Posted on 05/03/2006 10:38:41 PM PDT by Mount Athos
The president of the United States said:
"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin.
"But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American and nothing but an American ... There can be no divided allegiance here.
"We have room for but one flag, the American flag . . . We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language . . . and we have room for but one sole loyalty, and that is a loyalty to the American people."
Surprised that the president of the United States would make such a statement? Surprised that the president would clearly support the notion that people in this country whose allegiance is divided between our country and another --- say, Mexico --- are not, and should not be considered, Americans? Surprised that the president would state the obvious --- that English is the language of our country and we have but one flag --- the American flag?
Actually, there's no reason for surprise. The current president of the United States did not utter these words. He has been busy giving speeches explaining why the United States will not enforce its duly enacted laws against illegal entry into this country.
The present chief executive ("commander in chief," as he regularly reminds us) is preoccupied with explaining how a proposal to fast-track illegals toward citizenship based on how long they've been in this country unlawfully is not a version of "amnesty."
The common-sense quote above was uttered a century ago by another U.S. president --- one who understood what words such as "sovereignty" and "lawful" and "allegiance" actually meant. The words were spoken in 1907 by Theodore Roosevelt, who served as president in a time when political correctness did not infect the national landscape.
While President Bush finds it impossible to speak of "illegal aliens" and prefers instead the kinder, gentler phrase "undocumented workers," his predecessor in 1907 would have found no difficulty in calling those who enter this country in contravention of our immigration laws exactly what they are --- "illegals."
One can legitimately debate how best to deal with the millions of persons in this country unlawfully, and about how to fix the hopelessly broken immigration system we are trying to keep functioning with little more than duct tape and paper clips.
But if our leaders in Washington cannot even understand the basics, and cannot employ honest and meaningful language in addressing the problem, then there's probably not much reason for any of us to hope that those leaders will solve the problem.
While the demonstrations earlier this week by illegal aliens and their supporters clogged some streets in several major American cities, and as Mexicans in Mexico --- in a bizarre and utterly pointless display of bravado --- demonstrated against gringos, our leaders in the Senate and the White House continued to wring hands and bloviate.
Only the U.S. House of Representatives seems to have found any backbone on the immigration debate, having passed a bill many weeks ago that would, if enacted, at least begin the process of securing our porous southern border. In the view of at least a majority of members in the House, it is necessary to stanch the flow of illegals into America before we start pandering to those already in the country --- as Bush and many in the Senate are wont to do.
If the House bill actually became law --- which is virtually impossible insofar as it conflicts with the president's vision --- then we could appropriately begin structuring a new system for dealing with immigration.
Once we secure the borders and actually start enforcing laws against the hiring of illegal aliens in this country, Congress could hold hearings, conduct oversight and pass legislation that would establish meaningful guest-worker programs, determine realistic immigrant visa categories and numbers, and dramatically strengthen penalties on businesses that violate the laws.
Of course, the success of all of this would be predicated on the notion of respect for the law. Teddy Roosevelt understood that. Unfortunately, many of our current generation of national leaders do not.
> Former congressman and U.S. Attorney Bob Barr practices law in Atlanta.
Hey Bob .. are you still working for the ACLU
You know .. the group that has done everything they could to block the laws from being enforced?
ouch! LOL
It is why the illegals still attack Bush. Bush wants them to become good American citizens who learn English and earn their way through society, and kick out the criminals, the Leftobots, Dimorats, and illegals on the other hand want a free handout (welfare and benefiets/Affirmative action), no border partol or fence, instant citizenship, and an independent country in the southwest.
Barr is like a mule. Irony is lost on a mule, too.
The current president of the United States did not utter these words.
When Teddy was president the law clearly stated that all who wanted to immigrate to the USA had to have the following papers. A valid birth certificate from the land of their birth. And a document signed by their native lands department of state authorizing them to immigrate to the United States. It had to show they were not felons and not wanted for any crimes or misdemeanors in their native land.
But many many who came here came with out any documents. By law they were supposed to be sent back home. But Teddy did not send them. They were just separated from those with papers. The workers at Ellis island started to call such people WOPS.. that was an acronym for With Out Papers. What the workers at Ellis Island were instructed to do was ask the undocumented immigrants where they were from and then ask them if they were criminals. If they knew where they were born or at least said they did, and swore they were not criminals they were allowed into the USA.
Other Americans started to call them WOPS as a derogatory name... but WOP only meant undocumented immigrant who had no papers to make him legal under the law. Back then many people cursed Teddy's undocumented WOPS just like they curse the undocumented Mexicans today.
Bob Barr thinks you are ignorant of the past history of the USA and illegal immigrants and I suspect he is right.
Except the WOPS wished to be here and desired to become Americans. Guessing a long ocean voyage does that to a person.
Because all busting some farmer's fence and sneaking across the border while trashing the land and traveling 500 to a van will get you are people who wish to suck on America's teat and continue to celebrate the warped culture from whence they came.
Tator...Did the WOPS demonstrate waving the flags of their homeland and claim that this (the US) is their continent?
There is a huge difference between early 20th century America and early 21st century america. First there is no risk in coming to America. The worst case scenario they get sent back, the best is they get paid in cash and file for welfare at the same time. Second we are supposedly transforming into a "information" economy that justifies sending manufacturing jobs all around the world. Why are we sending low class jobs to Mexico, and importing low class mexicans to America?
Yes, but even these WOPS had to pass a health exam before they were allowed in. If they didn't pass, which many didn't, they were sent home.
Makes no sense.
He's drving the nails into the Republican Party coffin instead of living up to the ideals that once typified the GOP.
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