It gets harder for me to understand government policies as I grow older. Is this a government by the people and for the people, or is it a government for those who hold the power and have the most money? I sometimes think it is only for the latter. And most of the time, it just doesn’t make sense.
I live in a state where the state's budget shortfall would scare any concerned citizen, where unemployment is rampant, where the housing market went bust, and where foreclosures on home loans continue to spiral upward. Instead of passing a budget and making hard choices to cut spending realistically or raise taxes, the state's leaders have chosen to try and pass an additional sales tax that will only hurt the already poor of the state who can barely afford to pay for necessities.
If the tax fails, supporters claim that teachers, firefighters and lawmen will be cut. Meanwhile, even while threatening to cut police protection, the state has passed a law that illegals are illegal, (really?) and people can be asked to provide proof of citizenship on the street, at home, or while driving. They probably won't be stopping people who are obviously white, even though any one of them might be an illegal immigrant from European background, plus any one of them might be a terrorist hell bent on destroying this country.
My concern is that with the budget cuts in law enforcement, less attention may be paid to preventing terrorists from entering this state and the country, but instead will focus on stopping those of Mexican descent to question them about their legality. Yes, illegal crossings into this country need to be stopped, but they need to be halted at the border by fences and law enforcement. Money needs to be allotted there, and then laws should be passed concerning what to do with those illegals already living in this country.
Most "illegals" who come here from Mexico are only seeking work so they can provide a living for their families. They're not interested in doing anything harmful to the place they seek refuge in. Most aren’t criminals intent on committing violent crimes, or drug runners. I do not condone anyone crossing our borders illegally, but a solution to the problem of what to do about them once they're here should be decided by the federal government--not at a state level by a state that claims to lack the necessary resources to enforce laws that protect the general public and prevent violent crimes.
We are all descended from immigrants to this country (except for Native Americans); many of our ancestors came illegally and later found ways to get legal status. Any number of our ancestors did exactly what illegal immigrants from Mexico are doing today--slipped into the country to seek the American dream and a better life. They managed to blend into society until they could manage to get legal citizenship. Most became contributors to society and upstanding citizens.
Intolerance towards one group of illegals only breeds suspicion, contempt and hatred on the parts of both them and us. Must we condone racial profiling in order to make sure that we get rid of illegal aliens from Mexico and Central America, or shouldn't we worry more about stopping the people who are entering this country legally and illegally each day and intend to do us all harm. Terrorists are our biggest threat, or has something changed recently that I don’t know?
I for one don't mind paying taxes in order to provide protection for our country and its freedoms, but I do resent seeing my tax dollars used in a discriminatory way to get rid of those who probably mean us no harm and may, some day, become upstanding citizens--teachers, doctors, lawyers, firemen, and police officers--if given half a chance. And yes, some of them survive with government aid, but shouldn’t studies be done to see just how much impact they actually have on limited government resources? Is it really as large as one terrorist who might kill and maim thousands, or at minimum, cause law enforcement to spend thousands to prevent their hideous acts while causing immeasurable fear among citizens?
So how will this latest uproar in this state play out in history? Several federal government and citizens' groups plan to sue the state to prevent this new law from becoming effective. Meanwhile, the governor is threatening to spend what little money she can commandeer from other budget sources to fight these lawsuits. So what will be cut next to pay for lawsuits?
Has society become too extreme to think clearly? Have personal prejudices blinded us to the real threats to our well-being? It's terrorists we need to target, then we can afford to worry about illegal families and what to do about them. We need to erect barriers that will prevent terrorists from entering the country. When those are in place, illegal entry should automatically cease. What has happened to common sense?
