If Not Now, WHEN?

All the news media are televising and reporting about the protests by Mexicans in various border states against the proposed immigration legislation. These "immigrants" are taking to the streets, waving their national flags and holding signs. However, one should notice that these "immigrants" aren't waving US flags or signs written in English.

With all their bluster, our elected representatives in both houses of Congress are debating bills that are supposed to address the security of our borders and the constant flow of illegal immigrants across our southern border. But all of these efforts are all for show. Most of the legislation has verbage that will allow "guest workers" and some form of amnesty for the illegal immigrants, basically cowing to the protests of "immigrants" that, legally, cannot vote.

What is wrong with our elected representatives? Are they so afraid of losing their seats in Congress that they are willing to water down such a critical bill? We should be talking about building a wall on our southern border and arresting illegal immigrants!!! Instead, we are talking about granting amnesty and counting how many votes for re-election each representative is saving!!!

The protesters are decrying the initially proposed raising of the criminality of illegally immigrating, from a misdemeanor to a felony. "We're not criminals!" they shout. But they are!!! They are here ILLEGALLY!!!! Illegal means against the law - which makes the person that is breaking the law a criminal!!! Raising illegal immigration to the level of felony just means that maybe more money will be allocated to actually enforce the law.

What, you may ask, is wrong with these people coming here to seek a better life? What makes it wrong is that they arrived here illegally, are living here illegally, and because of that culture of illegality, there is reason to believe that any of our laws mean anything to them.

I have no problem with immigrants. My mother and grandmother came here from Germany in the 1950's. I am first generation American on their side of the family. But they came here legally and had to go through the process of naturalization. In fact, when I was born in the early 1960's, my mother was still awaiting her naturalization.

What irritates me is that these people that are taking to the streets to protest have not gone through the naturalization process and are here illegally, some earning money here, some taking benefits here, and are not paying any taxes because there is no record of them being here. Does this sound like a recipe for a stable future? For all the talk of the underground economy that the illegals support and that they do jobs that the rest of us don't want to do, the fact remains that they are here illegally and they are paid under the table and they receive the same benefits we citizens do. Some even vote illegally, which must be why legislators are afraid of them.

If we don't stop illegal immigration now with REAL DETERENCE, when are we going to be willing to do something about it? Will it take another 9/11 attack? Will it take the total Mexi-fication of the Southwestern US? The collapse of California's state budget funding services to people that don't pay a dime into it? Is it too late already?

I have a suggestion - all of us LEGAL citizens here in the US remind our legislators that they represent the CITIZENS of THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and not MEXICO!!!! I urge everyone to contact your Senators and Representatives and voice your DEMAND THAT THE SOUTHERN BORDER BE SEALED and that the FLOW OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS STOPPED NOW!!!! And back up your demand with the fact that if they fail to implement this legislation, they will be replaced.

Which, of course, is every politician's worst fear.