Monday, August 11, 2008

Illegal Immigration

When you want to find out what is causing an action, the answer is to "follow the money or the power." The dangers of illegal Immigration are clear:

1) When we have more than enough trouble identifying lawbreakers who are already citizens of America, we now ignore hundreds of thousands who come across our borders with no background check. Look at the horrible crimes that have been committed here that would not have victimized citizens and others if immigration laws were enforced...and we have no idea how many terrorist recruiters have taken up illegal residence.

2)We are establishing an attitude that laws aren't to be obeyed; that we, the people won't enforce the laws; that laws are "optional" in terms of being honored and obeyed. If you don't like a law, work to change it...don't violate it.

3) The silly notion that lawbreakers are entitled to the rights and privileges of citizens is preposterous; The constitution is essentially a contract between the people and the government...anyone who tries to enforce a contract has to show that they have abided by the contract in order to have the other side perform as promised. Illegal immigrants have not abided by the law and therefore should not be entitled to the benefits of the contract (constitution).

Now, look at what and to whom benefits flow if illegal immigration is unchecked and those who are here illegally can vote; where is the money and the power flowing?

1) Business’ gets cheaper labor and therefore can make higher profits or sell at lower cost (in some cases, I am sure, both are true);

2) Those who despise the United States would love to see our country overrun by those who have no patriotic feelings or duty felt to the country;

3) Those of a liberal bent (who want to take other's money and give it to those that they deem in need [as long as it isn't their money]) believe that if illegals are given status and citizenship that the new citizens would naturally vote for those that championed their cause and provide a new and overwhelming majority to sweep said liberals (opps, "Progressives") into power with no threat from "non-like-thinkers."

These are the motivations...money, destruction, and power. And no one is going to do a thing to stop it, because politicians put their own self-interest ahead of the Country...because the last thing they want is to lose an election and have to come back to where they started and have to actually earn a living and live with the laws that they passed.

Monday, August 4, 2008

Smokey and Dusty leave

I promised to complete the story of Smokey and Dusty...

As the years went by, each cat developed a different relationship our family. Strangely enough, although Smokey seemed to consider each member of the family as pretty much equal, and would let each pet her and, on occasion, pick her up, Dusty was quite different.

She never developed a "warm and fuzzy" attitude about us (with on exception, which I will get into in a moment). She would NOT be picked up, and preferred to eat without anyone watching. She and Smokey would eat at different times, and she never "hung around."

The one exception was when I came home from work. She would jump up on the car, then step across to my shoulders and perch there for a moment, purring, then jump down. I was not allowed to pet her or scratch around her ears. Nor was I allowed to pick her up. This was the sole evidence that we served any other purpose that as a provider.

This degree of appreciation fit beautifully with my stated stance on these cats: I complained at every opportunity in the presence of others that these cats were freeloaders and we should not be treating them so well (although, during the winter months I would make sure the garage door was up high enough to let them get in out of the most intense cold).

They got old. We didn't know how old, since we had no idea of their birth date, but they got thinner and moved a bit slower.

One night I came home from work and was walking from my car to the back door when I was stopped in my tracks by what I can only describe as a "screech" from behind me. I whirled around and there, sitting next to the hood of my car behind me, was Smokey. When I turned around, she got up and walked up to me, rose on her hind feet stretching her front feet up my pants leg...she wanted to be picked up. This hadn't happened before.

I bent over, picked her up and she curled up on my arms, purred, and licked my hand. After about thirty seconds, or so, she squirmed about, telling me she wanted to get down. I gently put her back on the cement floor. She walked toward the door, stopped about two feet from the garage door and looked back at me, then left.

We never saw her again. We looked, but...she had gone.

A year or so passed. Dusty get older and more gaunt.

One evening, as I was going from the car to the house, I heard "the screech" and for a moment thought Smokey had come home.

I turned, to see Dusty sitting there. She walked over, rose on her hind feet with her front paws (claws withdrawn) on my trouser leg. For the first (and last) time in her life she asked to be picked up. I did so and, miracle of miracles, she coiled up in my arms, purred, and licked my hand, right between my thumb and first finger. After about thirty or so seconds, she wiggled (gently) asking to be put down. I did so.

She walked toward the garage door and, as Smokey had done, stopped and looked back over her shoulder at me then walked out the door and disappeared. We never saw her again.

I always envied them. I hope that when it is my time, I can walk out with as much good grace, appreciation, and independence. They knew themselves. It's a shame people aren't as good at it.

I miss them.