Danbury has been the butt of jokes well beyond its borders because Common Council members have been working on an ordinance that would prohibit large volleyball games in residential neighborhoods.
The ordinance doesn't mention volleyball, but proponents have proudly acknowledged that is their target specially the brand of volleyball favored by Ecuadorians living in Danbury.
Thus the round of jokes about Danbury being against volleyball.
Thus the criticism that the ordinance is really about racism directed toward Ecuadorians.
As the debate heated up, it was never clear that a new ordinance was really needed. The crowds, the noise, the cars parked all over streets, the money charged for admission, the tall lights and fences-aren't hese problems covered by existing ordinances?
Saturday, city inspectors went out on the town armed with current ordinances and had no trouble shutting down seven volleyball courts in residential neighborhoods.
The games played on these courts weren't little gatherings. They were big and noisy. Cars filled streets. There was unsafe fencing and lighting. Admission was usually $20 with another $5 charged for food. Inspectors also observed liquor being sold.
These are businesses, and not safe businesses. A residential neighborhood is no place for these enterprises.
Ecuadorian community leaders need to intervene here to help city inspectors gain compliance with zoning regulations.
In the meantime, Common Council members should recognize that volleyball isn't the only inappropriate activity going on in residential neighborhoods.
Focusing on their volleyball ordinance invites jokes and ignores those other violations and annoyances.
Again, I can't understand why had to become such a big issue. Why would the Ecuadorians community bring more unwanted attention to this area and give Mayor Boughton and the Common Council such a gift? All Boughton and the Republicans on the council had to do was act like their addressing the situation and they'd receive political points and walla, that's exactly what happened.
Again, this was such a silly thing in the first place. There was no need for volleyball games to get this out of control and made into such an issue that the politicians and press got involved with proposing to create a silly noise ordinance when they're already laws on the books that these volleyball games are violating.
With so many other issues to address in this city, to keep the immigrant situation on the front burner will only help the people currently in office because they can avoid addressing the real issues that are hampering this citysuch as traffic situation, cops working without a contract, residential overdevelopment, lack of schools, high tax rates, etc.
Don't get me wrong, the Ecuadorian community have been the scapegoat of alot of things that are wrong with Danbury and the way people (the "I was born and raised here crowd") are exploiting this issue is just downright unfair and shameful. There is a possibility that the volleyball issue is blown out of wack (I wouldn't put it past the politicians in town to do that) on the other hand but you don't have to draw attention to yourselves by having thses massive games where you charge admission and serve booze.
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On September 26, 2007, ten plaintiffs filed suit in response to an arrest of aday laborers at a public park in Danbury, Connecticut. Plaintiffs amended their complaint on November 26, 2007.
The amended complaint states that plaintiffs sought to remedy the continued discriminatory and unauthorized enforcement of federal immigration laws against the Latino residents of the City of Danbury by Danbury's mayor and its police department.
Plaintiffs allege that the arrests violated their Fourth Amendment rights and the Connecticut Constitution because defendants conducted the arrests without valid warrants, in the absence of exigent circumstances, and without probable cause to believe that plaintiffs were engaged in unlawful activity. In addition, plaintiffs allege that defendants improperly stopped, detained, investigated, searched and arrested plaintiffs. Plaintiffs also allege that defendants violated their Fourteenth Amendment rights when they intentionally targeted plaintiffs, and arrested and detained them on the basis of their race, ethnicity and perceived national origin. Plaintiffs raise First Amendment, Due Process and tort claims.
Plaintiffs request declaratory relief, damages and attorneys fees.
On September 26, 2007, ten plaintiffs filed suit in response to an arrest of aday laborers at a public park in Danbury, Connecticut. Plaintiffs amended their complaint on November 26, 2007.
