Points from a CNN story.
"Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean told immigrant supporters in Miami that a reform bill before Congress was "insane" because it would require many illegal immigrants to return home before applying for citizenship."
--Not insane at all. It's proper punishment to reinforce the assertion that we are a country of laws. Start over and immigrate to our coutry the legal way. Do we just give a child whose hand we caught in the cookie jar a reward? Maybe we should just "punish" those that drive 75 in a school zone by simply raising the speed limit instead of taking away their license?
"In New York, immigrants and their supporters added names to a painting of a tree meant to symbolize the American family and the crucial role of immigrants in U.S. history. People in the crowd then attached leaves containing names of relatives. "
"These people are hardworking people," said Djounedou Titi, a West African immigrant who has lived in the U.S. for eight years. "They deserve credit. And the only credit this country can give to them is citizenship."
--This is no tree. It is a weed. Slowly rooting into the concrete that was America, deteriorating it to a pile of rubble. "Added names to a painting of a tree"?? A tree of people that, with their very first step into this country, spit on the laws of our land? There are rules for a reason. Abide by them, or go shit in your OWN sand box.
Magda Ortiz, a 27-year-old legal resident from Mexico and mother of two, pushed through crowds on the city's lakefront with a stroller bearing a sign that read: "Bush, think about the moms. Stop the raids."
--Huh? I'm pretty sure Bush didn't BRING your infant over the border, or tugged your pregnant sister's arm to get her across the border between contractions to try to ensure your free ride. How about this: Why don't you think about your children? Why not set an example for them by following the rules of admission? Your children are NOT my responsibility.
"I want to send them back," he said. "I've been in the city for 40 years. They've completely destroyed our city."
--Okay, he's just a nut-job that the media apparently really had to hunt to find. They didn't get any other input from the opposition? Of course not. They only want the salivating reactionaries' view-point. Helps ratings, after all. Look, immigration doesn't have to be splashed broadly as ONLY filth-ridden free-loaders pouring in. Why are the stories of new immigrants, right hands held up taking their oath as new American citizens, not spot-lighted more often? Give these free-loaders something to aspire to.
"After last year's marches, which drew a million-plus protesters, the Senate passed a sweeping bill that would have provided a path to citizenship for many of the nation's 12 million illegal immigrants. But the bill was never reconciled with the then-Republican-controlled House, and legislation has languished since last summer. Subsequent bipartisan proposals have gotten more conservative."
--Oh, sure: When the Bush puppets were "in power" they supposedly blocked all attempts at this sweeping bill, but now that the toothless other party is in control... what? What's their excuse? Perhaps they realize that the puppets might have been on to something? Maybe that their own constituents DON'T want the borders wide open?
Roy Dunn, Further On Down the Line
Showing posts with label Political. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Political. Show all posts
04 May 2007
29 December 2006
Nebraska
Heads-up. This is more political than vacation, just so you know...
Roughly 450 miles out there, and very uneventful. No bad experiences with snow or state troopers. No mechanical breakdowns or hiccups. Blissful uninterrupted music from the satellite radio. All in all a good seven and a half hours.
I saw three rigs jack-knifed (one of 'em a FedEx trailer... sorry for the late arrival of Li'l Johnny's gift, eh?), a couple cars buried up to their windows in plowed snow, and an impressive positioning of a Ford Explorer in the median, on its side and facing North on this east/west highway. Alas, the camera was in the trunk and anyway I didn't care to waste digital space with those things (yet here it is in stated form anyway).
The kids were... themselves, I guess. One of 'em decided to dig around in my wallet. Another was a temper looking for a tantrum, and found it repeatedly. ... I really love these kids, but damned if I witnessed more than maybe two instances when they were polite, or remotely resembled kids with any idea what the word "behaved" meant. Both of those moments were during church services (I was impressed, really). Even the few photos I took of them belie their incessant harassment of eachother. :sigh: I just don't get it. Or maybe it's because I was an only child that I don't understand it (they're children of a step-sister that I was seldom around). Gawd, I hope that's not it.
As to church; I'm agnostic, but to be part of the family I have no problem joining them to show respect. It's nice to meet some of their neighbors, too. I squirm every time I go though. The reason varies, but is almost always one of three primary reasons.
1) The charlatan. This creature hides in the rank and file of the followers of the faith. All smiles and courtesy, most devout in appearance. Then when you see them at the mall, they're the ones shoving through everyone else like someone entitled, dripping with arrogance and likely parked in the handicapped parking. Sadly, I've witnessed this to be the person in the pulpit as well.
2) The politics. Become a member and soon see factions in the aisles sizing you up as "with us or again' us" in true Good Ol' Boy fashion. Be a part of one, and you'll find that the mechanic in the other faction "forgetting" to tighten the oil drain plug on your car next month. Stupid in the extreme, but present nonetheless.
3) The Message. Maybe I'm just an idealist, but I've always taken the sermon as being education on the Bible, not a thinly veiled soap-box on who to vote for in November. Yet the latter is what I usually see happen.
Joked the pastor during evening mass as he tried putting down more than his pedistal could hold, "I need two pulpits." Gaining a couple chuckles from folks, he continued on. The squirming feeling came when he made an allegory comparing Jesus' decision to spread God's word to man with President Bush's decision to "spread democracy to the middle east". The jist of it was that just as the US is trying to bring democracy to a land that's not too inclined to accept this Western idea of freedom, so too did Jesus experience resistance in his works. The thing is, I have a hard time reconciling that:
a) Jesus was really given a decision to make regarding his task on Earth, and
b) putting him in the company of an idiot like Bush. (yes, I'm a registered elephant and I still believe the guy has naught but the intelligence of sauerkraut).
I'm of the opinion that separation of Church and State (or the illusion thereof) needs to be expanded to separation of clergy and politics.
Okay, so I am a cynical bastard. I'm sure that's the third door on the left in Hell that I'll be taking up residence in when I'm finally done with this coil of mortality & all. That doesn't necessarily mean I'm wrong, though.
Have a great & safe New Year's Eve, everyone.
The Who, Squeeze Box (Live)
Roughly 450 miles out there, and very uneventful. No bad experiences with snow or state troopers. No mechanical breakdowns or hiccups. Blissful uninterrupted music from the satellite radio. All in all a good seven and a half hours.
I saw three rigs jack-knifed (one of 'em a FedEx trailer... sorry for the late arrival of Li'l Johnny's gift, eh?), a couple cars buried up to their windows in plowed snow, and an impressive positioning of a Ford Explorer in the median, on its side and facing North on this east/west highway. Alas, the camera was in the trunk and anyway I didn't care to waste digital space with those things (yet here it is in stated form anyway).
The kids were... themselves, I guess. One of 'em decided to dig around in my wallet. Another was a temper looking for a tantrum, and found it repeatedly. ... I really love these kids, but damned if I witnessed more than maybe two instances when they were polite, or remotely resembled kids with any idea what the word "behaved" meant. Both of those moments were during church services (I was impressed, really). Even the few photos I took of them belie their incessant harassment of eachother. :sigh: I just don't get it. Or maybe it's because I was an only child that I don't understand it (they're children of a step-sister that I was seldom around). Gawd, I hope that's not it.
As to church; I'm agnostic, but to be part of the family I have no problem joining them to show respect. It's nice to meet some of their neighbors, too. I squirm every time I go though. The reason varies, but is almost always one of three primary reasons.
1) The charlatan. This creature hides in the rank and file of the followers of the faith. All smiles and courtesy, most devout in appearance. Then when you see them at the mall, they're the ones shoving through everyone else like someone entitled, dripping with arrogance and likely parked in the handicapped parking. Sadly, I've witnessed this to be the person in the pulpit as well.
2) The politics. Become a member and soon see factions in the aisles sizing you up as "with us or again' us" in true Good Ol' Boy fashion. Be a part of one, and you'll find that the mechanic in the other faction "forgetting" to tighten the oil drain plug on your car next month. Stupid in the extreme, but present nonetheless.
3) The Message. Maybe I'm just an idealist, but I've always taken the sermon as being education on the Bible, not a thinly veiled soap-box on who to vote for in November. Yet the latter is what I usually see happen.
Joked the pastor during evening mass as he tried putting down more than his pedistal could hold, "I need two pulpits." Gaining a couple chuckles from folks, he continued on. The squirming feeling came when he made an allegory comparing Jesus' decision to spread God's word to man with President Bush's decision to "spread democracy to the middle east". The jist of it was that just as the US is trying to bring democracy to a land that's not too inclined to accept this Western idea of freedom, so too did Jesus experience resistance in his works. The thing is, I have a hard time reconciling that:
a) Jesus was really given a decision to make regarding his task on Earth, and
b) putting him in the company of an idiot like Bush. (yes, I'm a registered elephant and I still believe the guy has naught but the intelligence of sauerkraut).
I'm of the opinion that separation of Church and State (or the illusion thereof) needs to be expanded to separation of clergy and politics.
Okay, so I am a cynical bastard. I'm sure that's the third door on the left in Hell that I'll be taking up residence in when I'm finally done with this coil of mortality & all. That doesn't necessarily mean I'm wrong, though.
Have a great & safe New Year's Eve, everyone.
The Who, Squeeze Box (Live)
13 September 2006
What day is it again?
House is clean-ish. The way I see it, if there's nothing crawling up outta the drains and the color of the carpet is a) identifiable and b) same as when I moved in, it's a win. A couple more people have viewed it, but still no offers. Even with the fucking curb appeal that was imposed.
Ice Cream Social; Work is putting on a fundraiser for United Way, so tomorrow ice cream will be scooped, toppings will be dribbled and sprinkled, and people will be like pigs to the mud pit. They might even fork over some donations, which would be nice. I've got scooping duty for a half hour, so we'll see how it goes.
ponder
S.U.N. Project, Fatal Error courtesy DNA Lounge Radio
Ice Cream Social; Work is putting on a fundraiser for United Way, so tomorrow ice cream will be scooped, toppings will be dribbled and sprinkled, and people will be like pigs to the mud pit. They might even fork over some donations, which would be nice. I've got scooping duty for a half hour, so we'll see how it goes.
ponder
S.U.N. Project, Fatal Error courtesy DNA Lounge Radio
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)