‘Racist' doesn't fit the issue

United States Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid said last week that this country is - and I use his word - "racist" if taxpayers do not pay to teach English to more than 12 million Spanish-speaking people who crossed the border illegally and currently live unlawfully in this country.

I am simply appalled by Reid's comment and think that any politician using the word "racist" in the dispute over illegal immigration should be shown the door to private life and never allowed to represent the people of this country ever again.

That is a hateful word employed to incite and simply does not apply to this issue. Reid disserves all Americans with that comment.

Indeed, American citizens see that Mexicans are hard-working, family-oriented people of faith looking for a better way of life. These are qualities we truly admire, and we have always welcomed legal Mexican immigrants to the U.S.

There is disagreement in our country right now over what to do about 12 million or more Mexican illegals living in the U.S. Many Americans do not favor offering amnesty because illegals have:
a) consciously broken immigrations laws, in a nation ruled by laws, and should not be rewarded for that;
b) have taken advantage of the welfare system and are causing it to sag while American citizens, themselves, cannot get some social services;
c) have imposed an uncommon strain upon some taxpayer-supported schools, stopping learning by English-speaking children while their children are taught English in the classroom;
d) reportedly rarely pay any income taxes, the burden of the middle class in this country; and
e) been said to have taken more than $60 billion out of the U.S. economy and sent it back home to Mexico..

[color="Red"]Fact is if they are here illegally they are criminals and should be treated as such, end of discussion SDM

We feel empathy for Mexican illegals. Americans feel great passion for downtrodden people around the world. But talk about your suffering: people of Africa know suffering. Too many of them know hunger, sickness, persecution and early death. If we allow citizens of one country looking for a better life to overrun our borders, why should we restrict citizens of any country from doing so for the same reason?

The reason is that our own country will collapse under such invasions. We should truly secure our borders and insist upon orderly and legal immigration into the U.S. from nations throughout the world.

The issue of massive illegal immigration by Mexicans has nothing to do with racism and everything to do with breaking U.S. laws and taking advantage of American services and freedoms.

I'm sure Reid knows that, but he still chose - in his position of leadership - to make inflammatory and divisive remarks about his fellow Americans, words that are perfect fodder for those who would like to break this country.

--

Don't forget to pause this coming Monday to remember why it has been designated as a national holiday.

No, it's not to give workers another day off from the job. It's not to keep the cash registers ringing for retail merchants. And it's not just a three-day weekend signaling the beginning of summer.

What it is is a sacred day of commemoration honoring the sacrifice of Americans killed in war. There have been hundreds of thousands of them over the years, and they all gave their lives so that you and I could live in this wonderful land of freedom.

It behooves us to honor our war veterans. Of course, it doesn't begin to compare to what they've done for us, but it's the very least we can do.

Whether you attend a ceremony, go to a patriotic presentation, visit a gravesite or simply take a few moments to remember why we observe Memorial Day, please do something to honor those who gave their lives for us.

--

The summer months are only a week away now - amazing!

Here's hoping you'll find them full of fun and activities. Whether it's a baseball game in the evening, a dip in the pool, some quiet time on the porch swing or a lawn chair, a picnic in the park, a corndog at the Fair, whatever.

Enjoy your summer!

http://www.tristate-media.com/articles/2006/07/11/pdclarion/editorials/03-shirleycol.txt