or their employers define them (often illegally) as ?independent contractors.? Their ranks include writers and warehouse workers, janitors and business consult- ants, truck drivers and graphic designers?and increas- ingly instructors at colleges (called ?adjuncts?). The num- ber of contingent workers is rising. What impact does this have on family life, health care, psychological well- being? And can the family pay for the health care, child tutoring, and other matters of importance? Maybe not. Conclusion? Darn: the recession and slow recovery. Well, no; the percentage of contingent workers has slowly been increasing for several decades. 2 IMMIGRATION MATTERS SOME AMERICANS WANT TO PUNISH KIDS Yes, that?s the grim implication of a national poll con- ducted by PDK/Gallup and just reported. Most Americans oppose providing free public education and other benefits to undocumented children of immigrants who are in the U.S. without papers. The responses tend to follows party lines, with the Democrats not closing the school door on those children. The Midwest is the harshest region. The full report is at http:// www.pdkintl.org/poll/docs/2012-Gallup- poll-full-report.pdf ID TO VOTE As we know, there's an effort to make voting difficult for people who may not have the needed papers to have a photo-ID, for instance, a birth certificate. Many older poor Blacks lack such a document, as to many people born outside the USA. - just the kinds of people who pre- fer the Democrats. But a U.S. court overturned a Texas law requiring Texans to present photo identification to vote. Why: ?That law will almost certainly have retrogres- sive effects: it imposes strict, unforgiving burdens on the poor, and racial minorities in Texas are disproportion- ately likely to live in poverty,? said the judges. Let?s see if the ruling impacts other states, e.g., Pennsylvania, which as of now will block tens of thousands voters. CALIFORNIA FIGHTS S-COMM New legislation, which would prohibit California jails from detaining illegal immigrants, has been sent to the Governor's desk. Assembly Bill 1081 has been passed by the California State Legislature 44 TO 23. The act prohib- its local law enforcement officers from detaining undocu- mented immigrants for deportation?providing that they have not committed a felony. Democratic representatives supported the bill because the Secure Communities pro- gram targets undocumented workers, who are otherwise law-abiding persons. Governor Brown says has yet to take a position on the bill. But maybe next week! BE CAREFUL! The quest for deferred action may bring happiness but also stress and sorrow. As one person observed, "It's a one-shot thing, and you want to make sure you have everything needed." So the old saying, "try try again until you do succeed," doesn't apply, so care and consultation are called for. DANGEROUS THINKING On the issue of immigration, we?re not faced with two or more rational groups debating immigration policy. Rather, there are people who might well be dangerous. Here?s an example written by someone called Nichola Stix in something called VDare.com on 19 August 2012: "As of 2011, the U.S. Census Bureau claims that there are just under 52 million Hispanic ?residents? in the U.S.? illegal aliens, legal immigrants, and citizens?16.7% of the population. (The Bureau?s practice of counting ?residents,? rather than American citizens, is itself a form of psychological amnesty indicative of the corruption that has burrowed deep into the body politic over the past 40- odd years?resulting, among other evils, in the creation of Congressional ?rotten boroughs? frequently held by Reconquistas.) By definition, all illegal aliens have con- tempt for the American legal system. Tolerating them creates what economists call ?moral hazard,? inviting fur- ther law breaking. And that?s exactly what we get. Having violated our borders and immigration laws illegal aliens commit identity theft (the fastest growing class of crime), tax evasion, and EITC and SSI fraud; and allow their sons to join violent criminal gangs, where they commit robber- ies, larceny, auto theft, sell false documents, deal drugs, commit gang rape, vandalism, murder, attack policemen, and riot. ?Not merely the ?50, 000,? ?one million,? or ?two million? illegals who benefit from this Administrative Amnesty (the estimate keeps rising), but tens of millions over the next 30 years, through both legal and fraudulent chain migra- tion, new anchor babies, and Obama?s dog-whistling to future illegals, are getting the message that America?s borders and immigration laws?in other words, Amer- ica?have been abolished. ?So the sons of immigrants deal drugs, rape, murder, riot, and more. And America [presumably that means the USA] is being abolished.? God save us: Euro men may not rule the country forever!!! Scary stuff. BLOOMBERG ET ALIA New York City?s Mayor Bloomberg and others: "A plat- form for reform exists, with many members of each party prepared to sign on: ?First, provide green cards to foreign students earn- ing graduate degrees in STEM fields. We need these job creators here in the U.S., not taking their U.S. educations to other markets. ?Second, increase the percentage of green cards awarded on the basis of economic needs -- 7% is vastly too small. ?Third, create a visa specifically for entrepreneurs. If they succeed and create jobs, they should earn a green card. ?Fourth, devise a guest-worker program for seasonal and labor-intensive industries. Farmers in Alabama and Georgia have seen their crops rot in the field because of state legislative and enforcement efforts to drive illegal immigrants away." Neither Democrats and Republicans want to touch this hot button issue. And unless one party has a massive victory in November, the matter (including comprehen- sive immigration reform) will not get the needed action. THE ASIANS ARE COMING HAVE COME Asians, not Latino/as, are now the leading region from where immigrants come. About 430,000 Asian immigrants arrived in the US in 2010 (65% have a B.A. or more), com- pared to about 370,000 of Latin origin (16% have). An influx of educated Asians meets our coun- try?s demand for science and engi- neering talent: Asian students earn 45% of our engineering PhDs with only 5.6% of our population. The educational differences of residents in the USA (see chart) are dramatic. Why? Because the Asian majority is mostly middle class, and the Latino immigrants typically are from the urban or agricultural working classes. 3 Age 25 up, Educ. B.A. up 2. MARYLAND ?ACT? SCORES Annually, ACT provides a snapshot of the college and career readiness of ACT-tested high school graduates. The scores are out, and the big news is that once again Maryland has higher scores than the national average. (The state?s participation rate was low, so caution must be used in interpretation. But it is clear: we?re definitely above average!) Check the graphic, below. The state?s English and reading scores have been about the same over the 2008-2012 period. There has been a slight gain in math and science. Overall, however, science scores in ?College Readi- ness Benchmark Scores? were so low that the students may not be ready to contribute to the science of the fu- ture. By race/ethnic, those ready are: Asian=56%, Euro=51, Latino/a=30%, and Afro=10%. The report includes data on eth- nic/racial categories for meeting three or more benchmarks of the ACT test. The 2012 scores are in the table above. Clearly, the well-known gap is reflected in the percentages, and that clearly points to the need for more remedial action. And note that the scores are of the students who per- sisted rather than dropped out. (Among High Point La- tino/as, the dropout rate may still be over 40%.) In test fields, Asians had the best mathematics and science scores, and Euros were best in English and read- ing. Males had higher scores in mathematics and sci- ence, and females scored better in English and reading. However, all of the gender scores were better in Mary- land that in the country. What can we conclude from these data? First, the state is doing well by national standards. But second, the race/ethnicity gap is more than worrisome. So what can be done? There are many books and articles on this topic, and summarizing them would take months or more. However, we do know that parental support is very im- GROUP 3-PLUS Asian 69% Euro 65% Latino/a 39% Afro 16% Because Latinos and Latinas will be so important in the future of our country, officials in Maryland and elsewhere had better develop a multi-pronged approach to solving the under-education challenge. ?Education? continued from Page 1 Per cent of 2012 ACT-tested high school graduates in Mary- land meeting college readiness benchmarks by subject MARYLAND UNITED STATES 3. SCHOOL TEACHERS Tenure for elementary and secondary school teach- ers appears slowly to be melting away. In New York City, 97% of the teachers up for tenure in 2007 were success- ful; in 2012, that figure had dropped to 55%! With an up- or-out decision, almost half of the eligible teachers were let go?! And the reconsideration of tenure is taking place in many school districts across the country. In Idaho?s school districts, tenure has been abolished. ?Tenure was looked at as much more of a sacred cow. Once states started to move on it, then the dominoes started to fall in other states? (Sandi Jacobs of the National Council on Teacher Quality as quoted in the New York Times, 18 Au- gust 2012). In May 2010, Maryland extended experience require- ments to three years for teachers to be considered for tenure. The legislation also requires that non-tenured teachers undergo an annual evaluation by the local board of education and a mentor be assigned to a non-tenured teacher who fails to meet established standards. The 2011 State Teacher Policy Yearbook* provides a detailed analysis of Maryland?s progress on the policies it sets for teacher preparation, licensure, evaluation, ca- reer advancement, tenure, compensation, pensions and dismissal. NCTQ grades the states on the quality and rigor of these policies; the Yearbook is not an evaluation of the quality of teachers in the state. Maryland received an overall grade of D+, based on the following grades: Delivering well-prepared teachers = D+; expanding the pool of teachers = C+; identifying effective teachers = C; retaining effective teachers = D+; and exiting ineffective teachers = F. Gads, could this be valid? Seems unlikely. From the same source: ?Maryland fails to articulate, either through dismissal or evaluation policy, that ineffectiveness in the classroom can lead to teacher dismissal, and time on the job, rather than teacher ef- fectiveness in the classroom, is the basis for granting teachers tenure or permanent status in Maryland. It is clearly appropriate to ?exit? ineffec- tive teachers, but how will the line be drawn between effective and ineffective? After all, there are some great teachers, some terrible ones, and mostly teachers (including in higher education) are in the big mediocre middle. Will the mediocre teachers be let go? Furthermore, some effective teachers?and principals? have been removed for non-educational reasons. How can such removal be guarded against? A bigger worry: If tenure becomes more difficult and occasionally is sub- jected to arbitrary decisionmaking, will the flow of bright competent young people into the teaching profession decline? Our schools already rank below those of many countries; do we really need to sink to the bottom? *http://www.nctq.org/stpy11/pressreleases/stpy11_maryland_pressrelease.pdf portant, starting at an early age. And that suggests not only workshops for parents but also parent liaisons in schools to help the parents with parenting and with con- necting to the school. ?Education? continued in next column I?m a fired teacher and need a job. Anything will do! McDonalds are you listening? 4 School Board Note: The PG County Board of Educa- tion was named a finalist in the Council of Urban Boards of Education annual awards contest. Congratulations! WHY SEEK DEFERRMENT? You seem to be eligible, but you hesitate. Should you apply or not? Of course, it?s a per- sonal decision and the outcome of application is not guaranteed to be positive. But Con- g r e s s m a n L u i s Gutierrez suggests that there are many reasons a deferment-eligible undocumented young people to come forward. Here are some of the points he made - abbreviated for reasons of space: ?The young people who come forward for relief under the deferred action program will be taking the first steps on behalf of the esti- mated 10-12 million undocumented immigrants who live and work in the United States and who will someday be full members of our society. They become leaders. ?Our community fought for this, protested, marched, got arrested, went to jail, and we will make it work for our DREAM-eligible youth and for the United States. Gain from the sacrifices. ?Hiding in the shadows left us vulnerable; coming out into the light makes us strong and protects us. By standing together, we will ensure that the young people who sign up for deferred action will be politically bulletproof. Ending deferment would cause a politi- cal earthquake. ?It is inevitable that broader, fuller and permanent legalization is coming for most of the estimated 10-12 million undocumented immigrants who live and work in the United States. Let's hope Congressman Gutierrez is right! It won't be easy.-ed ?If in the next few months the immigration status of deferred ac- tion immigrants is questioned, they will have proof that they have registered and are in the process of gaining protection from de- portation. They will have tangible evidence that they have been here for a long time and want to fully participate in this country's affairs. ?Millions of people work in America without the protection of U.S. labor law, making them and their coworkers vulnerable to exploi- tation. By ensuring that labor laws, wage and hour laws, and health and safety laws are followed, we improve wages and work- ing conditions across the labor force, ensure tax compliance, and force employers to compete on an even playing field. The full article is at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rep-luis-gutierrez/ten- reasons-young-people_b_1775552.html IDEAS Laura E. Enriquez is a doctoral student in UCLA's Depart- ment of Sociology. She's also an active writer/contributor to academic and popular publications with a special focus on undocumented students. Clearly, she is becoming an impor- tant voice in the effort to stabilize the lives of those residents of the USA who are undocumented. Here are a few outtakes with slight editing: ?Citizenship - From The Huffington Post, 9 April 2012: "Maybe citizenship itself is in need of some re-framing so we can increase civic participation and get citizens like myself to appreciate the privileges we are afforded. One way of re- framing citizenship, while radical, could be to associate for- mal citizenship with citizen-like action or civic engagement. Not every country assigns citizenship in the same way. Most commonly, you can be a citizen by birth (like in the U.S.), or you can be a citizen by blood based on where your parents or grandparents were citizens (like in Germany). But, what if we assigned citizenship based on one's actions rather than something a person cannot control? Kind of like in elemen- tary school when you get awards for ?citizenship? which is really a code word for participating in class, being respectful of your classmates, and helping others. People who live in a country would then have to demonstrate their citizen like qualities in order to get certain privileges. If we did this peo- ple would be a lot less likely to take their citizenship responsi- bilities for granted because they worked so hard to get them.? ?Laborers - From The Huffington Post, 4 April 2012: "[How can an institution] support undocumented students and turn their backs on undocumented workers who have dedicated years of service. ? I think part of the answer lies in the bifur- cation of the immigrant rights movement. Two movements are happening simultaneously: the undocumented student/ DREAM Act movement and the undocumented worker move- ment. There is growing social support for undocumented students because of their youth, educational pursuits, and investment in meritocracy. However, undocumented work- ers are still being cast aside by employers ... ; yet, the work- ers have something going for them -- a large and diverse community of supporters.? And they have contributed much. ?Social Capital - From the Harvard Educational Review, Special Issue on Immigrants in K-12 Education (2011, 81/3, pp. 476-500): "Immigrant success stories are often framed in individualistic terms because popular myths, like the Ameri- can Dream, promote ideals of meritocracy and self-reliance. ? As a result, mainstream society tends to value discourses of individual achievement, in which a person is assumed to have been independently successful.... The undocumented immigrant students I interviewed sometimes incorporated these individualistic discourses into the recounting of their educational journeys. However, ... success is never a wholly independent endeavor. In fact, I found that while some of the students in my study felt that they tread their educational paths alone, they were all helped by others at some point in their journey. It was partly through forms of social capital like this that each was able to successfully complete high school and attend college. While only a small percentage of undocumented immigrant youth graduate from high school and even fewer go on to pursue a higher education, I exam- ine the educational paths of undocumented Latina/o college students who were among this group in order to assess how their successful K?12 educational experiences can be repro- duced for other undocumented immigrant students. I find that their educational successes are related to their ability to develop and utilize social capital in order to secure the re- sources needed to navigate the educational pipeline." MORE DANGEROUS THINKING?A THREAT TO DEMOCRACY A judge in Lubbock, Texas commented on TV on what should be done if Obama wins in November: ?He's going to try to hand over the sovereignty of the United States to the U.N., and what is going to happen when that happens? I'm thinking the worst. Civil unrest, civil disobedience, civil war maybe. And we're not just talking a few riots here and demonstrations, we're talking Lexington, Con- cord, take up arms and get rid of the guy. Now what's going to happen if we do that, if the public decides to do that? He's going to send in U.N. troops. I don't want 'em in Lubbock County. OK. So I'm going to stand in front of their armored personnel carrier and say 'you're not coming in here'. And the sheriff, I've already asked him, I said 'you gonna back me' he said, 'yeah, I'll back you'. Well, I don't want a bunch of rookies back there. I want trained, equipped, seasoned veteran officers to back me." DREAM BECOMES REALITY: Congratulations! Here are your papers! Now you are legally in the USA! 5 From the official 2012 Republican Platform Immigration Wecondemnthecurrent Administration?scontinuedassaults onStategovernments in matters ranging from voter ID laws to immigration, from healthcare programs to land use decisions.... The Rule of Law: Legal Immigration The greatest asset of the American economy is the American worker. Just as immigrant labor helpedbuildour countryin thepast, today?s legal immigrants are making vital contributions in every aspect of our national life. Their industry and commitment to American values strength- ens our economy, enrichesour culture, andenablesus tobetter understandandmoreeffectivelycompetewith the rest of the world. Illegal immigration undermines those benefits and affects U.S. workers. In an age of terrorism, drug cartels, human trafficking, and criminal gangs, the presence of millions of unidentified persons inthiscountry posesgrave risks tothesafetyandthesovereignty of theUnitedStates.Our highest priority, therefore, is to secure the rule of law both at our borders and at ports of entry. We recognize that for most of those seek- ing entry into thiscountry, the lackof respect for the ruleof law in their home- lands has meant eco- nomic exploitation and political oppression by corrupt elites. In this country, theruleof lawguar- anteesequal treatment to every individual, includ- ing more than one mil- lion immigrants to whom we grant permanent residence every year. That is why we oppose any form of amnesty for those who, by intentionally violating the law, disad- vantage those who have obeyed it. Granting amnesty only rewards and encourages more law breaking. We support the mandatory use of the Systematic Alien Veri- fication for Entitlements (S.A.V.E.) program?an internet -based system that verifies the lawful presence of appli- cants?prior to the granting of any State or federal gov- ernment entitlements or IRS refunds. We insist upon enforcement at the workplace through verification sys- tems so that jobs can be available to all legal workers. Use of the E-verify program?an internet-based system thatverifiestheemploymentauthorizationandidentity of employ- ees?must be made mandatory nation-wide. State en- forcement efforts in the workplace must be welcomed, not attacked. When Americans need jobs, it is absolutely essential that we protect them from illegal labor in the workplace. In addition, it is why we demand tough penalties for those who practice identity theft, deal in fraudulent documents, and traffic in human beings. It is why we support Republican legislationtogivetheDepart- ment of Homeland Security long-term detention authority to keep dangerous but undeportable aliens off our streets, expedite expulsion of criminal aliens, and make gang membership a de-portable offense. ThecurrentAdministration?sapproachto immigration has undermined the rule of law at every turn. It has lessened work-site enforcement?and even allows the illegal aliens it does uncover to walk down the street to the next employer?and challenged legitimateStateeffortsto keepcommunitiessafe, suingthem for trying to enforce the law when the federal government refuses to do so. It has created a back-door amnestyprogram unrecognizedin law, granting worker authorization to illegal aliens, and shown little regard for the life-and-death situations facing the men and women of the border patrol. Perhaps worst of all, the current Administration has failed to enforce the legal means for workers or employers who want to oper- ate within the law. In contrast, a Republican Administration and Con- gress will partner with local governments throughcoopera- tiveenforcementagreements inSection 287g of the Immigra- tion and Nationality Act to enforce the legal means for workers or employers who want to operate within the law. In contrast, a Republican Administration and Con- gress will partner with local governments throughcoopera- tiveenforcementagreements inSection 287g of the Immigra- tion and Nationality Act to make communities safer for all and will consider, in light of both current needs and historic practice, the utility of a legal and reliable source of foreign labor where needed through a new guest worker program. We will create humane procedures to encourage illegalaliensto returnhomevoluntarily, while enforcingthe law against those who overstay their visas. Stateefforts toreduce illegal immigrationmust be en- couraged, not attacked. The pending Department of Justice lawsuits against Arizona, Alabama, South Carolina, and Utah must be dismissed immediately. The double-layeredfencingontheborder that wasenactedby Congress in 2006, but never completed, must finally be built. In order to restore the rule of law, federal funding shouldbedeniedtosanctuarycities thatviolate federal lawand endanger their own citizens, andfederal fundingshouldbe deniedtouniversitiesthatprovidein-statetuitionrates to illegal aliens, in opendefianceof federal law. We are grateful to the thousands of new immigrants, many of them notyetcitizens, whoareserving in theArmed Forces.Theirpatriotism shouldencourage us all to embrace the newcomers legally among us, assist their journey to full citizenship, and help their communities avoid isola- tion from the main-stream of society. To that end, while we encourage the retention and transmission of heritage tongues, we support English as the nation?s official lan- guage, aunifyingforceessential for theeducational andeconomic advancementof?notonly immigrant communities?but also our nation as a whole. __________ The platform can be accessed at http://www.scribd.com/ doc/104221532/2012-Gop-Platform ?In an age of terrorism, drug cartels, human traf- ficking, and criminal gangs, the presence of millions of unidentified personsinthiscountryposes graveriskstothesafetyand thesovereigntyoftheUnited States.Ourhighest priority, therefore, is to secure the rule of law both at our bor- ders and at ports of entry.? ?In order to restore the rule of law, federal fund- ingshouldbe deniedto sanctuarycitiesthat violate federal lawand endanger their own citizens, and federal fundingshouldbe deniedtouniversitiesthatpro- videin-statetuitionratesto illegal aliens, inopendefi- ance of federal law.? 6 WHAT & WHEN Here we list upcoming ALP activities and other events that are called to our attention. Have an event to list? If so, send infor- mation well in advance to actionlangleypark@yahoo.com. Now until October 21?Maryland Renaissance Festival, 1821 Crownsville Rd., Annapolis. It?s mostly on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. The space includes performances, craft shops, food and drink, and more. It isn?t cheap: most adults pay $17 and kids $8. But there is a complicated fee schedule. For fees and lots of other information, check http://www.rennfest.com/. August 31 - September 3?Greenbelt Labor Day Festival in the Roosevelt Center (101 Centerway, Greenbelt). There?s a Labor Day parade Monday from 10 a.m. to noon. Each day, there is entertainment, art and photo shows, a carnival midway, and much more. More information: http://greenbeltlaborday.com/schedule/. September 1-3?Miniature trains and more at the College Park Aviation Museum, 1985 Cpl Frank Scott Dr.,, College Park. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tel. 301 864-6029. September 3?Last day this year to swim in an outdoor PG County pool! September 5, 12, et cetera?Crossroads Farmers? Market, this and every other Wednesday afternoon (last market day this year is October 31. Halloween?!), 2:30 to 6:30 p.m., in the parking lot at the south end of the 7676 New Hampshire Avenue building. Lots of fruits and vegetables and live music and more. Sometimes the Amerigroup bounce bus is there!! September 6-9: Prince George?s County Fair! At the Equestrian Center & Show Place Arena on Water Street in Upper Marlboro. Thurs 4-10 p.m., Fri 5-11 p.m., Sat 11a.m.-11 p.m., Sun 11a.m.-6p.m. Entry=$6 (little children $5). For information: 301- 442-7393 or info@countyfair.org. September 10?Caravan for Peace with Justice and Dignity arrives in Baltimore on Sept 8th for a two day stay and then moves to Washington DC on the 10th, also for a two day stay. The Caravan constitutes a plea for finding a way to manage the harm of hard drugs in ways other than the War on Drugs. September 15, et cetera?Free Community Dinner & Food Distribution at St. Michael and All Angels Church, 8501 New Hampshire Ave. in upper Langley Park. From 5 to 6:30 p.m. This is a regular event on the third Saturday of the month. For information, call 301 434-4646. September 16: Hispanic Festival. From noon to 6 p.m. at Lane Manor Park (adjacent to University Blvd. about one-half mile west of the University of Maryland). Lots of music, food, children?s entertainment, more. More than 10,000 people may show up! Free entry, free music, free children?s activities. Lots of food vendors. For information, contact Lydia Ocasio at 301 408-4355. September 20?Action Langley Park Open Meeting at the Langley Park Commu- nity Center, 7 to about 8:30 p.m. Everyone is welcome; ideas always welcome! One focus will be the plans and accomplishments of the Neighborhood Initiative. September 21?Visit Maryland Day is an open house for prospective students and their families on Friday, September 21 from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Visiting fami- lies park in the Stadium Drive Garage and go to Stamp Student Union for registra- tion and welcome. Students visit various academic departments around campus and attend sessions in the Student Union throughout the morning and afternoon. September 22?47th District Family Picnic. From noon to 5 p.m. in Bartlett Park, 4300 39th Place, Brentwood. The entire 47th delegation are hosting. Free food, games, music, and more. Plus we can lobby our representatives! September 29?Hispanic Heritage Celebration at the Mount Rainier Nature Cen- ter. Music, food and craft venders, and more. Details TBA. November 1?Action Langley Park Open Meeting at the Langley Park Community Center, 7 to 8:30 p.m. Everyone is welcome. One focus: Health Check 2012. November 11: Health Check at the LP Community Center noon to 3:30 p.m. There will be a wide range of health screenings plus information and coun- seling. Is your heart okay? Are you infected with HIV? How?s your lung strength? Your oral health? Et cetera! Everything is free. 2013: May 5 ?Langley Park Day , a festival of music, dance, food, information, and especially health (there?s a big health fair). The whole world is invited!!! Everything is free except purchases of food or craft. Food network? What?s that? It is the institution that works to provide food to those who have difficulty af- fording it. And the main activity is the local farmers? market that takes place Wednesday afternoons except during the winter. Michelle Levy, Executive Director of the CCFN, writes: $16.5 billion. That?s the cut to SNAP, the program formerly known as food stamps, pro- posed in the House version of the Farm Bill. What that number really means: food insecure families are in jeopardy of losing this critical safety net. Local farmers risk significant revenue loss. And non-profits will be left scrambling to address rising hunger.* Congress may be in recess, but Crossroads Community Food Network is operating at full steam. As we bask in the abundance of summer, reveling in pre-schoolers munching on kale chips and seniors ascending our mar- ket bus with bags of just-picked peaches, we're working harder than ever to bring fresh, healthy food to neighbors relying on our support. Already, demand for this season's Fresh Checks program has surpassed our ability to meet the growing need. With 11 weeks remaining, we have distributed $32,988 in Fresh Checks, Crossroads' innovative dollar-value coupons for area low-income house- holds to purchase produce at market, to more than 1,189 area families. Without an additional $10,000, we?ll have to dramatically scale back our 2012 program?or end it com- pletely. Help us ensure that all fami- lies in our community, regardless of background or income, have access to the sweetness of summer. $6 provides a week's worth of Fresh Checks for one low-income senior. Every bit makes a difference. Via paypal, click on these underlined words: Please support our efforts today! _______ *Be active. Let your representatives know your preferences. You can contact any senator via http://www.senate.gov/general/ contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm, and any congressman/women via http:// www.house.gov/representatives/. 7