ANOTHER CITIZEN DISRESPECTED BY ANNAPOLIS LEGISLATORS

As an involved citizen in my community, I have attended and testified at Maryland House and Senate public hearings in Annapolis for almost ten years now.  On February 1, 2011, I drove in from Howard County to testify in favor of a bill submitted by Delegate Tony O'Donnell (R-Calvert/St. Mary's) HB 28 - "Public Benefits - Requirement of Proof of Lawful Presence" - assigned to the Appropriations Committee.

It's an important piece of legislation which would deny most non-emergency, taxpayer funded social services to those without lawful presence in our state.  In a time of economic hardship for many citizens and massive budget deficits at the state and county level, HB 28 holds the promise of eliminating waste, fraud and abuse from overburdened public benefit programs.

Upon my arrival in Annapolis, I signed in to speak in support of HB 28 (and HB 34) as is proper procedure, along with others, and sat down in the hearing room to wait for my name to be called.  The hearing, chaired by Delegate Norman Conway (D-Wicomico/Worcester) started off like any other.  Delegate O'Donnell presented his bill to the committee, but instead of those in favor of HB 28 being called up to testify first, Delegate Conway changed standard protocol and immediately called up those opposed to HB 28 to appear at the witness table.  Clearly Delegate Conway had a personnel agenda to fulfill by slighting Delegate O'Donnell and those in the room supporting HB 28. 

For the next hour plus, I had to listen to the anti-citizen, pro-illegal alien nonsense espoused by groups such as CASA of Maryland, the ACLU and multiple Catholic and other ethnic/religious based groups as to why it was "our moral duty" to provide taxpayer funded social services to illegal aliens, residents who clearly have no moral or legal right to be in Maryland.  No doubt these groups were afraid that the free services for their illegal alien clientele would end!

When these groups where finished, Delegate Conway abruptly ended the hearing and quickly disappeared into the back of the hearing room.  At no time were those in the audience asked if there were any in attendance who wanted to testify in favor of HB 28.   I rose and voiced my protest of this violation of my rights to testify at this public hearing but no one listened, including my own Delegate Guy Guzzone (D-Howard County) who told me it was a "mistake".  
I took time off from my struggling business to testify in favor of HB 28.  I properly signed in as did others to support HB 28.  Delegate Conway, a disciple of Governor O'Malley, obviously thinks that since the Democrats "won big" in the recent elections that opposing views by citizens on issues are no longer needed.  Open debate on illegal immigration has been replaced by "Governor O'Malley's "New Americans" policy of allowing illegal aliens full and unrestrained access to all Maryland taxpayer funded programs and services. 

Delegate Conway's office is now issuing statements that no one signed up to speak in favor of HB 28; that was quickly modified that citizens signed up for the wrong bill.  Tomorrow I sure it will be a different story.  Again this is not my first hearing.   I know the drill, and I signed in to provide oral testimony against HB 28 along with others.  The bottom line is that my right to address the government and to free speech was blatantly violated by Conway and his Democratic committee cronies.

Following the lead of Governor O'Malley, Maryland's state legislators, almost exclusively from the Democratic Party, continue to attract and sustain illegal aliens using my tax dollars. By funding
anti-citizen groups like CASA of Maryland and others that testified on February 1, promoting Day Laborer Centers which are really Hispanic illegal alien hiring halls fronted by a non-profit community charity, providing healthcare and other social services, Maryland has become the Mecca of the East Coast for those without lawful presence in our state.  It is a taxpayer funded safe haven for those avoiding arrest and deportation by federal authorities. 

On February 1, 2011, my Constitutional protections were violated in Annapolis. Where do I go now to have my voice heard on Maryland-wide issues?  Do Maryland's elected officials, like Delegate Conway, now believe they can tell me when, where and what I can say?  I will return to Annapolis to give testimony throughout the current session, especially against proposed In-State Tuition for illegal aliens. I now know the levels the dominate party in office will go to in forcing their lawless agenda on our citizens.  I will not run nor hide.  I will dedicate myself to exposing their actions for all Marylanders to see.

Tom Young
Howard County
 Tyoung5041@yahoo.com
Member, Help Save Maryland.com