I have to protest the current column from Mike Young and a response from Cindy Toutant. Mike’s current column is full of distortions, half-truths and outright lies. Undocumented aliens are not eligible nor do they receive free housing, free health care, free money or anything else Mike claims. They come to this country for the same reasons Mike’s ancestors did. They want a better life for their children.

This gets me to what really upset me. Cindy Toutant in her comment to Mike’s column made outright lies about Hamtramck, Michigan. Evidently she watches too much Hannity. She thinks that Muslims took over the town and have passed Sharia laws. Yes, Muslims moved there but they did not storm the city. Hamtramck has always been a town of immigrants. I lived near Hamtramck for most of my life and it has always been a great city. In the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s the town was primarily Polish. The first generation Poles read Polish language newspapers and spoke Polish at home. I went to school with their children who went on to become excellent citizens. Over the years, the second generation Poles moved out to the suburbs and newer immigrants moved in. The first generation Poles were hard workers but they never fully assimilated due to the language barrier. They were no different from the current immigrants.

Now the newest immigrants living in Hamtramck are primarily Muslims from Iraq, Syria, and other war torn countries. They are terrific neighbors and are doing a great job in running the city. Contrary to what Cindy claimed, they are not biased and are not passing Sharia laws. Their children are learning how to be terrific citizens and are going on the college to be teachers, doctors, and every other professions.

I am afraid that the Mesquite Local News has become the home of outright bigots. I do not want Mesquite to have a negative vibe based on these columns. You should ensure that what is written is based on real facts and not outright lies.

Dave Petrillo