Friday, April 07, 2006
Enough Already!
In the wake of last week's immigration-reform protests, a school in San Diego is banning all symbols of patriotism. This includes patriotic clothing and flags. For once, I think I may be actually agreeing with the ACLU because, if I'm correct, they have publicly spoken in dissent of this.
Freedom of Speech, anyone? First Amendment rights? Not if offends the immigrants, legal or illegal.
A little background information on this one. Immigration reform are probably the biggest bills right now in Congress. Very, very hotly contested, with very strong feelings on both sides. One bill proposed, for example, would make being in the United States illegally a felony. That's mostly the bill that's sparked so much controversy. Some of the other bills have different objectives, for example, implementing a work program that would make it very, very easy for illegal immigrants to gain citizenship.
While I am definitely opposed to illegal immigration, I think I am much more open to immigration in general than I used to be. I do not in any circumstance favor amnesty (letting people come over here to escape crimes they have committed in their home countries), but I do favor a guest worker program, as long as it is not at the expense of tax-paying Americans. I understand that America is the land of opportunity, and I certainly can understand a person wanting to make a better life for himself and his family. Legal immigration is an important part of our economy, as more people living in the United States = more revenue coming in and more variables to stimulate our economy.
However, the recent events and protests are simply getting out of hand. People are protesting, especially in largely-Hispanic areas such as San Diego, that the immigration reform that Congress is trying to get done is unfair and just not right. Many of the protesters are, no surprise here, of Hispanic origin, and a very large percentage of them don't have citizenship or are just in the United States illegally. If you've turned on the news in the recent days, I'm sure you've seen the images of huge protest rallies with people walking the streets of America brandishing Mexican flags. A real popular thing in the high schools of these areas are for the Hispanic students to just walk out of class, and vandalism of American flags has been common. American flags have been taken off flagpoles and replaced with Mexican flags, etc.
The interesting thing about these, however, is when the reporters do an interview with a protester. 9 times out of 10, these people have just gone on and on about what a great country Mexico is, and how they deserve to be here just as much as anybody else, and that our government can basically just go to hell.
So let's see. You're here illegally, but you deserve to be here as much as I do, even though I pay taxes and you do not. Your home country is a wonderful place, yet you illegally crossed over our borders, and now you're criticizing our government.
Probably the best part of being in America is you have the freedom to do that. Try speaking out against any government official like that in your home country. But if it's so great there and so horrible here, why are you here in the first place?
These high school students are especially frustrating. I'm willing to guess that at least 90% of them have no idea why they're protesting- they just see it as a way to get out of class.
Don't get me wrong. There is absolutely nothing wrong with dissent, and I believe it makes our country stronger. But I don't like seeing protests for the sake of protests, when the people protesting do know their cause.
You have your rights to protest. Say what you will about my country, but I know that it's the only country worth living in. If I was living in San Diego, I would be protesting this blatant violation of my First Amendment rights.
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
Moussaoui deserves the death penalty
So, yesterday a federal jury in Alexandria, VA, found Zacarias Moussaoui- the so-called "20th Highjacker" in the 9/11 plot- eligible for the death penalty, deciding that his lies to the FBI led directly to at least one death.
As this verdict was read, Moussaoui was asked to stand but refused to. As he was being led out of the courtroom, he shouted, "You’ll never get my blood, God curse you all,". The jury will return Thursday to listen to testimony from family members of those who died on 9/11 and decide whether or not to execute Moussaoui.
So let's look at this a little bit. This man helped to plan the most vicious act of terror in the history of the world. He has, on his hands, the blood of 2,997 innocent people. Throughout his trial, he continued to pledge his allegiance to al-Qaida and bin Laden. Yet there are still people, namely liberals, who feel he should be spared the death penalty.
My response? If ever anybody deserved the death penalty, this worthless excuse for a human being does. I'm not a violent person- but I hope that they not only give him the death penalty, they make it an painful as possible.
I would never say this to or about anybody other than someone as truly evil as the likes of this guy, but Moussaoui- I hope you burn in hell. May God have mercy on you.
Because we sure as hell won't.
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Don't believe the hype- he got what he deserved.
I'm sure y'all have all heard of Stanley "Tookie" Williams, who was executed in California early this morning. Williams was convicted in 1981 for brutally murdering 4 people, as well as starting the gang known as The Crips, which has been responsible for hundreds of deaths and thousands of violent crimes.
But because Williams wrote some children's books saying that "gangs are bad", some people in California thought that that meant that he had learned his lesson and turned around, and should be granted clemency by Gov. Schwarzenager- given a reduced sentence of some sort.
Some of the arguments used by Williams' supporters (many of who are gang members or former gang members and likely contributed to Williams' legacy of crime sprees), along with why they're wrong-
-"He learned his lesson and tried to make up for what he did"
-Writing some children's books from prison doesn't make up for years of violent crime and thousands of families being torn apart because of his actions. As every news reporter noted in the press conference following his execution, he showed no defiance and in fact tried to "go out" on a note of intimidation.
-"Witnesses came forward in the last 72 hours saying that the trial was unfair."
-It's awfully interesting how these "eye-witnesses" had over 20 years to come forward and waited until 3 days before his execution- it's also interesting how virtually all of them were friends of Williams' family or former gang members. Williams' trial was in 1981, and thus he was on death row for over 20 years before justice was served. A large part of this was because of the appeals process- every opportunity to find him innocent was shot down. Why? Because he was guilty. Various people tried to overturn his sentence, but the truth was revealed each time.
-"He maintained his innocense up until the day he died"
-Of course he did. Who's going to admit to brutally murdering 4 innocent people and being responsible for countless more deaths? The blood was on his hands. He was just too cowardly to admit it. It's not as though he was ever a credible source to begin with.
-"But his children's books got him nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize!"
-Doesn't matter- no awards can make up for what he did. It's also important to note that he was nominated by a woman who was in charge of an organization who's mission was to overturn his conviction. Various news stations have noted that it's actually relatively easy to be nominated for a Nobel Prize- someone just has to submit the right paperwork and have some sort of reasoning. While his books did have a good message- educating children on the dangers of gangs- what kind of message would we be sending to our children if we let an guilty man walk free?
I decided to write this because, if someone was not following this case too closely, it might appear that his supporters made sense. However, looking just a little bit deeper, we can see that they are wrong. Stanley "Tookie" Williams- maybe God will have mercy on your soul, even though you don't deserve it.
Don't believe what the interest groups are trying to sell you. By looking at the undisputable facts of this case, it's obvious that Williams was a brutal, cold hearted murderer who committed heinous acts of crime and terrorism against society.
As John Adams put it over 200 years ago- "Let justice be done though the heavens may fall." After over 20 years, justice was finally served to Stanley Williams. God Bless the families of his victims, and God Bless the United States of America.
Sunday, October 09, 2005
How's this for "Gun Control"?
"According to http://www.casualties.org , there have been 88 hostile fire deaths caused by firearms since the beginning of hostilities in Iraq. The remainder of coalition deaths have been due to explosives or accidents.
What does this mean? If you consider that there have been an average of 160,000 troops in theater during the last 22 months, that gives a firearm death rate of 55 per 100,000.
The rate in DC is 80.6 per 100,000. That means that you are more likely to be shot and killed in our Nation's Capitol, which has some of the strictest gun control laws in the nation, than you are in Iraq.
The conclusion? Under the policies of the left, we should immediately pull out of WASHINGTON, DC."
LMAO!!
This was republished with permission
Hillary Clinton Inducted into the Women's Hall of Fame
What? Why? No one really seems to know... at least it's not specifically mentioned in this article on Fox News, other than those inducted are "women who have made valuable contributions to society and especially to the freedom of women".
The day that I consider Hillary Clinton a woman who has made valuable contributions to society... it the day that I transfer to the University of Texas.
Sunday, September 11, 2005
We Remember, 4 years later
It's so hard to believe that it was 4 years ago today that I, along with the rest of the world, watched in terror as our country's safety was invaded. 4 years ago that over 3000 people lost their lives- and 3000 families lost a loved one.
People say that those old enough to comprehend what was going on will never forget where they were and what they were doing when they first heard the news. I know I won't. Freshman year in high school, literally completely oblivious to the world outside of me- not knowing the hate that existed out there. Not even really knowing how much there was of anything out there.
I'm not very good at this kind of thing- if you'd like to read a more fitting tribute, check out my links, most of them have something. Have a safe and blessed week, everybody.
Friday, September 02, 2005
More Than I Thought
This Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana is really causing more problems than I ever thought it could have.
It seems like that's what always happens when there's a natural- or national- disaster. 9/11, the tsunamis... it seems as thought with both, and perhaps some more events, upon first hearing of them I didn't think it ever could have turned out the way that they did.
Perhaps that's a natural human reaction- trying to minimize the situation. I suppose it’s some people’s way of dealing with the unthinkable. Or perhaps, in cases such as 9/11, it’s a refusal to believe human beings could be so cruel. And in this case… it’s hard to imagine how nature could be so cruel, and wreck such havoc. I remember studying about common themes in literature my freshman year in English… Man vs. Man, Nature vs. Man… It’s truly becoming more clear everyday as this gets worse.
Some numbers:
Population of New Orleans, according to the 2000 U.S. Census- 484674.
Number of people still in New Orleans, according to the Houston Chronicle- 50,000 to 100,000.
Refugees in the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center: 20,000.
Refugees in Houston’s Reliant Astrodome: 4,000, expected to grow to 25,000.
Death toll- unknown at this time. On the Mississippi Gulf Coast alone, however, as of Thursday confirmed to be 100.
That’s it for now. I’ll try to post updates as they come. Once again, have a safe and blessed weekend, everyone.
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Howdy from College Station!
Well I've now relocated to my new location- Texas A&M University at College Station!! College is pretty cool... except for the class, of course...
On a more serious note, everybody please remember to keep the victims and survivors of Hurricane Katrina in your thoughts and prayers... if you can, try to give a little. Very sad situation over there.
Have a safe and blessed week, everybody
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