The argument made by Jan Lefevre that Monroe shouldn't have a Cinco de Mayo celebration because of the unsettled national immigration debate is misguided.
It implies a number of things, none of which are constructive or progressive. Lefevre would better serve her community by making the effort as a city leader to address the valid concerns about illegal immigration locally.
"Given the climate around the country, this is not the proper time to do this," Lefevre told a Times reporter on April 15 after casting the council vote against allowing two special events under one resolution - the Monroe Main Street's Cinco de Mayo celebration downtown and the Monroe Chamber of Commerce's City Wide Garage and Downtown Sidewalk Sales. Lefevre said she voted no because she wanted the two events to be voted on separately - presumably so she could vote "yes" on the sales and "no" on Cinco de Mayo.
Lefevre expressed three problems with the Main Street celebration. She said the event is too small to "close downtown" on a Sunday afternoon (May 4). She also was concerned that the event application indicated no toilet facilities would be supplied for the expected 100 participants. Both points have some validity and it was fair for Lefevre to raise them.
But Lefevre also, after the meeting, said the national issue of illegal immigration was another of her concerns about having the event in Monroe.
"Right now this is such a hot issue in such a big political year across the country that (this celebration) is not a good thing to do," Lefevre told the Times.
She also said: "We're bringing a spotlight onto something right now that we shouldn't be celebrating or touching."
Which implies that celebrating Cinco de Mayo is the same as celebrating illegal immigration, which is absurd. It also implies that because some of the city's Hispanic residents - which has been estimated to be between 1.5 and 3 percent of the city's population - may be here illegally, the presence and culture of those here lawfully shouldn't be celebrated. Equally absurd.
Lefevre also made the very questionable comment, unbecoming of an elected official, that "right now, we should be concentrating on doing events that are more for the flavor of Monroe. This is a European, Old World community."
Lefevre would be wiser to publicly endorse the celebration of Hispanic culture that is a growing part of the community, and then move on to tackle the issue of illegal immigration locally.
Lefevre said she doesn't oppose immigration, but believes anyone who comes to this country should do so legally and not get special consideration over other U.S. citizens. Can't disagree with her on that. Unfortunately, the federal government has done little over many years to enforce its immigration laws - resulting in the contentious and muddied national debate over what to do now about the millions who are here illegally.
Lefevre said the city would be better to wait to celebrate Cinco de Mayo until that national debate is settled. Meanwhile, more and more communities like Monroe are taking matters into their own hand and writing laws and making policies that attempt to tackle illegal immigration concerns locally.
It would be much more constructive for Lefevre to fight illegal immigration through policy - as an elected official with the ability to propose and vote on ordinances - than to protest a cultural celebration.
It implies a number of things, none of which are constructive or progressive. Lefevre would better serve her community by making the effort as a city leader to address the valid concerns about illegal immigration locally.
"Given the climate around the country, this is not the proper time to do this," Lefevre told a Times reporter on April 15 after casting the council vote against allowing two special events under one resolution - the Monroe Main Street's Cinco de Mayo celebration downtown and the Monroe Chamber of Commerce's City Wide Garage and Downtown Sidewalk Sales. Lefevre said she voted no because she wanted the two events to be voted on separately - presumably so she could vote "yes" on the sales and "no" on Cinco de Mayo.
Lefevre expressed three problems with the Main Street celebration. She said the event is too small to "close downtown" on a Sunday afternoon (May 4). She also was concerned that the event application indicated no toilet facilities would be supplied for the expected 100 participants. Both points have some validity and it was fair for Lefevre to raise them.
But Lefevre also, after the meeting, said the national issue of illegal immigration was another of her concerns about having the event in Monroe.
"Right now this is such a hot issue in such a big political year across the country that (this celebration) is not a good thing to do," Lefevre told the Times.
She also said: "We're bringing a spotlight onto something right now that we shouldn't be celebrating or touching."
Which implies that celebrating Cinco de Mayo is the same as celebrating illegal immigration, which is absurd. It also implies that because some of the city's Hispanic residents - which has been estimated to be between 1.5 and 3 percent of the city's population - may be here illegally, the presence and culture of those here lawfully shouldn't be celebrated. Equally absurd.
Lefevre also made the very questionable comment, unbecoming of an elected official, that "right now, we should be concentrating on doing events that are more for the flavor of Monroe. This is a European, Old World community."
Lefevre would be wiser to publicly endorse the celebration of Hispanic culture that is a growing part of the community, and then move on to tackle the issue of illegal immigration locally.
Lefevre said she doesn't oppose immigration, but believes anyone who comes to this country should do so legally and not get special consideration over other U.S. citizens. Can't disagree with her on that. Unfortunately, the federal government has done little over many years to enforce its immigration laws - resulting in the contentious and muddied national debate over what to do now about the millions who are here illegally.
Lefevre said the city would be better to wait to celebrate Cinco de Mayo until that national debate is settled. Meanwhile, more and more communities like Monroe are taking matters into their own hand and writing laws and making policies that attempt to tackle illegal immigration concerns locally.
It would be much more constructive for Lefevre to fight illegal immigration through policy - as an elected official with the ability to propose and vote on ordinances - than to protest a cultural celebration.
