"FATHER'S DAY 2012"
I realize I'm going to catch a lot of flak for agreeing with President Obama's latest venture into solving the illegal immigration situation.
I lost my father over two years ago, and as some that remember him know, I had actually lost him a few years earlier due to dementia.
I always asked his advice, and yes,… you’re right, many times I wish I had taken it.
My father raised me to not dislike people, let alone hate them, due to race, nationality or religion.
Having said the above, I could not understand how angry I seemed to be with illegal immigrants. Was it that advocate Veronica Dahlberg had children parade through Painesville with the Mexican flag front and center with small children dragging our American flag on the ground? Bringing speakers to our town and announcing that we (Hispanics) will take our land back! Maybe it was friends that have suffered from identity theft as well as some Mexican people telling me I needed them. Maybe it was the feeling that all of this was being shoved down my throat.
I have learned at an old age to ask God, my Heavenly father, for advice through prayer. I asked him to help me rid myself of this anger and answer me whether my fears were justified.
I believe my prayers were answered. I was driving through Painesville one day and had to stop at a traffic light. As I gazed around, I spotted three young Hispanic boys playing on their front steps. It dawned on me that these three young boys could have been my two uncles and my father on their porch close to eighty years ago. I wondered if they were all legal residents or if just one of them was. See… my two uncles were born in Italy and my father was born in America a short time after the family arrived. Although my uncles had come here legally, they always presented themselves as American citizens first with Italian heritage second. Then… more than twenty years later… my father fought in WWII against the same country his family had immigrated from. Why? Because he was an American. Until that day at the stop light, I hadn't even given it much thought. I also knew my two uncles would have given up their Italian citizenship in a heartbeat.
Later that month I was asked by a Maple Elementary School third grade class what it was like growing up in Painesville when I was in the third grade [1959]. I spoke with Caucasian, African-American and Hispanic children. I didn't know what to expect from the Hispanic third grader. Did he speak/understand English? Would he call me Senor? No, when I shut my eyes and listened, I could not distinguish between any of them. As I spoke to one particular third grade Hispanic boy, for some strange reason a thought entered my mind. "Ang, do you realize in ten years you and the rest of America might have to ask this child to lay his life down to protect all that is the United States? I wonder if he will think back how I treated him when he was a child.” I don't have any idea where that thought came from… only that it made me think about what I was for or against.
Do I believe in unlimited amnesty? NO. Should English be the official language of the United States? Yes, even if we have to amend the United States Constitution. Should the borders be closed and controlled? Yes. Do I believe in the sovereign right of the United States? Yes. Do I believe in treating people (including young children) with respect? Yes. Should I go back to what my father taught me and judge everyone as an individual? Yes.
I believe it breaks down to a simple fact… to reach any goal successfully you have to have a starting point. President Obama has given us that starting point… now it's up to us to find the most effective plan and solution to this problem. If you have read any American history you know this is not the hardest thing (by far) we have ever had to deal with.
None of us is perfect and we are all the sum of our experiences in life. That does not mean that we ever reach a point where we are done trying to live up to the expectations of our parents and our country. Thank you Dad, for still being able to reach out to me and for the example you left for me to follow.
posted by terminator1 @ 9:12 PM
35 Comments
35 Comments:
Your first sentence says that this move by President Obama is his latest attempt at solving the illegal immigration situation.
Letting them stay here has never been a solution to the illegal immigration problem. We have had two amnesties, and they did not work--they only succeeded in making it worse, and creating the situation we have today. Anyone, based on the history of this country, who can still think that leniency and letting any of them stay is part of the solution is wrong. It has never worked in the past, it will not work to solve anything now, except to create millions more anchor babies, and the loss of at least one million more jobs for Americans.
The statement that Obama made that he was doing it for the American people, was just flat-out stupid. I'd like to see him explain that one.
He has just taken one more step toward the taking down of our country by illegals.
And yes, then there is God. What would God think? I think God would be expecting them to be helped. But what do you think is going to happen to the rest of the world when the United States of America breaks under the weight of the all the illegals? I think God would think it would be fine to help them in their own countries, and not to give them ours. After all, He did make Mexico and the other countries, too, did He not? And then there is the old adage that God helps those who help themselves. Maybe all these millions of Mexicans, for example, should go home and attempt to fix their country so it is as good as ours. Of course their country has problems. Half their people are here! If they all went home and marched on their own government, what could happen in their country? A lot, that's what.
There was another key sentence in your post when you mentioned that your uncles and their parents came here LEGALLY. That's an important word there, that word LEGAL.
I mean--what?--nobody can survive outside of this country, or have successful lives outside of this country? That's a ridiculous way to think. Again, let them go to their own country and save their own country. You can go there, too, to help them all you want. I would have absolutely no problem with that.
Term, this is a very thoughtful post and clearly you are a kind man with a good heart. Who could argue with any of this? BUT, I think today's illegal Mexican immigrants are quite different from your uncles and father. These people are proudly MEXICANS first. They don't want to learn our language. They want to shove their noisy disrespectful culture down our throats. Maybe you could start giving talks in the Mexican community about how to do it RIGHT, and give your family as an example. Because so many of these people just don't get it. I used to think much more like you do. My parents came here from Germany in the fifties. LEGALLY I might add. We spoke ENGLISH in our home. We were not raised as Germans, we were raised as US citizens. Seeing and hearing what I do in this town, every day, has made me much less tolerant of what I can only view as an infestation of people who aren't interested in following the rules or being respectful to their neighbors. What are they teaching their kids, by their example?
Heard a Mexican the other day talking about his little boy, cute little kid. He said, "He speaks English, but we only speak Spanish at home." WHY?? You are in an English speaking country. It should be the other way around. "He can speak Spanish, but we speak English at home." These people have it backwards and I am out of patience with them.
I don't HATE them though I get pretty hostile when they have their loud parties. I'm just sick of hearing their music, their screaming kids, and Spanish. (and I used to love the Spanish language, I might add. I studied it in high school and college and used to be pretty fluent. I hate the sound of it now.)
You say you father taught you not to hate people based on race, nationality or religion. Is he the one who taught you to hate based on political party?
I'm assuming every political party is made up of people of different race,religion,and nationality. I judge people on what they say and do. Many times I have tried to reach out to the other side only to be reminded that the people in my party were lower then cow dung. Did I reach out looking for compromise? What I was told was it's our way ,the right way. Or no way. It's pretty hard to reach agreement with you.
My father was a registered Republican. Did he believe in the Republican dogma? Hardly, he was a registered Republican and contributed to the party because he worked for the State of Ohio for the most time it was under a Republican regimes. You like your job don't you?
I have a simple life philosophy
Life and Dignity of the Human Person
Call to, Family, Community, and Participation Rights and Responsibilities
Option for the Poor and Vulnerable
The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers Solidarity
Care for God's Creation
I don't always succede but it is my challenge.
Seems to make sense to me rather then more power and wealth to the few, where workers are viewed as a liability, where the poor are viewed as non-existant, we don't care about the poor.
We don't need regulations to protect people or God's creation.
I don't hate anyone I just agree to disagree.
If your wondering thats not Communism or Socialism its Catholic teaching, go argue with the Pope.
Gee term, you make youtself out to be holier than thou. You dont fool me. You have shown your true colors. Many times.
10:55 Thats all you got? First I never claimed anything, just what I have been able to see. If the policies you propose are better then someones else fine. I have never claimed to be holier than thou. And your right I have proven it time after time, I realize this.
I just don't hide behind a mask.
No, you just hide behind all your lies and insinuations. And no, that's not all I've got. I just didn't want to join you down in the sewer on fathers day. Better things to do today.
Several years ago when I was researching the phenomenon of the ghost towns in Mexico (because all the viable, working people are HERE), I came across some very interesting interviews. One in particular stands out. It was an old woman who said that her country could now never amount to anything because all the young men and many of the young women, along with most everyone else who was able to work and who had made up the towns were gone. She was lamenting the loss of her culture and country.
She said that she didn't know why they kept leaving, and she thought that her government should stop them, and so should ours. She said you can't have a country when all the people have gone to another country. She said that some of them used to go to America for the summer and then come home after the work was done, but that now the towns were empty, and the culture was lost.
All these people do not belong here. They have their own country to fix and to live in. Now what if all the Mexican businesses in Painesville had actually been started in Mexico? Would this not help their country, for example.
Instead of being here and stealing our country and stealing us blind for everything free, these people need to go home and fix their own country. They can certainly make a country just like ours if their lazy butts choose to, and certainly there are many areas of Mexico that are full of industry, etc., where people are working and having good lives. But they would rather usurp our country.
I say GET READY, GET SET, GET OUT.
Dear Mr. TERM, I am 60+ years old and my opinion of our immigration situation has evolved over the past few years. The President latest ruling is a step in the right direction. I call it a compromise, a "Dream Act Lite" an attempt to solve a problem. This is a courageous step and your post showed courage. Thank you and Happy Fathers Day. Let's hope our children are better at problem solving than we are. I recently read the cover story of TIME Magazine concerning immagration. I learned alot and I highly recommend the article.
7:01 is right, and I can add to that. When my relatives came here, they came here legally. When I got older and asked my French grandparents, why didn't they speak French and why didn't I know how to speak French, I was told that the President of the United States of America told them that they are now Americans, and they should speak English. And they did. They took it so seriously, that I never even heard them speak of being French or anything other than "American" until I was much older and asked again about their backgrounds.
Mexicans don't want to assimilate into our country--they WANT our country, and we are giving it to them--on a silver platter.
It's time for them to get out now. And they will all survive just fine in--GASP--a country other than The United States of America.
12:50 First of all it was your question that started this conversation? What I meant was instead of defending your position on political parties. Please feel free to explain how your party views these things.
2:19 You are wise enough to know that what we have done in the last 10 years seemed to have not worked. What most Americans don't realize is that we are complicit in what has happened. American business attracted these people to come her for jobs.[I am sure I will be told theses were only businesses run and owned by Democrat's] We have watched them labor in our nurseries for the flowers and plants we enjoy and also some of us have even employed them as landscapers or our employers hire them. The National Chamber of Commerce has pushed for comprehensive immigration reform. Now the Republican challenger Mitt Romneyh as scorned the President but is silent if he would resend the order? What's doing on here.
I for one am really sick of hearing "para servicio in Español, oprima el nùmero nueve" when I access an automated telephone service, like the Walgreens pharmacy. These people need to learn English. Period.
4:21 I agree 100% with you. English should be the offical language of the United States.
Now what course of action should we take?
What if we let business know we don't agree.
I believe if you let enough businesses know you disaprove they might change? Then again Lowes and Home Depot both have Spanish signage?
They are trying to attract as wide a customer base as they can.
Maybe making English the offical language of the United States may even be easier then to try to deport 20 million people? I believe it is doable
WE DO NOT HAVE TO DEPORT 20 MILLION PEOPLE. When and if they get the e-verify system up so nobody can work here if they are not American, then they will have to deport themselves.
But, alas, I agree with you on the English only language.
If most of them get out of the country with the e-verify, etc., then there won't be that many illegals left. The rest can learn English, and yes, we should certainly let the businesses know we want them to change. This is not a Spanish country. This is America, where everybody comes together and speaks English. And certainly our leaders should be able to accomplish THAT much, shouldn't they?
I called Target once and got someone on the other end speaking Spanish. I talked to the manager in the store immediately, and then I followed up with corporate. It never happed to me again there.
P.S. I believe 12:50 is AnnOn, coming in now as Annonymous. Gotcha AnnOn.
4:48 I do agree e-verify will make an impact. That's why so many business organizations oppose it. "What another government regulation?"
Have you heard of something called the underground economy? Where no records are kept and workers are paid in cash? These businesses not only cheat their workers but also cheat us out of tax dollars.
See you made a phone call and it made a point. Also I am sure AnnOn will be heard from again, either way 12:50 could be her or not.
This is 4:48 correcting a sentence in my post. I said once e-verify is in place, there won't be that many illegals left, and the rest can learn how to speak English. I meant to say that once the illegals are out, whatever LEGAL immigrants are left can learn to speak English. It should be the goal of our country to have nobody here illegally. To strive for anything less is dangerous and incompetent.
Just a start, now it is time to arm yourselfs to protect what is ours, it is going to get real bad real soon, they have there foot in the door and we will be on the outside.
Funny thing--Ma and pa who ARE illegal aliens aren't being deported either; might as well give them work permits as well. No mention of fates of the original lawbreakers that put their children in this position. If an American had a record of criminal activity, they take the kids away and/or put the parents on a lifelong watch list through the Job and Family Services. In a few years, these kids will be sponsoring these same people for permanent legal residency. Having anchor babies is going to be unnecessary.
Heck, in Painesville illegal aliens get convicted of violent crimes, and they aren't deported. This Administration has money for free birth control and years and years of unemployment, but can't find any resources to deport convicted criminals.
Throw in the fact that Congress rejected the DREAM Act. So, why should the President propose anything to Congress? He's proving his Administration is going to do what they want NOW; imagine what they are going to do after the election.
Just a guess,No comment from Willard? Romneys etch-a-sketch must have lost a button?
>Anonymous said, " When my relatives came here, they came here legally."<
Really? What is legally? For instance, Piers Morgan, a Englishman, comes to The US and is given a job at CNN.
How does He jump over millions of people who are waiting in line to come to America?
And, why is the effort to deport people only on brown people?
No Romney has justed painted himself in to a corner. Clinton must have taught Obama the gift called "triangulation" Clinton way of solving GOP problems. Your car won't run? I'll repair it with my tools for you.
I expect more and better from the President from now to election day. Heard all five Romney sons will be on Conan this week. Wonder if he will ask any of these great American patriots why no one in there family ever served in our military?
Gandpa, Dad, as well as all 5 of them. Must have been to busy making money.
First of all, the premise that all these illegals are just poor, poor people that cannot survive without living in The United States of America is ridiculous. They were smart enough to come here and start businesses, etc., and circumvent our rules and laws all these years. They're smart enough to know how to get all the free benefits here.
And the second premise that sending these people back to their own countries is something horrible is ridiculous. It's THEIR country. People live in MANY countries in the world besides the USA. What?...nobody can survive outside of America? Everyone in the world needs to be here to be alive and well? Everyone in Mexico DIES immediately from being there in THEIR country? Last I knew, Americans go there for vacations. People who still live in Mexico are apparantly able to be alive and well. All illegals who are sent home to their respective countries will live there, same as they would have done here.
Really, the concept that God will be displeased if people are sent back to their own countries is ridiculous. Anyone whose conscience bothers them after that happens, can go to whatever country they want and help the people there in their own countries.
2:34/1:54 What's holding you up? Start removing them? Talking about here hasn't deported anyone. Go house to house on your own and deport them. Get the city manager involved, get your Congressman involved, get your Governor, even the Mittster. Go for it quit bothering me. [a hint none of them will join you]
Really 1:54 you really do know why God would be displeased with you?
Sure all these people were living a great life in CanCun? If the situation was reversed you would have no problem explaining to God why you headed north?
Deport crimminals, make English the offical language how about starting there along with controling the borders?
Dear Mr TERM, You predicted that you would catch alot of flack and you've recieved 20+ messages that have basically said "round them all up and send them home". Lets face it thats never going to happen. I repeat what I said earlier, The President has made a small attempt to solve part of the immigration situation, no one else has! Lets give it a chance. The status quo of ignoring the situation has only made things worst.
So after reading this from the AP today should we get rid of the Asians too for taking our higher skilled jobs?
WASHINGTON -- A new study suggests Asians are beginning to dominate immigration to the United States.
The expansive study by the Pew Research Center says that for the first time, the influx of Asians moving to the U.S. has surpassed that of Hispanics.
Pew says that reflects a slowdown in illegal immigration while American employers increase their demand for high-skilled workers.
Their numbers have been boosted by increases in visas granted to specialized workers and wealthy investors as the U.S. economy becomes more technology driven.
Census data shows about 430,000 Asians, or 36 percent of all new immigrants, arrived in the U.S. in 2010.
The study says the tipping point likely occurred during 2009 as illegal immigrants crossing the border from Mexico sharply declined due to increased enforcement and a dwindling supply of low-wage work.
Many Mexicans already in the U.S. have also been heading back.
The Associated Press
I have news for all of you that think they are taking "americans" jobs. I am a local business owner and for many years I fought the battle of trying to get good help that wanted to hold down an honest job. Before the hispanics it was the majority Blacks and Whites. I got so tired of subpar work ethics, theft, drugs, etc. that I was ready to close up.
Along came the hispanic work force and all of a sudden I had employees that wanted to work, they are honest, no drug problems, etc. I am finally enjoying my business again.
I could care less what you hispanic haters think, I would hire them over the White and Black trash in this city anyday.
7:01 Even Senator Tea Party himself Marco Rubio (R) FL. seems to agree. His comment was if I was one of those people I would illegally immigrate to the United States myself. We have to begin a process.
Or we can talk about going house to house to remove them on this blog. forever?
8:07--what kind of business do you own?
8:07 I find it ludicrous for you to use the word honest when referring to illegals
8:07 I know some Hispanic workers that are quit lazy, I know some Hispanics that would steal the sugar out of a cake. Drugs you believe Hispanics are all drug free? Look it is just as stupid to paint any group with a broad brush the way you have, and the way some have characterized negatively the Hispanic population. Read the post again did you miss the word individual?
I think 8:07 is probably Hispanic, and quite possibly made up the part about owning a business. Although there are a lot of Hispanic bussinesses in town, so that part could be true...I wouldn't count on it, though. I mean, notice the term 8:07 uses--Hispanic haters...
O.K. everyone the SCOTUS just ruled on Arizonia Bill 1070, any suggestions?
Term 9:12: Thank goodness they had the sense to uphold at least part of the bill, and I am grateful to Justice Scalia for his strong and profound dissension on the parts they knocked down. He had the courage to go after the president and the federal government over failing to uphold our immigration laws as they are already written, and for scaling back on what they had been doing.
I'm for Democrates and Obama all the way, but the Democrats are just wrong about this. So wrong that they will lose us our country if we let them.
So bravo to Justice Scalia. He has my utmost respect.
7:35 I glad your happy with Justice Scalia, now go check how he voted? A Supreme Court Justice I thought was above politics? Maybe he wants to go on talk radio?
Bravo to him but what do we do now?
Now all the American people, who want to save their country, need to get off their butts and out into the streets, get on the phones, emails, etc., and demand that our government uphold the immigration laws of The United States of America.
The politicians are giving away our country for votes. Soon all the Hispanics will have enough legal votes to vote only Hispanics in office, and there goes the neighborhood, as they say. The politicians are so dumb, that they don't realize they are giving away not only their country, but all the offices of power in their country, and their own positions.
We already know that the Supreme Court is not a non-partisan institution. We learned THAT when they helped GW steal the Oval Office. We learned then that we cannot trust them to have the good character that they need to have for the honorable positions that they hold--or what SHOULD be honorable positions. We just watched them vote along party lines about upholding the Constition of The United States of America. Yeah...very reassuring.
It's up to the American people to save our country while we still can. And I don't see that happening. I'll guess we'll have to get used to goats and public urination. By the time people wake up, it's going to be too late. We can't even trade countries with them, because their country is a dump--just the way they made it.
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