Federal prison for Gitmo in Illinois--Manzullo opposes

[yellowwood]

Illinois has big money problems. Yet the Republican representative for the area in Carroll County, IL, where an almost-empty prison is located opposes it. The Federal government might buy it which would pump a lot of money into the state. Also provide a lot of jobs for a depressed area.

http://cbs2chicago.com/local/gitmo.thomson.correctional.2.1314014.html?detectflash=false

Manzullo advertises support for job growth, but not for this. What are people like him thinking?

[customerserviceguy]

1. They might be thinking that their area would become a target

for terrorist activity to try to free the detainees.

I don't know much about Illinois, but I do know how most states try to stick the prisons out in the sticks, so that the smaller rural communities have to deal with the problems of them. Believe me, if there were no inherent problems in having a prison in your back yard, they'd have been built in the suburbs of big cities, where most of the prison's inmates come from.

Add to all of that the fact that your town just became an Al Queda observation post, and you'll see what I mean. Jobs are great, but taking these terrorists is even worse than hosting a nuclear dump site in many ways.

[dalaigh lllama]

3. I lived in a small rural community that acquired a prison back in the 90's

and it was a much-needed economic boon to the area. One thing about rural areas -- they would be a lot quicker to notice strangers skulking about than urban areas. I think an "Al Queda observation post" would get noticed and reported pretty quickly.

[customerserviceguy]

4. Good point

They'd notice, but would authorities do jack shit about it? The more and more I learn about the Fort Hood terrorist, the more I see that political correctness gets in the way of doing something that might stop this activity.

I wouldn't be surprised if the area residents considered themselves experimental expendables in this instance.

[dalaigh lllama]

5. They seem to think they can handle it

Residents of Thomson, Illinois would rather get Gitmo prisoners

By DEANNA BELLANDI, Associated Press Writer

THOMSON, IL (AP) -- Some folks in this dying Mississippi River town would rather take their chances with suspected terrorists in their backyard than watch their neighbors continue to move away in despair over the lack of jobs.

News that the federal government may buy the nearly empty Thomson Correctional Center and use the maximum-security state prison to house Guantanamo Bay detainees has given people in Thomson hope that things might be about to turn around in this woeful town of 450...

...And if any of the detainees or other inmates at the prison were to escape, some Thomson residents know how to protect themselves.

"I've got plenty of weapons and ammunition at my house," said Dave Lawton, a 62-year-old retiree.

http://www.ksdk.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=189812

[customerserviceguy]

6. And I could find people

who would be willing to have a nuclear waste dump in their backyards. So what? The question is, do those people have the right to bring in a threat to their neighbors?

I don't think we've had time to hear from the opposition to this idea yet, they're probably still in shock.

[jaxx]

2. He isn't thinking, he's opposing the closing of Gitmo.

Pubs are pubs and saying no is the thing to do this year. The town has agreed, the governor has agreed and one stupid pub says no. I doubt he'll matter if the government decides to use Thomson as a holding place for the prisoners.

Damn wingers anyway. They do not do reality.....ever!

edited to take the p out of thomson...jeez.