Alberto Gonzalez is no radical. He is a solid Texas citizen who holds the same family values as most of the rest of us. You are hearing only one side, which is wild and distorted and filled with heated, scary rhetoric. In my opinion, it is also bigoted at its base.
Being for the extension of the AWB, whether right or wrong, is not a radical position. He is not pro-abortion. He dealt with a legal case in which he was trying to discern the intent of some legislation out of the Texas Legislature. He is a humble man from a humble background from Humble, TX. People who know him say he radiates humility and does not see himself as someone who ought to tell everyone else how to live, which is a hallmark of Liberals.
He is religious, honest, a hard-worker and loves his wife and children. He loves this country, America. He can differ with you and others on a plan for guest workers or whatever, which to you makes him scum, but to me he has that right without deserving to be disrespected and characterized as something he's not.
He is everything I would want a public figure to be, and everything I would want in a next door neighbor. I do not have to walk in total lockstep in every detail with someone before I will accord them the respect they deserve.
Perhaps you know Mr. Gonzales personally.
I do not.
All I can go by is what I have read that others have said about him, and by the personal credentials of his critics.
Michele Malkin is pretty much a well respected authority on our illegal alien problems and our immigration issues. These are very serious problems which not only impact our national security, but also go to the very heart of protecting and maintaining our American culture and identity - we are an inclusive society which takes a lot from every ethnic group which has come here, without permitting any one ethnic group to so overwhelm our society that it attempts to redefine America as just another clone of that particular ethnic group. The flood of Hispanic illegal aliens coming into our country now is doing just that.
I see Mr. Gonzales' background with La Raza and his attitude and George III's attitude towards the intolerable invasion we are suffering from here - primarily, but certainly not exclusively due to Mexico - as no resolution to those ills. On the contrary, these two men will exacerabate them.
I view bilingualism as a threat to our national identity. None of my ancestors were from English speakiing countries, but they came here, learned English and wanted to be Americans - not non-Anglos speaking non-English languages. I find it particuarly offensive the way the government and businesses pander to non-English speaking arrivals instead of expecting and requiring them to learn and communicate in our common tongue in public life.
I am not charmed by Mr. Gonzales' use of Spanish in Congress, any more than I would be charmed by Rehnquist's use of Norweigan, or Mr. Scalia's use of Italian, or Mr. Thomas' use of Swahili from the Congressional floor.
I find it totally unacceptable.
I have read that Mr. Gonzales supports affirmative action. I view affirmative action as a pernicious, degrading, divisive, insulting and un-Constitutional evil. Nor am I alone in that respect. Many other individuals, a good number of them "minorities" feel the same way.
I read that Mr. Gonzales is pro-choice which makes him pro-abortion in my book.
I don't like assault rifle bans. There have been lengthy discussions on this subject but these laws have no impact whatever on crime and they violate the very spirit of the Second Amendment - which Mr. Gonzales as Attorney General should be obligated to defend.
Were Mr. Gonzales to be considered for any other position than Attorney General of the United States, the chief law enforcement official of the Counrty, these would all be minor issues.
But given the nature and magnitude of the position for which he is under consideration, I feel he is totally unqualified for that post.
I believe George III's motivation on this appointment has far less to do with selecting the best man for the position and far more to do politics and personal feelings.
I find Michelle Malkin to be greatly overrated.