| Day
Labor Opposition Group Meets |
By Erin E. Fogg 
Observer Staff Writer |
| Help Save Herndon, a group of local citizens who banded
together in opposition of the day labor site, met formally
for the first time Nov. 3 to discuss the group's purpose,
goals and successes. |
| About 40 people attended the meeting, which consisted of
a brief presentation from group members Aubrey Stokes, Philip
Jones and Susan M. Powell. The three Herndon residents did
not take questions from the audience. |
| "Tonight is about information," Jones said. "We want to
summarize what we have done the last few months." |
| The presentation detailed Help Save Herndon's efforts on
the day labor issue, which included rallying Herndon citizens
to attend Town Council meetings, staging demonstrations outside
the Municipal Center, influencing the Planning Commission
to reject the application and encouraging Loudoun County officials
to oppose the day labor site. |
| Jones said the group also worked cooperatively with Fairness
and Accuracy In Reporting and Judicial Watch to ensure the
day labor issue in Herndon was portrayed responsibly. According
to literature displayed at the meeting, Help Save Herndon
members also "attracted national attention to the day labor
issue as it affects American communities." |
| However, Jones accused the Town Council of bringing negative
attention to the town, exemplified in the multitude of Internet
sites referencing illegal immigration when the word "Herndon"
is entered into a search engine. |
| "That's not the kind of image we want," Jones said. "They
brought national attention to this issue, and as a result
of their vote, this is what has occurred." |
| Help Save Herndon also takes partial credit for halting
a day labor center in the city of Gaithersburg, Md. The city
is located in Montgomery County, where one day labor center
has operated for 10 years and another opened recently under
little conflict. |
| "County officials cited a proposed day labor center in Herndon
as their reason for stopping," Jones said. |
| Powell followed Jones by encouraging the people in the room
to "vote with their dollars," by patronizing businesses that
engage in ethical practices. She said citizens upset with
businesses like 7-Eleven, Shell and McDonald's that allow
day laborers to congregate on their private property should
take action by writing letters and making phone calls to those
corporations. |
| Another ongoing initiative Help Save Herndon will be involved
in is next year's Town Council elections, Powell said. |
| "Before May 2006 there will be a huge push to put the right
mayor and Town Council members into office," she said. "We're
in it for the long haul. We knew that when we started we wouldn't
stop at the day labor center." |
| Councilwoman Ann Null attended the beginning of the meeting
and shared some brief comments with the audience. She said
Help Save Herndon is an example of "excellence in citizen
activism" and its efforts have helped advance the cause of
immigration reform on the national level. |
| "The tide has turned," Null said. "I think you all being
here means the tide has changed." |
| Stokes said Help Save Herndon plans on holding monthly meetings
at the Herndon Fortnightly Library, where they aim to start
engaging the audience in question-and-answer sessions. Meeting
information will be posted on www.helpsaveherndon.com. |
| In an interview after the meeting, Stokes said Help Save
Herndon shares the same goals as the Herndon Minutemen group
patrolling areas of town where day labors gather. His group's
operations are more behind the scenes, while the Minutemen
are in the public spotlight. |
