…of La Raza! He’s no stranger to the group, you know.
Speaking of La Raza, there seems to be all sorts of shifting going on; not a position shift but an image shift from what I can tell.
Ruben Navarrette and the San Diego Union-Tribune are both dissing Elvira for her bad example. Ruben still says we ought to have “comprehensive immigration reform” (read: amnesty program of some sort) and he still says the Minutemen are “vigilantes”. But he has no respect for a woman who puts her child in harm’s way.
The editor of the San Diego Union-Tribune says Elvira got what she deserved for flouting the deportation order.
Suddenly, both of these icons of the left are now preaching the rule of law as a justified reason for deporting Elvira.
And Navarrette even brings La Raza into it. “The Race” seems to prefer the acronym NCLR these days since no one outside of their PR department buys their newspeak definition of La Raza as "community".
Cecilia Munoz, a La Raza spokesman, tried to convince old Ruben that they are in favor of enforcement. Ruben wasn’t buying it. It seems that Munoz couldn’t see the point of arresting Elvira.
She said, “We have questions about whether going after people one at a time ultimately has much of a payoff in terms of effectiveness.” I can’t tell if she’s dense or just thinks we are. The point, Ms. Munoz, is that she was defying the deportation order and doing it in front of the entire world. Does that make any sense to you?
That said, La Raza is in favor of enforcement, Ruben Navarrette has moved to the right, and so has the San Diego Union-Tribune. The only thing that hasn’t changed is that all sorts of politicians are lining up in front of microphones and calling for reform so that the likes of Elvira will never again be separated from their children.
Friday, August 31, 2007
Saulito the cipher
This is a hard thing to write because I believe Saulito has had a rough life. He has been used as a pawn in this media game being played by his mother, Elvira, and the Colemans. Nothing is ever said about his father. He deserves a normal life as a kid, not a role as the poster child for illegal aliens’ rights.
Right now his role is a cipher. In math a cipher has no value, except to hold open a space. The press is failing to report that SAULITO COULD HAVE GONE BACK TO MEXICO WITH HIS MOTHER. That was always an option.
Instead, these hoodlums chose to leave him here, presumably so they’d still have a symbol of the injustice, as they call it. They wouldn’t want the story to fade as Elvira and her son settle into their new home back in Mexico.
And it appears that they planned it out since the are claiming that Emma Lozano is Saul’s “legal guardian.”
I was looking for photos resembling the capture of Elian Gonzalez, but the only thing I could find was a Chicago Tribune photo of a tearful Saulito being comforted by Joline Lozano, Emma’s daughter. (I assume Emma was too busy with the press to comfort the little guy, so her 15 year old daughter got the duty.)
It is a shame that little children are put up to such things. But there are the needs of a little boy and there are the needs of the cause. Saul will just have to make the sacrifice, whether he understands it or not.
I hear tell they will be dragging him down to Mexico City soon, presumably to be part of the mid-September protest. These people have no shame.
Right now his role is a cipher. In math a cipher has no value, except to hold open a space. The press is failing to report that SAULITO COULD HAVE GONE BACK TO MEXICO WITH HIS MOTHER. That was always an option.
Instead, these hoodlums chose to leave him here, presumably so they’d still have a symbol of the injustice, as they call it. They wouldn’t want the story to fade as Elvira and her son settle into their new home back in Mexico.
And it appears that they planned it out since the are claiming that Emma Lozano is Saul’s “legal guardian.”
I was looking for photos resembling the capture of Elian Gonzalez, but the only thing I could find was a Chicago Tribune photo of a tearful Saulito being comforted by Joline Lozano, Emma’s daughter. (I assume Emma was too busy with the press to comfort the little guy, so her 15 year old daughter got the duty.)
It is a shame that little children are put up to such things. But there are the needs of a little boy and there are the needs of the cause. Saul will just have to make the sacrifice, whether he understands it or not.
I hear tell they will be dragging him down to Mexico City soon, presumably to be part of the mid-September protest. These people have no shame.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
CO2 and GHG
I’m going green. I’ve caught the bug. Mother Earth, I’m sorry for my past sins.
Now about these CO2s and GHGs, the time has come to reduce them considerably. They are wasting way too much energy and polluting our country. Whenever you put four families in a two-bedroom home, you are going to use more water and sewer. And they are WAY over the 2.0 children per couple.
And I was reading in the July issue of Alien Living magazine that their Car of the Year is a 1987 Town and Country Minivan (stretch model), followed by a 1993 Explorer. The 1985 4-door Buick came in third. We all know that these are the definition of gas-guzzlers and polluters to boot.
Bu the way, did you hear that Illinois is exempting all cars older than 1996 from smog testing because it requires too much effort to do emissions testing? (As in, you can’t just plug in and read the computer.) That’s right, those old, smoke belching, rust buckets no longer require testing. Ain’t socialism grand? The libs may have to work on that law.
My next-door neighbor had one of those ’85 Buicks. He’d warm it up for 15 minutes in the winter, right outside my bedroom window-at 4:45 am! And I think the muffler needs to be replaced, too.
So I’ve had it with these CO2s and GHGs. I say we work to get rid of them unless they have their papers.
(CO2 = Chinese Offenders GHG = Generally Hispanic “Guests”)
Now about these CO2s and GHGs, the time has come to reduce them considerably. They are wasting way too much energy and polluting our country. Whenever you put four families in a two-bedroom home, you are going to use more water and sewer. And they are WAY over the 2.0 children per couple.
And I was reading in the July issue of Alien Living magazine that their Car of the Year is a 1987 Town and Country Minivan (stretch model), followed by a 1993 Explorer. The 1985 4-door Buick came in third. We all know that these are the definition of gas-guzzlers and polluters to boot.
Bu the way, did you hear that Illinois is exempting all cars older than 1996 from smog testing because it requires too much effort to do emissions testing? (As in, you can’t just plug in and read the computer.) That’s right, those old, smoke belching, rust buckets no longer require testing. Ain’t socialism grand? The libs may have to work on that law.
My next-door neighbor had one of those ’85 Buicks. He’d warm it up for 15 minutes in the winter, right outside my bedroom window-at 4:45 am! And I think the muffler needs to be replaced, too.
So I’ve had it with these CO2s and GHGs. I say we work to get rid of them unless they have their papers.
(CO2 = Chinese Offenders GHG = Generally Hispanic “Guests”)
I think we hit a nerve
Or…Put up or shut up.
All those Latino activists who have been claiming that the real immigration problem is the employers and that the government needs to go after them and leave the illegals alone are now faced with a little problem.
The Feds claim to be getting tough with employers and the Latino activists don’t like it one bit. Employers can no longer throw away Social Security “No Match” letters. They are now required to resolve discrepancies within 90 days or face fines (over $10K).
Just what the Latino activists wanted, right? WRONG!
According to the Chicago Tribune they were protesting outside the Federal Building in Chicago yesterday chanting “NO MORE NO MATCH!”
It sort of goes along with the Illinois State Legislature banning the use of new employee screening just when companies are starting to use the program.
By the way, things are a bit confusing in that area. One bill says it’s OK and the next forbids using it. Does anyone know the truth? And how does Bush’s new emphasis on the program change that law?
Anyway, I think that we’re making progress as we slowly remove the illogical, inconsistent enforcement of immigration laws. I just find it humorous when the protesters make fools of themselves.
All those Latino activists who have been claiming that the real immigration problem is the employers and that the government needs to go after them and leave the illegals alone are now faced with a little problem.
The Feds claim to be getting tough with employers and the Latino activists don’t like it one bit. Employers can no longer throw away Social Security “No Match” letters. They are now required to resolve discrepancies within 90 days or face fines (over $10K).
Just what the Latino activists wanted, right? WRONG!
According to the Chicago Tribune they were protesting outside the Federal Building in Chicago yesterday chanting “NO MORE NO MATCH!”
It sort of goes along with the Illinois State Legislature banning the use of new employee screening just when companies are starting to use the program.
By the way, things are a bit confusing in that area. One bill says it’s OK and the next forbids using it. Does anyone know the truth? And how does Bush’s new emphasis on the program change that law?
Anyway, I think that we’re making progress as we slowly remove the illogical, inconsistent enforcement of immigration laws. I just find it humorous when the protesters make fools of themselves.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Tidy PR Packages
I’m not a big fan of TV Dinners. Most people don’t like them. There are a few brands that are passable, but they just aren’t the real thing. They try to be all things at once.
Take Barack Obama. I posted his letter about immigration reform which told me ZERO about his views on the subject. Then a few weeks ago, Obama was walking the picket lines outside a Chicago Hotel. This picket line has been going for four years now, and Barack shows up to march with them every year or so.
Well, this picket line performance just happened to take place a few days before the AFL-CIO Democrat Debate at Soldier Field. Nice packaging.
It almost seems as though Barack has been planning for this campaign all his life. He voted “Present” on all sorts of Illinois State issues when he was in Springfield. Better to have no position at all than one that would offend anyone.
Then there is the Elvira package. Did you know she has a line or embroidered blouses called “Sanctuary”? I kid you not. Did you notice what she was wearing in her photo ops in Chicago and LA – Embroidered blouses!
But the Elvira package also goes back a few years. The first time I heard Emma Lozano mentioned as Saulito’s godmother was when Elvira was talking about the custody situation in Tijuana.
I’m assuming that Emma was named godmother shortly after Saul was born, eight years ago! So the whole sanctuary gig in Chicago was set up. Emma is a long-time friend. Emma runs Sin Fronteras (Open Borders). Emma is married to Rev. Slim Coleman. (OK, he’s a Methodist minister and Emma was at one time a Catholic in order to be a godmother. Maybe she still is a Catholic.) Rev. Coleman also has this social justice PR background that goes back 25 years in Chicago.
The more I read, the more I get the feeling that this entire stunt was set up. And I get the idea that Elvira had no intention of taking Saul back to Mexico with her. Immediately upon crossing the border she is living in the apartment of a friend in Tijuana. In a matter of hours she’s in Mexico City appearing before their Senate. And she’s scheduled to go back to her hometown of Michoacan to visit her family.
It sounds like Elvira is just another PR package to me, and the politicians on both sides of the border are lapping it up. Fortunately, the editors of some newspapers are not looking upon her favorably.
Take Barack Obama. I posted his letter about immigration reform which told me ZERO about his views on the subject. Then a few weeks ago, Obama was walking the picket lines outside a Chicago Hotel. This picket line has been going for four years now, and Barack shows up to march with them every year or so.
Well, this picket line performance just happened to take place a few days before the AFL-CIO Democrat Debate at Soldier Field. Nice packaging.
It almost seems as though Barack has been planning for this campaign all his life. He voted “Present” on all sorts of Illinois State issues when he was in Springfield. Better to have no position at all than one that would offend anyone.
Then there is the Elvira package. Did you know she has a line or embroidered blouses called “Sanctuary”? I kid you not. Did you notice what she was wearing in her photo ops in Chicago and LA – Embroidered blouses!
But the Elvira package also goes back a few years. The first time I heard Emma Lozano mentioned as Saulito’s godmother was when Elvira was talking about the custody situation in Tijuana.
I’m assuming that Emma was named godmother shortly after Saul was born, eight years ago! So the whole sanctuary gig in Chicago was set up. Emma is a long-time friend. Emma runs Sin Fronteras (Open Borders). Emma is married to Rev. Slim Coleman. (OK, he’s a Methodist minister and Emma was at one time a Catholic in order to be a godmother. Maybe she still is a Catholic.) Rev. Coleman also has this social justice PR background that goes back 25 years in Chicago.
The more I read, the more I get the feeling that this entire stunt was set up. And I get the idea that Elvira had no intention of taking Saul back to Mexico with her. Immediately upon crossing the border she is living in the apartment of a friend in Tijuana. In a matter of hours she’s in Mexico City appearing before their Senate. And she’s scheduled to go back to her hometown of Michoacan to visit her family.
It sounds like Elvira is just another PR package to me, and the politicians on both sides of the border are lapping it up. Fortunately, the editors of some newspapers are not looking upon her favorably.
Senator Larry Craig, R-Idaho
Politicians are so disappointing. I’m trying hard to work this whole men’s room thing into something logical and I can’t figure out a way to let him off the hook.
I can’t believe someone was trying to set him up. He’s just not the kind of target who would deserve an elaborate trap halfway between his home state and DC. He admits to his actions and even entered a guilty plea so that idea is out.
I can believe that Minneapolis has a gay problem that would warrant police patrols in the johns. Twenty years ago I attended a company dinner at a place called Ed Webster’s located somewhere along the business loop of the interstate on the south side of Minneapolis. They served a huge hunk of prime rib.
Anyway…the restaurant had a bar in the basement and some of the company executives went downstairs for a drink. There were some people on the dance floor and they were all men! One of the men in the bar asked the division president if he wanted to dance! That was the talk of the company for several years. (No, he didn’t accept the invitation.)
So, I was busting Tony Villaraigosa for having an affair with a reporter and now I’m busting Larry Craig for acting gay in a restroom.
I will also note that Sen. Craig is (well, was) the Senate co-chairman for Mitt Romney’s campaign. I haven’t seen Tony resigning from the Hillary campaign.
I will say this about the GOP, they generally resign rather than apologize and keep serving. Personally, I think that’s a better way.
I can’t believe someone was trying to set him up. He’s just not the kind of target who would deserve an elaborate trap halfway between his home state and DC. He admits to his actions and even entered a guilty plea so that idea is out.
I can believe that Minneapolis has a gay problem that would warrant police patrols in the johns. Twenty years ago I attended a company dinner at a place called Ed Webster’s located somewhere along the business loop of the interstate on the south side of Minneapolis. They served a huge hunk of prime rib.
Anyway…the restaurant had a bar in the basement and some of the company executives went downstairs for a drink. There were some people on the dance floor and they were all men! One of the men in the bar asked the division president if he wanted to dance! That was the talk of the company for several years. (No, he didn’t accept the invitation.)
So, I was busting Tony Villaraigosa for having an affair with a reporter and now I’m busting Larry Craig for acting gay in a restroom.
I will also note that Sen. Craig is (well, was) the Senate co-chairman for Mitt Romney’s campaign. I haven’t seen Tony resigning from the Hillary campaign.
I will say this about the GOP, they generally resign rather than apologize and keep serving. Personally, I think that’s a better way.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Is there such a thing as a dog-sniffing-dog?
Well, of course, there is. They do it all the time. But I mean a professional?
It seems the Mexican Government has lost Rex IV, one of its best drug-sniffing dogs. Rex was on a flight from the DF to Mazatlan when someone pulled the old switch-a-roo. (I hate when that happens.)
Some official looking fellow showed up at the airport at the last minute and told the airline agent they needed to switch out the dogs. So when they landed at Mazatlan, Rex IV had been replaced with Heinz 57.
It seems the Mexican Government has lost Rex IV, one of its best drug-sniffing dogs. Rex was on a flight from the DF to Mazatlan when someone pulled the old switch-a-roo. (I hate when that happens.)
Some official looking fellow showed up at the airport at the last minute and told the airline agent they needed to switch out the dogs. So when they landed at Mazatlan, Rex IV had been replaced with Heinz 57.
The coughing busboy
News reports from Atlanta reveal that a 17-year old boy from Mexico is being held against his will in isolation in the Gwinnett County Jail. He has TB and just wants to go home to Mexico.
TB is about three times more prevalent in Mexico than it is in the United States. Figures from 2004 put the number of cases at 16,000 and 14,500 respectively, but their population was 106 million and ours was 296 million.
Unlike sickle cell anemia, TB isn’t related to skin color but rather socio-economic conditions.
As distasteful and inhumane as it seems to us now, Ellis Island was an effort to screen our immigrants. Screening is still important today, yet the “they just came here for a better life” crowd doesn’t seem to see the danger in open borders.
Pew Hispanic Center did a study of illegal aliens in March of 2006. They reported that “unauthorized” workers make up a significant percentage of the workforce in these key industries:
Food Packaging/Processing – 14%
Farming – 13%
Food Service – 12%
Hotels – 10%
So you have 12 of them crammed in a minivan speeding through the desert and one of them has a bad cough. They then move into close-quarters housing. Can you see the vectors moving throughout our society? Are you ready for an Al Gore sequel? “An Inconvenient Cough” coming to a theater near you!
Hepatitis A and Salmonella are also very easily transmitted through food handlers.
Earlier this year there was an outbreak in the Fox Valley (Illinois) of Salmonella Newport traced to locally produced Mexican-style Cheeses being manufactured by unlicensed, unregulated plants in the area.
A food worker at Houlihan’s in Geneva Illinois shared his Hepatitis A with patrons in January of this year. The culprit appeared to be drinks with ice in them.
From December through March, a homeless shelter in Aurora Illinois kept a resident with TB, resulting in a search for others who may have been infected.
As I write this several swimming pools in Utah are closed due to cryptosporidium, a bacterial infection caused by poor hygiene on the part of people with diarrhea.
We can talk about spinach and onions as well, but my point is that when we lose control of the third world aliens coming into our country (and the Chinese have a serious problem, not just those south of the border) we are playing with fire.
This problem requires serious border security, a review of our screening programs, and a need for assimilation of our hygiene habits by those who choose to live here. I don’t see us doing any of that very well.
By the time the ice caps melt, those of us who remain will be coughing up blood anyway.
TB is about three times more prevalent in Mexico than it is in the United States. Figures from 2004 put the number of cases at 16,000 and 14,500 respectively, but their population was 106 million and ours was 296 million.
Unlike sickle cell anemia, TB isn’t related to skin color but rather socio-economic conditions.
As distasteful and inhumane as it seems to us now, Ellis Island was an effort to screen our immigrants. Screening is still important today, yet the “they just came here for a better life” crowd doesn’t seem to see the danger in open borders.
Pew Hispanic Center did a study of illegal aliens in March of 2006. They reported that “unauthorized” workers make up a significant percentage of the workforce in these key industries:
Food Packaging/Processing – 14%
Farming – 13%
Food Service – 12%
Hotels – 10%
So you have 12 of them crammed in a minivan speeding through the desert and one of them has a bad cough. They then move into close-quarters housing. Can you see the vectors moving throughout our society? Are you ready for an Al Gore sequel? “An Inconvenient Cough” coming to a theater near you!
Hepatitis A and Salmonella are also very easily transmitted through food handlers.
Earlier this year there was an outbreak in the Fox Valley (Illinois) of Salmonella Newport traced to locally produced Mexican-style Cheeses being manufactured by unlicensed, unregulated plants in the area.
A food worker at Houlihan’s in Geneva Illinois shared his Hepatitis A with patrons in January of this year. The culprit appeared to be drinks with ice in them.
From December through March, a homeless shelter in Aurora Illinois kept a resident with TB, resulting in a search for others who may have been infected.
As I write this several swimming pools in Utah are closed due to cryptosporidium, a bacterial infection caused by poor hygiene on the part of people with diarrhea.
We can talk about spinach and onions as well, but my point is that when we lose control of the third world aliens coming into our country (and the Chinese have a serious problem, not just those south of the border) we are playing with fire.
This problem requires serious border security, a review of our screening programs, and a need for assimilation of our hygiene habits by those who choose to live here. I don’t see us doing any of that very well.
By the time the ice caps melt, those of us who remain will be coughing up blood anyway.
The Devil made me do it
Flip Wilson, a comedian from a few decades back, used to dress up in drag as Earnestine, a nappy headed…., er, call gi…., lady of the ev….., a working girl. His signature line for the character’s behavior was always, “The Devil made me do it!”
I hadn’t thought about Flip Wilson for ten years, but that line came to mind when I heard about Elvira’s speech in Mexico City, DF.
She was invited to address the Mexican Congress. And for the first time she explained who’s to blame for her troubles. Listen to this: “The United States is the one who broke the law first by letting people cross over without documents and by letting people pay taxes.” (August 22, 2007)
Elvira told a Mexican Senate Committee: “For me it is very important that our government take a strong stand to defend all of us who decide to migrate to another country.” It is as simple as that.
You decide you want to live in the United States and you deserve the cooperation and protection of both the US and Mexico. That sounds logical to me. And would you like me to peel you a grape and fetch you some Bon-Bons while I’m at it?
There must be something in the water south of the border because the politicians are talking just like Elvira. “We cannot remain quiet in view of this injustice and must ask for firm action from our authorities,” Mexican Sen. Humberto Zazue said.
"It's tragic when a mother is separated from her son," said Luis Cabrera, Mexico's general consul in San Diego. You’re absolutely right, Luis. She should have kept her son with her when she returned to Mexico. Surely you knew she had that choice.
Not to be outdone by the Mexican politicians, the mayor of LA, Tony Villaraigosa (yes, I’ve written about him before) commented: "Until we resolve the status of the estimated 12 million undocumented people living and working in the United States by giving them some meaningful pathway to citizenship, families will continue to be torn apart.” Actually Tony, if you’d get control of your bed snake, other families (like your own) would not be torn apart. Maybe you could work on that before you try to solve the illegal alien issue.
And Chicago’s Very Own Alderman Ricardo Munoz added this perspective on the subject: "It's a sad day. We need comprehensive immigration reform that keeps families together. A young boy, a U.S. citizen, lost his mother to a broken system. Elvira has put a face to this struggle. There are 12 million illegal immigrants that head to work every morning, not knowing if they'll come home at the end of the day."
It seems to me that Mayor Villaraigosa and Alderman Munoz need to read their oath of office before they start making public comments like that.
By now you’ll need something to clear you head of all this nonsense. I offer you this comment from the Associated Press: Jim Hayes, director of ICE in Los Angeles, said "proper perspective" should be placed on the woman's case. Using a false identity, as in the case of Arellano, who was convicted of using someone else's Social Security number, can be a threat to national security, he said.
"We don't think she's a martyr," Hayes said. "She was a criminal fugitive who is in violation of the law."
Thank you, Mr. Hayes, for setting the record straight.
I hadn’t thought about Flip Wilson for ten years, but that line came to mind when I heard about Elvira’s speech in Mexico City, DF.
She was invited to address the Mexican Congress. And for the first time she explained who’s to blame for her troubles. Listen to this: “The United States is the one who broke the law first by letting people cross over without documents and by letting people pay taxes.” (August 22, 2007)
Elvira told a Mexican Senate Committee: “For me it is very important that our government take a strong stand to defend all of us who decide to migrate to another country.” It is as simple as that.
You decide you want to live in the United States and you deserve the cooperation and protection of both the US and Mexico. That sounds logical to me. And would you like me to peel you a grape and fetch you some Bon-Bons while I’m at it?
There must be something in the water south of the border because the politicians are talking just like Elvira. “We cannot remain quiet in view of this injustice and must ask for firm action from our authorities,” Mexican Sen. Humberto Zazue said.
"It's tragic when a mother is separated from her son," said Luis Cabrera, Mexico's general consul in San Diego. You’re absolutely right, Luis. She should have kept her son with her when she returned to Mexico. Surely you knew she had that choice.
Not to be outdone by the Mexican politicians, the mayor of LA, Tony Villaraigosa (yes, I’ve written about him before) commented: "Until we resolve the status of the estimated 12 million undocumented people living and working in the United States by giving them some meaningful pathway to citizenship, families will continue to be torn apart.” Actually Tony, if you’d get control of your bed snake, other families (like your own) would not be torn apart. Maybe you could work on that before you try to solve the illegal alien issue.
And Chicago’s Very Own Alderman Ricardo Munoz added this perspective on the subject: "It's a sad day. We need comprehensive immigration reform that keeps families together. A young boy, a U.S. citizen, lost his mother to a broken system. Elvira has put a face to this struggle. There are 12 million illegal immigrants that head to work every morning, not knowing if they'll come home at the end of the day."
It seems to me that Mayor Villaraigosa and Alderman Munoz need to read their oath of office before they start making public comments like that.
By now you’ll need something to clear you head of all this nonsense. I offer you this comment from the Associated Press: Jim Hayes, director of ICE in Los Angeles, said "proper perspective" should be placed on the woman's case. Using a false identity, as in the case of Arellano, who was convicted of using someone else's Social Security number, can be a threat to national security, he said.
"We don't think she's a martyr," Hayes said. "She was a criminal fugitive who is in violation of the law."
Thank you, Mr. Hayes, for setting the record straight.
Saturday, August 25, 2007
No Beck, but the protest goes on anyway
I wrote previously about the fact that the Holiday Inn and a judge forced the cancellation of a talk by Sheriff Daniel Beck. It seems that the group reserving the conference room “misrepresented” the event by writing on the form “Sheriff Dan Beck – Immigration Conference” instead of Minuteman Meeting.
So, the conference is off but not the problem. It turns out that the protesters were going to have their protest, Beck or no Beck. The Carpentersville Community Alliance, McHenry County Peace Group and the Latino Coalition decided it was a good day to protest, even if the object of their protest, Sheriff Beck, was cancelled.
Well, now along comes another group, Minuteman Midwest who agrees to join the protest. They had nothing to do with Beck, but they were willing to come out and represent the other side of the issue.
It looks like a pretty decent day for a protest in the park. We’ll see how this all turns out.
One thing is for sure, the cops will have to spend that $3,500 to cover that event after all. And since the rallies are in the park, I don’t think they have anyone to send an invoice to. There is some poetic justice in that.
I won’t be going to the protest. Hearing someone like Beck who knows how to deal with the problem is one thing; people yelling back and forth is quite another. One is productive; the other is not.
So, the conference is off but not the problem. It turns out that the protesters were going to have their protest, Beck or no Beck. The Carpentersville Community Alliance, McHenry County Peace Group and the Latino Coalition decided it was a good day to protest, even if the object of their protest, Sheriff Beck, was cancelled.
Well, now along comes another group, Minuteman Midwest who agrees to join the protest. They had nothing to do with Beck, but they were willing to come out and represent the other side of the issue.
It looks like a pretty decent day for a protest in the park. We’ll see how this all turns out.
One thing is for sure, the cops will have to spend that $3,500 to cover that event after all. And since the rallies are in the park, I don’t think they have anyone to send an invoice to. There is some poetic justice in that.
I won’t be going to the protest. Hearing someone like Beck who knows how to deal with the problem is one thing; people yelling back and forth is quite another. One is productive; the other is not.
New Jersey Gets Religion
Well, Jose Carranza got someone's attention. Someone figured out that it is just plain wrong that a violent child molester who doesn’t speak English and has a fake Social Security card is out on the street on bail. Duh!
The Mayor of Newark gave the stock answer: That’s not my job.
Actually Mayor Cory Booker told WNYC Radio: “In no way is obligation of city police department to be going around and doing the work of INS.”
Mayor Booker told Newsweek Magazine: “I think the role of local law enforcement is to enforce the public’s safety, and to prevent a crime from happening. It is very problematic when you create a climate where police are acting as immigration officers. Because then you create a climate where an undocumented immigrant is afraid to go to the police when being victimized by crime.”
A nice idea but when three people are executed in a park by illegal alien Jose Carranza, there must be a better answer.
So, the New Jersey Attorney General, Anne Milgram, issued Law Enforcement Directive #2007-3 on August 22nd that instructed ALL law enforcement agencies to begin asking, checking, and reporting illegals.
Here’s part of that Directive: “When a local, county, or State law enforcement officer makes an arrest for any indictable crime, or for driving while intoxicated, the arresting officer or a designated officer, as part of the booking process, shall inquire about the arrestee’s citizenship, nationality and immigration status. If the officer has reason to believe that the person may not be lawfully present in the United States, the officer shall notify Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during the arrest booking process. The only exception to this requirement shall be if the County Prosecutor or the Director of the Division of Criminal Justice determines, in writing, that good cause exists to refrain from notifying ICE during the arrest booking process.”
The seven page directive covers the concerns of Mayor Booker about witnesses and victims as well.
And it requires the police to tell the County Prosecutor and the Court, so everyone in the process knows that the perp is an illegal.
Time will tell how it will all work out but it is a clear sign that New Jersey is tired of violence at the hands of known illegal aliens. I wish them well.
The Mayor of Newark gave the stock answer: That’s not my job.
Actually Mayor Cory Booker told WNYC Radio: “In no way is obligation of city police department to be going around and doing the work of INS.”
Mayor Booker told Newsweek Magazine: “I think the role of local law enforcement is to enforce the public’s safety, and to prevent a crime from happening. It is very problematic when you create a climate where police are acting as immigration officers. Because then you create a climate where an undocumented immigrant is afraid to go to the police when being victimized by crime.”
A nice idea but when three people are executed in a park by illegal alien Jose Carranza, there must be a better answer.
So, the New Jersey Attorney General, Anne Milgram, issued Law Enforcement Directive #2007-3 on August 22nd that instructed ALL law enforcement agencies to begin asking, checking, and reporting illegals.
Here’s part of that Directive: “When a local, county, or State law enforcement officer makes an arrest for any indictable crime, or for driving while intoxicated, the arresting officer or a designated officer, as part of the booking process, shall inquire about the arrestee’s citizenship, nationality and immigration status. If the officer has reason to believe that the person may not be lawfully present in the United States, the officer shall notify Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during the arrest booking process. The only exception to this requirement shall be if the County Prosecutor or the Director of the Division of Criminal Justice determines, in writing, that good cause exists to refrain from notifying ICE during the arrest booking process.”
The seven page directive covers the concerns of Mayor Booker about witnesses and victims as well.
And it requires the police to tell the County Prosecutor and the Court, so everyone in the process knows that the perp is an illegal.
Time will tell how it will all work out but it is a clear sign that New Jersey is tired of violence at the hands of known illegal aliens. I wish them well.
Friday, August 24, 2007
Casting Call
I’m doing a made-for-TV movie of Elvira’s trip from Chicago to LA. It is harder than it sounds. She had quite an entourage on the trip. I’m surprised the Chicago ICE office didn’t detect her leaving the church with all those people, especially given the announcement that she would be on the move soon.
So, here’s the cast of characters:
Rev. Walter “Slim” Coleman. I say Donald Sutherland (right kids, Jack Bauer’s dad) is just right for the part. Before becoming the Reverend Coleman, Slim was a fixture in Harold Washington’s Chicago operation. He’d always looked out for the poor and needy, albeit at government expense. He’s pretty far to the left as you might expect.
Emma Lozano. The spot is open. Emma is Slim’s wife. She’s also the leader of Without Borders, a group that thinks the American Continent is a free-for-all.
Saulito Arellano(?). I guess that is his last name. I’ve never heard him called by his father’s name. Eight years old and very cute. Must be able to cry on command.
Joline Lozano. A teen age daughter of Emma. She’s Saulito’s babysitter when Emma and Slim hear a camera running.
Daisy. The Chihuahua.
Elvira Arellano. The star of the show. She will be required to give a blessing to her son, despite her trouble keeping the ten commandments. And she’ll need to be a good victim, ignoring the victims she left in her wake. Maybe if you’ve played the part of Sybil before….
Chicago Alderman Ricardo Munoz. This character will have to be able to swear to uphold the laws of the land and then turn around and deliver this line: "It's a sad day. We need comprehensive immigration reform that keeps families together. A young boy, a U.S. citizen, lost his mother to a broken system. Elvira has put a face to this struggle. There are 12 million illegal immigrants that head to work every morning, not knowing if they'll come home at the end of the day." Now THAT will require a good actor.
Immigration agents (Chicago scenes). None needed.
Immigration agents (LA scenes). Fifteen men. Age 25-40, well-built, over 6’, look good in aviator sun glasses. Must be able to drive a black Suburban.
Leave me a comment if you want to audition for a part.
So, here’s the cast of characters:
Rev. Walter “Slim” Coleman. I say Donald Sutherland (right kids, Jack Bauer’s dad) is just right for the part. Before becoming the Reverend Coleman, Slim was a fixture in Harold Washington’s Chicago operation. He’d always looked out for the poor and needy, albeit at government expense. He’s pretty far to the left as you might expect.
Emma Lozano. The spot is open. Emma is Slim’s wife. She’s also the leader of Without Borders, a group that thinks the American Continent is a free-for-all.
Saulito Arellano(?). I guess that is his last name. I’ve never heard him called by his father’s name. Eight years old and very cute. Must be able to cry on command.
Joline Lozano. A teen age daughter of Emma. She’s Saulito’s babysitter when Emma and Slim hear a camera running.
Daisy. The Chihuahua.
Elvira Arellano. The star of the show. She will be required to give a blessing to her son, despite her trouble keeping the ten commandments. And she’ll need to be a good victim, ignoring the victims she left in her wake. Maybe if you’ve played the part of Sybil before….
Chicago Alderman Ricardo Munoz. This character will have to be able to swear to uphold the laws of the land and then turn around and deliver this line: "It's a sad day. We need comprehensive immigration reform that keeps families together. A young boy, a U.S. citizen, lost his mother to a broken system. Elvira has put a face to this struggle. There are 12 million illegal immigrants that head to work every morning, not knowing if they'll come home at the end of the day." Now THAT will require a good actor.
Immigration agents (Chicago scenes). None needed.
Immigration agents (LA scenes). Fifteen men. Age 25-40, well-built, over 6’, look good in aviator sun glasses. Must be able to drive a black Suburban.
Leave me a comment if you want to audition for a part.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Am I in Quebec?
Maybe I’ve been dreaming about the summit going on in Quebec with Bush, Calderon, and Harper. (I always get nervous when those three countries get together. I worry that Bush will give away the store.) Maybe that summit has got me imagining things.
But it seems to me that there have been all sorts of stories about the native tongue in the USA. Here’s a recent sample:
Salt Lake City, July 14th: “Five women have sued the makers of the popular Fi-Bar and Tiger's Milk energy bars, claiming they were singled out for racist abuse and fired for not speaking English. “
DeKalb, Illinois August 15th: “A $1.5 million federal grant recently was handed over to Northern Illinois University in DeKalb to further enhance the education of non-native English-speaking pupils across the state.
"Children of these immigrants are learning English at a faster rate and losing their native tongues at a faster rate. There's no reason to force them into an English-only world," said Orem.
"The more foundation students get in literacy skills in their own language, the more successful they'll be in transitioning into mainstream programs," Orem continued, reflecting on research he's studied. “
Waukegan, Illinois, August 17th: “Valerie Goranson has twice lost her teaching assignment in Waukegan because she doesn't speak Spanish.”
Elgin Illinois, August 20th “Speak Out”: “I have a child who goes to School District U46 and they have an automated system telling of events where they call the home. So far, the school hasn't even started and I have received two phone calls, all in Spanish. Unfortunately, U46, you are not starting the year off well. I would like to know what is going on with my child's education, but in a language that I can understand.”
There was an example in the bible about confounding languages. As I recall, things didn’t work out so well.
Maybe these “English Only” initiatives really do address valid concerns. It seems like a common language is vital to our civilization. Of course, I don’t have any real-life examples to make my point.
But it seems to me that there have been all sorts of stories about the native tongue in the USA. Here’s a recent sample:
Salt Lake City, July 14th: “Five women have sued the makers of the popular Fi-Bar and Tiger's Milk energy bars, claiming they were singled out for racist abuse and fired for not speaking English. “
DeKalb, Illinois August 15th: “A $1.5 million federal grant recently was handed over to Northern Illinois University in DeKalb to further enhance the education of non-native English-speaking pupils across the state.
"Children of these immigrants are learning English at a faster rate and losing their native tongues at a faster rate. There's no reason to force them into an English-only world," said Orem.
"The more foundation students get in literacy skills in their own language, the more successful they'll be in transitioning into mainstream programs," Orem continued, reflecting on research he's studied. “
Waukegan, Illinois, August 17th: “Valerie Goranson has twice lost her teaching assignment in Waukegan because she doesn't speak Spanish.”
Elgin Illinois, August 20th “Speak Out”: “I have a child who goes to School District U46 and they have an automated system telling of events where they call the home. So far, the school hasn't even started and I have received two phone calls, all in Spanish. Unfortunately, U46, you are not starting the year off well. I would like to know what is going on with my child's education, but in a language that I can understand.”
There was an example in the bible about confounding languages. As I recall, things didn’t work out so well.
Maybe these “English Only” initiatives really do address valid concerns. It seems like a common language is vital to our civilization. Of course, I don’t have any real-life examples to make my point.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
"The right of the people...
…peaceably to assemble"... And while you’re at it…there shall be no law “abridging the freedom of speech”. (The First Amendment)
You know, some of the Founding Fathers weren’t too keen on the idea of having a Bill of Rights. Why? Because they didn’t want to imply that it was a listing of all our rights, because that isn’t true at all. In our form of government, the PEOPLE hold all the rights EXCEPT the ones we sign over to the government by way of laws passed.
And we have relinquished all sorts of rights to the government over the years.
So, here’s what’s happening. One of my heroes, Sheriff Daniel Beck of Allen County Ohio, was scheduled to come to the Chicago area to speak about immigration enforcement. The sponsors, a Minuteman group, rented a conference room at the local Holiday Inn.
Well, the attorney for the Holiday Inn contacted them and cancelled the reservation four days before the event. The reason? The city police want $3,000 for security at the event because the pro-illegals plan to stage a protest during Beck’s talk.
So, this is the third event I am aware of that the threat of protests has interfered with my rights as a citizen.
1) When 2,500 of them showed up in Carpentersville and prevented me from making public comment at a town meeting, even though I showed up for it and signed in as requested.
2) When a follow-up meeting to #1 above was scrapped because no one wanted to risk holding the town meeting at their venue and President Sarto was unwilling to make the arrangements.
3) Now this withdrawal of a meeting location.
Well, to the credit of the Minuteman Project, they are begging for a new location anywhere so they don’t have to cancel the event. Let’s pray they get some brave owner and a police department who will stand up for what is right here.
What troubles me about all of this is that all it takes to cancel an event is the threat of protesters showing up. This would have been unheard of just a few short years ago. It seems so much like some third world country where such meetings could not take place.
I’m keeping an eye on the situation to see if the ACLU steps forward. It isn’t their kind of case, but they just might. They SHOULD.
You know, some of the Founding Fathers weren’t too keen on the idea of having a Bill of Rights. Why? Because they didn’t want to imply that it was a listing of all our rights, because that isn’t true at all. In our form of government, the PEOPLE hold all the rights EXCEPT the ones we sign over to the government by way of laws passed.
And we have relinquished all sorts of rights to the government over the years.
So, here’s what’s happening. One of my heroes, Sheriff Daniel Beck of Allen County Ohio, was scheduled to come to the Chicago area to speak about immigration enforcement. The sponsors, a Minuteman group, rented a conference room at the local Holiday Inn.
Well, the attorney for the Holiday Inn contacted them and cancelled the reservation four days before the event. The reason? The city police want $3,000 for security at the event because the pro-illegals plan to stage a protest during Beck’s talk.
So, this is the third event I am aware of that the threat of protests has interfered with my rights as a citizen.
1) When 2,500 of them showed up in Carpentersville and prevented me from making public comment at a town meeting, even though I showed up for it and signed in as requested.
2) When a follow-up meeting to #1 above was scrapped because no one wanted to risk holding the town meeting at their venue and President Sarto was unwilling to make the arrangements.
3) Now this withdrawal of a meeting location.
Well, to the credit of the Minuteman Project, they are begging for a new location anywhere so they don’t have to cancel the event. Let’s pray they get some brave owner and a police department who will stand up for what is right here.
What troubles me about all of this is that all it takes to cancel an event is the threat of protesters showing up. This would have been unheard of just a few short years ago. It seems so much like some third world country where such meetings could not take place.
I’m keeping an eye on the situation to see if the ACLU steps forward. It isn’t their kind of case, but they just might. They SHOULD.
Bias
We all know that the media outlets in our country are fair and balanced, right? They report things without coloring them a bit, right? And they don’t take sides.
Take this quote from a Cynthia Tucker opinion piece. Wikipedia says: “She was recognized with a Pulitzer Prize for Commentary in 2007 ‘for her courageous, clear-headed columns that evince a strong sense of morality and persuasive knowledge of the community.’” She’s no novice.
Here’s what she wrote last week: “Career criminals are rare among the population of illegal immigrants. Most are law-abiding, hardworking family folk whose only infraction has been crossing a border illegally to find work. (A first-time illegal border crossing is a misdemeanor.) Some commit other minor offenses, often related to driving without proper documents. Most strive to stay out of trouble.”
She says nothing about ID theft or scamming the system for welfare benefits.
In the same commentary she talks about the 2005 federal study of illegal aliens in custody, so she knows the data.
Perhaps she doesn’t know that Costa Mesa California, a town that does 100% screening, found that 46% of people booked in their jail were foreign born. Nearly 11% of all criminals booked were illegal aliens, subject to deportation.
The assumption of innocence, perpetuated by the likes of Tucker, leads people like Carlos Acosta, executive director of the McHenry County Coalition to complain that we are picking on Hispanics and/or immigrants when he says, “They’re focusing on a very small part of the demographic. Have they done a study of how many blue-eyed people have been in DUI accidents?”
As a matter of fact, Carlos, they have. A right-wing organization called the U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration did a statistical study called “Race and Ethnicity in Fatal Motor Vehicle Traffic Crashes 1999-2004”.
I quote from the report: “Drunk driving continues to play a major role in the motor vehicle traffic crash experience across race, ethnic, age and gender divides. Data showed that the percentage of fatally injured drivers who were drinking was highest for Native Americans (57%) and Hispanics or Latinos (47%). This trend appeared to be independent of such socioeconomic influences as education levels or the proportion of female-to-male drivers in the population of drivers killed.
“Fatally injured Native American and Hispanic drivers, followed by African American drivers, were less likely to hold valid licenses than White or Asian and Pacific Islander drivers. Moreover, these Native American drivers were more likely to have had prior driving while intoxicated (DWI) convictions and license suspensions, but African American drivers were the most likely to have had speeding convictions and convictions for other moving violations.
“For those killed in passenger vehicles, safety belts for children and adults, and safety seats for small children were not used as frequently by those in minority groups when compared with the non-Hispanic White population.” (page i, Findings)
You could read the entire report, Mr. Acosta, at:
http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/809956.PDF
I didn’t see a chart on blue eyes but I think it addresses his concern.
So now, Cynthia and Carlos, comes your cue to complain that the police are creating those statistics by racial profiling. But that song tires the ears since the ACLU has made so much noise that most citizens fear that the police are working with one arm tied behind their backs.
Besides, the highway study is about fatalities. Are you accusing the coroner of discrimination? By the time you get to the death certificate, I don’t think your feelings of indignation matter much.
The time has come for the media to look around. White males aren’t the only targets that are fair game. Only when the objective is truth will you be able to get beyond this nonsense of political correctness.
I was pleased to read the commentary by Mark Steyn in the O C Register. Google him and the title “Speaking of sanctuary, where’s ours?” as he expresses his disgust with coverage of the undocumented. I liked it a lot.
Take this quote from a Cynthia Tucker opinion piece. Wikipedia says: “She was recognized with a Pulitzer Prize for Commentary in 2007 ‘for her courageous, clear-headed columns that evince a strong sense of morality and persuasive knowledge of the community.’” She’s no novice.
Here’s what she wrote last week: “Career criminals are rare among the population of illegal immigrants. Most are law-abiding, hardworking family folk whose only infraction has been crossing a border illegally to find work. (A first-time illegal border crossing is a misdemeanor.) Some commit other minor offenses, often related to driving without proper documents. Most strive to stay out of trouble.”
She says nothing about ID theft or scamming the system for welfare benefits.
In the same commentary she talks about the 2005 federal study of illegal aliens in custody, so she knows the data.
Perhaps she doesn’t know that Costa Mesa California, a town that does 100% screening, found that 46% of people booked in their jail were foreign born. Nearly 11% of all criminals booked were illegal aliens, subject to deportation.
The assumption of innocence, perpetuated by the likes of Tucker, leads people like Carlos Acosta, executive director of the McHenry County Coalition to complain that we are picking on Hispanics and/or immigrants when he says, “They’re focusing on a very small part of the demographic. Have they done a study of how many blue-eyed people have been in DUI accidents?”
As a matter of fact, Carlos, they have. A right-wing organization called the U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration did a statistical study called “Race and Ethnicity in Fatal Motor Vehicle Traffic Crashes 1999-2004”.
I quote from the report: “Drunk driving continues to play a major role in the motor vehicle traffic crash experience across race, ethnic, age and gender divides. Data showed that the percentage of fatally injured drivers who were drinking was highest for Native Americans (57%) and Hispanics or Latinos (47%). This trend appeared to be independent of such socioeconomic influences as education levels or the proportion of female-to-male drivers in the population of drivers killed.
“Fatally injured Native American and Hispanic drivers, followed by African American drivers, were less likely to hold valid licenses than White or Asian and Pacific Islander drivers. Moreover, these Native American drivers were more likely to have had prior driving while intoxicated (DWI) convictions and license suspensions, but African American drivers were the most likely to have had speeding convictions and convictions for other moving violations.
“For those killed in passenger vehicles, safety belts for children and adults, and safety seats for small children were not used as frequently by those in minority groups when compared with the non-Hispanic White population.” (page i, Findings)
You could read the entire report, Mr. Acosta, at:
http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/809956.PDF
I didn’t see a chart on blue eyes but I think it addresses his concern.
So now, Cynthia and Carlos, comes your cue to complain that the police are creating those statistics by racial profiling. But that song tires the ears since the ACLU has made so much noise that most citizens fear that the police are working with one arm tied behind their backs.
Besides, the highway study is about fatalities. Are you accusing the coroner of discrimination? By the time you get to the death certificate, I don’t think your feelings of indignation matter much.
The time has come for the media to look around. White males aren’t the only targets that are fair game. Only when the objective is truth will you be able to get beyond this nonsense of political correctness.
I was pleased to read the commentary by Mark Steyn in the O C Register. Google him and the title “Speaking of sanctuary, where’s ours?” as he expresses his disgust with coverage of the undocumented. I liked it a lot.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Missed Translation
There is a Spanish language newspaper here in Chicagoland called Reflejos. It used to be owned by Jerry Campagna. He sold it to The Daily Herald in 2000, and remained on the Herald staff until he resigned in June of this year.
Ad Week describes Reflejos as “a bilingual weekly with audited distribution approaching 100,000 in the Chicago area, making it the country’s largest Hispanic-targeted suburban paper.” Jerry’s dad is Italian, his mom is Cuban. The family business was beer distribution.
Jerry is a champion of illegal immigrants’ rights, once writing a column for the Herald explaining that the “spanking” Congressmen received in the November 2006 election was due to their tough stance on illegal aliens. (Funny, I don’t recall anything written by Jerry when public outrage stopped the Senate from slipping through their comprehensive immigration reform earlier this year.)
Anyway….The Daily Herald and Reflejos share stories from time-to-time. I picked up a copy of Reflejos 19 de augosto de 2007 edition because it had a photo of Elvira on the cover.
As it turns out, the article was by Tara Malone, the same reporter who covered Elvira for the Herald. And the photos were by Daniel White. It was the same story, EXCEPT….
The Reflejos version had a front page photo of Elvira with the church altar in the background. If you include the headline, it will all fit nicely in an 8 x 10 frame.
The other thing I missed in the Reflejos version was the little sidebar of quotes from those opposed to her stunt. It was a puny little box buried in the back on the Herald story, but it was missing altogether in the Reflejos version.
I’m trying to picture the editorial layout meeting where they decided to leave out the other view on this issue. Reminiscent of Elvira’s handler destroying letters of opposition, did they say, “They don’t need to see these.”
Perhaps they were doing what Hugo Chavez is doing in Venezuela, censoring the opposition. Maybe that’s it. In an effort to mimic third world culture for their readers, they are acting like the press acts in the totalitarian regimes that many Latinos still call home.
Reflejos is simply printing what their readers want to see, rather than what they need to know.
And another thing, they left out the photo of Saulito holding Daisy the dog in front of the altar.
Ad Week describes Reflejos as “a bilingual weekly with audited distribution approaching 100,000 in the Chicago area, making it the country’s largest Hispanic-targeted suburban paper.” Jerry’s dad is Italian, his mom is Cuban. The family business was beer distribution.
Jerry is a champion of illegal immigrants’ rights, once writing a column for the Herald explaining that the “spanking” Congressmen received in the November 2006 election was due to their tough stance on illegal aliens. (Funny, I don’t recall anything written by Jerry when public outrage stopped the Senate from slipping through their comprehensive immigration reform earlier this year.)
Anyway….The Daily Herald and Reflejos share stories from time-to-time. I picked up a copy of Reflejos 19 de augosto de 2007 edition because it had a photo of Elvira on the cover.
As it turns out, the article was by Tara Malone, the same reporter who covered Elvira for the Herald. And the photos were by Daniel White. It was the same story, EXCEPT….
The Reflejos version had a front page photo of Elvira with the church altar in the background. If you include the headline, it will all fit nicely in an 8 x 10 frame.
The other thing I missed in the Reflejos version was the little sidebar of quotes from those opposed to her stunt. It was a puny little box buried in the back on the Herald story, but it was missing altogether in the Reflejos version.
I’m trying to picture the editorial layout meeting where they decided to leave out the other view on this issue. Reminiscent of Elvira’s handler destroying letters of opposition, did they say, “They don’t need to see these.”
Perhaps they were doing what Hugo Chavez is doing in Venezuela, censoring the opposition. Maybe that’s it. In an effort to mimic third world culture for their readers, they are acting like the press acts in the totalitarian regimes that many Latinos still call home.
Reflejos is simply printing what their readers want to see, rather than what they need to know.
And another thing, they left out the photo of Saulito holding Daisy the dog in front of the altar.
News from Tijuana
It was reported in Chicago that a 14-year old Hispanic girl left a two week old baby on the doorstep of Walter Gniadek, rang the bell, and ran away. There was a note pinned to the baby, written in Spanish.
Illinois has a law that allows people to leave their babies at hospitals and police/fire stations. They don’t take teenagers. I tried. More than once. But this girl chose a home on the southwest side.
Meanwhile, Elvira has been giving interviews from Tijuana. She says she has a job offer already. She tells us that Saulito has requested to remain in the United States and go back to Chicago under the care of the Colemans.
And she will respect his wish and allow him to do so.
Now, wait a minute! Wasn’t her whole premise that she demanded to stay here to be with her son? Isn’t her entire campaign about family unification vs. separation by the cruel immigration officers?
So, in a matter of hours she has opted to be separated from him when she could have him with her 24/7 anywhere in Mexico she chooses. She does say she will be able to tell her son all about how wonderful Mexico is via telephone. She says she has no plans to come back in, legally or illegally.
I’ve got more respect for the 14-year old girl leaving her baby on the doorstep than I do for Elvira, a 32-year old woman who turned on her boy just like that.
I was proud of the editorial by the Daily Herald today, declaring that Elvira is NOT a good poster child for the cause of the illegal aliens. She broke the law, stole a Social Security number, and defied the order for removal. No one dares call her a squeaky-clean victim of the system.
Now if we can just get Saul’s guardian, “Open Borders” Emma Lozano, to stop parading the boy around in front of the cameras, just maybe he’ll have a chance at a normal life.
Illinois has a law that allows people to leave their babies at hospitals and police/fire stations. They don’t take teenagers. I tried. More than once. But this girl chose a home on the southwest side.
Meanwhile, Elvira has been giving interviews from Tijuana. She says she has a job offer already. She tells us that Saulito has requested to remain in the United States and go back to Chicago under the care of the Colemans.
And she will respect his wish and allow him to do so.
Now, wait a minute! Wasn’t her whole premise that she demanded to stay here to be with her son? Isn’t her entire campaign about family unification vs. separation by the cruel immigration officers?
So, in a matter of hours she has opted to be separated from him when she could have him with her 24/7 anywhere in Mexico she chooses. She does say she will be able to tell her son all about how wonderful Mexico is via telephone. She says she has no plans to come back in, legally or illegally.
I’ve got more respect for the 14-year old girl leaving her baby on the doorstep than I do for Elvira, a 32-year old woman who turned on her boy just like that.
I was proud of the editorial by the Daily Herald today, declaring that Elvira is NOT a good poster child for the cause of the illegal aliens. She broke the law, stole a Social Security number, and defied the order for removal. No one dares call her a squeaky-clean victim of the system.
Now if we can just get Saul’s guardian, “Open Borders” Emma Lozano, to stop parading the boy around in front of the cameras, just maybe he’ll have a chance at a normal life.
Monday, August 20, 2007
There's ice, and then there's ice
Has it been five years since the Olympics in Salt Lake? Time flies.
I remember an article about the quality of the ice rinks in Salt Lake. Nick Thometz, the director of the ice oval in Kearns explained that the rink in Salt Lake was especially fast because of the high altitude, the lack of humidity, the air temperature of the arena, and less oxygen in the water while freezing.
In other words, this ice is better.
Ok, my point? ICE, as in Immigration and Customs Enforcement, is not the same everywhere.
For example, New Jersey has proven twice in the recent past that ICE isn’t doing the job. Remember the Fort Dix Six? They were known to police long before they were picked up for their terrorist plots.
And this Carranza guy from Peru is a thug that should have been flagged for deportation long ago.
Then there is the ICE office in Chicago. A few days before the May 1, 2006 protests, they put out the word that the demonstrators had no worries; that ICE had other priorities and would make no arrests at the march.
And when they descended on Little Village in Chicago to break up the ID fraud gang, they made it clear that they were only interested in 22 people; no one else was in any danger of being arrested.
Then, of course, there is the Elvira fiasco. They knew where she was for a year and didn’t pick her up. She didn’t last 24 hours in LA before she was in custody and on her way back to Mexico.
So, there’s ICE and then there’s ICE. As I’ve written before, Jim Hayes is a true ICE agent. He’s doing 100% screening for illegals in Costs Mesa, he is proud of the “collateral arrests” he finds in the course of his investigations, he’s conducted a sweep of everyone in custody in LA and Orange Counties, and he made short work of Elvira once she was in his jurisdiction.
That’s the kind of ICE we’re going to need if we are going to get serious about interior enforcement.
I remember an article about the quality of the ice rinks in Salt Lake. Nick Thometz, the director of the ice oval in Kearns explained that the rink in Salt Lake was especially fast because of the high altitude, the lack of humidity, the air temperature of the arena, and less oxygen in the water while freezing.
In other words, this ice is better.
Ok, my point? ICE, as in Immigration and Customs Enforcement, is not the same everywhere.
For example, New Jersey has proven twice in the recent past that ICE isn’t doing the job. Remember the Fort Dix Six? They were known to police long before they were picked up for their terrorist plots.
And this Carranza guy from Peru is a thug that should have been flagged for deportation long ago.
Then there is the ICE office in Chicago. A few days before the May 1, 2006 protests, they put out the word that the demonstrators had no worries; that ICE had other priorities and would make no arrests at the march.
And when they descended on Little Village in Chicago to break up the ID fraud gang, they made it clear that they were only interested in 22 people; no one else was in any danger of being arrested.
Then, of course, there is the Elvira fiasco. They knew where she was for a year and didn’t pick her up. She didn’t last 24 hours in LA before she was in custody and on her way back to Mexico.
So, there’s ICE and then there’s ICE. As I’ve written before, Jim Hayes is a true ICE agent. He’s doing 100% screening for illegals in Costs Mesa, he is proud of the “collateral arrests” he finds in the course of his investigations, he’s conducted a sweep of everyone in custody in LA and Orange Counties, and he made short work of Elvira once she was in his jurisdiction.
That’s the kind of ICE we’re going to need if we are going to get serious about interior enforcement.
Update - Hurricane Elvira
The latest information is that Elvira is in Tijuana, which is about 1400 miles north of where she should be. You see she is a native of the state of Michoacan, which is a depressed area between the Pacific Ocean and Mexico City.
The United States learned years ago that if you just drop them off at the nearest town just across the border, it is too easy for them to return to the US. So they developed a plan to return them to their hometown, which is very costly for us but seems to decrease the likelihood that they will sneak back in.
They call it the Interior Repatriation Plan. Here’s a statement from Immigration in Washington: "By quickly returning aliens to the interior of Mexico rather than to the Mexican border, both nations seek to save lives and discourage additional illegal border crossings through hostile, desert terrain,” said Director of ICE Detention and Removal Operations John Torres. At the very least it slows them down and makes a new attempt more expensive.
But wait, the illegal alien has to sign up for the program. It is “voluntary”, according to ICE. And Elvira definitely wasn’t volunteering to leave.
One would think that sending them back home would at least put them in the middle of their support group. I’m not sure we get credit for our efforts at family reunification. Latino activists insist that it doesn’t count unless the reunification takes place on our side of the border. Take note of that little flaw in their logic.
So how are things going at the Border Patrol station in San Diego? Well, on August 15th
The San Diego Union-Tribune did a story. As it turns out, border crossing activity is down all over, except the Tijuana/San Diego area. Things are still active there.
Does that make it easier for Elvira to sneak back in, or does it make things harder? You decide.
My guess is that Hurricane Elvira will turn north again at the first opportunity. Then again, there is the raw emotion of her being separated from her boy. “So close and yet so far away.” They might be able to exploit that angle.
Can Elvira ever be able to move around in the USA again? Coming back would add one more charge to her rap sheet.
But I don’t picture her waiting the required 10 years to be eligible to come back in legally. Maybe she could set herself a goal to attend Saulito’s graduation from high school.
Stay tuned to Alienrants for frequent updates.
The United States learned years ago that if you just drop them off at the nearest town just across the border, it is too easy for them to return to the US. So they developed a plan to return them to their hometown, which is very costly for us but seems to decrease the likelihood that they will sneak back in.
They call it the Interior Repatriation Plan. Here’s a statement from Immigration in Washington: "By quickly returning aliens to the interior of Mexico rather than to the Mexican border, both nations seek to save lives and discourage additional illegal border crossings through hostile, desert terrain,” said Director of ICE Detention and Removal Operations John Torres. At the very least it slows them down and makes a new attempt more expensive.
But wait, the illegal alien has to sign up for the program. It is “voluntary”, according to ICE. And Elvira definitely wasn’t volunteering to leave.
One would think that sending them back home would at least put them in the middle of their support group. I’m not sure we get credit for our efforts at family reunification. Latino activists insist that it doesn’t count unless the reunification takes place on our side of the border. Take note of that little flaw in their logic.
So how are things going at the Border Patrol station in San Diego? Well, on August 15th
The San Diego Union-Tribune did a story. As it turns out, border crossing activity is down all over, except the Tijuana/San Diego area. Things are still active there.
Does that make it easier for Elvira to sneak back in, or does it make things harder? You decide.
My guess is that Hurricane Elvira will turn north again at the first opportunity. Then again, there is the raw emotion of her being separated from her boy. “So close and yet so far away.” They might be able to exploit that angle.
Can Elvira ever be able to move around in the USA again? Coming back would add one more charge to her rap sheet.
But I don’t picture her waiting the required 10 years to be eligible to come back in legally. Maybe she could set herself a goal to attend Saulito’s graduation from high school.
Stay tuned to Alienrants for frequent updates.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Hurricane Elvira
As a service to my loyal readers I am going to try to keep you updated about the location and direction of Hurricane Elvira Arellano.
She has left the Methodist Church in Chicago (And I surmise that at least some leaders and parishioners are grateful for that) and is now in a Catholic Church in LA. (At least she is sharing the spotlight with another denomination, but somehow I don’t think this sister is going to bring about the Biblical “Unity of the Faith”.)
I certainly hope she wasn’t allowed to fly but if I remember correctly, TB Andrew was allowed to cross into the US from Canada earlier this year even though we were “on the lookout” for him. And she DOES know how to get fake ID so maybe she flew and we didn’t know it.
But now she is in Jim Hayes country. I’ve blogged about him before. You could look it up. Unlike the ICE people in Chicago, Jim isn’t afraid to pick ‘em up and he isn’t afraid to make collateral arrests.
But I’m guessing it isn’t Jim’s call to make. Like launching “nucular” missiles, it is a Washington decision. The order to capture her must come from Al “I don’t recall” Gonzalez, our Attorney General…or President Bush himself. It is hard to read the mood in Washington these days. Bush appears a little tougher on illegals these days, but I’m not sure he’s THAT tough.
Besides how will they face their comrades at the next La Raza Convention or National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast? One must be very careful when one’s party no longer has a firm platform.
As I’ve mentioned before, it will be a bigger dilemma when she goes to Washington next month. What do you do with a fugitive felon who wants to protest on government property? What do you do with her when she asks to address the Congress? Or visit the White House? An eight-year old boy and a Chihuahua named Daisy are OK, but not the fugitive herself.
I say it is a better idea to take her into custody now rather than in DC. Any thoughts?
She has left the Methodist Church in Chicago (And I surmise that at least some leaders and parishioners are grateful for that) and is now in a Catholic Church in LA. (At least she is sharing the spotlight with another denomination, but somehow I don’t think this sister is going to bring about the Biblical “Unity of the Faith”.)
I certainly hope she wasn’t allowed to fly but if I remember correctly, TB Andrew was allowed to cross into the US from Canada earlier this year even though we were “on the lookout” for him. And she DOES know how to get fake ID so maybe she flew and we didn’t know it.
But now she is in Jim Hayes country. I’ve blogged about him before. You could look it up. Unlike the ICE people in Chicago, Jim isn’t afraid to pick ‘em up and he isn’t afraid to make collateral arrests.
But I’m guessing it isn’t Jim’s call to make. Like launching “nucular” missiles, it is a Washington decision. The order to capture her must come from Al “I don’t recall” Gonzalez, our Attorney General…or President Bush himself. It is hard to read the mood in Washington these days. Bush appears a little tougher on illegals these days, but I’m not sure he’s THAT tough.
Besides how will they face their comrades at the next La Raza Convention or National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast? One must be very careful when one’s party no longer has a firm platform.
As I’ve mentioned before, it will be a bigger dilemma when she goes to Washington next month. What do you do with a fugitive felon who wants to protest on government property? What do you do with her when she asks to address the Congress? Or visit the White House? An eight-year old boy and a Chihuahua named Daisy are OK, but not the fugitive herself.
I say it is a better idea to take her into custody now rather than in DC. Any thoughts?
Elvira Flew!
TSA security photo taken Friday at the O”Hare Screening CheckpointWe have exclusive information that Elvira Arellano flew to LA aboard OnTime Airlines Flight 1234. She was able to escape detection by flying under the alias of Harry P. Marx. Her son flew in the seat next to her using his real name and a newspaper photo of himself as ID.
When asked to comment, Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez said, “Verdad? No me diga.” Michael Chertoff, Secretary of Homeland Security, remarked, “It’s hard to find good help these days. We will put Mr. Marx on the no fly list on Monday afternoon.”
President Bush commented to reporters, “I hope she flew First Class. That’s a long flight.”
Arellano arrived at John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana late Friday afternoon. (That sound you hear is The Duke spinning in his grave.)
She was met at the airport by the Mexican Consulate and Nancy Pelosi and was quickly whisked away before reporters could find a translator.
(NOTE: This was my nightmare last night. I certainly hope none of it is real. ;)
Saturday, August 18, 2007
My Horoscope Today
It is likely to be one of those days when you’ll easily spot the flaws in other people’s arguments, but it will be important that you use this wonderful asset constructively, not critically.
~Bernice Bede Osol 8/18/07 Leo
(That’s impossible for me!)
~Bernice Bede Osol 8/18/07 Leo
(That’s impossible for me!)
Tolstoy
Another gem from the Comics Section (Crypoquote)
It is easier to produce ten volumes of philosophical writing that to put one principle into practice. ~Leo Tolstoy
(He ought to know.)
It is easier to produce ten volumes of philosophical writing that to put one principle into practice. ~Leo Tolstoy
(He ought to know.)
The illegal immigration solution
(I was going to write “final solution” but I think it was already taken.)
As we all know, the Grand Bargain bipartisan compromise fell apart. “So what’s your idea, hot shot?”, they asked.
I just came up with the answer. The way I see it, the problem is money, as is often the case. The illegals are costing us money in our schools, police departments, emergency rooms, welfare, social services…. What they need is money so they can pay their own way, right?
Carbon credits. You heard me, carbon credits. OK, the average illegal sneaking through the desert is around 18 years old. (I could be off a year or two, so don’t hold me to it. Think of the concept here.)
For every year he lived in Mexico without an SUV and plasma TV, he has banked 10,000 carbon points. So he crosses the border with 180,000 credits in his pocket.
You use them just like cash. When he needs $7,000 for a year in public school for his child, he just hands over 7,000 carbos to the teacher. He goes to the emergency room for a sore back and peels off 450 Cs as he walks out.
Bail money, fines, fees, tax bills all paid with carbon credits.
I called my bank and asked if these could be used “same as cash”, and he said he thought so, as long as he got a 3% processing fee. He’d have to check on the stability of the financial institution and get back to me.
So he asked a few questions about the institution. I thought about telling him it was the United Nations and thought better of it. They’ve had a few problems with handling money over the years.
How about the Democratic Party? Same problem. (The GOP is no better.)
So I finally blurted out, “It has the full faith and credit of the United States government!” and I hung up.
So I’m thinking this could be really big. But who would accept carbon credits for payment? Surely the lib school teachers would. And the Prius dealers. And I think for sure we ought to pay our elected officials with them.
How about those fat pensions for government employees? They somehow never got the word that private industry gave up pensions in favor of 401(k) plans a couple of decades ago. So, they’d bank carbos rather than cash in their pension funds. Heck we could convert all government payrolls to carbos.
Bummer. My banker just called back. He said there was no way he could do the carbo thing. It seems he did a D & B on the government and found they had a huge debt. I thought he said $9 trillion, but that can’t be right, can it?
And here I thought I had the answer. Maybe I’ll try the UN after all.
As we all know, the Grand Bargain bipartisan compromise fell apart. “So what’s your idea, hot shot?”, they asked.
I just came up with the answer. The way I see it, the problem is money, as is often the case. The illegals are costing us money in our schools, police departments, emergency rooms, welfare, social services…. What they need is money so they can pay their own way, right?
Carbon credits. You heard me, carbon credits. OK, the average illegal sneaking through the desert is around 18 years old. (I could be off a year or two, so don’t hold me to it. Think of the concept here.)
For every year he lived in Mexico without an SUV and plasma TV, he has banked 10,000 carbon points. So he crosses the border with 180,000 credits in his pocket.
You use them just like cash. When he needs $7,000 for a year in public school for his child, he just hands over 7,000 carbos to the teacher. He goes to the emergency room for a sore back and peels off 450 Cs as he walks out.
Bail money, fines, fees, tax bills all paid with carbon credits.
I called my bank and asked if these could be used “same as cash”, and he said he thought so, as long as he got a 3% processing fee. He’d have to check on the stability of the financial institution and get back to me.
So he asked a few questions about the institution. I thought about telling him it was the United Nations and thought better of it. They’ve had a few problems with handling money over the years.
How about the Democratic Party? Same problem. (The GOP is no better.)
So I finally blurted out, “It has the full faith and credit of the United States government!” and I hung up.
So I’m thinking this could be really big. But who would accept carbon credits for payment? Surely the lib school teachers would. And the Prius dealers. And I think for sure we ought to pay our elected officials with them.
How about those fat pensions for government employees? They somehow never got the word that private industry gave up pensions in favor of 401(k) plans a couple of decades ago. So, they’d bank carbos rather than cash in their pension funds. Heck we could convert all government payrolls to carbos.
Bummer. My banker just called back. He said there was no way he could do the carbo thing. It seems he did a D & B on the government and found they had a huge debt. I thought he said $9 trillion, but that can’t be right, can it?
And here I thought I had the answer. Maybe I’ll try the UN after all.
Carbon Credit Currency
Daddy Gore BucksHere's a sample of the Carbon Credit we'd be using.
OK, to stay out of jail, here's where you can buy them:
fundollarbills.com
Friday, August 17, 2007
Is Bush for real?
The question is: Has Bush got religion about immigration enforcement or is he up to something?
Things certainly look encouraging with the announcement on August 10th that the administration was getting serious about enforcing the law. But playing the parts in this production are cabinet members Chertoff and Gutierrez, the same actors Bush sent to Capitol Hill to lobby Senators on the immigration reform bill.
When I look at Michael Chertoff up there announcing the program, I can’t forget what he said on NPR in May about what would happen if Congress didn’t pass the reform bill. Wringing his hands, he talked about crops rotting in the fields and farmers moving their farms out of the USA. Remember? Is Chertoff setting the stage to be able to say, “I told you so”?
The plan is to get tough about work documents. “No match” letters will no longer be friendly reminders. Now the employer will be required to act on the information.
And Basic Pilot, the federal database used by employers to check work eligibility, will be renamed E-Verify. Participation is still voluntary, unless you are a federal contractor. (It’s a good thing, too. In Illinois at least it is against the law to use any verification system!)
Big business is complaining about all the extra work involved in checking on employees. The farmers are afraid they won’t get the harvest picked. The libs say it is punitive. Latino activists fear wholesale discrimination.
I guess we’ll all have to see how this plays out. At least they are acting tough, which in and of itself makes the USA a less-attractive target for illegals.
Now we hear that Karl Rove has resigned. He was a clear proponent of catering to the Hispanic voter at any cost. I recall reading that former Congressman J D Hayworth was talking to Rove about cracking down on illegals and Karl shot back with, “You just don’t want to give brown people a chance!” Karl always did the expedient thing, even if it wasn’t the right thing.
So maybe his departure is a sign that Bush isn’t going to fight anymore; he will just coast through to the inauguration. And the enforcement of immigration laws is a favor to the GOP. I wish I could believe it was as simple as all that.
Stay tuned.
Things certainly look encouraging with the announcement on August 10th that the administration was getting serious about enforcing the law. But playing the parts in this production are cabinet members Chertoff and Gutierrez, the same actors Bush sent to Capitol Hill to lobby Senators on the immigration reform bill.
When I look at Michael Chertoff up there announcing the program, I can’t forget what he said on NPR in May about what would happen if Congress didn’t pass the reform bill. Wringing his hands, he talked about crops rotting in the fields and farmers moving their farms out of the USA. Remember? Is Chertoff setting the stage to be able to say, “I told you so”?
The plan is to get tough about work documents. “No match” letters will no longer be friendly reminders. Now the employer will be required to act on the information.
And Basic Pilot, the federal database used by employers to check work eligibility, will be renamed E-Verify. Participation is still voluntary, unless you are a federal contractor. (It’s a good thing, too. In Illinois at least it is against the law to use any verification system!)
Big business is complaining about all the extra work involved in checking on employees. The farmers are afraid they won’t get the harvest picked. The libs say it is punitive. Latino activists fear wholesale discrimination.
I guess we’ll all have to see how this plays out. At least they are acting tough, which in and of itself makes the USA a less-attractive target for illegals.
Now we hear that Karl Rove has resigned. He was a clear proponent of catering to the Hispanic voter at any cost. I recall reading that former Congressman J D Hayworth was talking to Rove about cracking down on illegals and Karl shot back with, “You just don’t want to give brown people a chance!” Karl always did the expedient thing, even if it wasn’t the right thing.
So maybe his departure is a sign that Bush isn’t going to fight anymore; he will just coast through to the inauguration. And the enforcement of immigration laws is a favor to the GOP. I wish I could believe it was as simple as all that.
Stay tuned.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
The life of Riley (er, Rogelio)
Ah, to be illegal in the United States. Things are grand. You’ve got a judge in Pennsylvania who has granted you all the rights of the Constitution, knowing full well that you invaded (Munley).
You’ve got other judges in New Jersey who will let you out on bail because no one in the system is bright enough to figure out that you don’t speak English and you have a bogus Social Security number (the Carranza case).
Now, I’m checking out the local newspaper on-line this morning (Courier- News) and see a summary of the stories of the day. Story #4 in order of importance says that Gov Blagojevich has signed into law a bill forbidding employers to check on your immigration status. (Time to sell my stock in IDs-R-Us.)
And story #5 announces that $1.5 million in federal tax money is going to Northern Illinois University “to further enhance the education of non-native English-speaking pupils”.
Here are a couple of quotes from the professor who requested the money, Richard Orem:
"Children of these immigrants are learning English at a faster rate and losing their native tongues at a faster rate. There's no reason to force them into an English-only world."
"The more foundation students get in literacy skills in their own language, the more successful they'll be in transitioning into mainstream programs.”
If I can TRANSLATE what the good professor just said, it would be…They are learning English too quickly. We need to make sure they get a full five years in bilingual ed. Besides, western civilization has sinned against the world for too long. We must punish whitey and drive him out of leadership roles in our country. Did I mention that Thomas Jefferson fathered slave children? Did you know that Columbus brought disease, guns, and alcohol to the Native Americans? What we need is a salad bowl of cultures with each one clinging to his heritage and language. Don’t give an inch. Hang on to your past. Don’t give up a thing just because you are here. You are special.
Professor Orem needs to spend a summer in Iraq talking to Kurds, Sunnis, and Shiites. I’d support that grant.
So, Rogelio, you’ve got it good. Here’s the keys to the country. As they used to say in Miami, “Would the last American to leave please bring the flag.”
You’ve got other judges in New Jersey who will let you out on bail because no one in the system is bright enough to figure out that you don’t speak English and you have a bogus Social Security number (the Carranza case).
Now, I’m checking out the local newspaper on-line this morning (Courier- News) and see a summary of the stories of the day. Story #4 in order of importance says that Gov Blagojevich has signed into law a bill forbidding employers to check on your immigration status. (Time to sell my stock in IDs-R-Us.)
And story #5 announces that $1.5 million in federal tax money is going to Northern Illinois University “to further enhance the education of non-native English-speaking pupils”.
Here are a couple of quotes from the professor who requested the money, Richard Orem:
"Children of these immigrants are learning English at a faster rate and losing their native tongues at a faster rate. There's no reason to force them into an English-only world."
"The more foundation students get in literacy skills in their own language, the more successful they'll be in transitioning into mainstream programs.”
If I can TRANSLATE what the good professor just said, it would be…They are learning English too quickly. We need to make sure they get a full five years in bilingual ed. Besides, western civilization has sinned against the world for too long. We must punish whitey and drive him out of leadership roles in our country. Did I mention that Thomas Jefferson fathered slave children? Did you know that Columbus brought disease, guns, and alcohol to the Native Americans? What we need is a salad bowl of cultures with each one clinging to his heritage and language. Don’t give an inch. Hang on to your past. Don’t give up a thing just because you are here. You are special.
Professor Orem needs to spend a summer in Iraq talking to Kurds, Sunnis, and Shiites. I’d support that grant.
So, Rogelio, you’ve got it good. Here’s the keys to the country. As they used to say in Miami, “Would the last American to leave please bring the flag.”
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
The Rights of the At-Large
Or, notes from the Chicago Tribune Style Book
A seven year old girl was riding her bike on the Northwest Side of Chicago on Monday night when she was abducted, forced into a car, and sexually abused. Here are the various descriptions of this cretin…
The Chicago Sun-Times wrote:
“The girl described the attacker as a Hispanic male in his early 20s, about 5 feet 6 inches tall and about 150 pounds. He has short, black hair and dark eyes.”
The Chicago Tribune wrote:
“The man was described as in his 20s, about 5 feet 6, 150 pounds with a dark complexion and short black hair.”
The Official Chicago Police Community Alert # RD#HN-527356 reads:
“Offender:
• Male with dark complexion, possibly Hispanic, spoke English
• Approximately 5-06 in height, 150 lbs, in his 20's
• Short black hair, dark eyes”
In summary, The Sun-Times calls him a Hispanic, the cops say “maybe”, and the Trib refuses to print the “H” word. Does all this political correctness make us a safer society? Do we really care about fairness in a situation like this?
A seven year old girl was riding her bike on the Northwest Side of Chicago on Monday night when she was abducted, forced into a car, and sexually abused. Here are the various descriptions of this cretin…
The Chicago Sun-Times wrote:
“The girl described the attacker as a Hispanic male in his early 20s, about 5 feet 6 inches tall and about 150 pounds. He has short, black hair and dark eyes.”
The Chicago Tribune wrote:
“The man was described as in his 20s, about 5 feet 6, 150 pounds with a dark complexion and short black hair.”
The Official Chicago Police Community Alert # RD#HN-527356 reads:
“Offender:
• Male with dark complexion, possibly Hispanic, spoke English
• Approximately 5-06 in height, 150 lbs, in his 20's
• Short black hair, dark eyes”
In summary, The Sun-Times calls him a Hispanic, the cops say “maybe”, and the Trib refuses to print the “H” word. Does all this political correctness make us a safer society? Do we really care about fairness in a situation like this?
Exhausting
I’m looking for some business opportunities these days and I’ve hit on an idea that is as hip as global warming itself – catalytic converters for cows.
I got the idea from a letter written by the co-chair of our local green group, Slow Global Warming-Elgin.
Among her other save-the-earth tips, Sandy writes: “But we should all eat less beef. The cow is the biggest user of water and grain and produces the largest amount of methane (a GHG also) of all the food animals.”
FYI, GHG is not a chemical compound. It is a junk science acronym for Green House Gasses. It sounds much more official than “Various other, sometimes unidentifiable, junk that we think might harm us.”
So, I’m on the ground floor with this idea of installing exhaust pipes on all the cattle nationwide. The potential is huge.
My other idea is to work the other side of this issue. If I can get grant money I’d like to study the “emissions” of the lactose intolerant. With a few years of study ($5 million ought to do it) I can get Congress to outlaw milk cows because they are causing humans to emit these GHGs.
Either way I win, you see. We either outlaw cows or I’ve got them covered from behind. Who’s with me on this one?
I got the idea from a letter written by the co-chair of our local green group, Slow Global Warming-Elgin.
Among her other save-the-earth tips, Sandy writes: “But we should all eat less beef. The cow is the biggest user of water and grain and produces the largest amount of methane (a GHG also) of all the food animals.”
FYI, GHG is not a chemical compound. It is a junk science acronym for Green House Gasses. It sounds much more official than “Various other, sometimes unidentifiable, junk that we think might harm us.”
So, I’m on the ground floor with this idea of installing exhaust pipes on all the cattle nationwide. The potential is huge.
My other idea is to work the other side of this issue. If I can get grant money I’d like to study the “emissions” of the lactose intolerant. With a few years of study ($5 million ought to do it) I can get Congress to outlaw milk cows because they are causing humans to emit these GHGs.
Either way I win, you see. We either outlaw cows or I’ve got them covered from behind. Who’s with me on this one?
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Obama's letter
I received a letter in the mail today from Sen. Barack Obama. As you probably know, I sent several faxes to Obama, Durbin, Hastert, Bush and others as the immigration reform debate unfolded in May and June.
A few weeks ago I got a letter from Hastert stating the bills in the House. Today was Obama’s turn to tell the voters how he feels. Here is the complete text:
August 6, 2007
Dear <>:Thank you for writing to express your views about illegal immigration. I appreciate hearing from you about this issue.
Given your strong feelings about this issue, you may be interested to know that on June 28 the Senate soundly defeated S. 1348, the Kennedy/Kyl immigration reform bill, thereby likely killing it in the current Congress. The New York Times’ post mortem on that vote read as follows: “President Bush’s effort to overhaul the nation’s immigration policy…collapsed Thursday in the Senate, with little prospect that it can be revived before Mr. Bush leaves office in 19 months.”
S. 1348 proposed strong border enforcement measures, a crackdown on employers who hire illegal immigrants, a process by which those currently in the country illegally could earn citizenship, and a new guest worker program. The Senate vote demonstrated that this approach is not acceptable to this Congress.
Again, <>, thank you for writing. I look forward to being in touch on this and other issues of concern to you.
Sincerely,
Signed Barack
Barack Obama
United States Senator
Well, there you have the entire text. Does it tell me anywhere how Obama feels about the issue? Does it say anything about what he would do about it? I really appreciate the report but the man told me nothing about his position.
Politicians!
A few weeks ago I got a letter from Hastert stating the bills in the House. Today was Obama’s turn to tell the voters how he feels. Here is the complete text:
August 6, 2007
Dear <
Given your strong feelings about this issue, you may be interested to know that on June 28 the Senate soundly defeated S. 1348, the Kennedy/Kyl immigration reform bill, thereby likely killing it in the current Congress. The New York Times’ post mortem on that vote read as follows: “President Bush’s effort to overhaul the nation’s immigration policy…collapsed Thursday in the Senate, with little prospect that it can be revived before Mr. Bush leaves office in 19 months.”
S. 1348 proposed strong border enforcement measures, a crackdown on employers who hire illegal immigrants, a process by which those currently in the country illegally could earn citizenship, and a new guest worker program. The Senate vote demonstrated that this approach is not acceptable to this Congress.
Again, <
Sincerely,
Signed Barack
Barack Obama
United States Senator
Well, there you have the entire text. Does it tell me anywhere how Obama feels about the issue? Does it say anything about what he would do about it? I really appreciate the report but the man told me nothing about his position.
Politicians!
Monday, August 13, 2007
Move over Mother Teresa
Tiger Woods is back to winning again and got lots of print media attention today, but he comes in second in ink to….(drum roll, please)….Elvira Arellano.
Her story starts out with a nice color photo four columns wide on Page One of the Sunday Daily Herald. The headline, “A DAY IN SANCTUARY”, sets the tone for this piece on a modern-day martyr. Then she gets half a page as the story continues on page 16, then on to page 17 for another half page. There’s even a picture of Saul, a dog, and a church altar. Do you feel the old cockles warming?
Tara Malone wrote the story in sort of a day-in-the-life format, with lots of references to poor Saulito who is a victim in all of this. (Tara fails to mention that Elvira plays that boy like a fiddle, sending him off to meet with politicians on both sides of the border and telling him exactly what to say.)
Here are some snippets of pathos from Tara’s “report”:
“Arellano wakes to an empty room”
“Sit-ups come next, a concession to 361 days of not moving around much. She’s dropped fajitas from her diet, too.”
“A Chihuahua named Daisy…is part of the security web that guards Arellano.”
“I am here to fight, to stay with my son and to be part of the legalization.”
(Just a thought, but I’m thinking as a felon who had defied a deportation order she is not likely to be part of any legalization program. But stranger things have happened.)
“Arellano is never alone. Someone’s always there to answer a doorbell and check for strangers.”
(It seems I read in the Bible that there would be people calling evil good and good evil. This article makes our federal agents sound like the bad guys with words like “unfamiliar” and “strangers”. Hmmm.)
“Arellano tidies up the room they share.”
She “lights a new stick of incense.”
She “tends to the patch of tomatoes…in the church yard.”
Donations are listed in Tara’s article as well. Saul brings home $70 from his gig at the Methodist conference. Then the mail brings an additional $132. Wow, two hundred bucks and it isn’t even 2:00 p.m.. She makes more money than I do!
I’m sure a pillar of the community like Elvira is on the up-and-up with her income. I wonder which kind of charitable organization she has set up with the IRS? No doubt there is a full accounting of donations and expenditures.
Any mail critical of her actions is torn up and thrown away. “She doesn’t need to see these,” according to her handler at the church.
Elvira eats McDonald’s that night. “On a hot summer night, the reprieve from turning on a hot stove is welcome.”
Sainthood, I tell you. That’s what this poor woman deserves.
Or maybe the alternative never mentioned in the article. She could return in peace with her son to Mexico. No more captivity. No more struggling with a foreign language. And I suppose she’d lose her perks as well, but the main thing is that she and Saulito could walk the streets together and not live in fear. I wonder why she stays here?
Her story starts out with a nice color photo four columns wide on Page One of the Sunday Daily Herald. The headline, “A DAY IN SANCTUARY”, sets the tone for this piece on a modern-day martyr. Then she gets half a page as the story continues on page 16, then on to page 17 for another half page. There’s even a picture of Saul, a dog, and a church altar. Do you feel the old cockles warming?
Tara Malone wrote the story in sort of a day-in-the-life format, with lots of references to poor Saulito who is a victim in all of this. (Tara fails to mention that Elvira plays that boy like a fiddle, sending him off to meet with politicians on both sides of the border and telling him exactly what to say.)
Here are some snippets of pathos from Tara’s “report”:
“Arellano wakes to an empty room”
“Sit-ups come next, a concession to 361 days of not moving around much. She’s dropped fajitas from her diet, too.”
“A Chihuahua named Daisy…is part of the security web that guards Arellano.”
“I am here to fight, to stay with my son and to be part of the legalization.”
(Just a thought, but I’m thinking as a felon who had defied a deportation order she is not likely to be part of any legalization program. But stranger things have happened.)
“Arellano is never alone. Someone’s always there to answer a doorbell and check for strangers.”
(It seems I read in the Bible that there would be people calling evil good and good evil. This article makes our federal agents sound like the bad guys with words like “unfamiliar” and “strangers”. Hmmm.)
“Arellano tidies up the room they share.”
She “lights a new stick of incense.”
She “tends to the patch of tomatoes…in the church yard.”
Donations are listed in Tara’s article as well. Saul brings home $70 from his gig at the Methodist conference. Then the mail brings an additional $132. Wow, two hundred bucks and it isn’t even 2:00 p.m.. She makes more money than I do!
I’m sure a pillar of the community like Elvira is on the up-and-up with her income. I wonder which kind of charitable organization she has set up with the IRS? No doubt there is a full accounting of donations and expenditures.
Any mail critical of her actions is torn up and thrown away. “She doesn’t need to see these,” according to her handler at the church.
Elvira eats McDonald’s that night. “On a hot summer night, the reprieve from turning on a hot stove is welcome.”
Sainthood, I tell you. That’s what this poor woman deserves.
Or maybe the alternative never mentioned in the article. She could return in peace with her son to Mexico. No more captivity. No more struggling with a foreign language. And I suppose she’d lose her perks as well, but the main thing is that she and Saulito could walk the streets together and not live in fear. I wonder why she stays here?
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Ay, Carranza!
Four black teens, hanging out in the park. They were playing some tunes and having some food. Time was running out before they had to report for school at Delaware State in the fall.
Four Hispanics approached them and announced that they were going to rob them. Natasha was shot in the face and left for dead by the bleachers. Her brother Terrence and two others were marched over to a wall, told to kneel down, and shot in the back of the head.
That was August 4th.
On August 9th Jose Carranza turned himself in to the Mayor of Newark. On the 10th he pled not guilty to murder, robbery, and attempted murder. A fifteen year old boy was also arrested on the 9th.
And on the 10th a second boy, also 15, was arrested in connection to the crime. One suspect remains at large.
Jose is what you would say “known to the police and the courts.” In April of this year he was indicted on aggravated assault and weapons charges as a result of a bar fight.
In July he was indicted on 31 (count ‘em, 31) counts of such things as aggravated sexual assault of a child under 13 and child endangerment for the rape of a young girl, then threatening her and her parents.
It turns out that Jose has a fake Social Security number. He also entered his plea in Spanish. He has been identified as an illegal alien from Peru.
Now, the judge in the April case released him on $50,000 bail. In July, the bail was set at $150,000, despite the fact that he began raping this girl in 2003 when she was four years old, and the abuse continued through this year!
Now, here’s the kicker. He’s eligible for bail at $1 million right now, despite all we know about him! Only his financial limitations are keeping him from walking out of the jail today.
No wonder the Fort Dix six were able to escape detection. One has to wonder what you have to do in New Jersey to be put on detainer hold by ICE.
Now, for you prosecutors, judges, and Immigration agents…listen carefully. I’m going to point out some clues that may help you spot someone who is here illegally. (Take notes, please!)
Step one: A clue that someone might be foreign-born. If they don’t speak English.
Step two: Check documents. If the Social Security card is bogus, this may be a clue that he does not have a legal presence. You may ask for a green card or a passport with valid visa. Non-citizens are REQUIRED BY LAW TO HAVE DOCUMENTS ON THEIR PERSON AT ALL TIMES.
Step three: Contact the LESC in Vermont and have them run the suspect through the Homeland Security databases.
Step four: Contact ICE and request an immediate detainer hold. They will conduct an interview and determine eligibility for you.
Step five: Notify the county jail (or other holding facililty) that the individual is only to be released to the custody of immigration officials.
Step six: Notify the courts that a detainer hold exists and he is not eligible for bail.
Geez! I’m beginning to think we are going to have to lock up some judges, lawyers, and police chiefs before people begin to understand what’s at stake here.
Four Hispanics approached them and announced that they were going to rob them. Natasha was shot in the face and left for dead by the bleachers. Her brother Terrence and two others were marched over to a wall, told to kneel down, and shot in the back of the head.
That was August 4th.
On August 9th Jose Carranza turned himself in to the Mayor of Newark. On the 10th he pled not guilty to murder, robbery, and attempted murder. A fifteen year old boy was also arrested on the 9th.
And on the 10th a second boy, also 15, was arrested in connection to the crime. One suspect remains at large.
Jose is what you would say “known to the police and the courts.” In April of this year he was indicted on aggravated assault and weapons charges as a result of a bar fight.
In July he was indicted on 31 (count ‘em, 31) counts of such things as aggravated sexual assault of a child under 13 and child endangerment for the rape of a young girl, then threatening her and her parents.
It turns out that Jose has a fake Social Security number. He also entered his plea in Spanish. He has been identified as an illegal alien from Peru.
Now, the judge in the April case released him on $50,000 bail. In July, the bail was set at $150,000, despite the fact that he began raping this girl in 2003 when she was four years old, and the abuse continued through this year!
Now, here’s the kicker. He’s eligible for bail at $1 million right now, despite all we know about him! Only his financial limitations are keeping him from walking out of the jail today.
No wonder the Fort Dix six were able to escape detection. One has to wonder what you have to do in New Jersey to be put on detainer hold by ICE.
Now, for you prosecutors, judges, and Immigration agents…listen carefully. I’m going to point out some clues that may help you spot someone who is here illegally. (Take notes, please!)
Step one: A clue that someone might be foreign-born. If they don’t speak English.
Step two: Check documents. If the Social Security card is bogus, this may be a clue that he does not have a legal presence. You may ask for a green card or a passport with valid visa. Non-citizens are REQUIRED BY LAW TO HAVE DOCUMENTS ON THEIR PERSON AT ALL TIMES.
Step three: Contact the LESC in Vermont and have them run the suspect through the Homeland Security databases.
Step four: Contact ICE and request an immediate detainer hold. They will conduct an interview and determine eligibility for you.
Step five: Notify the county jail (or other holding facililty) that the individual is only to be released to the custody of immigration officials.
Step six: Notify the courts that a detainer hold exists and he is not eligible for bail.
Geez! I’m beginning to think we are going to have to lock up some judges, lawyers, and police chiefs before people begin to understand what’s at stake here.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Withholdings forbidden
Illinois has made it illegal for employers to withhold FICA and Social Security from employee paychecks due to errors in Social Security files. The law is pending the governor’s signature.
Illinois lawmakers were worried that the database used by the Social Security Administration does not contains accurate information and have established a 99% accuracy rating before allowing Illinois employers to resume withholding deductions from paychecks.
Oh wait…I got it wrong…right database…right accuracy standard…wrong group. Illinois has written a law that forbids employers to use the Basic PILOT program for verifying the immigration status of new hires.
You can tell they are creating a protected class (illegal aliens) because the law also condemns all other verification methods with this wording: “Employers are prohibited from enrolling in any Employment Eligibility Verification System, including the Basic Pilot…”
The law is mute regarding SAVE, the companion program used to establish eligibility for welfare benefits. Surely the state must stop paying out welfare until such time as SAVE is 99% accurate in determining immigration status. But NO, it’s OK to give away state money from an inaccurate database!
I’m sure our Senator Noland consulted the local chapter president of LULAC, Veronica Noland. But I’m not sure any legislator from the Elgin area spoke with the president of Fox Valley Citizens for Legal Immigration, a local group seeking for some common sense in dealing with the illegals in the area.
At the end of the day, it’s OK for the people to pay into a Social Security system that is inaccurate, but it’s not OK to screen applicants using the same system.
Surely the legislators know that the overwhelming percentage of the errors in the database are due to the cardholders themselves. When someone gets married or divorced they must contact the SSA to have the name changed on the account. Failure to do so creates an “error”.
Surely the legislators must also know that Basic Pilot has a process for dealing with legitimate errors; a process that works just fine. They must also know that it is against federal law to fire a new hire without giving them an opportunity to correct the discrepancies.
Once again the Illinois State Legislature has shown their double standard by refusing to do anything about the presence of illegal aliens because it is a “federal matter” yet wading into the other side of this “federal matter” with laws such as this one and issuing driving certificates to illegals.
And based on the vote tallies, the conservative representative is an endangered species in Illinois.
Illinois lawmakers were worried that the database used by the Social Security Administration does not contains accurate information and have established a 99% accuracy rating before allowing Illinois employers to resume withholding deductions from paychecks.
Oh wait…I got it wrong…right database…right accuracy standard…wrong group. Illinois has written a law that forbids employers to use the Basic PILOT program for verifying the immigration status of new hires.
You can tell they are creating a protected class (illegal aliens) because the law also condemns all other verification methods with this wording: “Employers are prohibited from enrolling in any Employment Eligibility Verification System, including the Basic Pilot…”
The law is mute regarding SAVE, the companion program used to establish eligibility for welfare benefits. Surely the state must stop paying out welfare until such time as SAVE is 99% accurate in determining immigration status. But NO, it’s OK to give away state money from an inaccurate database!
I’m sure our Senator Noland consulted the local chapter president of LULAC, Veronica Noland. But I’m not sure any legislator from the Elgin area spoke with the president of Fox Valley Citizens for Legal Immigration, a local group seeking for some common sense in dealing with the illegals in the area.
At the end of the day, it’s OK for the people to pay into a Social Security system that is inaccurate, but it’s not OK to screen applicants using the same system.
Surely the legislators know that the overwhelming percentage of the errors in the database are due to the cardholders themselves. When someone gets married or divorced they must contact the SSA to have the name changed on the account. Failure to do so creates an “error”.
Surely the legislators must also know that Basic Pilot has a process for dealing with legitimate errors; a process that works just fine. They must also know that it is against federal law to fire a new hire without giving them an opportunity to correct the discrepancies.
Once again the Illinois State Legislature has shown their double standard by refusing to do anything about the presence of illegal aliens because it is a “federal matter” yet wading into the other side of this “federal matter” with laws such as this one and issuing driving certificates to illegals.
And based on the vote tallies, the conservative representative is an endangered species in Illinois.
Friday, August 10, 2007
Political pickpockets
I read on Wednesday (the 8th) that Washington is working on the bridge problem. It seems that our roads and bridges have been neglected due to the lack of tax money. Some are proposing an increase in the Federal Gas Tax to fund the needed repairs and construction.
See how easy it is? No one needs to explain where all the money from the past has gone. No one needs to explain why there isn’t plenty of money in the fund already because of all the gallons our SUVs are burning.
No one needs to explain the contradiction between our environmental cries about using too much fuel and not having enough money for roads.
No one needs to explain how government could fail so miserably at one of its most basic functions while they spend billions of dollars on congressional hearings to embarrass each other.
No accountability needed, just raise the tax and point to the gap in I-35W as justification.
And it isn’t just a Washington problem. The Motor Fuel Tax in Illinois has been “siphoned off” (I couldn’t resist) for other programs while our bridges rust away.
We allowed temporary tollbooths to build roads and got a permanent bureaucracy in return. We allowed a state lottery to fund education and found that our politicians simply gave less tax revenue to education, effectively using the lottery money for other things.
Once again, no one needs to explain. And they wonder why approval ratings of our elected officials are in the teens. It really is pathetic.
See how easy it is? No one needs to explain where all the money from the past has gone. No one needs to explain why there isn’t plenty of money in the fund already because of all the gallons our SUVs are burning.
No one needs to explain the contradiction between our environmental cries about using too much fuel and not having enough money for roads.
No one needs to explain how government could fail so miserably at one of its most basic functions while they spend billions of dollars on congressional hearings to embarrass each other.
No accountability needed, just raise the tax and point to the gap in I-35W as justification.
And it isn’t just a Washington problem. The Motor Fuel Tax in Illinois has been “siphoned off” (I couldn’t resist) for other programs while our bridges rust away.
We allowed temporary tollbooths to build roads and got a permanent bureaucracy in return. We allowed a state lottery to fund education and found that our politicians simply gave less tax revenue to education, effectively using the lottery money for other things.
Once again, no one needs to explain. And they wonder why approval ratings of our elected officials are in the teens. It really is pathetic.
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Mind your own business
On 9 February of this year a dozen members of the Mexican Congress showed up at a church in Chicago to support the cause of Elvira Arellano. She has defied deportation orders and is holed up in a storefront church run by the “Reverend” Slim Coleman.
If you want the whole Elvira history, leave a comment below. Otherwise, I’ll assume you know all about her.
Now, I’ve heard of U S Congressmen going to a foreign government and insisting that they release a U S Citizen, but I’ve never heard of a government sending a delegation to insist that they NOT allow someone to return home! But that’s exactly what these “dignitaries” did.
I fired off a fax to Condi Rice when it happened asking for a diplomatic censure of Mexico for meddling in our affairs and a firing of the State Department bozo who allowed the stunt to go on in the first place. Six months later I’m still waiting for Dr. Rice to get back to me.
Today I read that we are doing the same thing! 92 U S Congressmen have sent a letter to Mexican President Calderon insisting that he do something about the murders in Ciudad Juarez, a border town on the Mexican side. To my knowledge none of the people murdered were U S Citizens.
What are they thinking over there in Washington? It is sad, it is tragic, but why is this border town in Mexico so important that 20% of our Representatives would send a letter at the urging of California Democrat Hilda Solis?
Could it be because these are murders of women? Could it be that there is a connection between these murders and their efforts to sneak into the United States?
If our Congress wants to do something about the loss of life due to illegal alien traffic, I’d suggest that they work on enforcement and de-magnetizing our attractive policies.
Things like fences, border agents, deportation programs, anti-anchor baby laws, repealing the EMTALA (emergency room law), and stopping free public education for illegals would be a good start.
But I suppose indignant letters are more PC and less likely to cause the loss of votes than any substantive enforcement efforts.
If you want to stop the 500+ deaths in the desert each year, try making the U S a harder target to hit. Then perhaps they will stay home rather than risk their lives.
If you want the whole Elvira history, leave a comment below. Otherwise, I’ll assume you know all about her.
Now, I’ve heard of U S Congressmen going to a foreign government and insisting that they release a U S Citizen, but I’ve never heard of a government sending a delegation to insist that they NOT allow someone to return home! But that’s exactly what these “dignitaries” did.
I fired off a fax to Condi Rice when it happened asking for a diplomatic censure of Mexico for meddling in our affairs and a firing of the State Department bozo who allowed the stunt to go on in the first place. Six months later I’m still waiting for Dr. Rice to get back to me.
Today I read that we are doing the same thing! 92 U S Congressmen have sent a letter to Mexican President Calderon insisting that he do something about the murders in Ciudad Juarez, a border town on the Mexican side. To my knowledge none of the people murdered were U S Citizens.
What are they thinking over there in Washington? It is sad, it is tragic, but why is this border town in Mexico so important that 20% of our Representatives would send a letter at the urging of California Democrat Hilda Solis?
Could it be because these are murders of women? Could it be that there is a connection between these murders and their efforts to sneak into the United States?
If our Congress wants to do something about the loss of life due to illegal alien traffic, I’d suggest that they work on enforcement and de-magnetizing our attractive policies.
Things like fences, border agents, deportation programs, anti-anchor baby laws, repealing the EMTALA (emergency room law), and stopping free public education for illegals would be a good start.
But I suppose indignant letters are more PC and less likely to cause the loss of votes than any substantive enforcement efforts.
If you want to stop the 500+ deaths in the desert each year, try making the U S a harder target to hit. Then perhaps they will stay home rather than risk their lives.
Government math
I’ve noticed for years that the government doesn’t know how to count. For example, when a state program gets $10 million in 2004, $15 million in 2005, and only $16 million in 2006, that was a “program cut” or a “reduction”.
To a rational person, 2006 was a $1 million increase. In gov-speak it was a cut because it was less money than they got before. And it was less of an increase than the department head got down the hall.
Now, on to your tax bill. You see that city government got $800 of your money last year and $825 this year. Now why is the mayor saying they “lowered” your taxes? Well, the rate went down a bit but your house is theoretically worth more so they get more. And the same is true of all the houses in town and there are more houses being built so even when they “lower” your taxes, they still get more money.
OK, that was a long detour, but there is a point. We are making cultural inroads with the illegal aliens. They have figured out government math.
An AP article today explains that the remittances flowing from the U S to Mexico are declining. (Remittances are the money immigrants send home to the old country to help the family. Javier sneaks into the US and sends money back to his family in Jalisco. It sort of takes money out of circulation in our economy but that doesn’t bother most people.)
Now, here’s the math. In the first six months of 2006 remittances to Mexico were $11.42 billion. In the first six months of 2007 it was $11.5 billion. They call that a decline. I call it a decline in the rate of growth, but it is still more money.
The article also gave the results of a consumer confidence study on illegal aliens. A polling business in Miami (Bendixon) did phone interviews of illegals (about 450 were admitted illegals) and asked where they would be in five years.
In traditional destination states like Texas, California, and (sadly) Illinois, the answer was that 22% would be back in Mexico in five years and 12 percent were undecided.
But in states like Pennsylvania and Georgia where there is some resistance to this new wave of illegals through enforcement efforts, the confidence level was decidedly different. They said that 31% would be back in Mexico in five years and 20% were undecided.
Pushing back does indeed make illegals think twice. We are having an impact. Their confidence in their own future in the US is declining.
Now, for the sympathy quote from Sergio Bendixon, owner of the polling company: “It is the very ugly and sad anti-immigrant sentiment in these new states that we feel is directly responsible for the flattening out of remittances to Mexico.” I’m gonna need a tissue.
To a rational person, 2006 was a $1 million increase. In gov-speak it was a cut because it was less money than they got before. And it was less of an increase than the department head got down the hall.
Now, on to your tax bill. You see that city government got $800 of your money last year and $825 this year. Now why is the mayor saying they “lowered” your taxes? Well, the rate went down a bit but your house is theoretically worth more so they get more. And the same is true of all the houses in town and there are more houses being built so even when they “lower” your taxes, they still get more money.
OK, that was a long detour, but there is a point. We are making cultural inroads with the illegal aliens. They have figured out government math.
An AP article today explains that the remittances flowing from the U S to Mexico are declining. (Remittances are the money immigrants send home to the old country to help the family. Javier sneaks into the US and sends money back to his family in Jalisco. It sort of takes money out of circulation in our economy but that doesn’t bother most people.)
Now, here’s the math. In the first six months of 2006 remittances to Mexico were $11.42 billion. In the first six months of 2007 it was $11.5 billion. They call that a decline. I call it a decline in the rate of growth, but it is still more money.
The article also gave the results of a consumer confidence study on illegal aliens. A polling business in Miami (Bendixon) did phone interviews of illegals (about 450 were admitted illegals) and asked where they would be in five years.
In traditional destination states like Texas, California, and (sadly) Illinois, the answer was that 22% would be back in Mexico in five years and 12 percent were undecided.
But in states like Pennsylvania and Georgia where there is some resistance to this new wave of illegals through enforcement efforts, the confidence level was decidedly different. They said that 31% would be back in Mexico in five years and 20% were undecided.
Pushing back does indeed make illegals think twice. We are having an impact. Their confidence in their own future in the US is declining.
Now, for the sympathy quote from Sergio Bendixon, owner of the polling company: “It is the very ugly and sad anti-immigrant sentiment in these new states that we feel is directly responsible for the flattening out of remittances to Mexico.” I’m gonna need a tissue.
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Subprimates
Or, watch your wallet!
Once again realtors and lenders have created a mess. Once again the taxpayer is going to bail them out.
I recall several years ago when the housing market in California collapsed due to rope-a-dope appraisals. When the borrowers went into default, the banks realized that the houses weren’t worth nearly as much as the appraisals showed.
Subprime loans are defaulting all over the place. The total now tops $100 BILLION. One shouldn’t marvel at this since low interest loans have been recklessly offered for years now. You’ve got your ARMs. You’ve got your “interest only” loans. You’ve got consolidation and refinancing going on as though it were no big deal.
Add to that the fact that credit card debt is UP again and the savings rate is nil.
Like the guy on the radio mortgage ads says, “It’s the biggest no brainer in the history of earth.”
Enter presidential candidates. The Senator born and raised in Illinois, lived her adult life in Arkansas, and now represents New York – Hillary Clinton, steps forward to save us all from the consequences of our actions. She is proposing changes in the mortgage industry to protect the naïve who have come to expect a free lunch.
Clinton’s new lending rules:
*Lender fees must be clear and in plain language
*Monthly taxes and insurance must be clearly stated
WATCH THE REDISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH BELOW:
*Ban prepayment penalties on all mortgages
The masses will lap it up, especially in an election year. We’ll be lucky if they don’t add more freebies before they’re done.
I missed the most important change that no one is talking about, something no candidate will ever go for: Require proof of citizenship or legal permanent residency to own residential property.
Stop the presses! If Congress starts tinkering with our trade relationship with China, Beijing has threatened to withdraw the $1 TRILLION it has invested in the U S bond market.
Now that would make the subprime mess look like Sunday School. I suppose that’s the price you pay for dancing with the dragon.
Once again realtors and lenders have created a mess. Once again the taxpayer is going to bail them out.
I recall several years ago when the housing market in California collapsed due to rope-a-dope appraisals. When the borrowers went into default, the banks realized that the houses weren’t worth nearly as much as the appraisals showed.
Subprime loans are defaulting all over the place. The total now tops $100 BILLION. One shouldn’t marvel at this since low interest loans have been recklessly offered for years now. You’ve got your ARMs. You’ve got your “interest only” loans. You’ve got consolidation and refinancing going on as though it were no big deal.
Add to that the fact that credit card debt is UP again and the savings rate is nil.
Like the guy on the radio mortgage ads says, “It’s the biggest no brainer in the history of earth.”
Enter presidential candidates. The Senator born and raised in Illinois, lived her adult life in Arkansas, and now represents New York – Hillary Clinton, steps forward to save us all from the consequences of our actions. She is proposing changes in the mortgage industry to protect the naïve who have come to expect a free lunch.
Clinton’s new lending rules:
*Lender fees must be clear and in plain language
*Monthly taxes and insurance must be clearly stated
WATCH THE REDISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH BELOW:
*Ban prepayment penalties on all mortgages
The masses will lap it up, especially in an election year. We’ll be lucky if they don’t add more freebies before they’re done.
I missed the most important change that no one is talking about, something no candidate will ever go for: Require proof of citizenship or legal permanent residency to own residential property.
Stop the presses! If Congress starts tinkering with our trade relationship with China, Beijing has threatened to withdraw the $1 TRILLION it has invested in the U S bond market.
Now that would make the subprime mess look like Sunday School. I suppose that’s the price you pay for dancing with the dragon.
Necio and dumber
If you were illegal and got fired because your boss didn’t want to get caught employing you, would you stage a protest? Me, I think I’d quietly find work elsewhere. Or if I were really wise, I’d realize that the USA is getting smart and head back to the old country.
But at least five courageous (but not too bright) souls showed up at their former employer’s store, a Dunkin’ Donuts shop in Chicago, and hassled customers saying that they worked long hours without OT and got sore backs but, because they are illegal, the company let them go.
They are a merciful lot; they don’t want to sue, they just want their old jobs back. Oh, and they are filing a class action suit because of the labor law violations. I know a judge in Pennsylvania who will be sympathetic.
Perhaps they ought to go to the Dunkin’ Donuts shop in Waukegan. That store was part of the boycott to protest an immigration enforcement program by the local police.
FYI, as a company Dunkin’ Donuts has officially endorsed the use of Basic PILOT to screen for illegal workers. In fact, they took some lumps over it. I guess the franchise can do whatever they want.
So…our protesters are dumb, but how dumb are WE as a nation not to pick them up and send them home? I wonder how many cops walked past them on the way to a Boston Cream? If these folks attract enough attention to bring out the Chicago Tribune you would think ICE would find out about it.
It seems to me that the more we allow these folks to pretend they have rights, the more problems we will have with people sneaking across the border and taking to the streets making demands.
The more we (as in the Executive Branch of government) hold back, the deeper we plant in their heads the idea that they belong here.
They may be dumb for protesting but we are dumber for allowing them to do it.
As an editorial note, the Chicago Tribune did not print their names. There seems to be a great deal of secrecy these days. Munley allowed the Hazleton case to go forward with unidentified plaintiffs known to be here illegally. Isn’t that special?
But at least five courageous (but not too bright) souls showed up at their former employer’s store, a Dunkin’ Donuts shop in Chicago, and hassled customers saying that they worked long hours without OT and got sore backs but, because they are illegal, the company let them go.
They are a merciful lot; they don’t want to sue, they just want their old jobs back. Oh, and they are filing a class action suit because of the labor law violations. I know a judge in Pennsylvania who will be sympathetic.
Perhaps they ought to go to the Dunkin’ Donuts shop in Waukegan. That store was part of the boycott to protest an immigration enforcement program by the local police.
FYI, as a company Dunkin’ Donuts has officially endorsed the use of Basic PILOT to screen for illegal workers. In fact, they took some lumps over it. I guess the franchise can do whatever they want.
So…our protesters are dumb, but how dumb are WE as a nation not to pick them up and send them home? I wonder how many cops walked past them on the way to a Boston Cream? If these folks attract enough attention to bring out the Chicago Tribune you would think ICE would find out about it.
It seems to me that the more we allow these folks to pretend they have rights, the more problems we will have with people sneaking across the border and taking to the streets making demands.
The more we (as in the Executive Branch of government) hold back, the deeper we plant in their heads the idea that they belong here.
They may be dumb for protesting but we are dumber for allowing them to do it.
As an editorial note, the Chicago Tribune did not print their names. There seems to be a great deal of secrecy these days. Munley allowed the Hazleton case to go forward with unidentified plaintiffs known to be here illegally. Isn’t that special?
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
A tale of two hotlines
News today from Santa Ana California that immigrants rights groups are setting up a hotline to report immigration raids in progress. The Front Against Raids and Orange County Alliance for Immigrants Rights held a press conference yesterday and announced that they were setting up a hotline to warn illegals of imminent or in-progress raids.
They would also offer support to the families left in the dark in the wake of the raids and, of course, provide legal advice regarding their rights.
This in the wake of raids earlier this year. According to the Orange County Register, “During five days of raids in June, 175 people in Orange County were arrested on suspected immigration violations. The raids arrested 27 suspected criminals, including a man wanted for murder and a convicted child molester.”
An ICE spokesman said that detainees already have due process, including the opportunity to prove they are indeed here legally.
My Utah friends may recall that there is a group in Salt Lake that created a nice brochure about what to do if you or a loved one is caught here illegally. Here’s a link in case you want to keep one in the glove box:
http://www.kcpw.org/media/other_files/PDFs/Raid.information.kit.pdf
I was unable to find a version in English. How insensitive of them!
Enough of that…Hotline number two comes from Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County Arizona. You might recognize him as the Sheriff with the tent city jail and pink underwear for the inmates.
Well, Sheriff Arpaio has set up a hotline to report illegal aliens in his county and the Latino activists are just livid. They claim he can’t do that. Here’s his answer to that:
"There's nothing unconstitutional about putting up a hotline," Arpaio said, pointing out that U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement have similar hotlines. (From AP report 26 July 2007)
So, how’s it going’, Sheriff? Well, they had 300 calls in the first week. And what did the calls consist of? “Tips about family and friends, employment, day laborers, drop houses and crank calls.” (ibid)
You can’t lose if you buy stock in the phone company.
They would also offer support to the families left in the dark in the wake of the raids and, of course, provide legal advice regarding their rights.
This in the wake of raids earlier this year. According to the Orange County Register, “During five days of raids in June, 175 people in Orange County were arrested on suspected immigration violations. The raids arrested 27 suspected criminals, including a man wanted for murder and a convicted child molester.”
An ICE spokesman said that detainees already have due process, including the opportunity to prove they are indeed here legally.
My Utah friends may recall that there is a group in Salt Lake that created a nice brochure about what to do if you or a loved one is caught here illegally. Here’s a link in case you want to keep one in the glove box:
http://www.kcpw.org/media/other_files/PDFs/Raid.information.kit.pdf
I was unable to find a version in English. How insensitive of them!
Enough of that…Hotline number two comes from Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County Arizona. You might recognize him as the Sheriff with the tent city jail and pink underwear for the inmates.
Well, Sheriff Arpaio has set up a hotline to report illegal aliens in his county and the Latino activists are just livid. They claim he can’t do that. Here’s his answer to that:
"There's nothing unconstitutional about putting up a hotline," Arpaio said, pointing out that U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement have similar hotlines. (From AP report 26 July 2007)
So, how’s it going’, Sheriff? Well, they had 300 calls in the first week. And what did the calls consist of? “Tips about family and friends, employment, day laborers, drop houses and crank calls.” (ibid)
You can’t lose if you buy stock in the phone company.
Paging Dr. Phil!
Dr. Phil is needed in Springfield Illinois stat! Socialism has met reality and it is getting ugly.
You see, Illinois has a law that our elected leaders must pass a budget by July 1st each year. They voted on a one month extension to keep the ship afloat. That expired August 1st. So the Land of Lincoln is living on borrowed time. The Controller is sounding the alarm and Gov. Blagojevich is saying, “Relax”.
It seems Blago can’t find a pen to sign the electric rate relief bill. He seems to be having trouble with other tasks as well. Is he holding out on us? Accumulating bargaining chips? Or is it just a political tantrum?
At issue is the Gov’s health care for all bill. The Legislators are all telling him we can’t afford it and they won’t fund it. And no one wanted his Gross Receipts Tax, essentially charging businesses every time inventory moved.
Did I mention that the Democrats hold the majority in the Legislature? Did I mention that the Gov is also a Democrat?
Bridges are falling down and the schools are broke. And yet we continue to push for more social programs on top of the ones we have. The irony about universal health care is that Illinois already has some health care programs for kids and the poor. Those programs are constantly trying to find doctors who will take patients because Illinois doesn’t pay on time! And when they do, it is less than the doctors need to cover costs.
Dr. Phil needs to line up all those Socialists and yell, “GET REAL!”
You see, Illinois has a law that our elected leaders must pass a budget by July 1st each year. They voted on a one month extension to keep the ship afloat. That expired August 1st. So the Land of Lincoln is living on borrowed time. The Controller is sounding the alarm and Gov. Blagojevich is saying, “Relax”.
It seems Blago can’t find a pen to sign the electric rate relief bill. He seems to be having trouble with other tasks as well. Is he holding out on us? Accumulating bargaining chips? Or is it just a political tantrum?
At issue is the Gov’s health care for all bill. The Legislators are all telling him we can’t afford it and they won’t fund it. And no one wanted his Gross Receipts Tax, essentially charging businesses every time inventory moved.
Did I mention that the Democrats hold the majority in the Legislature? Did I mention that the Gov is also a Democrat?
Bridges are falling down and the schools are broke. And yet we continue to push for more social programs on top of the ones we have. The irony about universal health care is that Illinois already has some health care programs for kids and the poor. Those programs are constantly trying to find doctors who will take patients because Illinois doesn’t pay on time! And when they do, it is less than the doctors need to cover costs.
Dr. Phil needs to line up all those Socialists and yell, “GET REAL!”
Monday, August 6, 2007
Academic Integrity - NOT!
Way back on May Day 2006, it is estimated that 400,000 people marched on downtown Chicago to protest. The rallying cry was, “Yes, we can!” but I’m not sure what the question was.
Now 400,000 people is a huge group, twice the size of the audience on the Mall in DC to hear Martin Luther King, Jr. say “I have a dream” way back in 1963.
In July 2006 a survey hit the media and was covered by the Chicago dailies. It proclaimed that nearly 300,000 of those marchers were U.S. Citizens. And 200,000 said they were voters. The newspapers lapped it up as fact.
But let’s take a look at the poll and the pollsters. The sample was 410 people chosen at random at the march. Some of the pollsters spoke only English so they had to bypass people in the crowd who didn’t.
In addition, the fear factor was never quantified. If you were here illegally, would you admit it to someone walking around with a clipboard? I think I would either lie about my status or decline to participate.
Now, who was running this study? A group of college professors led by Nilda Flores-Gonzalez, a Puerto Rican who has made her living doing Latino research. They call the group the “Immigrant Mobilization Project”. (Editors: This ought to be your first clue. Be very skeptical.)
Nilda has written such articles as, “The Racialization of Latinos: The Meaning of Latino
Identity for the Second Generation” and “Latino Youth Culture and Community Action”.
And she is working on an article entitled, “The media’s criminalization of Latino youth”.
Her current position is “Associate Professor with a joint appointment in the Department of Sociology and the Latin American and Latino Studies Program, University
of Illinois at Chicago.”
I wonder why the media is willing to fall for such nonsense and print it. It certainly plays to the diversity angle, but they ought to at least use some journalistic diligence and tell us who these people are and why the numbers might not be accurate.
As for the University of Illinois – Chicago, they have been in a liberal free-fall for decades. They must realize that there is a world off-campus that no longer respects their research for this very reason. They are by no means alone among universities.
If we let the likes of Nilda Flores “frame the debate” as they like to say in the ivory tower, it is easy to predict what we will get.
Now 400,000 people is a huge group, twice the size of the audience on the Mall in DC to hear Martin Luther King, Jr. say “I have a dream” way back in 1963.
In July 2006 a survey hit the media and was covered by the Chicago dailies. It proclaimed that nearly 300,000 of those marchers were U.S. Citizens. And 200,000 said they were voters. The newspapers lapped it up as fact.
But let’s take a look at the poll and the pollsters. The sample was 410 people chosen at random at the march. Some of the pollsters spoke only English so they had to bypass people in the crowd who didn’t.
In addition, the fear factor was never quantified. If you were here illegally, would you admit it to someone walking around with a clipboard? I think I would either lie about my status or decline to participate.
Now, who was running this study? A group of college professors led by Nilda Flores-Gonzalez, a Puerto Rican who has made her living doing Latino research. They call the group the “Immigrant Mobilization Project”. (Editors: This ought to be your first clue. Be very skeptical.)
Nilda has written such articles as, “The Racialization of Latinos: The Meaning of Latino
Identity for the Second Generation” and “Latino Youth Culture and Community Action”.
And she is working on an article entitled, “The media’s criminalization of Latino youth”.
Her current position is “Associate Professor with a joint appointment in the Department of Sociology and the Latin American and Latino Studies Program, University
of Illinois at Chicago.”
I wonder why the media is willing to fall for such nonsense and print it. It certainly plays to the diversity angle, but they ought to at least use some journalistic diligence and tell us who these people are and why the numbers might not be accurate.
As for the University of Illinois – Chicago, they have been in a liberal free-fall for decades. They must realize that there is a world off-campus that no longer respects their research for this very reason. They are by no means alone among universities.
If we let the likes of Nilda Flores “frame the debate” as they like to say in the ivory tower, it is easy to predict what we will get.
Saturday, August 4, 2007
Rent a Card at the Border
For those last-minute crossers, it appears that you can get just about anything in the border town of Juarez (just across the line from El Paso) Mexico. I’ve been to Juarez a couple of times. I remember that there was no waiting line crossing INTO Mexico but a huge back-up trying to get back into the USA. God bless America!
These were the pre-9/11 days, around 1998. Now, having lived in Chicago I am used to waiting in traffic at the rush hour tollbooths. But these waits were ridiculous. It would take 30-45 minutes of inching up to the gate before it was your turn to be inspected.
Usually they would just ask a couple of questions. Sometimes you’d need to open the trunk. Maybe show your company ID badge and/or a Drivers License. The biggest fear was that you would be busted for bringing in cigars without declaring them. Behind the scenes there was a mirror under your car and drug dogs wandering about.
But today things should be different. Congress has been provided with proof that Arabs have entered the US through the Mexican border. And I just read that Cubans are opting for a land assault through Mexico rather than the amphibious attacks on Miami Beach. Customs and Border Protection say 90% of illegals from Cuba now prefer the Mexico route.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/mexico/20070801-1331-cuba-mexico-peoplesmuggling.html
So, what’s an illegal to do? Well, he RENTS a green card for $500, hopes he looks like the picture of the real owner, then hands it back to an accomplice on the US side. You can get a passport for $400, but once again, you have to give it back once you get across the border.
Now for some numbers: Every day 100,000 people cross at the Juarez/El Paso border station alone. And there are many other entry points along the border. That’s a big number to be processed and people don’t like to wait in line.
For the record, many of those folks are U S businessmen who do that trip every day. They have had various expedited border crossing passes for years. Those passes get more sophisticated every time a new one is designed.
Also, many of those crossers are Mexican citizens who come into the US regularly to shop. Check out the mall or the Wal Mart at any border town and you will be amazed at the high number of license plates from Mexico. 9/11 hasn’t slowed them down much.
So how are they doing at spotting the fraudulent documentation? In the last TWO YEARS Customs agents have only seized 90,000 fake documents and caught 60,000 people trying to use them NATIONWIDE. That’s a drop in the bucket folks!
Here’s the link. Read it and weep. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19337264/
These were the pre-9/11 days, around 1998. Now, having lived in Chicago I am used to waiting in traffic at the rush hour tollbooths. But these waits were ridiculous. It would take 30-45 minutes of inching up to the gate before it was your turn to be inspected.
Usually they would just ask a couple of questions. Sometimes you’d need to open the trunk. Maybe show your company ID badge and/or a Drivers License. The biggest fear was that you would be busted for bringing in cigars without declaring them. Behind the scenes there was a mirror under your car and drug dogs wandering about.
But today things should be different. Congress has been provided with proof that Arabs have entered the US through the Mexican border. And I just read that Cubans are opting for a land assault through Mexico rather than the amphibious attacks on Miami Beach. Customs and Border Protection say 90% of illegals from Cuba now prefer the Mexico route.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/mexico/20070801-1331-cuba-mexico-peoplesmuggling.html
So, what’s an illegal to do? Well, he RENTS a green card for $500, hopes he looks like the picture of the real owner, then hands it back to an accomplice on the US side. You can get a passport for $400, but once again, you have to give it back once you get across the border.
Now for some numbers: Every day 100,000 people cross at the Juarez/El Paso border station alone. And there are many other entry points along the border. That’s a big number to be processed and people don’t like to wait in line.
For the record, many of those folks are U S businessmen who do that trip every day. They have had various expedited border crossing passes for years. Those passes get more sophisticated every time a new one is designed.
Also, many of those crossers are Mexican citizens who come into the US regularly to shop. Check out the mall or the Wal Mart at any border town and you will be amazed at the high number of license plates from Mexico. 9/11 hasn’t slowed them down much.
So how are they doing at spotting the fraudulent documentation? In the last TWO YEARS Customs agents have only seized 90,000 fake documents and caught 60,000 people trying to use them NATIONWIDE. That’s a drop in the bucket folks!
Here’s the link. Read it and weep. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19337264/
Friday, August 3, 2007
Standards, Telemundo Style
The Spanish-language TV giant Telemundo announced on August 2nd that Mirthala Salinas will be suspended for two months without pay following her exposed affair with LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.
This is like a novela. Is it reality TV?
A little chronology.
Mirthala, in her capacity as a political reporter, got a little too close to the mayor a year ago. When the station found out, they quietly reassigned her.
The sin for which she is now being punished was that she was anchoring the news and read the story about the mayor confirming the rumors of his affair, and pretending not to be involved. It seems to me that her bosses at Telemundo ought to also serve some hard time since they knew about it eleven months ago as well. It is true she had no business reporting the story, but she wasn’t acting alone.
By contrast, Amy Jacobson (see the July blog) here in Chicago was FIRED for joining a pool party at the home of a suspected wife killer.
It just goes to show you that ethnicity matters. The Hispanic media has a lower standard (I never thought that was possible) than U S media in general. And it isn’t just the news. Take a look at the programming in your town. You will see more bikini-clad bimbos used as props in sitcoms. You will see more female erotic gyrations on music videos. The soap operas are more sexually graphic. It is true-to-form of the “Latin lover” stereotype.
Where are all the liberals complaining about women-as-objects when it comes to Univision and Telemundo? Is it right to get a free pass here in the U S just because of their non-white, non-European culture?
And when you look at the higher incidences of wife abuse, rape, and other crimes against women at the hands of the macho, it goes beyond culture to crime.
But in response, the media refuses to acknowledge the problem. Instead they publish nonsense like Jesse Diaz of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) that Americans are responsible for crimes committed by illegal aliens because of our bad example to them. He told the media back in January that illegals “are picking up those bad habits of cheating, of drinking and drugs” from American citizens.
And defense lawyers in Tennessee are complaining that illegal aliens can’t get a fair jury trial. Again, the problem is US, not THEM in the eyes of the press. Give me a break!
This is like a novela. Is it reality TV?
A little chronology.
Mirthala, in her capacity as a political reporter, got a little too close to the mayor a year ago. When the station found out, they quietly reassigned her.
The sin for which she is now being punished was that she was anchoring the news and read the story about the mayor confirming the rumors of his affair, and pretending not to be involved. It seems to me that her bosses at Telemundo ought to also serve some hard time since they knew about it eleven months ago as well. It is true she had no business reporting the story, but she wasn’t acting alone.
By contrast, Amy Jacobson (see the July blog) here in Chicago was FIRED for joining a pool party at the home of a suspected wife killer.
It just goes to show you that ethnicity matters. The Hispanic media has a lower standard (I never thought that was possible) than U S media in general. And it isn’t just the news. Take a look at the programming in your town. You will see more bikini-clad bimbos used as props in sitcoms. You will see more female erotic gyrations on music videos. The soap operas are more sexually graphic. It is true-to-form of the “Latin lover” stereotype.
Where are all the liberals complaining about women-as-objects when it comes to Univision and Telemundo? Is it right to get a free pass here in the U S just because of their non-white, non-European culture?
And when you look at the higher incidences of wife abuse, rape, and other crimes against women at the hands of the macho, it goes beyond culture to crime.
But in response, the media refuses to acknowledge the problem. Instead they publish nonsense like Jesse Diaz of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) that Americans are responsible for crimes committed by illegal aliens because of our bad example to them. He told the media back in January that illegals “are picking up those bad habits of cheating, of drinking and drugs” from American citizens.
And defense lawyers in Tennessee are complaining that illegal aliens can’t get a fair jury trial. Again, the problem is US, not THEM in the eyes of the press. Give me a break!
If only I were a Physical Therapist
Ah, to be in orthopedics these days, especially in Washington and the various state capitals around the country. Surely there will be injuries with all the knee-jerking going on the past couple of days.
Virtually everywhere newspapers are asking the question, “Are our bridges safe?” And our elected officials are scrambling with immediate inspections and statistics about how many have been declared unsafe in recent years by government experts.
And First Lady Laura Bush is making her obligatory helicopter fly-over and “I feel your pain” speech in Minneapolis (with the wounded and grieving as a backdrop in the photo-ops).
We’ll hear new promises of highway money from all over as government attempts to hide the fact that they have failed at the most basic duty of government – infrastructure. The county road commission has been an American institution wherever civilization has settled. Our ancestors were taxed, a local was hired, and teams of horses and oxen were sent out to drag log scrapers along the trail to make it wide and smooth.
FYI, Parley’s Canyon, outside of Salt Lake City, was mapped out by Parley P Pratt. It was NOT a charitable venture. It was a TOLL road. Parley did the work of clearing and grading the trail and he charged people to use it!
It won’t happen, but it would sure be nice if this disaster served as a reminder to politicians that their priorities are out of whack. They ought to take care of schools, roads, cops, and foreign enemies before they spend time and money on universal health care, welcome centers for illegals, congressional hearings about drugs in baseball, monuments to themselves, setting electric rates, dictating the MPG of vehicles, telephone number portability (for a fee), the content of Talk Radio… If they are ignoring the basics, what business do they have dabbling in the rest?
Virtually everywhere newspapers are asking the question, “Are our bridges safe?” And our elected officials are scrambling with immediate inspections and statistics about how many have been declared unsafe in recent years by government experts.
And First Lady Laura Bush is making her obligatory helicopter fly-over and “I feel your pain” speech in Minneapolis (with the wounded and grieving as a backdrop in the photo-ops).
We’ll hear new promises of highway money from all over as government attempts to hide the fact that they have failed at the most basic duty of government – infrastructure. The county road commission has been an American institution wherever civilization has settled. Our ancestors were taxed, a local was hired, and teams of horses and oxen were sent out to drag log scrapers along the trail to make it wide and smooth.
FYI, Parley’s Canyon, outside of Salt Lake City, was mapped out by Parley P Pratt. It was NOT a charitable venture. It was a TOLL road. Parley did the work of clearing and grading the trail and he charged people to use it!
It won’t happen, but it would sure be nice if this disaster served as a reminder to politicians that their priorities are out of whack. They ought to take care of schools, roads, cops, and foreign enemies before they spend time and money on universal health care, welcome centers for illegals, congressional hearings about drugs in baseball, monuments to themselves, setting electric rates, dictating the MPG of vehicles, telephone number portability (for a fee), the content of Talk Radio… If they are ignoring the basics, what business do they have dabbling in the rest?
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Like anyone could really KNOW that, Napoleon!
It is amazing how well the federal government operates. Less than two hours after the I-35W bridge fell into the Mississippi River, some spokesman from Homeland Security in Washington DC declared that it was NOT a terrorist act. It is simply amazing.
And when the steam pipe burst in New York a few weeks back, the response was the same and equally rapid. Amazing.
Here in Elgin Illinois a masked gunman shot five Hispanic young men who were hanging out in front of their house. Two of the five were killed. The police haven’t caught anyone. No one is even named as a suspect. But the police chief and mayor were absolutely certain that it was not the work of an illegal alien. Again, amazing.
What is amazing is that they think they have any credibility with the public. I’m amazed that they think we are stupid enough to believe they’ve done anything except open the emergency manual and follow step 1: “Reassure the public that there is no problem.”
No wonder the conspiracy theorists abound whenever there is a catastrophe. When the government plays us for fools it’s easy to think they are hiding something.
And when the steam pipe burst in New York a few weeks back, the response was the same and equally rapid. Amazing.
Here in Elgin Illinois a masked gunman shot five Hispanic young men who were hanging out in front of their house. Two of the five were killed. The police haven’t caught anyone. No one is even named as a suspect. But the police chief and mayor were absolutely certain that it was not the work of an illegal alien. Again, amazing.
What is amazing is that they think they have any credibility with the public. I’m amazed that they think we are stupid enough to believe they’ve done anything except open the emergency manual and follow step 1: “Reassure the public that there is no problem.”
No wonder the conspiracy theorists abound whenever there is a catastrophe. When the government plays us for fools it’s easy to think they are hiding something.
Obama on Hazleton
Which is like saying: Obama on illegal immigration
You know how I feel about the Munley ruling on the Hazleton Ordinance, but perhaps you missed the comments made by Barack Hussein Obama (his real name) on the subject.
He called the Munley decision “a victory for all Americans.” Hmmm.
Obama told the La Raza national convention that he supports the cause of the illegals. It has been his message since May 1, 2006 when he joined the marchers and egged them on.
When he talked about the comprehensive immigration reform debate in the Senate he characterized it as "both ugly and racist in a way we haven't see since the struggle for civil rights."
I suppose with an attitude like that he would agree with Munley. Obama speaks as though illegals have all the rights of citizens.
You know how I feel about the Munley ruling on the Hazleton Ordinance, but perhaps you missed the comments made by Barack Hussein Obama (his real name) on the subject.
He called the Munley decision “a victory for all Americans.” Hmmm.
Obama told the La Raza national convention that he supports the cause of the illegals. It has been his message since May 1, 2006 when he joined the marchers and egged them on.
When he talked about the comprehensive immigration reform debate in the Senate he characterized it as "both ugly and racist in a way we haven't see since the struggle for civil rights."
I suppose with an attitude like that he would agree with Munley. Obama speaks as though illegals have all the rights of citizens.
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Impunity through anonymity
I don’t know who coined the phrase, But Pres. Bush often refers to illegal aliens as living “in the shadows” of our society. One pictures foreigners lurking in alleyways, afraid to even walk on the street.
But I think that image is a distortion. Certainly, an illegal alien would suffer more anxiety when stopped by the police than your average citizen. After all, they are hiding a few past sins and exposure could spell trouble.
Yet I suppose that most of them realize that there is little real danger to them. Schools are safe. Hospitals are safe. Even the welfare office is safe.
I’ve proven that getting license plates for your car is no problem. You don’t need to show a Drivers License or even proof of insurance (despite what the law says).
Now, getting a Drivers License these days can be a problem, since they run a match on your Social Security Card. You’d better be the same person or you’re in trouble. Well, not really “in trouble”; the penalty is that they tell you the information doesn’t match so you won’t get a license. But they don’t arrest you and investigate the identity theft.
Most major immigrant enclaves have non-profit offices called “Centro de something or other” that assist the immigrant to get housing, work papers, food, medical care, jobs, transportation, translation of documents…all the things you need when you are new to our country. I have yet to find one that screens applicants. And they certainly aren’t in the business of turning in illegals. The vast majority of them are in favor of open borders and legalization.
The truth is that rarely does anyone challenge the presence of illegal aliens. I’ve talked about the lack of deterrence before. One generally has to commit the most serious of crimes before immigration status becomes an issue. The police don’t check, the courts don’t check, the newspapers don’t tell.
This Munley opinion (Hazleton ordinance ruling) makes it clear that only federal officials can be involved in “outing” an illegal. Any other effort to stand up to unlawful presence is against the law.
If Munley is to stand as the law of the land, a multitude of local agencies will need to be part of the 287(g) program. Local police, welfare offices, the DMV, Social Security, even the coroner will all need to be trained and deputized as immigration police. I really think there must be a way to stand up to blatant disregard (and disrespect) of the law.
“The curse of ages will rest upon you if ever you surrender to domestic lawlessness the precious liberties for which your fathers bled.” - John Mitchell Mason
But I think that image is a distortion. Certainly, an illegal alien would suffer more anxiety when stopped by the police than your average citizen. After all, they are hiding a few past sins and exposure could spell trouble.
Yet I suppose that most of them realize that there is little real danger to them. Schools are safe. Hospitals are safe. Even the welfare office is safe.
I’ve proven that getting license plates for your car is no problem. You don’t need to show a Drivers License or even proof of insurance (despite what the law says).
Now, getting a Drivers License these days can be a problem, since they run a match on your Social Security Card. You’d better be the same person or you’re in trouble. Well, not really “in trouble”; the penalty is that they tell you the information doesn’t match so you won’t get a license. But they don’t arrest you and investigate the identity theft.
Most major immigrant enclaves have non-profit offices called “Centro de something or other” that assist the immigrant to get housing, work papers, food, medical care, jobs, transportation, translation of documents…all the things you need when you are new to our country. I have yet to find one that screens applicants. And they certainly aren’t in the business of turning in illegals. The vast majority of them are in favor of open borders and legalization.
The truth is that rarely does anyone challenge the presence of illegal aliens. I’ve talked about the lack of deterrence before. One generally has to commit the most serious of crimes before immigration status becomes an issue. The police don’t check, the courts don’t check, the newspapers don’t tell.
This Munley opinion (Hazleton ordinance ruling) makes it clear that only federal officials can be involved in “outing” an illegal. Any other effort to stand up to unlawful presence is against the law.
If Munley is to stand as the law of the land, a multitude of local agencies will need to be part of the 287(g) program. Local police, welfare offices, the DMV, Social Security, even the coroner will all need to be trained and deputized as immigration police. I really think there must be a way to stand up to blatant disregard (and disrespect) of the law.
“The curse of ages will rest upon you if ever you surrender to domestic lawlessness the precious liberties for which your fathers bled.” - John Mitchell Mason
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)