Volume 21 - Immigration

The United States is the Land of the Free, the home of the brave, a country that, since its existence, has welcomed people regardless of race, color and creed.

Well, almost true. Discrimination, racism, and bigotry certainly had its 'say' in our development and, sadly, even to some extent today.

Having stated that, however, it should be noted that, we have come a long way in our development, in a relatively short period of time, a few hundred years, give or take a few. There are cultures all over the world that have more history, by thousands of years, than us; we tear down stadiums that are thirty years old, and think we got proper usage from such structures. Nevertheless, we get a grade of "A" for our ability to absorb, learn and grow, multi-culturally, in a couple of centuries. So, what's the big deal now with the subject of 'Immigration'?

Here's the "Big Deal":

When my grandparents came from Italy, my grandfather originally from Northern Italy, and my grandmother from the Abuzzi region of Italy, only two generations ago, they traveled a very long and arduous journey in time and distance, in the search for freedom and a better life. Originally, my grandfather came to this great country, without an education, speaking only his native tongue, alone, without my grandmother, to be able to start anew, without promises or demands. Processed through Ellis Island in the very early years of the 1900's, finding unskilled work in New York, working long hours on low wages, one day to travel back to the 'old country' and deliver my grandmother to her new 'land of opportunity'.

This he did, and like many immigrates of that time, this story was repeated by the Germans, the Irish, the Polish, the Greeks, and so many others, who up to even this day, did as the Country and the law permitted. Nothing asked, certainly nothing demanded, just the opportunity to become part of a new culture, a new and hopefully better life. Absorption of the language, the study of American History (as brief as it is) and the opportunity to be free and participate within a democracy was all they ever sought. They pledged their lives for this country, and demonstrated this over many wars and conflicts. They worked through the discriminations, the hardships, the mis-givings and prejudice of others. Their children of today, those that know how to respect their grandparents and parents, appreciate their efforts and the laws of this country that enabled, even within times of difficulty, the ultimate freedoms that we have today.

So, What is the big deal?

The big deal is 'Illegal' Immigration. That's the big deal. People slipping into the borders of this country, from Mexico and Canada, illegally. People who suck our system 'dry' without having followed law and procedures set forth by this country. People, who instead of following a systematized process, attempt to by-pass procedure, not supporting this country and it's laws, waving their own 'flags', speaking their own languages and demanding...Yes, demanding that we provide bilingual education, bilingual health care and bilingual governmental bulletins, so they can reap the benefits of such, when we can't sufficiently provide proper medical coverage for our own, simply because they have arrived and crossed some border. And, this doesn't even address the potentially worse scenario of terrorists, that slip in and out for the sole purpose of destruction, toward the American way of life.

Here's a news flash to all the people in Washington D.C. and especially Congress, GROW THE NECESSARY COURAGE (BALLS) TO SECURE THE BORDERS (Mexico and Canada), FIX THE I.N.S., SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF THE 12 MILLION OR SO 'ILLEGALS', that have already entered this country for the past three decades due to your utter negligence in addressing this issue in the first place, FIX THE IMMIGRATION QUOTAS, VISAS, LAWS, or any other nonsense that you created. AND, DO IT NOW!