I really am going to take a break from this website, but while I have your attention, I cannot let this pass without comment: on New Year's Day E and I were appalled to read a Washington Post article about a new Manassas housing ordinance (my added emphasis below):

The ordinance, adopted by the city Dec. 5 and modeled on one in Herndon, changed a definition of "family" in the zoning code so that, essentially, households are restricted to immediate relatives, even when the total is below the occupancy limit. With a few exceptions, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and other extended relatives do not count as family in Manassas anymore. For instance, six cousins living in a six-bedroom house would be illegal, even though the number does not exceed the occupancy limit.

City officials said in a statement Thursday that the ordinance was aimed at combating crowding.

... Or, rather, aimed at combating the growing Latino community. Because no one cares enough to make a new law when, say, six unrelated Georgetown undergrads share a house. The ordinance's supporters said it best [quote is from an article in the January 5 Post]:

Meanwhile, on the Internet, the cause of the Manassas ordinance was taken up by a group called American Renaissance, which advocates white nationalism.

"I just emailed Mayor [Douglas] Waldron and the Manassas City Council to congratulate them on their COURAGE and INTEGRITY in defending their city against the Mexican invasion," one person wrote in a posting on the group's Web site.

I think that speaks for itself.

The article goes on to say that the ordinance was only being enforced where there was a complaint. In other words, the people in Manassas upset about all the Latinos moving into their neighborhoods weren't satisified at evicting the immigrants who were exceeding occupancy limits; they actually created a new law to make it illegal for your aunt, uncle, niece or nephew to live with you -- but only if your neighbor complains about it.

When I try to imagine immigrating to the U.S., and being told that my aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews are not my family, I laugh uncontrollably and then break into hysterical sobs. What is wrong with these people?

Luckily, we are not the only ones outraged and the ACLU, Equal Rights Center, and others are on the case. Yesterday's Post ran an article entitled Va. City Suspends 'Family' Rule.

The City Council is considering its options, including the possibility of repealing the ordinance, which was overwhelmingly affecting Latino residents and has been harshly criticized in recent days by civil rights and fair housing groups.

"No one is saying that Manassas can't reasonably regulate the number of people living together for health and safety purposes," said Kent Willis, executive director of the ACLU of Virginia. "But the government has no right to tell me that my aunt or nephew can't live under the same roof with me."

Amen.