Posted on 08/09/2005 11:25:38 AM PDT by RoyalsFan
DELTA - Congressman Tom Tancredo, R-Littleton, knows his efforts to stem illegal immigration are succeeding not because he's receiving support in Congress - it's the other way around.
"For the first time in seven years, (my opponents) are trying to stop me instead of me trying to stop them," the outspoken representative told the Daily Press in an interview before his speech in Delta Monday night. "That's why I know we are winning."
Tancredo spoke to more than 100 people at the Bill Heddles Recreation Center about the dangers of illegal immigration. The crowd was overwhelmingly supportive of Tancredo; people often cheered when he punctuated a point.
State Rep. Josh Penry, R-Grand Junction, said illegal immigration was a key issue to people in Mesa and Delta counties but many politicians seem to ignore it.
"There's a disconnect between the political elite, in both parties, from average folks," Penry said. "(People) are smart enough to see that our nation is not safe until we secure our borders."
That disconnect may be lessening. Several bills that would come down on illegal aliens are circulating in Congress. Tancredo's Real Guest Act is one of these; among other things it calls for sealing the border with increased funding and military assistance, punishing employers who hire illegal aliens and increasing penalties for those illegally residing in the country.
Tancredo's disdain for illegal immigration comes from when he was a teacher at Drake Junior High School in Arvada, Colo. The state passed its first bilingual education law, and Tancredo saw children of Latin decent being pulled out of English classes and being put in Spanish-taught classes, where their performance suffered.
He saw this as the first of many steps of encouraging immigrants not to assimilate as Americans and view Western culture as wrong.
"I call it a 'cult of multiculturalism,'" he said before the speech. "It teaches them that this" - he gestured to a restaurant and the cars in a parking lot - "is ugly, this is bad, that the Western world has nothing to offer."
Even though illegal aliens aren't trying to become Americans, Tancredo said they abuse services this country provides, such as going to emergency rooms for routine medical care. This sort of ambivalence hurts the country, he said, and could potentially result in its demise.
"When borders mean nothing, America is just a place on a map," he told the crowd. "It's just a place to be."
He added that a soft sense of borders comprises the safety of Americans as well.
"We're not just simply opening borders for (illegal workers), we're opening borders for people who are coming here to kill us," he said, eliciting a round of boisterous applause.
Tancredo made national headlines last month after he suggested bombing holy sites of Islam would be an appropriate response to a terrorist attack if it linked to a Muslim group. Tancredo also found himself mired in negative press after calling for the deportation of a high school student - also an illegal alien - who complained about having to pay out-of-state tuition to attend the University of Colorado at Boulder in August 2002.
Becky Wolford, an administrative assistant at Mesa State College's Montrose campus, had Tancredo as a teacher at Drake in 1973. She came to his speech to hear what he had to say "straight from the horse's mouth."
"I wanted to clarify the media impression of where he stands," Wolford, 45, said. "I think he has a genuine care about where the nation is headed. It's clearly not a message of hatred."
The Conservative Caucus of Delta County brought Tancredo to Delta. Bradford Davis, president of the CCDC, said they'd been working since summer to make the speech happen. Tancredo was touring the Western Slope, and Davis said the group wanted to be sure he stopped in Delta.
"Illegal immigration is a hot-button issue here," Davis said. "It's one of our focuses."
The crowd backed Davis's words, as they sent Tancredo off with a standing ovation and cries of "Tancredo for President."
Tancredo has suggested he would run, but only to raise awareness of illegal immigration and the problems he says it causes.
"I operate under no illusions of being nominated, but I could influence the direction of the debate," he told the Press. "I would be the happiest guy in the world watching my grandkids play tee ball - if I could just get this done."
Note: It is NOT optional.
Any alien who -
1. enters or attempts to enter the United States at any time or place other than as designated by immigration officers, or
2. eludes examination or inspection by immigration officers, or
3. attempts to enter or obtains entry to the United States by a willfully false or misleading representation or the willful concealment of a material fact, shall, for the first commission of any such offense, be fined under Title 18 or imprisoned not more than six months, or both, and, for a subsequent commission of any such offense, be fined under Title 18, or imprisoned not more than two years or both.
shall be subject to a civil penalty of -
Section 1324a states:
Section 1324c states:
Section 1644:
"And people call him a racist"
They call him racist because using the "R" word is supposed to stop the debate and swing sentiment in their direction. It's an old trick used by "activists" for years but is becoming increasingly useless. It's supposed to play on white guilt but only works on liberals and politicians.
The Montrose Daily Press. Used to work for them. A long time ago ...
Tom Tancredo. I used to vote for him. A few years back.
I hope to again in the near future.
bttt
I haven't been able to vote for Cong.Tancredo....yet.
I have been able to donate to the cause though....if given the opportunity to vote for him I surely would strongly consider it. Based on what I've heard from all future hopefuls so far...I definitely would.
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