Friday, July 16, 2010
[The following is a guest post by Ann Green.]
To paraphrase Joe Biden, border security is a big honking deal. When it's a big deal in Massachusetts, it's a huge honking deal. Recently I joined a crew of volunteers holding campaign signs at a busy intersection in Shrewsbury, Mass. for Marty Lamb, candidate for Congress in the third district. In addition to "Lamb for Congress," some of the signs had an added message: "Honk for Secure Borders." And honk they did. While not a scientific poll, this was certainly a random, rolling sampling of citizens. Massachusetts doesn't have a border with a foreign country, but it does have a reputation as being among the bluest of blue states. But these Sunday afternoon drivers made enough noise to rival rush hour in New York City.
Our Swiss cheese borders aren't the only issue on voters' minds, but are high among the public's priorities thanks to the war on terror (I think there still is one), the new law in Arizona, and the administration's thinly veiled plans for amnesty. States like Arizona, which are on the front lines, are dealing with violence from drug gangs, human traffickers and other criminal elements and the crippling drain on health care and education budgets that comes with large populations of illegal immigrants. Americans have been shielded from the truth about the level of violence of Mexican drug cartels, whose members have begun using terror tactics. Let's just say that beheadings are only a part this development.
Like most Americans, Marty is a reasonable guy when it comes to border security. He makes a distinction between legal and illegal immigration, appreciating that the U.S. was built in no small part by immigrants, and that legal immigrants have much to offer our society. He simply believes that "we need to close the revolving door at our borders and enforce the laws already on the books." Unlike the incumbent in the third district, Jim (See My Photo with Castro!) McGovern, Marty does not support amnesty. He explains, "I would crack down on those who employ illegal workers and prohibit illegal aliens from getting Social Security, driver's licenses and other benefits. I would also limit birthright citizenship to the children of U.S. citizens and legal, permanent residents."
Only xenophobes want to keep immigrants out. Just about everyone I know is a grandchild of immigrants. I am, and I'm also married to an immigrant. Of course reform is needed, but reform does not have to mean amnesty. (Just like health care reform doesn't have to mean socialized medicine, but don't get me started.) Among the most vocal opponents of illegal immigration are legal immigrants, who went through the process the way they were supposed to. I'm sure they have great ideas on how to streamline the process, not do away with it.
Another candidate with an intelligent position on border security is Sean Bielat, who is running in my district, the third. Sean has taken on the job of unseating Barney (a dinosaur if there ever was one) Frank. I had the pleasure of meeting Sean, a Marine and a successful businessman. At a "meet and greet" at my home he articulated his views, and all in attendance were impressed with his grasp of the issues and his ideas. On the border issue, Sean believes that "it is possible for the government to protect its citizen's civil liberties and its borders." He also opposes amnesty. "I support the Arizona law," he says, "as well as its provisions against racial profiling." What the administration and its lackeys in the media won't say out loud (or maybe they still haven't read it) is that the Arizona law is written to adhere scrupulously to the federal law. Also, as Sean points out, "It uses the justice system to investigate a person's immigration status only if the person is stopped for other violations, and there are clear reasons to suspect the person's status." Both candidates welcome legal workers who contribute to the economy. Americans are reasonable, welcoming people.
The fact that border security gets the attention of Massachusetts citizens cruising along a busy highway on a sultry weekend afternoon is significant. Despite what the media, academics, radical interest groups and the administration want you to believe, it's nonsense that concern for border security is racist. I can attest to the fact that the honkers - who also returned our waves and gave us lots of thumbs up -- were people of all races and ages.
This year it is especially important to find out who's running in your district and what he or she stands for on this and other issues. And think about whether that candidate's position would make you honk your horn or blow a gasket.
The Massachusetts primary election is September 14. The final election is November 2. Marty's website is www.MartyforCongress.com. Sean's is www.SeanBielat.org.
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry: They're Honking for Border Security - Even in Massachusetts!.
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Slick marketing from McGovern opponent Marty Lamb: A risky little move for attention, but I like it. From Doug Powers at Malkin's: Campaign Gimmick of the Year Previous posts on Marty here and here.... Read More
Apparently, this is not the first time. This from the Marty Lamb campaign: LAMB CONCERNED ABOUT ANOTHER OCCURRENCE OF VANDALISM Holliston, MA ...Today, Marty Lamb, Republican candidate for Congress in Massachusetts Third District, has filed another pol... Read More
I write this Border Report each day. E-mail me with your ddress if you would like to be put on my mailing list. fnewby@zianet.com This report is from today July 16, 2010
On June 26 I reported the burial of little Angel Lorraine Jiminez along with the jailing of a boy friend- baby sitter, for throwing a 2 year old down the hallway and fracturing its skull. A short two weeks later we read of the jailing of a 26 year old mother, Erica Sigala, for beating and seriously injuring her 1 year old child with a belt and other instruments. The baby was admitted to the hospital with bleeding blood vessels in his eye balls. He would celebrate his first birthday in just two days. Doctors discovered a large field of bleeding in the baby's brain indicating severe trauma. A further report concerned a 13 year old boy severely beaten with a "lunge whip" used for training horses, a metal broom handle and the plastic cap of a spray bottle. He had instructions to clean the bathroom in five minutes and he had been slightly slow. I hear people refer to these perpetrators as "animals." That is not fair to animals. They do not commit these types of hideous crimes. These are sub-human creatures created by bad parenting, poor schools and a permissive society. We all share a responsibility for these horrors because we permit the indiscriminate breeding, the permissive life style and the invasion of privacy nonsense to the utter limits. These are the products of a welfare society carried to the extremes.
In other news, yesterday evening on the ten o'clock news over KDBC television we were shown pictures of a burning police vehicle and running men and a 90 seconds bulletin that two police officers had been killed in the first "Grenade" attack in Juarez. The spot ended with a picture of a truck sitting at a gas station where early yesterday morning on his way to work a Juarez policeman had been shot while filling his truck. We assumed since this is a reliable news source that this was the extent of the violence in Juarez yesterday. This morning I get the M3 report from the NAFBPO and they list twelve deaths in Juarez yesterday. We must assume that the television did not have exciting video of the other nine deaths so they just ignored them. The culmination was that our local newspaper, The Las Cruces Sun News, did not even report a single incident from yesterdays blood bath. We expect more from our only sources of public information. I find that my neighbors are not aware of really what is happening next door in a neighboring country. They know vaguely that there is some violence in Mexico, most of them have stopped going across the border to eat, sight see or buy their drugs. Personally my teeth are getting in bad shape because I can no longer go to my dentist in Palomas. We simply can't afford dentists in Las Cruces because they are just about ten times as high as Mexico. A root canal in Palomas cost me $150. A dentist in Las Cruces quoted me $1500. For the same procedure last week. I miss our monthly visits to Mexico.
The city of Monterey, Mexico is one of the most viable and modern of all Mexican cities. Manufacturing was growing and unemployment was low. Today Monterey is bleeding. Manufacturers are cutting back or closing up from extortion and violence. Police officers are resigning because of threat to their safety. More than a third of all businesses have reported crime of some sort to their locations. A day before the latest violence, Mexican soldiers found five criminal graves together with three large containers containing human remains partially dissolved by acid. These discoveries were in Guadalupe, a community within Monterey. On Monday bodies of five men, all tortured were found in abandoned van in a Monterey side street. This brings the known death toll in Monterey to 300 for the first few months of 2010.
On Wednesday, eight police resigned from a local force in the town of Novalato in the western state of Sinaloa. There is so much more to report that it is overwhelming. I find myself beginning to wake up in the middle of the night agonizing over these reports. No sane person can absorb this much violence without some feelings of despair. Could it be that our news people do not absorb this violence out of self preservation? The Eastern pundits such as Dana Milbank only write fluff and cover up to show that they are on the job. Where does the responsibility for controlling this devastation lie? What happens if and when Mexico falls to complete devastation and anarchy? How will it affect your life? It's time someone started asking these questions and wise heads began to supply some answers. We deserve some attention and some actions. FRANK
Living on the border is not for the faint at heart!
Marty Lamb has a great multi point plan on what to do about illegal immigration. I just went to his newly updated website that was available today. I've seen press releases over recent months about this plan and others. Marty is very substantive, solid, and has ideas, plans, and solutions. No other candidate has such depth. Marty understands that we must take all necessary steps to stop this illegal border traffic. He knows this is a serious national security problem and a drain on our economy which we cannot afford ! We need Congressman Marty Lamb working for us.
Frank Newby, you racist!
It's obvious that the answer is to have NASA focus on boosting Mexican self esteem. Perhaps turn over the disputed Reconquista territory to Mexican control, to boost their self esteem that has been trampled on by White Euro Racists. Once this rebalancing of power has taken place, then peace and prosperity will reign supreme.
There is no peace, without social justice.