Published: July 09, 2006 03:12 pm            

7/09/06 Letters to the editor

Democratic platform on immigration not rational



Dear Editor:



The following is an extract from the 2006 Texas Democratic Party platform regarding illegal immigrants.

“We support the creation of a policy that would establish a path to citizenship the majority of those currently here, without undue financial burden, and priority for those who have lived or worked here the longest, provided they qualify and seek to become part of our national community. Any cost associated with assimilating this population, including health care, education, increased infrastructure and cooperative enforcement of national laws, should be primarily assumed by the federal government.”

This is a position of total amnesty, with U.S. taxpayers picking up the tab. Do you have free health care, paid by “the federal government” i.e. U.S. taxpayers? According to the Democratic platform, these illegal aliens would have more benefits and rights than a native born American citizen. Giving these illegal aliens who have been here the longest first priority is like giving amnesty to bank robbers who have committed the most felonies.

Texas Democrats have actually compared crossing our borders illegally to violating a traffic ordinance. Are we to provide free heath care for those who came here legally as well? According to this policy, those who have violated our immigration laws would have preference over those who have played by the rules.

Congress has been notably ineffective in crafting realistic and effective immigration reform. There is no doubt that we cannot simply deport all illegal immigrants. We must secure our borders to “stop the bleeding” as soon as possible. Then we must construct a guest worker program that will allow Mexican citizens to come here and work legally for a limited amount of time.

They should not get a free pass to citizenship simply because they are here, especially if they came here illegally. Would this policy apply to those who have violated their immigration visa restrictions? Are we going to allow people from Iran and Somalia the same amnesty? If those who are here illegally are unhappy with their circumstances, they can always go home. The U.S. taxpayers owe them nothing.



Harry C. Kennemer Jr.

Burleson





History should be taught correctly



Dear Editor:



Editor’s note: This is in response to Dr. Richard Elam’s article on Abraham Lincoln that apeared July 2.



It’s sad that big government mythology has replaced the teaching of history.

First, the founding doctrine of this country was not that all men are equal, but that all peoples have the right to secede from what they consider to be oppressive government — that’s why it’s called the Declaration of Independence rather than the Universal Declaration of Equality.

Second, Lincoln did not preserve the Union; he destroyed it. In place of the voluntary Union of independent states, he established a centralized government by, of, and for politically connected big business, a Leviathan beyond the reach of the people to control. Instead, D.C. would now control the people. With political and economic power centralized in D.C., and armed with a radical new doctrine of forced intervention to promote “democracy,” the U.S. nearly wiped out the American Indians, subjugated the Filipinos, overthrew governments throughout Latin America and stuck its nose into Europe’s Great War.

As a result of the U.S. propping up the pro-war party in Russia, the exhausted Russian people quickly turned against the fragile republic they’d just established and allowed the pro-peace Bolsheviks to take over. Instead of a negotiated peace among war-weary combatants, the embittered Allies were able to falsely blame Germany for the war and impose a punitive peace treaty on it.

The loss of the Ruhr and the oppressive reparations stoked German anger and enflamed German nationalism, opening the way for Adolph Hitler.

World War II was just the continuation of World War I. That war ended disastrously, too, with eastern Europe under Soviet domination. The 650,000 lives that Lincoln’s actions wiped out, and his destruction of the Jeffersonian tradition of dispersed political power, were not only horrific losses in exchange for Lincoln’s ambitions, but profound transformations in our system of government that continue to generate tragic consequences. We have yet to recover what we have lost.



Mike Tuggle

Charlotte, N.C.





All houses should have flags



Dear Editor:



The flags look just simply delightful for the July 4 celebration. That is, as far as they go! We were out of town for the weekend and we came west on Westhill. We had admired the flags all the way to Colonial. Well, much to our dismay, the first four homes on Colonial off West Henderson do not have flags in front of them. I wondered what a visitor would think. “Are these the homes of anti-Americans?”

My question is, why would you start any project in the middle of the block? I plan to purchase four flags and place them in these yards, but in the future, please make sure all yards are included.



Sue Long

Cleburne





An open letter to the White House



Dear Editor:



Editor’s note: The following is a copy of a letter that was sent to the White House.



To: Mr. Darren K. Hipp, Acting Director of Presidential Correspondence



Sir,

The actions that you describe concerning the president’s efforts to find new sources of clean energy are very commendable and we are sure they will be appreciated by succeeding generations, however, we are concerned with this generation.

Unfortunately, our economy is based on oil and actions should be taken to support our economy as it stands now. For those of us who are retired and all of those on limited incomes, the economy is in shambles. As near as we can calculate, since all of this started, our cost of living has increased by about 40 percent.

The president must press congress to lift restrictions on drilling for oil in any area. Further, actions must be taken to encourage building new refineries. We need to start drilling and building today.

We fear that our dependence on oil will last for a long time and our economy will only worsen unless immediate steps are taken to relieve the situation.



Donald and Ethel Henry

Cleburne





Freedom should be respected



Dear Editor:



As we drove over several of our streets going to church Sunday, they were lined with small American flags. Our thanks to those who put them up. This inspired us to put up several flags like these around our large circle drive. However, to our chagrin, when we awoke on Independence Day, all but three of these were gone. Only one was standing on our street as far as you could see, and only two were left in our drive. I am sure it must have been a lot of fun going down these streets, as well as in our front yard, stealing these flags.

So many today have no sense of values due to the lack of teaching in the home, schools and churches. I suspect that only a small percentage of our younger generation even know why July 4 is a holiday. The same could be said about Armistice (Veteran’s Day) and Memorial Day. To some, these are just days to sleep in, go to the lakes, barbecue and drink beer.

The freedom that we enjoy here in America that allows kids to run wild, steal flags, etc., was bought by the blood, sweat and tears of many thousands of American military personnel. I am a veteran of World War II, and I have had ancestors in the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Civil War, and World War I.

Our soldiers were proud of their country, and so many gave their lives to obtain and protect freedom. It is almost more than I can bear to see on TV the reaction of the crowd at athletic contests when the colors are posted and our national anthem is played. People mill around, talk, eat and drink, etc., with no hint of respect. And all too often, our anthem, which is a military song, is butchered up by some rap singer or equivalent “singing” in a “hip-hop” style that is a disgrace to our fallen military dead.

As I contemplate this situation, I wonder how we can expect God to bless America!

Thank you for letting an old soldier air his feelings.



Jack Kirby

Cleburne

        

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