Mexicans in Pittsburgh

The Post-Gazette discovers a small Mexican enclave in Pittsburgh . . . in Beechview.

Of course, not everyone is excited about this:

Don Bell, president of the Beechview Merchants Association, said residents at a recent Weed and Seed meeting "expressed concern about the rapid influx of Mexicans, of the illegals who have no rights and can be easily exploited, and issues such as over-occupancy and health code violations."

"Someone asked, 'How do we know there aren't ads in grocery stores in Mexico that say 'Move to Beechview,' " he said.

Concerns rise more easily when you have a commercial street that is "moribund," he said. When for food you have two Mexican grocery stores, a Mexican restaurant and a Foodland, he said, "it's like, 'Whoa, what's happening? It's rapidly going in one direction.' "

That's right. There are too many new people moving to Pittsburgh. (Unconfirmed rumor: The Beechview Merchants Association may have been studying the tactics of local marina owners confronted with visitors who wanted to fish the rivers.) Who took down those "go away" signs, anyway?

I say: Ignore the xenophobes. Go have a meal at a Mexican restaurant in Beechview, and welcome these folks to town. And can we get Telemundo now? Please?