Friday, April 07, 2006
Enough Already!
In the wake of last week's immigration-reform protests, a school in San Diego is banning all symbols of patriotism. This includes patriotic clothing and flags. For once, I think I may be actually agreeing with the ACLU because, if I'm correct, they have publicly spoken in dissent of this.
Freedom of Speech, anyone? First Amendment rights? Not if offends the immigrants, legal or illegal.
A little background information on this one. Immigration reform are probably the biggest bills right now in Congress. Very, very hotly contested, with very strong feelings on both sides. One bill proposed, for example, would make being in the United States illegally a felony. That's mostly the bill that's sparked so much controversy. Some of the other bills have different objectives, for example, implementing a work program that would make it very, very easy for illegal immigrants to gain citizenship.
While I am definitely opposed to illegal immigration, I think I am much more open to immigration in general than I used to be. I do not in any circumstance favor amnesty (letting people come over here to escape crimes they have committed in their home countries), but I do favor a guest worker program, as long as it is not at the expense of tax-paying Americans. I understand that America is the land of opportunity, and I certainly can understand a person wanting to make a better life for himself and his family. Legal immigration is an important part of our economy, as more people living in the United States = more revenue coming in and more variables to stimulate our economy.
However, the recent events and protests are simply getting out of hand. People are protesting, especially in largely-Hispanic areas such as San Diego, that the immigration reform that Congress is trying to get done is unfair and just not right. Many of the protesters are, no surprise here, of Hispanic origin, and a very large percentage of them don't have citizenship or are just in the United States illegally. If you've turned on the news in the recent days, I'm sure you've seen the images of huge protest rallies with people walking the streets of America brandishing Mexican flags. A real popular thing in the high schools of these areas are for the Hispanic students to just walk out of class, and vandalism of American flags has been common. American flags have been taken off flagpoles and replaced with Mexican flags, etc.
The interesting thing about these, however, is when the reporters do an interview with a protester. 9 times out of 10, these people have just gone on and on about what a great country Mexico is, and how they deserve to be here just as much as anybody else, and that our government can basically just go to hell.
So let's see. You're here illegally, but you deserve to be here as much as I do, even though I pay taxes and you do not. Your home country is a wonderful place, yet you illegally crossed over our borders, and now you're criticizing our government.
Probably the best part of being in America is you have the freedom to do that. Try speaking out against any government official like that in your home country. But if it's so great there and so horrible here, why are you here in the first place?
These high school students are especially frustrating. I'm willing to guess that at least 90% of them have no idea why they're protesting- they just see it as a way to get out of class.
Don't get me wrong. There is absolutely nothing wrong with dissent, and I believe it makes our country stronger. But I don't like seeing protests for the sake of protests, when the people protesting do know their cause.
You have your rights to protest. Say what you will about my country, but I know that it's the only country worth living in. If I was living in San Diego, I would be protesting this blatant violation of my First Amendment rights.
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
Moussaoui deserves the death penalty
So, yesterday a federal jury in Alexandria, VA, found Zacarias Moussaoui- the so-called "20th Highjacker" in the 9/11 plot- eligible for the death penalty, deciding that his lies to the FBI led directly to at least one death.
As this verdict was read, Moussaoui was asked to stand but refused to. As he was being led out of the courtroom, he shouted, "You’ll never get my blood, God curse you all,". The jury will return Thursday to listen to testimony from family members of those who died on 9/11 and decide whether or not to execute Moussaoui.
So let's look at this a little bit. This man helped to plan the most vicious act of terror in the history of the world. He has, on his hands, the blood of 2,997 innocent people. Throughout his trial, he continued to pledge his allegiance to al-Qaida and bin Laden. Yet there are still people, namely liberals, who feel he should be spared the death penalty.
My response? If ever anybody deserved the death penalty, this worthless excuse for a human being does. I'm not a violent person- but I hope that they not only give him the death penalty, they make it an painful as possible.
I would never say this to or about anybody other than someone as truly evil as the likes of this guy, but Moussaoui- I hope you burn in hell. May God have mercy on you.
Because we sure as hell won't.
bravenet.com