Long Waits, Ingrates, and Ahmonajihad

My Frustrated Brain ^ | 04/10/06 | AnnaZ

[AnnaZ]

Long Waits, Ingrates, and Ahmonajihad
April 10th, 2006

For a long time I have been very sympathetic towards immigrants, even the illegal ones, here in America. As an immigrant myself, and as the daughter of immigrants, suffice it to say, "I understand". Or at least I did. Today, I still just have two words for them, but now those words are, "SHUT UP!"

I have paid my dues and I have paid my fees. I have stood in lines, been fingerprinted and background-checked, answered questions and opened up and said "Ahhhh." Had the lines been longer, I would have still waited in them, had the fees been higher, I would have still paid them. My sentiment was always "I understand", because although I was born in a country that many people in the world consider a promised land, Canada, I was still as desperate as anyone could be to be an American.

Which is why I am out of my mind over the teeming, screaming, demanding masses taking to the streets. You're here and you're not daily kissing the ground? You're here and you're not doing everything you can to repay the gift? You're here and you're not weeping to the strains of the Star Spangled Banner? Good grief, are you really still hoisting a buzzard over your head? (My favorite protest sign has been the "We're not criminals!" one. Uh, well, yes, frankly, you are. Shut up. Go back to the job you've been blessed to be given. Be happy you're not back in some unpronounceable province grinding corn.)

And now, frankly, the situation is getting out of hand, as every two-bit, shade-of-red organization is hijacking the march. That's just fabulous. We have Senators tripping over themselves to harvest the illusion of potential voters and meanwhile the 'world worker parties' are already signing them up. This is because they are completely aware of the real battle they're trying to get us to lose, and the rest of us, and especially those we have elected, have got to remember what's really at stake. It's what I wish these immigrants would get a grip on. We are at war.

           [I]n the free world, the competition of ideas and parties flourishes, and allegiances are often based on a single common principle or purpose that struggles against a competing point of view.
            Though generally healthy for a society, this competition can be quite dangerous if we lose sight of the fact that there is a far greater divide between the world of freedom and the world of fear than there is between the competing factions within a free society. If we fail to realize this, we lose moral clarity. The legitimate differences among us, the shades of gray in a free society, will be wrongly perceived as black and white. Then, the real black-and-white line that divides free societies from fear societies, the real line that divides good from evil, will no longer be distinguishable.
          A lack of moral clarity is why... people living in free societies cannot distinguish between religious fundamentalists in democratic states and religious terrorists in fundamentalist states. It is why people living in free societies can come to see their fellow citizens as their enemies, and foreign dictators as their friends.
                    Natan Sharansky, The Case For Democracy

Why does this conjure up visions of Belafonte and Castro, Sheehan and Chavez, Penn and Hussein? And whose side in this illegal-immigration battle do you believe they will, by default, fall upon?

Because, meanwhile, there's a new psycho in town, name's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad which, for easy enunciation and moral clarity purposes, we'll pronounce as Ahmonajihad. He's a playful guy, as has been witnessed by his schoolyard wipe-out-the-little-guy taunts and the displaying of all his new toys, like rockets, missiles, and flying boats. This may make some of us giggle (even I've posted the picture of the two guys in the desert with the missile strapped to the donkey), but it shouldn't.

I'm not that interested in whether all these newly loud immigrants think that they should pay for their healthcare or if the government should. I'm not that interested in whether they believe they should have proper working papers or be given their walking papers. I only care that they remember what it is that made them leave their native lands for this one, and upon what philosophy this great Republic was built. Clichéd or not, are they with us or against us? Are they going to follow those who wish to destroy us? Because if we don't win, if we don't survive, ain't nobody going to be buying their tacos, not unless they whip up the halal version.

[AnnaZ]

Just a little shout-out to my peeps (LOL), just 'cause it's been a while.

xo!

[L,TOWM]

Be happy you're not back in some unpronounceable province grinding corn BUMP

Nicely done, Ms. Anna.
Don't take so long in between opinion pieces this time...

Although, if that is not the pot calling the kettle black, I am not sure what is. ;-)

[EveningStar]

Worth repeating:

I have paid my dues and I have paid my fees. I have stood in lines, been fingerprinted and background-checked, answered questions and opened up and said "Ahhhh." Had the lines been longer, I would have still waited in them, had the fees been higher, I would have still paid them. My sentiment was always "I understand", because although I was born in a country that many people in the world consider a promised land, Canada, I was still as desperate as anyone could be to be an American.

Which is why I am out of my mind over the teeming, screaming, demanding masses taking to the streets. You're here and you're not daily kissing the ground? You're here and you're not doing everything you can to repay the gift? You're here and you're not weeping to the strains of the Star Spangled Banner? Good grief, are you really still hoisting a buzzard over your head? (My favorite protest sign has been the "We're not criminals!" one. Uh, well, yes, frankly, you are. Shut up. Go back to the job you've been blessed to be given. Be happy you're not back in some unpronounceable province grinding corn.)

[onyx]

Thanks for the ping!

Standing O for you, Anna Z.

[Squantos]

OMG Anna Z ?!?!?!? I thought you'd run off to Bali errr something young lady.

Well said well said..... Stay Safe !!!!

[Feiny]

I had trouble reading this, can you post it in Spanish?

[Cold Heat]

I share in all that frustration.

The hyperbole on both sides has ratcheted up as a tit-for-tat battle to see who can get the most media coverage. Last week, Mexican flags were seen at a demonstration in California, and now Today, Mexican flags are being burned by some border group.

As the debate winds up like a coiled spring, the various activist groups who have no other issues have garnered the bulk of the attention and infected the debate with disease that can lead to only one thing, and that is chaos, anger and in the end.....violence.

Meanwhile we face global issues of great importance that require total unity and patience to solve.

Yes, I am quite frustrated with everyone right now, and that frustration will certainly translate to actions during the election cycle. I plan to find some adults to vote for, and if I find only a few, then the voting will not take very long.

Then I will go fishing.....

[martin_fierro]

opened up and said "Ahhhh."

Maybe -- no, probably -- it's just me, but I don't think that's a standard part of the immigration process.

[AnnaZ]

I had trouble reading this, can you post it in Spanish?

LOL. Well, actually, I could. I just refuse to, unless and until I'm forced to.

(Try pressing #2.)

[GarySpFc]

My wife is a Patrick Henry American. I say that, because for 3 months prior to her naturalization ceremony she went around telling everyone, “Just give me liberty or give me death.” And she did almost die in the immigration process due to severe reactions from a required INS immunization.

In August 2002 we applied to bring her then 22 year old daughter to America, and now as the adult daughter of a CITIZEN she will be able to legally immigrate here approximately 8 to 10 years after our application. In the interim she is not allowed to visit her Mom in this country, and that due to American law, NOT Russian. Five years after arriving she can apply for citizenship, and that totals 13 to 15 years. However, they would make illegal aliens eligible after 11 years. Some relatives of citizens have to wait 23 years to immigrate here legally, and add 5 years for citizenship for a total of 28 years.

Excuse me, but the man behind the curtain is telling us illegal aliens will have to go to the end of the line. How can it be illegal aliens will have to go to the end of the line, when they grain citizenship in 11 years, and legal immigrants arrive at that point in 10 to 28 years? Not only that, but the illegal aliens get to wait in line in America, whereas the 4 million attempting to immigrate legally have to wait in their countries. By the way, in the last 15 years almost twice as many immigrants have come here legally from Mexico than all Europe combined, and that does not include the illegal aliens. What ever happened to truth, justice, and the American way?

[AnnaZ]

Maybe -- no, probably -- it's just me, but I don't think that's a standard part of the immigration process.

Saying "Ahhh" was the least of it. I underwent a complete physical, including an AIDS test, which means I even paid for my regularization in blood.

;^)

[Cold Heat]

LOL! That F-2 button solves a lot of problems! :-)

[AnnaZ]

I thought you'd run off to Bali errr something young lady.

Nahhh... just Texas.

Thanks for dropping by!

[AnnaZ]

Don't take so long in between opinion pieces this time...

Thank you for the supportive sentiment. I do find that I spend a lot more time out-of-doors, here in beautiful hill country. But this subject has had me yelling at the trees. And they don't reply. Thank you for one-upping them.

[AnnaZ]

As the debate winds up like a coiled spring, the various activist groups who have no other issues have garnered the bulk of the attention and infected the debate with disease that can lead to only one thing, and that is chaos, anger and in the end.....violence.

Meanwhile we face global issues of great importance that require total unity and patience to solve.

Exactly. Smoke and mirrors, IMO. I do not blame the immigrants themselves for the devolution here, it's the same opportunists behind all these marches, all the time. I just hope the suckering doesn't go too far.

[Cold Heat]

What ever happened to truth, justice, and the American way?

It's been replaced by hyperbole.....

As I understand it, the end of the line is the end of the line. These suggested time lines are but estimates based on best case scenarios.

I think the best thing for the Senate to do, is to pass something, and punt it into conference and a full debate in the House will result. This should be opened back up for amendment and more hearings. The American public needs to be totally informed of all aspects and the hyperbolic nonsense needs to stop. This needs to take the time necessary to disseminate all the facts without the colorization that evokes such emotion.

Maybe then, we can get a comprehensive bill that I'm sure will not satisfy everyone, but will address the issues of border control, the underground employers that hire them and the pressures of both need on our side and the desire and desperation on the other.

[L,TOWM]

Nice to know I do better at conversing than trees.

Maybe with some work, I can come up to Rice Krispies (after adding milk) some day.

[AnnaZ]

Thanks for the bump, onyx. Nice to "see" you.

[AnnaZ]

You situation is sadly frustrating, sorry to hear it.

What ever happened to truth, justice, and the American way?

That's what we're working on.