Dear Editor,
Remember the Proud Boys? A militant group of people that spout messages of Nationalistic Rhetoric while enabling their members to stand against every progressive organization that exists in America today. A large proponent of those who stormed the US Capital Building on January 6th, were Proud Boys. These militants are often members of ultra militant State Militias. The United States Government declared these folks as designated domestic terrorists at one time, but no longer.
The agency known as I.C.E. (immigration and Customs Enforcement) has been recruiting members of the Proud Boys for well over a year. These men and women are said to exemplify what I.C.E. requires of its operatives. That is emotionally cold, controlled manifestations of American Nationalism, anti migrant and criminal targets. These agents hunt down anyone who personifies the "other". What is the "other" you may ask?
The "other" stands as the complete opposite of the ideal a Stereo Typical American, that is a WASP, a White Anglo-Saxon Protestant (acceptable to the present day administration). So anyone other than a W.A.S.P. is suspect and a target of I.C.E. Presently over half the population of America is considered an "other". Think about it, folks. Even if your family has been a resident in America for 100+ years, but your Hispanic, Black, Aboriginal, Asian or Arabic looking you are a target for the authorities watch dog I.C.E.
Being a part of this organization allows The Proud Boys to do what they do best, which is intimidate, beat down and harass citizens of America. They are being paid to do so as well. The authorities call them heroes and freedom fighters, trying to drive international criminals out of America while also arresting and deporting migrants (others) suspected of wrong-doing. Looking the part is enough to get someone arrested and deported.
Becoming an I.C.E. agent seems to be an easy thing according to former law enforcement employees recently laid off. The Trump Administration has enacted a massive deportation campaign centred around aggression and cruelty. The Proud Boys are perfect for the job, being anti undocumented immigrants, anti-protestors, anti-progressives. Tricia Mclaughlin, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson recently said "any individual who desires to join I.C.E. will undergo intense background checks and there will be no exceptions made". So, how are members of an extremist group entering the I.C.E. fellowship?
While there is no verifiable public figures to prove how many proud boys are I.C.E. agents, a well known leaked list of I.C.E. agents has pointed out that among the list of 4,500 members several hundred are officially former members of the Proud Boys and other right wing groups. There are 22,000 official members of I.C.E., with a further 12,000 contract agents added to the mix. Those members who are under contract have their identities and activities protected from public scrutiny, hidden in the shadows of an authoritarian administrations umbrella. If any of these people were present at the Siege of the Capital Buildings and charged criminally, the President of the USA has pardoned many of them. Donald Trump’s jackbooted Boys have evolved from hoodlums to law enforcement agents.
How can you know for certain that Proud Boys have a part in the authoritarian actions being carried out by I.C.E? Since Donald Trump became President for the second time, have you heard anything at all about this group in the media or FBI incidents rolls? This "in your face" group has remained silent. Why this change of tactics? Simply put, the Proud Boys and many other right wing extremist groups have become a part of the organ of government that is assaulting Americans their institutions and the very heart of the American Dream.
The Ohio Chapter of the Proud Boys declared publicly: "Toledo Boys are living high on the hog right now. Thank you, President Trump". With officers making up to $50,000 with sign-on bonuses and bonuses offered to those most effective in the hunt, The Proud Boys are definitely in the money.
Sources: The Atlantic, Reuters, Times Now and MSN.
Steven Kaszab
Bradford, Ontario
Dear Editor,
Common arithmetic would show you that the more you add, the more you get. So would somebody explain me how is it possible that even though the country is becoming more and more saturated with motor vehicles, less motor vehicle tax is being paid (collected)? I have the solution which does not take rocket science. Go back to working with number-plates. I born and met cars with number plates and it has always worked well. Over the years thousands of people and owners of motor vehicles have been spotted by recognising their number plates.
Over the years umpteen stolen cars were retrieved because of their numberplates. I have always protested against stickers because stickers can be used illegally for a long time before it is detected, whereas as I have mentioned before, many cars and owners are recognised by their number plate.
Because the French numberplates die with the car, when these cars are out of the running the numberplates remain on the motor vehicles. People would go on the dump, take off those plates and use them illegally on other cars. There are a whole lot of cars using the same number on several cars and so I can go on.
My suggestion is that the police controls should be kept in conjunction with the tax department and the immigration department so that all bases can be covered at the same time. From my experience I can guarantee that the tax department will see a spike in revenue.
By the way, it is more than high time that VROMI put back that Bus stop sign by the bus stop on Cannegieter Street across from the former Afoo Supermarket and get rid of the gypsies who have transformed that area into a “free for all”. Not to mention their “Don’t care way of dressing”. From the different accents one can clearly determine who is who.
By the way, there is a lot of complaints about the piles of garbage on different places on St. Maarten.
Russell A. Simmons
Dear Editor,
Almost every day I have to stop tourists from entering Hotelsteeg in forbidden direction and/or help them reverse out of that street after having entered via the forbidden direction. This can be avoided if the correct signage is in place.
This is one example, but I believe that with cooperation between the Ministers of Justice and VROMI [Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure – Ed.] and the Chief of Police along with the head of the Police Traffic Department a lot can be done to regulate the motorised traffic situation in our country.
Every time I drive over Walter Nisbeth Road I ask myself “Am I the only person who is ashamed of the layout of the bus stops along that road? Should those snacks along that road be that close to the road with traffic. Why are the majority of those bus stop huts so close to light poles? And why are they not laid out so that the buses can drive off the road?”
On the side of G.E.B.E all the way on to the Bernhard bridge with the exception of a few houses there are all businesses. On the other (pond) side of Nisbeth Road, shoppers park in order to do their shopping. I believe a suggestion to lay out a few more pedestrian crossings along that part of Nisbeth Road is not farfetched.
Not maybe, I am sure that if these measures are taken, the buses will be obliged to only stop at bus stops and so will the people who wait for the bus. Consequently the traffic over Nisbeth Road will flow more smoothly.
In the past I spoke to some influential people and suggested that government should coordinate with business owners (who as we know depend on the shoppers) to help get things like road markings, etc., financed. I was told that government doesn’t work so.
But I continue to see our road infrastructure continue to deteriorate, and I also do not think that those businesses along those roads are doing that badly.
Russell A. Simmons
Dear Editor,
It has been brought to my attention that media outlets, including Fox News and CVM News, are reporting that the United States Department of State is contemplating a suspension of visa processing for applicants from approximately seventy-five countries, including twelve members of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Antigua and Barbuda has been included in lists currently circulating in this regard.
Upon becoming aware of these reports, I made immediate inquiries with the United States Department of State. As of this moment, no formal announcement has been made, and no official communication has been issued to the embassies of the countries reportedly affected.
I was advised by senior officials of the Department of State that this matter arises from a new requirement under direction of the White House. However, contrary to some media reports, the measure under consideration does not apply to all visa categories. It relates only to applications for immigrant visas (commonly referred to as “green cards”), which are subject to a temporary pause of up to sixty (60) days while vetting and screening procedures are reviewed.
I wish to emphasize that, at this stage, no written notification has been provided to embassies, and the information available to me is based on direct conversations with senior officials, rather than on any formal directive.
It is also important to clarify that applications for immigration to the United States are matters exclusively between the individual applicant and the Government of the United States. The country of nationality or origin of an applicant has no legal or administrative role in decisions relating to the grant or refusal of immigrant status.
In the meantime, the Government of Antigua and Barbuda continues its representations to the relevant United States authorities to secure the removal of Antigua and Barbuda from the list of countries subject to partial visa restrictions, including the requirement for certain visa applicants to post a bond. These efforts remain ongoing and active.
Dear Editor,
Hurray, I support Trump concerning the situation in Venezuela. Thousands of Venezuelians are dancing daily. Trump has liberated Venezuela people.
There’s more dictators in the world – Great Britain, America and France. Should go after those leaders of government that’s not for its people. And not respecting a positive election result should not stay in power.
Majority of the Caribbean people happy a dictator have been out of power in the Caribbean. Both Venezuela and Cuba need a Democratic government to more uplift Caribbean region and keep up within international laws towards it’s people – citizens and the rest of people in the world (such as visitors.)
Cuthbert Bannis
