Archbishop Timothy Dolan told parishioners during Mass on Sunday that he was saddened by a spate of suspected anti-Hispanic attacks on Staten Island that has left some Latin American immigrants fearing for their safety.
Dolan made the remarks during a Spanish-language sermon at St. Mary’s of The Assumption Roman Catholic Church in the borough’s Port Richmond section.
The small neighborhood is home to the majority of the borough’s Mexican immigrants, who have been the targets of most of the dozen attacks since April, authorities have said. A gay Hispanic couple also was attacked in one incident.
Here is a thought to reduce the likelyhood of such attacks…the Hispanic community could/should publicly and actively press for strong enforcement of immigration laws against illegals. They should report those that are hiding in their midst. Finally, they should speak English when in public. I would hazard that these actions would reduce the tension and go a long way toward improving relations amongst the various communities. It migh also reduce the severe unemployment in the African-American community, thus reducing the envy and anger of those suffering the most in the current economy.
Of course, they will never do these things. They will continue to harbor criminals that break our immigration laws and they will continue to refuse to assimilate and speak English. The hubris of the Hispanic community is really wearing thin. The violence against them is wrong and I oppose it, but I believe that I understand some of the root causes of tension between these communities. As they say, “I don’t have a dog in this fight”, but if they really want to reduce the tensions, the solutions I mentioned would be a good start.