They Are Illegal

I am under no delusion that the problem with illegal immigrants has a simple solution. I am fully aware that with the exception American Indians (and don’t bother me with the term being Native Americans since every American Indian I know prefers American Indian, not Native American) every citizen of the United States is either an immigrant or descended from someone that immigrated. We are a nation of immigrants and as Bill Murray said in the movie Stripes “We’re Americans! With a capital A! Huh? You know what that means? Do ya? That means that our forefathers were kicked out of every decent country in the world.” Now obviously the vast majority of our forefathers weren’t kicked out of their homelands. Many came for the opportunity this country provided, some came to escape the oppression of their former countries, others were stolen or sold to be enslaved and yet others came to escape some type of natural disaster. Regardless of why or how people came to the U.S. we’re all immigrants. Thanks to these immigrants the U.S. came to be the world’s only super power and we live a life that is distinctly American. We are one of the only countries in the world where the lyrics from Brad Paisley song American Saturday Night are true.

Woahhhhh woahhhhhhh
She’s got Brazilian leather boots on the pedal of her German car
Listen to the Beatles singing back in the USSR
she’s goin’ around the world tonight
but she ain't leavin him
she’s just going to meet her boyfriend down at the street fair

It's a French kiss, Italian ice
Spanish moss in the moonlight
just another American Saturday night

There's a big toga party tonight down at Delta Chi
they've got Canadian bacon on there pizza pie
they've got a cooler for cold Coronas and Amstel lights
It's like were all livin' in a big ol' cup
just fire up the blender, mix it all up

It's a French kiss, Italian ice
margaritas in the moonlight
just another American Saturday night

you know everywhere there's something they’re known for
although usually it washes up on our shores
my great great great granddaddy stepped off that ship
I bet he never ever dreamed we'd have all this

You know everywhere has somethin' they’re known for
although usually it washes up on our shores
little Italy, Chinatown, sittin' there side by side
live from New York, It's Saturday Night!

French kiss, Italian ice,
Spanish moss in the moonlight
just another American, just another American, its just another American Saturday night

In the late 19^th and early 20^th century the U.S. had a huge influx of immigrants. Between 1881 through 1930 over 27,500,000 people immigrated to the U.S. Other than being immigrants, do you know what else they all had in common? Each and every one of them was documented. The government had a record of who they were and they had a legal standing to be here. Unfortunately today it is estimated there are between 11,000,000 and 15,000,000 illegal aliens in the U.S. The politically correct term is undocumented alien. That’s a bogus term. It’s a term that someone made up to disguise the fact that what is really being discussed are people that are committing a crime. Therefore they are not undocumented aliens, they are illegal aliens or illegal immigrants if you prefer. Regardless of which term you prefer the point is that they’re in the U.S. illegally.

One might say, so what? It’s no big deal and has no effect on me. Well that’s not true. It’s estimated that illegal immigrants cost U.S. tax payers $113 billion. That’s over $1,100.00 for each native household. Of that $113 billion nearly 75% of it ($84 billion) is burdened by state and local governments. For states with lesser numbers of illegal aliens the $1,100.00 figure is smaller, but for states like California, Texas, Florida and New York with huge populations of illegal aliens that figure increases exponentially.

The biggest cost created by illegal immigrants is the education of their children with an estimated outlay of $52 billion. But wait a second, aren’t these children U.S. citizens, and shouldn’t they be educated? So how can the cost of their education be included in the illegal immigrant expenses? The answer to that is simple. First not all of these children are U.S. citizens and secondly for those that are U.S. citizens if their parents weren’t here illegally they wouldn’t have been born here, Therefore they wouldn’t be afforded the education they’re currently being provided and wouldn’t cost the states and localities.

Now if the costs of educating illegal aliens or the U.S. born children of illegal aliens doesn’t bother you, although I can’t imagine why it wouldn’t, perhaps the effect the illegal alien has on the job market does. Don’t misunderstand me on this. I have no doubt that those illegal aliens that are working, whether on the books or as part of the underground economy, are hard workers. That’s not the point. The point is that if they’re working it means that a U.S. citizen isn’t working. Some say that illegal immigrants are only taking jobs that Americans won’t take. That’s ridiculous. We currently have unemployment of nearly 10%. Americans will do those jobs. What Americans won’t do is be underpaid for doing those jobs. Illegal immigrants will take jobs where they’re underpaid and because of their illegal status they’re exploited. That is good for neither the illegal immigrant nor the native worker.

What needs to be done? First and foremost we need to secure our borders. They are much too porous. This is not a reflection on the border agents. We simply do not have enough of them. Along with stemming the tide of illegal aliens this will also have the side benefit of slowing down the smuggling of drugs into the country. Secondly since the current penalties on employers that hire illegal aliens don’t seem to be enough of a deterrent they need to be much more severe. Right now there is no deterrent to crossing our border illegally. Those that are caught are simply sent home. So my third proposal is to build and then populate prisons for illegal immigrants that are caught. Prior to sending them back home they need to be punished for violating our law. A first offense would be a mandatory 1 year sentence. A second offense would be 5 years. A third offense would be 10 years. There would be no parole on any of the sentences. Is this too severe? Not when compared to the laws of Mexico. Under Mexican law, illegal immigration is a felony. It is punishable by up to two years in prison. Immigrants who are deported and attempt to re-enter can be imprisoned for 10 years. Visa violators can be sentenced to six-year terms.

Time to End the Segregation

Ever since I was a kid I have been perplexed as to why this condition exists. As I got older I understood it to a degree, but to this day it still bothers me. What’s that you ask? The answer is simple. It’s segregation. But more specifically the most segregated hour of each and every week. That hour is when Christians worship. It is far and away the most segregated hour in any week.

The neighborhood where I grew up was completely desegregated. My neighbors, classmates and friends were of all different ethnicity. We went to school together, played together, hung out together and yes, got in trouble together. However when Sunday came around, with rare exception, we didn’t worship together. Now I know that to a degree some of that had to do with us being of different denominations and some being Catholics. I understand that. What I don’t understand is there being two churches of the same denomination with congregations that are predominantly of one race in the same area.

As I said earlier I came to understand, to a degree, segregation. That segregation I came to understand is what I’ll refer to as the segregation of commonality. This simply means people with things in common will tend to gravitate to one another. Using myself as an example, I am a huge fan of Walt Disney World. As I write this I’m wearing a Mickey Mouse watch and a Tigger rugby shirt. If I see two people that I don’t know, one wearing Disney paraphernalia and one not, I am far more likely to speak with the person with the Disney gear on than the other person. I do this because my initial perception is that I will have more in common with that person than the person not decked out in Disney. This may or may not turn out to be true, but it’s a starting point. I don’t have a problem with this natural segregation. People with things in common will naturally gravitate to each other (Poles to Poles, Irish to Irish, Blacks to Blacks, Hispanics to Hispanics and within Hispanics Dominicans to Dominicans, Cubans to Cubans and Puerto Ricans to Puerto Ricans) etc. etc. etc…

Recognizing this segregation during worship is the first step. The second step is obviously to do something about it. But the question is what? People, me included, have a comfort level in attending their home church. So I guess the first step is to come out of that comfort level and attend a worship service in a church that is predominantly of a different race. It doesn’t have to be a permanent change. Just do it a couple of times a year. I think you’ll find that while the ways we worship are different they’re all beautiful in their own way. And in the end what we’ll be doing is praising God which is what it’s all about anyway.

Who Is the Enemy?

I can’t stand it. I just can’t stand it. America has enemies. This is an undeniable, inescapable, indisputable fact. And what I can’t stand is the political correctness that refuses to acknowledge that this enemy is made up of Islamic fanatics. These people want to destroy the United States and will go to any measure to bring it down. They want us dead and will go, and have gone, to any extreme to kill as many of us as they can. Our enemy isn’t the 89 year old WW II vet that fought for and in some cases was wounded and was always willing to die for this country. It’s not the single mom who scrimped and saved to take her kids on a once in a lifetime trip to Walt Disney World. It is the Islamic fundamentalist that is our enemy. Yet it is because of political correctness that the Transportation Safety Administration, under the direction of the Department of Homeland Security, is required to indiscriminately pull the vet or single mom out of the line at the airport security checkpoint for a more thorough screening. How does that make sense?

Our nation’s leaders, or perhaps it’s our activist courts, have determined that profiling is not allowed. That’s just stupid. If someone is killed in a drive-by shooting the likelihood is that it was done by a gang member. The police know this and they do their investigation based on this. Does this mean that they don’t follow the evidence if it leads in another direction? Of course they follow the evidence. If a suspected member of a crime family is murdered the likelihood of it being done by another crime family member, whether his own family or another one, is far greater than the crime having been committed by an 89 year old WWII vet or a single mom.

Profiling works and there is no sensible reason not to use it. But noooooo we can’t use it. It might offend those in the Islamic community that truly are, as the word Islam means, people of peace. Well hell, I’m offended. I can’t understand those in the Islamic community that aren’t pointing out those in their own midst that are enemies of peace. If they are to be taken seriously as people of peace it is their moral obligation to do just that. If the goal of the Islamic zealots is to convert the world to Allah the way to go about it is not to do it by pointing a gun at the head of those that you want to convert. It didn’t work for the Christian faith during the crusades and it won’t work today.

As I said earlier it is our nation’s leaders or our activist courts that won’t allow the use of profiling with regard to terrorists. So along with the extremists being our enemies there is another set of those that do us harm. To paraphrase Walt Kelly’s great philosopher Pogo we have met the enemy and he is also us. And by us I’m not talking about politicians. I am talking about the electorate. Instead of doing our due diligence and researching those that run for office we rely on sound bites, skewed political ads, labor leaders, a press that has its own agenda (both on the right and the left) or the appearance and style of the candidates. Or even worse than all of those I’m also referring to those that don’t vote at all either because they don’t care or as I’ve heard thousands of times they’re (politicians) all crooks. Less than 50% of eligible voters actually vote. We get the government that we deserve. Lincoln said that we are a government of the people, by the people and for the people. It’s as true today as it was in Lincoln’s day. Our government is made up of us, we the people. If less than half of us bother to vote and those that do vote don’t take that responsibility serious enough to learn for them selves what a candidate stands for, we deserve the government that we have.

Introducing?

Here I am writing my first blog and have no idea what I want to write about. How much do I want to reveal about what's going on in my muddled brain? Is my mind really muddled? No. not really, at least not for most things. I've come to a point in my life where I know pretty much what I can accomplish and what will always remain a fantasy. The goals that I have yet to attain are well within the realm of possibility. Those goals are pretty much the same as what most people want. Continuing to be able to provide shelter, food and clothing for my family is probably first. Paying off my mortgage and putting away enough money to have a comfortable retirement. Ensuring that my son Robby is as able as possible to live his life as comfortably after my wife Janice and I die as he does now. Those that know me know why this is important. Not that most all parents, (yes Virginia {and no I’m not talking to my sister here, but the Virginia that wanted to know if there was a Santa Claus yes-virginia} there are asshole parents) don’t want to provide for their children. But most children will be able to provide for themselves. Robby is autistic and may not be able to provide for himself. Being able to leave as much as I can behind for my son’s welfare is a huge priority for me.

What else do I want to reveal about myself? I am the sixth of seven children and the fourth of five boys born in the mid-fifties. I guess that would mean that I am a child of the 1960’s and 70’s. My mother was a full-time homemaker and up until my mother was diagnosed with a brain tumor when I was 17, I can’t remember a time when my Dad didn’t have at least two jobs.

I am a United States Marine, having served from 1974 to 1978.

Next month Janice and I will be celebrating our 30^th anniversary.

I am in my 15^th year with my current employer. Prior to this job I spent 11 years with Eastman Kodak/Sterling Drug. The reason for the slash between Kodak and Sterling is because while working for Sterling, Kodak acquired them. We lived in Greece NY, a suburb of Rochester, for four years.

I was raised in the Methodist tradition and still attend a Methodist church. Well, attend is probably not a strong enough word. I am a member, but more than that too. I am currently the chair of the church council and prior to that I was a member of the Staff Parish Relations Committee. SPRC is the committee that is responsible for the hiring and firing of the church’s staff. I am a liturgist and also a member of the church’s chancel choir and Men’s Ensemble. With all of that on my “religious resume” you might think I’m some type of Holy Roller. Well nothing could be further from the truth. I can party with most anybody and cuss you out like a drill instructor. Does this make me a hypocrite? In the eyes of some I would imagine yes. But, I’m reminded of one of my pastors who greeted the congregation with “Good morning saints.” which followed immediately by “Good morning sinners.”  In both instances he was greeting everyone, including and especially me, as we all fall short in the eyes of God. I am not hesitant to talk about my faith,but as Paul taught us, we all have differnt gifts and mine is not being an evangelist.

Politically I am conservative, but being the father of an autistic child I am fully aware of the dire need for social programs. My problem with the social services now provided by all levels of government is the terrible job they all do. The number one problem I have with them is the recipients that shouldn’t be receiving benefits. I’m talking about those that are able mind and body to work but that play the system and the encouragement they receive to do just that. It’s mind boggling the amount of money that is wasted because of this. I am a believer in teaching people to fish instead of giving fish to them. Obviously, or maybe not so obviously, I don’t believe that those that are truly unable to fish, whether for physical or mental reasons or both, should be required to learn how to fish.

Sports-wise I love the four major sports popular in the United States; football, baseball, basketball and hockey. On the professional level I root for the NY Giants and Jets with the Giants being number one of the two football teams, the NY Mets in baseball, the NJ Devils in hockey (with my nephew Jeff we have a partial season ticket plan) and the NY Knicks and NJ Nets in that order for basketball. On the college level I root for the Scarlet Knights of Rutgers University, and having two nephews and a brother-in-law that are alums of the University of Tennessee, the Volunteers of that school.

Well I’ve rambled on enough, or maybe more than enough, for one blog entry so I’ll end here. Feel free to leave a comment, or don’t. If you do, I’ll read it. If you don’t then I won’t know what you think, but that’s OK too, since this blog is about my thoughts. ;-)