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REQUIEM

Below are the two final essays to be posted on Allegiance and Duty Betrayed. The first one is written by a friend -- screen name 'Euro-American Scum' -- who, over the past four years, has been the most faithful essayist here. He has written about everything from his pilgrimage to Normandy in 2004 to take part in the 60th–year commemoration of the invasion, to his memories of his tour in Vietnam. His dedication to America’s founding principles ... and those who have sacrificed to preserve them over the past 200+ years ... is unequaled. Thank you, E-A-S. It has been a privilege to include your writing here, and it is a privilege to call you my friend.

The second essay is my own farewell. And with it I thank all of the many regular visitors, and those who may have only dropped in occasionally, for coming here. I hope you learned something. I hope a seed or two was planted. But, even if not, I thank you for stopping by ... 25 March, 2010

7/08/2006

Rhetoric and Misplaced Trust

The illegal immigration crisis represents what I see as what may be the most pivotal watershed event in the history of our republic (the Civil War included).

While we are fighting the ‘war on terror,’ presumably in order to preserve the lives and liberties of the American people and the sovereignty of our republic, we are simultaneously condoning the existence of twelve million parasitic lawbreakers within our borders, and encouraging the continued influx of more criminals who refuse to respect (what’s left of) our rule of law, who are feeding ever more voraciously at the entitlement-oriented trough (to the point that law abiding, taxpaying Americans are often suffering from severe, permanent and undeserved hardship), many of whom actively and openly intend to affect social, political and economic upheaval that will render our Founders’ vision virtually unrecognizable, and who represent a metastatic cancer that threatens to bring to its knees the most moral, prosperous, liberty-oriented civilization in the history of mankind.

And, lest anyone believe that there will be time and opportunity to ‘try again,’ just take a look at the state of the world, where the genuine power and money reside … and consider the momentum that has accrued to wickedness and evil as a result of the misuse of modern technology and the consistent enabling, by leaders who claim to revere and defend liberty, of madmen bent on subjugation and the violent imposition of their beliefs on the rest of humanity.

The majority of our ‘leaders’ in Washington, especially within the administration and in the senate, are either turning a blind eye to, or condoning – even encouraging – the invasion. Our president busies himself with a myriad of other issues and ‘dangers’, and, when it appears that the citizenry is becoming restless as a result of either odious personal contact with the invaders, or rumors of such occurring to their fellow countrymen, he issues calculated, half-hearted statements of concern, accompanied by promises to take action to halt the invasion. Two months ago he issued a water-pistol-to-fight-a-forest-fire assurance that he would take steps to call up six thousand National Guard troops to the border.

In two months time, just over four hundred troops are in place. Either the president’s promise was political window-dressing, or his power to convince governors of the essential lethality of an open border ranks close to impotent. Neither option portends well for our republic’s future.

Our president confers with, and exhibits unfaltering respect for, the political and military leaders of Mexico – the same leaders who continue to encourage the mass illegal northern exodus from their country to ours, and whose actions encourage rampant lawlessness within our borders, while putting in mortal danger those whose calling it is to secure them.

Those of us who see the above actions as a segment of a larger picture that represents betrayal of the most ugly sort do not intend to remain silent. Our lives, liberties, and the sovereignty of our republic are at stake. Those who refuse to look beyond rhetoric, and who have no knowledge of the consequences of misplaced trust, might do well to take a few steps back, silence the ‘party unity at all costs’ mantra, and consider how the survival of the American republic will be affected by incessant compromise – granting credence and privilege to those who have no respect for our Founders or the original blueprint of this republic, and to whom the phrase ‘shining city on a hill’ represents a place whose prosperity was forged through two-plus centuries of other men’s blood and sweat … the benefits of which the arrogant and lawless invaders intend (they demand) to enjoy without virtue, respect, responsibility, or sacrifice.

~ joanie

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

How depressing.

Anonymous said...

Those who refuse to look beyond rhetoric, and who have no knowledge of the consequences of misplaced trust, might do well to take a few steps back, silence the ‘party unity at all costs’ mantra, and consider how the survival of the American republic will be affected by incessant compromise – granting credence and privilege to those who have no respect for our Founders or the original blueprint of this republic, and to whom the phrase ‘shining city on a hill’ represents a place whose prosperity was forged through two-plus centuries of other men’s blood and sweat … the benefits of which the arrogant and lawless invaders intend (they demand) to enjoy without virtue, respect, responsibility, or sacrifice.

I wish I could cut and paste that in RED!

Anonymous said...

Amen!!!

The Declaration of Independence states…”Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government,…”

Our current government has become destructive of the ideals set forward in The Declaration of Independence. The question now is: “What are we going to do?”

Anonymous said...

Lori_Gmeiner said..."How depressing."

Don't be depressed. We're gonna' win this one if we keep the pressure on. Even liberals are starting to "get it". My evidence? The following was posted on another forum by a *very* liberal friend of mine from El Paso:

"Now, if you think it's bad in Dallas, try El Paso!

55% of everyone on the streets is driving without a license or insurance. For that reason, my premiums are higher than yours. Not only do we have to pay for the MANY illegals living here as they partake of public services, but also for the many who come across the border, get health care in our one and only not-for-profit hospital (who cannot by law ask them if they are a citizen or if they are able to pay), and then walk back across the international bridge leaving the bill to those of us who are citizens. Same goes for those who walk across the border to attend our public schools. You will hear far more Spanish than English, and in fact often cannot get a job unless you can speak Spanish.

Illegals occupy a disproportionate number of our jail cells, and not simply because they're illegally here. This shouldn't surprise anyone; after all, if they aren't respectful of our immigration laws why should we expect them to be respectful of our other laws? They demand that our schools teach Mexican culture. They demand that those providing public services to them speak to them in Spanish. And when they get arrested for drunk driving or spousal abuse or assault or armed robbery, they demand the court provide a translator.

We had a story recently on the news about an illegal who had been here with his family for some years. He went to school on my tax dollars, got health care on my tax dollars, got public assistance on my tax dollars. Now he whines because the college where he applied and was accepted refused to give him a scholarship nor in-state tuition because he's not a citizen. He cries, "Why me?" I shout back at the TV, "BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT HERE LEGALLY!!!"

I'll apologize up front if all that sounds prejudiced. But anyone who believes that illegal immigrants don't place a burden on our communities doesn't live on the border, where the magnitude of the problem is unescapable.

And incidentally, if you think MEXICO has better immigration laws, you should check them out. YOU cannot go live THERE without doing some extensive hoop-jumping. YOU are not permitted to work THERE without more hoop jumping, even if your company is owned by a US firm. You would not believe the rigamarole I went through to fly the nonflying Mexican partners in a US-registered airplane within Mexico even though it's illegal for a Mexican pilot to fly an N-registered airplane there! It required two months' cajoling and special permission from Mexico City, along with the usual "grease." And I'll also point out that the flights were originating in the US, as the plane was based here.

I think if we want to be fair about immigration, we should simply apply the same laws to foreigners that their countries would impose on our citizens wanting to live and work there. And if we did that, hold your ears because the screaming would be unbearable!"

Anonymous said...

Joanie--

I posted this yesterday on another forum. Reposting it here FWIW:

"Having actually worked alongside of a number of illegal *aliens* (not immigrants), I agree wholeheartedly with their work ethic. They show up every day (sober!), don't screw around, and don't complain. I never once saw them standing around leaning on their shovels like the white guys.

I was in a trench digging with a pick and shovel with two of them (you know, work that Americans won't do (grin), and we got to talking (in my broken Spanish). I was making $14/hr. at the time and they were getting around $12...in cash.

The difference was that I was paying taxes on mine, which gave exactly about one third to the government. Out of my take-home pay, I was paying for medical insurance, vehicle insurance, homeowner's insurance, and property taxes. They weren't paying any of that.

And the wife and I don't get *any* government services for "free" like they do.

They and their families get all the benefits of living in America - good medical care, universal education, a non-corrupt justice system, food stamps, WIC, etc., etc. - without any of the responsibility for paying for it. They don't serve on juries, in the military, carry vehicle insurance like a good citizen, or perform any other civic duty.

No matter how hard they work, they are still parasites on the system until they start paying their own way.

And let's not forget that they *broke the law* by coming here illegally. In a way I admire their gumption, but what they are doing is a slap in the face to all those who waited ten years and went through all the wickets to become citizens legally.

Also, (speaking in general) they don't want to adopt American culture - they want to continue to speak their own language, and force the rest of us to speak theirs. Bilingual ballots, bilingual libraries, bilingual education, etc.

That's just not right, no matter how good their work ethic is. A nation that won't control it's borders is no longer a nation at all...it's just a place."

Anonymous said...

Also, (speaking in general) they don't want to adopt American culture - they want to continue to speak their own language, and force the rest of us to speak theirs. Bilingual ballots, bilingual libraries, bilingual education, etc.

John, not only do they not want to assimilate into our culture, but a growing number of them (though still certainly a minority), thanks to ‘Americans’ who bear no allegiance to this country, are being taught to believe that this is their country by first rights.

Listening to some of the speeches delivered at a few of the recent demonstrations out west, and the responses of the crowds (sometimes numbering tens of thousands), was enough to curl my (already curly) hair.

Former CA Governor Gray Davis (he of the infamous recall), speaking to a Latino organization a few years back, reflected with perverse pleasure, ‘In the near future, people will look at California and Mexico as one magnificent region.’

Jose Angel Gutierrez, Prof. Univ. Texas at Arlington, founder of the La Raza Unida Party at UC Riverside, instructed a large crowd of illegals, ‘The border remains a military zone. We remain a hunted people. Now you think you have a destiny to fulfill in the land that historically has been ours for forty thousand years. And we're a new Mestizo nation. And they want us to discuss civil rights. Civil rights. What law made by white men to oppress all of us of color, female and male. This is our homeland. We cannot - we will not- and we must not be made illegal in our own homeland. We are not immigrants that came from another country to another country. We are migrants, free to travel the length and breadth of the Americas because we belong here. We are millions. We just have to survive. We have an aging white America. They are not making babies. They are dying. It's a matter of time. The explosion is in our population.’

Armando Navarro, Prof. Ethnic Studies, UC Riverside, speaking to a group of thousands, observed, ‘These are the critical years for us as a Latino community. We're in a state of transition. And that transformation is called 'the browning of America'. Latinos are now becoming the majority … It is changing in the future and in the present the balance of power of this nation … We're in a state of war … They know that history and time is on our side … What this means is a transfer of power. It means control.’

Other chilling examples of the ‘leadership’ of this deadly, and growing, movement:

Takeover of America

The enemy is in our midst, got here by breaking the law, and has allies in Washington who also envision America being replaced by a North American Union. An open southern border is essential to the realization of that vision.

~ joanie

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the "Takeover of America" link. I've been looking for a list of those kind of remarks. When I tell people about them, I don't think they believe me.

Anonymous said...

Another semi-related aside in response to your excellent comments …

The workers you describe appear to represent a double-edged sword. You have to admire their work ethic (far superior to that of many Americans), but, at the same time, the injustice of the benefits they receive that are not available to legal citizens is infuriating.

Another side of the (somewhat related) coin …

A student of mine, a nineteen-year-old young man (I’ll call him Dave) who just completed his freshman year at a local college, is working over the summer in a food packing plant in the area.

I have known Dave for about six years, and he is by far the most principled, hard-working young man I know. Since he was about twelve, he has bought or found old (sometimes abandoned) farm tractors, repaired and reconditioned them, and then sold them for a profit. (Remind me to tell you someday about the late 40s/early 50s) Allis-Chalmers he salvaged from a ditch on an old abandoned farm and brought into working condition, eventually selling it for a very handsome profit.

By doing this for the past 6-7 years, he has earned enough to put himself through his first two years of college. In addition, he does ‘odd jobs’ after school – ranging from house painting (inside and out), to moving, to small home remodeling jobs, etc.

So far, at the food packing plant, this summer has been quite an ordeal for him. Most of the people with whom he works are Latino temps who are bussed in from the Philadelphia area. Not only do most of them not earn their pay (he says that they do all that they are able to avoid working), but they deeply resent Dave’s work ethic, and make it a practice to attempt to make his workday as difficult as possible.

I don’t know whether these workers are illegal or not, but they are an example of a growing mentality. They recognize that Dave has something that they don’t (i.e., a desire to put in a day’s work for a day’s pay, and to take pride in what he does). They don’t necessarily want what he has, but they appear to be determined to make his workdays miserable until and unless he agrees to step down to their level.

~ joanie

Anonymous said...

You're right. If that "liberal" is like all liberals, then maybe their eyes are opening at least about illegal immigration. He wrote a good article, as good as any conservative could write.

Anonymous said...

To Lori_Gmeiner: It was a she, and yes, she is a good writer and otherwise intelligent woman. Gun owner, and pilot, too. The poor thing just came down with a bad case of BDS.

Now here's an idea I like:

Dallas hospital plans to bill Mexico

"DALLAS -- Parkland Memorial Hospital plans to bill Mexico and other countries to help cover the costs of health care for indigents."

"The plan, which also seeks payments from adjoining counties in Texas, has brought a negative response from the Mexican government, with a diplomat terming it "an act of discrimination."

"Last year, hospital officials said, Dallas County spent $76.5 million to treat people from outside Dallas. Of that, almost $27 million was not reimbursed."

"Much of the cost was for treating patients from adjoining counties in Texas, which Dallas County officials claim is unfair to local taxpayers."


If that doesn't work, how about a surtax on wiring money to Mexico? Say...about 50% or so.

Anonymous said...

Good for Parkland Memorial! Now let's just hope other hospitals follow suit and the courts don't get involved.

Anonymous said...

Speaking of duty betrayed, what's Karl Rove doing telling "La Raza" that Hispanics, and all immigrants, are real Americans?

Anonymous said...

As if conservatives aren't demoralized enough, now we discover that in a midnight deal before adjourning, they made a "deal" regarding the security fence legislation that will probably insure it never gets built (even if Bush actually signs the bill).

"...shortly before recessing late Friday, the House and Senate gave the Bush administration leeway to distribute the money to a combination of projects -- not just the physical barrier along the southern border. The funds may also be spent on roads, technology and "tactical infrastructure" to support the Department of Homeland Security's preferred option of a "virtual fence."

"What's more, in a late-night concession to win over wavering Republicans, GOP congressional leaders pledged in writing that Native American tribes, members of Congress, governors and local leaders would get a say in "the exact placement" of any structure, and that Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff would have the flexibility to use alternatives "when fencing is ineffective or impractical."

[link]