MV residents respond to mayor’s comments

His red face says it quite well. I've never heard such a lame excuse.
At least he isn't in the running for mayor again. Here's to a new year and face lift for Mount Vernon and Skagit County.

How about a sign for the freeway, cantina draft pics, salida 226.

There should be more Mayor's like Mr. Norris.....He is looking
out for the best interest of his city....

@ twolips

I like the way you think [smile]

Bud should be asked to resign just because of the underhanded way he treated the family trying to get a liquor license..

But I have to say I also think English should be the language spoken. If you or I went to another country they would expect us to learn their language right? We are having a budget crisis right now, why do we have to go to all the expense for dual signs, dual paperwork, etc? Think about it, it's not racist..I'm not racist..it just makes sense. So whats next...dual road signs, that would cause a few accidents don't you think?

"It is hard to explain this situation. Is it racism? Or is the Mayor using his office to prevent a new business from competing with downtown businesses owned by friends?"

It's not hard at all...It's both.

Look at old Bud up there...He's getting hammered by the citizens of MV.

By the looks of his red face? It looks like he got hammered at his buddies bar the night before.

This is the same guy who wanted to give Glenn Beck the keys to the city.

PFFFT!

Even FOX news told Beck to leave. The dude is a loon.

Hopefully Mount Vernon will elect a forward-looking Mayor so that we can leave this pettiness behind and become the ultimate haven for any and all immigrants in six easy steps:

1. Sign all public facilities in multiple languages (English, Russian, Chinese, Spanish, German, French, Portugese, etc.). The signs will be expensive, but well worth it. Nothing says, "Welcome" like "Welcome in your native tongue."

2. Allow, and even encourage, local businesses to pay ethnic workers in cash. No more needless payroll taxes to discourage hard work. After all, the long-time "citizens" will be able to make up the difference to fund entitlements, no problem. The accumulated debt is only about $50,000 per person at this time. We can reevaluate when we the debt load gets to $100,000 per person.

3. Expand foundering dual-language school programs to tri-language, quad-language or quinto-language. A truly multi-lingual school system has not been tried here yet. Think rainbow, not two-tone. Before long we can give our kids a marginal proficiency in a number of languages, (such that they can always ask directions to a toilet, for instance) preparing them for a global economy much better than a high proficiency in English ever could (particularly if and when English ever fades as the primary language of world business and travel, or if America's economy is no longer the size of the next five economies put together).

4. Make Emergency Rooms more user-friendly. In fact, drop the word "Emergency" and call it simply the "We Care About You and Will Take Care of You For Free Regardless of What the Ailment May Be Room." While this does not fit nicely on a sign (particularly in multiple languages), it communicates much better what we are offering, and helps us all to know why insurance rates might be jumping by 20-30% each year.

5. Designate "ethnic expression" walls, on which various cultures can paint their logos, symbols or angst. Better yet, allow the various ethnicities to pick any wall they want, as long as it does not belong to them. Let them know that they can do their paintings in broad daylight, instead of at night while we are asleep. Nothing brings a colorful array of expression to a city like well-done, ubiquitous graffiti.

6. Do not ask immigrants to go through cumbersome licensing processes at all, so that there can never be an opinion expressed that would be counter to the immigrant's dreams or wishes, or that could even remotely be construed to be racist. This would include exemption from liquor licenses, drivers licenses, fishing licenses, building licenses or any other form of license, registration or zoning. This is a land of freedom, and Mount Vernon needs to be kept particularly free. Create a clever "free pass" that can be picked up each year at any Mount Vernon public building.

7. Designate College Way and Riverside Drive as a "permanent immigrant parade route." This way if at any time immigrants of any nationality feel that citizens have not delivered 1-6 above, they can peacefully protest in a traffic-free zone. At such times we would expect them to express their loyalties to their country of origin, and to make signs in their own language that are critical of the U.S. We need to be held accountable, and not just annually.

Hopefully either candidates Otos or Boudreau will seriously consider these proposals and use the opportunity created by Mayor Norris' gaffs to bring some serious pro-immigrant policies to the city of Mount Vernon. Now's the time to step it up!

sumpin2talkabout......you are probly right about them being ukranian idk i am not well versed in the many cultures that make up skagit county! i bet thats a shocker to some people....... there are actually, alot of different nationalities here not just "mexican" and "white"!! lol

Individuals can send comments about the liquor license to:

Washington State Liquor Control Board
Licensing and Regulation
P.O. Box 43098
Olympia, WA 98504-3098

I propose that we make it clear that in Mount Vernon people can speak whatever language they so choose. Russians should speak Russian. Mexicans should speak Spanish. And Americans should speak English. It can only lead to a better society if we cannot communicate freely with each other, and really have no idea what each other is saying.

I also think that we should say that every establishment comes with an automatic liquor license to sell beer, wine and spirits, even hardware stores and elementary schools. This way we can ensure that we always have ample supply of alcohol. Mount Vernon should be known for one thing, and one thing only: we know how to put down the booze!

Who needs a mayor when the decisions we need to make are so apparent.

Purple people are the one's who concern me.

"come on people be consistant with your predudice!...there's been a huge surge of russians who cant speak english"

Oh, come now. Don't you realize that with the group your are talking about (who are likely Ukranian, by the way), well...they're white so, they're not the same as the brown ones? Besides.....you can't racial profile a white one the way you can a brown one just by sight!!!

lol

and if your going to hate one race for being here illegally then you need to hate them all. i personaly dont believe in racism, but come on people be consistant with your predudice! have you not noticed that in the last 2yrs there's been a huge surge of russians who cant speak english and are all lined up in the local dshs?? and now if you call dshs there is also an option to press for russian. but none of you seem to notice this. my personal opinion is that its because they blend in with their white skin. i'm a full time college student and i see more russians then mexicans in the classroom to learn english. so like i said if your going to discriminate do it consistantly, because you come off as ignorent when your main argument applies to another race but you choose to over look them. have a nice day =))

i think everyone's really going to far with this. this is a family who is here legally and are obviously productive members of society. i read an artical on this on the komo4 news website and this family isn't even the ones causing a stink about it they just commented that they would wait 6 more months to re-apply. it also said, which i believe is why there's so much outrage, that the councel all voted for this family to be able to open and have a liquer license, but the mayor went and denied it anyways. on that website someone commented, and i agree, what is the point of having a city councel if the mayor's just gona do what he wants anyways. i feel that his past actions do cause one to question if he's a racist but this situation also calls in to question whether or not this is just related to the fact his freind has a bar in that area.

[smile]

It's a crazy idea to think that people in America should be able to speak English. Let's say "Any language goes" as that can only increase understanding, unity and cooperation...right? If you can't understand me, and I can't understand you, it only leads to a better understanding.

I'm also completely confident that people will not be doing shots of tequila downtown. That is never going to happen. People always drink responsibly. So what really is the concern?

I agree fraeulein100. Please, Mount Vernon, select a mayor who will be an asset to the community. And let the Liquor Board do their job without interference.

i have live in this area for over 48 years, and Mount Vernon/Burlington crime has been on the increase for the pass 10 years in this area. i feel when i shop in this area i have to speak spanish. i feel so out of place in my own country.

I work at a business in downtown Mt. Vernon. He is giving EVERYBODY who wants to have a liquor license a hard time because his buddy owns the bar down the street. That is the only reason, not because these people are hispanic (they own a restaurant already in a different part of Mt. Vernon). The major doesn't want his buddy to have competition down there. His buddy's place is also known for lots of police calls and over-serving customers. Glad he is not running anymore so somebody much more competent will become major. I don't live in Mt. Vernon so vote a good one in people! And the liquor board decides who gets a license, not this moron!

"MV Mother, we are talking about a group who, under the cloak of secrecy, snuck across an international border by paying a cartel to smuggle them and their children through a desert risking death to come to America."

Really? The people trying to open the really cool, upscale, trendy tequila bar are here illegally and paid "a carter to smuggle them and their children through a desert risking death"?

Seriously???

[offtopic]

Why, your commit is all warpped.

Great commit George, he was looking for a "vote". You got it all figured out.

It is hard to explain this situation. Is it racism? Or is the Mayor using his office to prevent a new business from competing with downtown businesses owned by friends? It is sad that a person in a position of responsibility would act so irresponsibly. Why use a regulatory agency to smother a business endeavor? If the local economy will not support this business, the market will decide. But to not allow the businessmen to even start their operation seems unfair.

It was about 2008 or 2009. I was sitting outside of my business. When bud walked by and stated " one of this days I will learn Spanish because ,it so nice to have two languanges". That was he commit. My commit ,was "thats holding you up." looking for votes i guess.......

does anyone know what happens to a Jack-azz( mull) ? When it gets to old....they put it out of its misary..What does it take to make someone understand that he or she dont control the world..Just in their own mines...Little at that. How, have we put up with this for so long......Time to wake-up.....and as for the language...When in Rome do as the Romanes...when in USA..need more

I think making a motion to have english made the official language as well as encouraging all city offices including the city library to remove all spanish language from it' signage in a town that has a rather large hispanic population speaks volumes. Bud Norris is a racist!

@ Mountvernonism...

You make an awesome point!

BTW? What's "Mountvernonism" mean? I'm curious.

@ChuckD

You dang near ruined my shirt. it was all I could do not to spit my coffee back up....lol...

@ Why...

I may have missed it but I didn't see anyone calling you a racist.

However?

"MV Mother, we are talking about a group who, under the cloak of secrecy, snuck across an international border by paying a cartel to smuggle them and their children through a desert risking death to come to America. "

Don't lump them all together. You know darn well that there are Latinos' here legally as well as illegally.

Also?

If people would stop hiring illegals the US would not seem so inviting.

Fact is? There's not a country in the world who wouldn't trade places with us. This is why they come.

Really, well Russians have crossed our waters by walking over the frozen ice into Alaska. Asian travel in cargo crates, yet they get the same benefits as mexicans would. Most Russian drive extremely nice vehicles and are in most times in larger groups than anyone of us. I just don't understand they way people look at only one way streets. They never pay attention to the freeway going 2 ways.

MV Mother, we are talking about a group who, under the cloak of secrecy, snuck across an international border by paying a cartel to smuggle them and their children through a desert risking death to come to America.
This would lead one to believe that Mexico is a hard place to thrive? Mexico offers free college to every citizen and has one of the best universities in the world. Mexico is rich in resources, resourceful people can make their own country a better place.
Why do the hard working families come here to make less than minimum wage? Because our tax dollars subsidize them. Mexico has no welfare, they will not give you a house to live in and make your newborn a citizen they have no food stamps and though their medical system is much cheaper, it is not free to them as it is here. I cannot buy property in Mexico, I cannot get a job there, I cannot get a free house in my own country, nor can I afford to have pressing medical issues dealt with unless I lie about my status, I get no free food, yet I am called a racist for qustioning why "La Raza" can have as they wishunder the guise of humanity while those that question are cansidered racsist.
Wake up folks..

I think that with our nation becoming so diverse now a days, any race no matter if they are black, white, brown, or purple, they should be able to be at home. This is the land of the free and we aren't given others the benefit of the doubt when it comes to bettering themselves. When do you see hard working white people in the fields picking the fruits and vegetables for all of the county to buy and eat? NEVER! Mexican's are one the hardest working individuals out there and just because 4 or 5 wanna be's try to put a bad name out there does not mean that we should ban anything related to their own race. What if it was an asian gang or KKK? Would we then ban another teriyaki joint? Or mom & pop spot? Come one now.

but norris is a princess.

We are thirty miles from the Canadian border and we have hispanic gang fights, drive bys and my kids need to slow down so little Juan can catch up year after year. Immigrate responsible.

i think its important to acknowledge that most racist or prejudiced people don't openly call themselves racist or prejudiced, this is in part because it is socially unacceptable, and in part because many people who hold such prejudice don't even REALIZE that they do. not perceiving oneself as racist doesn't abrogate accountability. and "having some mexican friends" does not mean you are not racist. i really cant even believe he said that...what an embarrassment to this town.