Kenders' Musings

#2 with a bang today is a story of intrigue and insanity straight out of the dirty city of San Francisco.

At 53 Stevenson St. in San Francisco, a block off of the World Famous Market St. and about half a mile from the equally infamous Embarcadero sits a little restaurant called Si Senor Taqueria.

It seems they had a worker named Sonia Cano. What follows is her story, as I received it in email.

Sonia Cano and Carlos Barrancos worked hard to support themselves and to start their young family. However, when Sonia stood up for her right to be paid the SF minimum wage, Si Senor Taqueria owners did everything they could to tear apart this young family. Sonia sought help from Young Workers United (YWU) and the City of San Francisco Office of Labor Standards Enforcement. Her claims led to thousands of dollars in back wage payments to the Si Senor workers.

So, Young Workers United and the City of San Francisco helped this criminal alien get back wages. One would think that a city of the United States would be concerned with the laws of the land and tell this young woman, "Sorry, you aren't here legally, all we can do is offer you a ride back to whatever country you came from."
On the other hand, at least the person that hired poor little criminal alien Sonia was "fined" in a way. You know what they say, when you lie down with dogs.....

However, within days of filing her wage claim, Sonia was fired from her job. YWU has evidence that some of the owners further retaliated against Sonia by having a letter sent to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) with false and malicious claims against the couple. Neither of them have criminal records and all of the charges were fabricated.

All of the charges were fabricated? One wonders if the charge of being in the country illegally was fabricated?

Without any investigation into the validity of the tip, ICE raided the couple's apartment when Sonia was nine months pregnant and detained Carlos for deportation. Sonia was left without income or support for six weeks while her partner was held in a detention center in Eloy, Arizona. Being nine months pregnant and without any income when Carlos was detained, I counted on the support of my friends, Young Workers United and my legal team, said Sonia.

Now what I want to know is why wasn't Carlos deported? Why wasn't Sonia deported? They really should have deported her before she dropped that foal. While were editorializing here, Young Workers United should be brought up on charges of aiding and abetting illegal activity.

YWU representative Mehera Reiter said: "Employers intimidate immigrants from standing up for their rights. We need real immigration reform to protect the rights of workers and punish employers who break the law.

Mehera? You are absolutely right. Especially the second part about punishing employers who break the law. The first part is a moot point, because LEGAL WORKERS HAVE RIGHTS!!!!!!!

Not only did Cano win the minimum wage case, but also in May of 2006 she settled a claim with Si Senor for charges of discrimination, defamation, and retaliation with firing and sending ICE. Cano stated: "Don't remain silent. Stand up for your rights and look for support from the community because we all deserve our rights at work."

No, Sonia, if you are here illegally you deserve nothing more than a quick trip back to whatever country you came from when you snuck in here.

You, Sonia, don't deserve one damned thing. By sneaking in here in the first place you have shown that you don't know what it means to be an American. Nobody "owes" you anything, and you have no "right to work", and you ARE illegal, and by now you have dropped that foal and our insane policy of anchor babies has allowed you to stay, and we can't get rid of you, but know this.....there is a reason they are called "anchor babies" and it is not because it anchors you to the country, but rather because that child is going to grow up to be an anchor around the neck of the legal citizens of the United States.

You didn't have enough honor to come here legally, and if one thing is integral to being a good citizen it is honor. You cannot pass along something you do not possess.

There will be a rally by a small but hardy horde of unwashed, patchouli reeking, tree-hugging 'frisco hippies at the restaurant on Wed. the 24th to "protest" Si Senor Taqueria's lack of compassion for the criminal alien they couldn't get rid themselves of....I wonder who'll cater it?