Immigration

So I got an email from my dad that is a letter to the editor in Orange County CA. I didn't look to see if it actually wasn't put into print but what this lady is saying is so true.

Dear Editor:

So many letter writers have based their arguments on how this land is made up of immigrants. Ernie Lujan for one, suggests we should tear down the Statue of Liberty because the people now in question aren't being treated the same as those who passed through Ellis Island and other ports of entry.

Maybe we should turn to our history books and point out to people like Mr. Lujan why today's America is not willing to accept the new kind of immigrant . Back in 1900 when there was a rush from all areas of Europe to come to the United States, people had to get off a ship and stand in a long line in New York and be documented. Some would even get down on their hands and knees and kiss the ground.

They made a pledge to uphold the laws and support their new country in good and bad times. They made learning English a primary rule in their new American households and some even changed their names to blend in with their new home.

They had waved good bye to their birth place to give their children a new life and did everything in their power to help their children assimilate into one culture.

Nothing was handed to them. No free lunches, no welfare, no labor laws to protect them. All they had were the skills and craftsmanship they had brought with them to trade for a future of prosperity.

Most of their children came of age when World War II broke out. My father fought along side men whose parents had come straight over from Germany , Italy , France , and Japan . None of these 1st generation Americans ever gave any thought about what country their parents had come from.

They were Americans fighting Hitler, Mussolini and the Emperor of Japan . They were defending the United States of America as one people.

When we liberated France , no one in those villages were looking for the French-American or the German- American or the Irish-American. The people of France saw only Americans. And we carried one flag that represented one country. Not one of those immigrant sons would have thought about picking up another country's flag and waving it to represent who they were.

It would have been a disgrace to their parents who had sacrificed so much to be here. These immigrants truly knew what it meant to be an American. They stirred the melting pot into one red, white and blue bowl

And here we are in 2008 with a new kind of immigrant who wants the same rights and privileges as native Americans, only they want to achieve it while retaining their native language and by playing with a different set of rules, one that includes an entitlement card to the benefits of being an American, while requiring a guarantee of being allowed to remain faithful to their mother country.

I'm sorry, that's not what being an American is all about. I believe that the immigrants who landed on Ellis Island in the early 1900's deserve better regard than that for all the toil, hard work and sacrifice they willingly undertook in raising future generations to create a land that has become a beacon for those legally searching for a better life.

I think they would be appalled that they are being used as an example by those waving foreign country flags while demanding American services, benefits, and protections.

And for that suggestion about taking down the Statue of Liberty , it happens to mean a lot to the citizens who are voting on the immigration bill. I wouldn't start talking about dismantling the

United States just yet.

(signed) Rosemary LaBonte

My thoughts today.

I think its funny that the radio shows, KTAR, today were all about if it was 'our' fault, the american people's fault that we have bad borders. They say its our fault because we 'americans' are to addicted to illegal drugs. And we want the illegal immigrants or drug trafficers to come over cause of our addiction. That has to be the most stupid idea's yet with immigration. One of the stations even said that our very own homeland security advisor, Napalitano said we could fix our border problems by 'fixing' or getting help to those here that are addicted to illegal drugs. Sounds to me like she wants to let this slide and work on something else easier.

I don't like to get political on my blog but this was to stupid not to say something.

We live in America! We speak English! We live by the Constitution! We are one people!

We only live in the land of the FREE, Because of the BRAVE!