Posted on 07/23/2005 5:51:40 AM PDT by SandRat
In an attempt to show the U.S. government that the influx of illegal entrants has become an epidemic, KNST-AM did what is in nearly every radio station's nature: It staged a stunt.
At 7 a.m. Friday, about 150 people – most of them elderly, almost all of them white – joined talk-radio host Dave Skyler in the station's parking lot to create a "human welcome mat," a tongue-in-cheek message that didn't seem to extend a warm hand to illegal entrants.
"I'm tired of no one listening (to us) that we have a border problem," said Claudia Hester, 54.
People started gathering outside the station's studio at 6 a.m., wearing red, white and blue T-shirts and carrying such signs as "Open Border = A welcome to al-Qaida!!" and "Secure our border with U.S. military." Nearly everyone who mingled in the area wore stickers supporting Randy Graf, a Republican congressional candidate in Arizona's Eighth District. Graf also attended the event.
"Frustrated" seemed to be the word of the morning as people described their feelings on the issue.
"You're just inviting terrorists in with this (open border)," Skyler said. "We're very worried we're going to have another attack here in the U.S. Enough already. We're frustrated."
Graf, in an interview with Skyler, suggested the government "secure the border first, and then we can deal with the guest workers. We do have measures that can be put into place."
Kat Rodriguez, spokeswoman for Derechos Humanos, a group that seeks border policies that are more humane, said there is no record of terrorists coming across the southern border.
"I don't understand their analysis," she said of Skyler's comment and the idea that a military force would stop illegal crossings. "The only thing militarization does is change the way they cross. We need to be shifting the traffic out of the desert and into legal ways of entry."
After about 15 minutes of preparation, the "Welcome" sign was arranged with people standing in a 20-foot space for a photograph that was posted on the station's Web site, www.knst.com.
"I wanted to make a statement to the media," said Mike Amspach, a University of Arizona political science major. "(We wanted) to let them know that we're worried that the border is wide open."
Ping
Ms. Rodriguez, you ignorant ****. There is no record of terrorists coming across the southern border YET. And if you recall, the guys who shot up LA with the full auto AK 47's a few years ago after their botched bank heist did get them in Mexico.
A hezzbola member was convicted on immigration charges in Detroit a couple of months ago. He bought a Mexican passport in Lebanon or Syria then came across our southern border.
Notice he didn't say there IS A RECORD of terrorists coming across the NORTHERN BORDER?
Don't we have that already? Or, does she mean just build new roads with water stations and let them come in at will?
Yeah, sure they are.
Before 9/11 they said they were worried about people choking on meatballs because the emergency operator was bilingual.
elderly? 54? How young is this reporter? :')
Bills are pending in Congress to secure the border but the Buchanan/Tancredo crowd are opposing them because they want to keep the issue on the front burner until the 2008 elections. It's a good money maker.
Hold it! this is clear, racial profiling, inciting hatred toward a group because of their political beliefs!
"opponents of illegal immigration?" Does this mean these (obviously different colored) writers are PRO illegal immigration?
What is it about "illegal" these people do not understand? Law abiding people standing up and demanding the government enforce the law, protect them from the huge problems- crime, finacial, terrorism - of illegal immigration are painted as white racists of some sort?
"Notice he didn't say there IS A RECORD of terrorists coming across the NORTHERN BORDER?"
Another myth. Nobody who crossed the northern border has commited any terrorism in the USA. Are there terrorists living in Canada? yes. Just as there are terrorists living here. NONE of the 9/11 terrorists came through Canada, they all gained entry via legal means from other countries.
My 80 year old mother was singled out to be searched on both legs of a round trip flight not long after she had heart surgery. The ordeal was so stressful she had to be put in a wheel chair after the second time. But she was glad to go through it if it helped deter terrorists.
The problem with profiling is that we let the terrorist know who we will NOT search. If they knew we never searched teen girls with blond hair they would use blond teens to smuggle knives on board.
I would hope we search all people from terrorist-friendly nations, and all Muslim men but also the occasional blond teen and 80 year old woman.
These must really be the worst dregs of America, especially of you're a young, black, Homosexual, reporter that also happens to be new in town.
What a self-centered drama queen. http://blogs.scripps.com/albq/commings/
May 25, 2005
And the hits just keep on comin'
Geoff has always told me to have faith that things will
happen in their due course.
Today I found that out when I accepted a job at the Arizona
Daily Star as one of their education reporters. I didn't
think it would take them less than a week to hire me, so
I was surprised to get a call from them.
Now I can breathe easy. Many people around me were worried
that I wouldn't get a job before I moved to Tucson, and
I was slightly worried, too. I wanted to have money to
pay for the house.
I don't have to worry about that. Geoff will be keeping his
job in San Francisco for a couple of months, so we both
will have steady incomes that will be poured into
decorating our home.
I can't stop smiling. But as I write this, I wait for Geoff
to call me so I can give him the news. Apparently, he's
busy right now.
This has been a great day. I'm looking forward to many more.
-------------
On Tuesday I sent out a mass e-mail to friends telling them
about my move. Most of them were also learning for the
first time about my relationship with Geoff. The people
that have written back have been nothing but
enthusiastic, including my former roommate when I lived
in Colorado Springs. I think he knew I was gay, but
bless his heart for respecting my desire to not make it
public at the time. I was an elite swimmer then, and
coming out in swimming is never, ever done. We've had
three gay Olympic swimmers from the United States, but
they never came out until after they retired. Certainly
there are more out there, but in swimming it's hardly an issue.
I do wish, though, that I had had the courage to come
out when I was in elite swimming, just to ease my mind
and not be secretive about that part of my life.
But now that I'm with Geoff I have no desire to keep him in
the shadows.
May 31, 2005 Still going
Since Geoff will still be living in San Francisco for about
two months after I move to Tucson, this long-distance
thing is still going to run its course. But the
lighthouse on the shore will be guiding him to me
through the course of the summer.
We're spending the first week in June at the new house,
painting the bedroom and shopping (!) for furniture. We
both hate shopping, but it's a necessary evil. I did
find that it's somewhaat enjoyable when you do it with
someone you love.
Then he's coming to visit during the Fourth of July weekend.
Looking forward to more housework.
So we'll still have to deal with the phone and being apart
for weeks at a time.
June 03, 2005 And so it goes ...
Thus ends this blog, as Geoff and I take off for Tucson,
Ariz., where our new house, and a brand-new life
together, awaits.
Just want to say thanks to everyone who's read this blog and
who offered words of encouragement for Geoff and me.
It's meant a lot.
Do I have any final words of advice? How about this nugget:
Be patient. Before you know it, you'll be together and
smiling from ear to ear every day.
ping
I would hope we search all people from terrorist-friendly nations, and all Muslim men but also the occasional blond teen and 80 year old woman.But at the same time you also hope we leave the borders open unchecked...
Hypocrite!
Wrong. I support President Bush's reforms that are necessary in order to secure the border.
Last week the Secretary of Homeland Security testified before Congress that he cannot secure the border until they pass the necessary reforms.
Whose side are you on, the terrorists and gangsters or the American government?
I thought some of the 9/11 terrorists actually were illegals who obtained drivers licenses.
There has been numerous incidents involving middle-easterners coming across the mexican border. Their were 77 middle-easterners captured by the Az border patrol about 8 months ago but the border patrol let them go after holding them for a short period of time. Also muslim prayer blankets have been found on the Az side of the Mexican border in Cochise County Az....it's doubtful that mexicans would be carrying a muslim prayer blanket.
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