First: We’re still taking applications for conservatives who are interested in writing for CTLP. If you’re interested, email me (see the “About” page). But please do so by Friday! We should make a decision early next week at the latest.
Second: A small number of you may start noticing that it takes a while for your comments to be posted. This is because I’ve added a few of you to a list which requires your comments to go into the moderation queue first. A lot of the crap in the comments section comes from 4-5 people who consistently break the rules. Most of you won’t be affected and won’t have to worry about it.
For those on the list, following the rules instead of getting into pointless flame wars will get you removed from it. In the meantime, I’ll get around to moderating comments eventually. But you may notice a delay.
23 responses so far ↓
My sympathies. You may rememder my exchange with you and CGG about this problem back in Feb/March at the Forum section under a different name (CC). If you have 100 contributors the probability of having one who deals “crap” only is quite high. For the psychos who try to comment nonesense at your site, it probably makes no sense to even explain to them why they are not being posted. Hit the delete button and render them non-existant. That’s the quickest way to get them off your back at least from the perspective of the readers. This is not about free speech or fairplay. We’ve had this problem at http://www.WoodstockCtCafe.com. Nevertheless we are still going strong even if bruised a little bit. The closer you get to home, the hotter it gets. John Leavitt
It’s NOT just New Haven:
165 Arrested In Immigration Sting
PORTLAND – Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officials arrested 165 people Tuesday after raiding three locations looking for undocumented workers.
American Staffing Resources is a contract company that provides staffing service for fruit and vegetable processing plant, Fresh Del Monte.
ICE officials raided the ASR office on North Lombard, their satellite office inside Fresh Del Monte and Fresh Del Monte itself. It was at these locations where officials arrested three managers for knowingly hiring undocumented workers and supplying them with false documentation.
The investigation began six months ago after officials received tips. Investigators then sent in an undercover informant posing as someone looking for employment at Fresh Del Monte.
He was told by an ASR representative that a fake social security card would be O.K., as long as it looked like an official government document.
Officials say up to 90 employees had fraudulent or forged social security cards, some of which displayed the real social security of juveniles, the elderly or people who have died. Fake green cards were issued as well.
All but 30 of the 165 people taken into custody will be transported to a federal facility in Tacoma, Wash. Those 30 were released for health reasons or to care for dependents, but they too face a federal immigration judge.
Portland Mayor Tom Potter says he’s unhappy with how the raids were carried out.
He released this statement: “I am angered by this morning’s arrest by federal officers of approximately 150 Portland residents who were working at a local produce company. I certainly understand why federal officials executed criminal warrants against three individuals who stole and sold Social Security numbers. But to go after local workers who are here to support their families while filling the demands of local businesses for their labor is bad policy.”
6/12/2007
>>165 Arrested In Immigration Sting
They’re on a roll; Danbury can’t be far behind.
I’d be very surprised if the New Haven raid had anything to do with those ID cards. It just seems like the INS wouldn’t react that swiftly. The raid came about two or three days after the initial announcement about the ID cards. I imagine that there are always some sort of arrests going on somewhere, as there are 15 million illegals in the country.
[quote comment="12899"] It just seems like the INS wouldn’t react that swiftly.[/quote]
That’s actually the most compelling argument for it not being retaliatory yet. “Quick” and ICE don’t go together.
I’d be interested in seeing the conservative/liberal breakdown on whose posts are now being screened here at the non-partisan CTLP blog. Any reason you folks wouldn’t feel comfortable releasing that?
Just to be clear, I don’t think it’s a form of censorship (or even unnecessary), I’m just curious who it’s impacting the most.
Nutmeg,
Right now, it’s even. But again, it won’t ever impact more than a few people.
Just for the record, that’s Portland, OR, not CT.
I too doubt that the New Haven raids had anything to do with the cards.
You know what I think it may have had to do with? Arresting felons. And what a disgrace that would be.
The endless squabbling here has become beyond tiresome. No matter what the topic is, the comment section swiftly turns into the same people attacking each other over & over. This used to be a site with civilized discourse. You’ve tried moderating the comments before Genghis. After a while, they just start back up again. Ban all the offenders and let’s all move on. It’s a world wide web-let them disrupt some other site with their childish behavior.
I agree with ‘nedweenie’. I’m mystified though by the comments on the raids in New Haven. Have I missed something here?
I agree that increased moderation would be welcome, even if that includes of myself.
Sandbaker, on Monday, Mayor DeStefano announced the launching of a new city effort to give out New Haven ID cards to anyone living in the city. Part of the idea was to help undocumented workers open bank accounts.
Early Wednesday morning, thirty-six hours later, the Feds came into town with a very aggressive raid centered on New Haven’s hispanic neighborhood.
The majority of us believe this was not a coincidence.
Thanks TB but I guess I am missing the connection between that and GC’s “A few things”.
GC – thanks for the moderation…that’s quite an undertaking. However, everyone who enters comments should be adult enough to realize to leave the language and personal attacks to themselves. There isn’t a problem with thought provoking, constructive conversation, but lately, there has been an increase in bickering.
GC, thanks for the moderation….
But I for one would like to see a couple of people eliminated — maybe for a week or two, or a month before making it permanant.
I like a healthy discussion. Heck, in my family we are of diverse political beliefs and have a fun debate — now mostly at the holidays. That being said, no one gets ugly, or leaves the table crying or upset. We know when to back off — and when to offer a light-hearted comment to break the tension.
My advise is let’s act as if we are breaking bread with our family. There are some who make comments that I am sure wouldn’t to a loved one.
I should have my holiday dinners with you, Dude. The dialogue here doesn’t even scratch the surface of what goes on around the table in my family.
What moderator removed my previous post? If you feel so strongly that the post was inappropriate, or not contributing to a civil dialogue on the topic, identify yourself and let’s discuss it here in the open. Otherwise, the shadowy moderators lurking around anonymously and capriciously deleting posts has a sort of Pinochet-era “Chilean Death Squad” feel to it where you wake up in the morning and your neighbor is gone, but nobody knows where he went or who took him…there’s just a lingering suspicion that it has something to do with what he said last week.
The irony, of course, is that the post linked to an article on the suppression of freedom of the press and questioned whether that was something that went on here at CTLP. Way to allay my concerns, Augusto!
How about, rather than linking to the previous article, I link to this one with Samuel Alito expressing substantially the same idea? Does this need to be censored as well, or is this okay?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/13/AR2007061302063_pf.html
Nutmeh,
Duh, you were baiting Keith. Please don’t do that.
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