June 24, 2006

"Immigration initiative hearing gets ugly"

"Joseph Turner can't say he didn't see it coming.

The angry demonstrator threatened to hit Turner if he said anything more about his mother.

For a few minutes, Turner restrained himself, then he gave in.

"Do you know what?'' he said. "Your mother can go (bleep) herself.''

And that's how an orderly court hearing on San Bernardino's controversial anti-illegal immigration ballot measure Friday afternoon turned into a minor melee.

The demonstrator, identified by sheriff's officials as Robert Ballantyne, slapped Turner and was in turn slapped with a misdemeanor battery charge.

The dispute followed a hearing on whether Turner collected enough signatures to force a city-wide vote on a sweeping ballot measure that would ban city-funded day labor centers, punish those who rent or do business with illegal immigrants and require that city communications be done in English only.

The judge heard oral arguments and said he would have a ruling Monday morning.

The fireworks following the hearing revealed the heated nature of Turner's controversial initiative, which some critics denounce as racist and mean-spirited."

The article is here.

Posted by Randy Riddle at June 24, 2006 09:08 PM