another brother of a BOTL lost in Iraq

[NullSmurf]

Something most civilians can't understand is the relationship between brothers in arms and that relationship in a combat environment. A BOTL on CP (stationed in Iraq) lost a comrade a few days ago and shared his experience over a Ghurka Ancient Warrior.

I was about to express my gratitude to him for serving and for his comrade's sacrifice for us all, when I recalled the rallies for illegal immegrants scheduled for this Monday. The have every right to ASK for legal status and for the opportunity to earn citizenship, but they have NO RIGHT to DEMAND anything outside of basic human rights. Our young men did not and are not dying for someone to bully his way into our country so he can demand citizenship. Now I hear our National Anthem in Spanish on the radio. This just isn't right.
Its time.

[Newfie]

Something most civilians can't understand is the relationship between brothers in arms and that relationship in a combat environment.

Bruce, I can only imagine what you guys go through. No, the vast majority of us DON'T know.

The have every right to ASK for legal status and for the opportunity to earn citizenship, but they have NO RIGHT to DEMAND anything outside of basic human rights. Our young men did not and are not dying for someone to bully his way into our country so he can demand citizenship. Now I hear our National Anthem in Spanish on the radio. This just isn't right.

I think my father said it best "You're God Damned right". Every day, EVERY F ING DAY I read and hear more and more about people from countries (that shall go un-named) saying we aren't recognizing their rights. There are many people who emigrate to North America from the land of their birth, and they are value added and make sure they fit in to society. As far as I'm concerned, the rest can fuck off.

Take care of you and your's over there Bro. Stay well, and come home soon.

NOTE:

Another board I used to frequent had a smiley saluting and holding an American flag. No, I'm not American, but imagine it inserted here.

[SuperChuck]

Every day, EVERY F ING DAY I read and hear more and more about people from countries (that shall go un-named) saying we aren't recognizing their rights. There are many people who emigrate to North America from the land of their birth, and they are value added and make sure they fit in to society. As far as I'm concerned, the rest can fuck off.

Hey, Newfie, they're not talking about French immigrants...

I personally haven't heard anyone "demanding" a "right" to be here... I hear a lot of people asking not to be deported...

And try to bear in mind that 7% of our fighting force is foreign-born, mostly Mexican.

[NullSmurf]

Hey, Newfie, they're not talking about French immigrants...

I personally haven't heard anyone "demanding" a "right" to be here... I hear a lot of people asking not to be deported...

And try to bear in mind that 7% of our fighting force is foreign-born, mostly Mexican.

True that there are many Mexican nationals serving in our armed forces. However, you will NOT find one that entered the country illegally. In my opinion, any foreign national willing to fight and die for the USA is worthy of immediate citizenship.

As to illegal immigrants demanding the right to be here, look out your window today. Watch ANY television news today. Read any newspaper. There are about 75 thousand Hispanics near downtown Denver today saying exactly that.

[cigar no baka]

I agree, any legal immigrant who signs up for service in our armed forces and serves their term faithfully should be on a fast track for citizenship.

But what truly angers me is the illegals. They are trying to force the issue with our lily-livered politicians who are pandering to ILLEGALS. I won't be voting until a party takes a stand against illegal immigration, cracks down on the border, cracks down on employers who employ illegals,and puts such an onerous burden on illegals here that they will start returning on their own. Let's tax all money sent to Mexico 30-40%. Let's get national ID cards finally. Let's require all law enforcement to either enforce the laws of the United States or lose all federal funding. Lets build some detention centers to hold the illegals we catch and make the host country pay us for sending them back home. Lets shut down the border in a smart, efficient way - more staff, plenty of technology to solve the problem.

No country can survive such a challenge to its sovereignty. America is doomed unless we do something and do it soon to protect our national identity.

[FlowerBasketExpress2005]

I agree, any legal immigrant who signs up for service in our armed forces and serves their term faithfully should be on a fast track for citizenship.

But what truly angers me is the illegals. They are trying to force the issue with our lily-livered politicians who are pandering to ILLEGALS. I won't be voting until a party takes a stand against illegal immigration, cracks down on the border, cracks down on employers who employ illegals,and puts such an onerous burden on illegals here that they will start returning on their own. Let's tax all money sent to Mexico 30-40%. Let's get national ID cards finally. Let's require all law enforcement to either enforce the laws of the United States or lose all federal funding. Lets build some detention centers to hold the illegals we catch and make the host country pay us for sending them back home. Lets shut down the border in a smart, efficient way - more staff, plenty of technology to solve the problem.

No country can survive such a challenge to its sovereignty. America is doomed unless we do something and do it soon to protect our national identity.

Maybe we should put mexican flags on their sleeves so they can easily be identified. While we are at it, perhaps tattoos with serial numbers or maybe chip implants.

[drew_goring]

Maybe we should put mexican flags on their sleeves so they can easily be identified. While we are at it, perhaps tattoos with serial numbers or maybe chip implants.

If they come in illegally, then yes, that could work.
just kidding of course but I know what I think about the illegals staging their protests today.

[Shelby07]

Maybe we should put mexican flags on their sleeves so they can easily be identified. While we are at it, perhaps tattoos with serial numbers or maybe chip implants.

You're kidding, right? Please tell me you're kidding!!

[SuperChuck]

Illegal immigration is kind of a tough topic, which is why so many politicians are having such a hard time with it.

I don't think we should be closing our borders to people who want to come here to work. THAT is the American way. When my family came over, they were looking for a better life for their family. They came over and worked on farms. My grandfather was a bagger at the local grocery store when he enlisted.

Bitching and moaning that the Mexicans are taking your job away only means you didn't take advantage of the free education you were given. If Pedro is going to clean pools for half of what you will, you can accept less money or find something else to do, that's how a free-market economy works.

At the same time, you don't want to grant amnesty to illegals. You want to reward those who are doing it the right way. But you don't want to kick someone out of country because they broke the rules in order to help their family, either. Do you prosecute someone who steals a loaf of bread to feed his children? That's a tough call...

[SmokinDVM]

The combination of illegal aliens and the employers who break the law by hiring them is where the problem is. The politicians don't really want the problem fixed or they would enforce the laws already in place.
The effect of having these illegal workers here is it brings down the wages of all workers in this Country. The people in this Country worked hard to bring the standard of living up to one of the best in the World. Now we have a corporate and political pairing that's bent on destroying that standard.

If the politicians had any balls, they would institute a fine of at least $30k for every illegal alien an employer hires, and enforce the fines.
They would also level the trade deficit field by, for example, taking a companies goods that are produced in a Country that pays its workers 30% less than here, and charge a 30% tariff on their goods imported and sold in the US. Free trade agreements don't raise the workers wages and conditions in other countries up, it lowers them in our Country.

[cigar no baka]

The combination of illegal aliens and the employers who break the law by hiring them is where the problem is. The politicians don't really want the problem fixed or they would enforce the laws already in place.
The effect of having these illegal workers here is it brings down the wages of all workers in this Country. The people in this Country worked hard to bring the standard of living up to one of the best in the World. Now we have a corporate and political pairing that's bent on destroying that standard.

If the politicians had any balls, they would institute a fine of at least $30k for every illegal alien an employer hires, and enforce the fines.
They would also level the trade deficit field by, for example, taking a companies goods that are produced in a Country that pays its workers 30% less than here, and charge a 30% tariff on their goods imported and sold in the US. Free trade agreements don't raise the workers wages and conditions in other countries up, it lowers them in our Country.

I totally agree. The PTB in this country are scheming to bring in cheap labor to suppress wages and improve corporate profits. We should penalize the companies, and the management in those companies severely when they are caught hiring illegals. I say heavy punitive fines and lengthy jail terms. First place they should head is Tyson Foods, who apparently hires so many illegals they can't keep open for even one day when the illegals go on strike.

[SmokinDVM]

I totally agree. The PTB in this country are scheming to bring in cheap labor to suppress wages and improve corporate profits. We should penalize the companies, and the management in those companies severely when they are caught hiring illegals. I say heavy punitive fines and lengthy jail terms. First place they should head is Tyson Foods, who apparently hires so many illegals they can't keep open for even one day when the illegals go on strike.

I don't think we should stop with just the big corporations either, although they should receive the larger fines, but should fine the people hiring them as maids and gardeners too.
If their job market here dries up, they'll stay in Mexico and try to make changes there.

[Kenyth]

You're kidding, right? Please tell me you're kidding!!

Yes, I'm pretty sure he's sarcastically trying to compare things to the WW2 era Nazi's.

[Locard]

Military members go through a screening process, and must submit proof of citizenship or naturalization. No illegal immigrant is allowed to serve, and the military will help those in need of getting the appropriate documentation if they are willing to serve. What gets me are those that advertise "Made in U.S.A.", but by illegal imigrants...

But before I can even begin to talk about illegal's affecting the military, I have to bring up Americans protesting the military. I am in Afghanistan, and am a military volunteer, that is to say I joined of my own free will 8 years ago, and love every minute of it. I gladly come here an do whatever is needed to ensure our countries freedoms. But nothing, and I mean nothing sickens me more, than to get a newspaper or a glimse on CNN, showing AMERICANS protesting military funerals across the country...

just my .02

[SuperChuck]

But nothing, and I mean nothing sickens me more, than to get a newspaper or a glimse on CNN, showing AMERICANS protesting military funerals across the country...

Try to keep in mind that the VAST majority of Americans, regardless of their stance on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, support our troops 100%.

[SmokinDVM]

It sickens most people when we see whack-jobs protesting against the military, especially at funerals of fallen soldiers. But, these idiots are a small, mentally disturbed group, and not representative of the US public in general.
We need to be careful not to confuse protesting against the Iraq war with protesting against the troops. The trend in this country equating protesting against the war, or the current piece of crap that calls himself President, as protesting against the troops or being un-patriotic, is a fallacy perpetrated and perpetuated by the extreme right wing. Having been in the military myself, I am fully aware and sympathetic to the situation that the troops are in. That doesn't mean I can't, and in fact have a responsibility to, protest against the unnecessary and ill-advised misuse of our troops by the present administration.

[Locard]

Try to keep in mind that the VAST majority of Americans, regardless of their stance on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, support our troops 100%.

Thanks SuperChuck. I know that the majority do support our troops 100%, and show their support tremendously. (I don't even have to tell you the outpouring support that is received from BOTL.) But the media loves to showcase and report the scandelous information, and it is disheartening when we get that news here. I am not saying that I am discouraged by the rantings of these protestors at funerals...if anything I am fueled. I am just utterly disgusted, that someone would take their rights (freedom of speech), and use it in a manner that disrespects soldiers and what they die for.

[Shelby07]

Greetings From Rancho Mirage
By Ben Stein
Published 4/5/2006 2:29:42 AM

Dear Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, National Guard, Reservists,
in Iraq, in the Middle East theater, in Afghanistan, in the area near
Afghanistan, in any base anywhere in the world, and your families:

Let me tell you about why you guys own about 90 percent of the cojones
in the whole world right now and should be damned happy with yourselves
and damned proud of who you are. It was a dazzlingly hot day here in
Rancho Mirage today. I did small errands like going to the bank to pay
my mortgage, finding a new bed at a price I can afford, practicing
driving with my new 5 wood, paying bills for about two hours.

I spoke for a long time to a woman who is going through a nasty child
custody fight. I got e-mails from a woman who was fired today from her
job for not paying attention. I read about multi-billion-dollar mergers
in Europe, Asia, and the Mideast. I noticed how overweight I am, for
the millionth time.

In other words, I did a lot of nothing. Like every other American who
is not in the armed forces family, I basically just rearranged the deck
chairs on the Titanic in my trivial, self-important, meaningless way.

Above all, I talked to a friend of more than forty-three years who
told me he thought his life had no meaning because all he did was count
his money.

And, friends in the armed forces, this is the story of all of America
today. We are doing nothing but treading water while you guys carry on
the life or death struggle against worldwide militant Islamic
terrorism. Our lives are about nothing: paying bills, going to humdrum
jobs, waiting until we can go to sleep and then do it all again. Our
most vivid issues are trivia compared with what you do every day, every
minute, every second.

Oprah Winfrey talks a lot about "meaning" in life. For her, "meaning"
is dieting and then having her photo on the cover of her magazine every
single month (surely a new world record for egomania ).This is not
"meaning."

Meaning is doing for others. Meaning is risking your life for others.
Meaning is putting your bodies and families' peace of mind on the line
to defeat some of the most evil, sick killers the world has ever known.

Meaning is leaving the comfort of home to fight to make sure that there
still will be a home for your family and for your nation and for free
men and women everywhere.

Look, soldiers and Marines and sailors and airmen and Coast Guardsmen,
there are eight billion people in this world. The whole fate of this
world turns on what you people, 1.4 million, more or less, do every
day.

The fate of mankind depends on what about 2/100 of one percent of the
people in this world do every day -- and you are those people. And
joining you is every policeman, fireman, and EMT in the country, also
holding back the tide of chaos.

Do you know how important you are? Do you know how indispensable you
are? Do you know how humbly grateful any of us who has a head on his
shoulders is to you?

Do you know that if you never do another thing in your lives, you will
always still be heroes? That we could live without Hollywood or Wall
Street or the NFL, but we cannot live for a week without you?

We are on our knees to you and we bless and pray for you every moment.

And Oprah Winfrey, if she were a size two, would not have one
millionth of your importance, and all of the Wall Street billionaires
will never mean what the least of you do, and if Barry Bonds hit ninety
home runs it would not mean as much as you going on one patrol or
driving one truck to the Baghdad airport.

You are everything to us, as we go through our little days, and you
are in the prayers of the nation and of every decent man and woman on
the planet.

That's who you are and what you mean. I hope you know that.

Love, Ben Stein

[cigar no baka]

Boy do I ever love Ben Stein. He always has such a way with words and speaks so convincingly and with passion in his voice. And he makes a helluva lotta sense.

[ukyfan]

Military members go through a screening process, and must submit proof of citizenship or naturalization. No illegal immigrant is allowed to serve, and the military will help those in need of getting the appropriate documentation if they are willing to serve. What gets me are those that advertise "Made in U.S.A.", but by illegal imigrants...

But before I can even begin to talk about illegal's affecting the military, I have to bring up Americans protesting the military. I am in Afghanistan, and am a military volunteer, that is to say I joined of my own free will 8 years ago, and love every minute of it. I gladly come here an do whatever is needed to ensure our countries freedoms. But nothing, and I mean nothing sickens me more, than to get a newspaper or a glimse on CNN, showing AMERICANS protesting military funerals across the country...

just my .02

I just wanted to say "Thank You". No matter what the "Drive by Media" says, I think you guys are doing a great job.

Once again thank you.