I received two E-mails today from a friend. This is the second one. After the E-mail is my Reply. *****************************************************

TOM:

This might even be true

This is TOO good!

5 million of our older Americans have not signed up yet for their

Medicare, Part D, drug plan------they are old and confused.

We are NOT going to grant them an extension.

However, 12 million illegal aliens are in our country and we are

going to allow them to stay, protest, procreate, receive support

monies, attend schools, avoid paying income taxes, have our

teachers take 300 hours of ESL(English as a Second Language)

training at our expense, etc.

WE MUST REALLY DISLIKE OUR OLD PEOPLE......

OR WE MUST REALLY LOVE TACOS!!!

If it ticks you off, pass it on!!

Don't forget to pay your taxes......

12 million illegal aliens are depending on you!

Dwain

*******************************************************

My Reply:

Dwain:

You sent me 2 E-mails this morning. One was about Jesus and started with the message: "When Jesus died on the cross, he was thinking of you! If you are one of the 7% who will stand up for him, forward this with the Title 7%."

The second one was this cute comparison of elderly people who are being abused by the Republican Medicare Rx program and Illegal Aliens. Read your Bible and you will find that Jesus talked about nothing more often than helping the poor. Yes, many of the elderly people (being abused by the Republican Medicare Rx program) are poor, but so are the "Illegal Aliens". Are they "Illegal" because they have broken laws other than trying to better their life and their family's life?

Would Jesus condemn a man for crossing a border to feed his family?

Wasn't Jesus an "Illegal Alien" as he crossed borders to teach his life's mission of forgiveness and COMPASSION?

Yes, Jesus taught about COMPASSION. COMPASSION for the sick, COMPASSION for the elderly and mostly, COMPASSION for the poor.

This e-mail does a great disservice to all that honer Jesus, especially those who use the name of Jesus at this time of year to Celebrate Christmas. What better gift could any of us give to Jesus than to share some COMPASSION with an Alien? They are aliens, yes, but they are only "Illegal Aliens" because they have walked across the borders established by man; not by Jesus, not by God. Show me where in the Bible that Jesus separated people by borders. Show me in the Bible where Jesus refused to heal or feed a sick or poor person because of borders.

Yes, my tax money is helping aliens, but I do not have the powers of Jesus to heal and feed the sick and poor, except by my tax dollars and my COMPASSION for all of God's children. Just about all of these so-called Illegals are Christians. Let us as Christians, try to act as Christians toward our fellow Christian brothers. Let us refer to them as "Christian Aliens" or better yet, "Our Poor Christian Brothers and Sisters" and let us give them what Jesus would have given them: COMPASSION.

It is easy to fall for these cutesy E-mails. We have to stop, think and realize that we are talking about people. I forgive all those who fall for these E-mails and I am sure that Jesus would also forgive anyone who falls for these E-mails. Our hearts must go out to the poor as we celebrate Christmas in the richest nation in the world. On Christmas day, 35,000 people will die world-wide of starvation. Very few will die of starvation in the USA. Isn't that a Christmas gift that you can be proud of sharing?

TOM

Well I'm no Pat Buchanan, thank you very much. I do not believe that English is a superior language either, especially the way most of us speak and write it, but I agree with you that it is already the dominant language and I believe that it would help people to have the clarification that it is the accepted language of the land.

I do not seek to exclude people. I seek to include them. I want us to be proactive in turning this country into a true melting pot. I specifically don't want us to be the bigoted, biased country that we have been in the past. I want us to recognize that changes need to be made and they should be made in such a way as to make it as easy as possible for everyone.

I am impatient. I want to knock sense into people. I want the political machinery to work better and make sensible, user friendly laws. Like the icons on computers did (which was a good way for you to explain how what I want can actually be achieved in this country, to everyone's benefit).

Green's story of related current and past events in Canada underscores to me how difficult the job is, even when people try to make it happen. In this country, it seems to me that the Patrick Buchanans, Pat Robertsons and Bushy-heads are taking us back into the dark days of segregation. They want Mexicans here for their labor. They don't seem to care if Mexicans who come to the U.S. are integrated into our society and are in a position to achieve the "American dream" but they really want is Mexicans to come here to give their profit-making corporations cheap labor. They don't care about the cheap labor so as to lower prices for all Americans. They want cheap labor so that they can make more profit.

I want us to have the kind of reality check that causes us to insist that some of these problems regarding illegal aliens are solved. I want the laws that are not working to be changed. Right now those laws give power to the Pat Buchanans of this country. It's very ugly and that's what I'm ranting and raving about.

I just don't say it well. I do not have the talent to write as concisely or as well as some of you do, and probably do not have the intellect either. But I am passionate. That is for sure. I care about how Americans treat each other and how they treat the rest of the world. It scares hell out of me that there are so many of us who claim to be good Christians and claim to be born again to do God's will, but who speak and behave in such a way that they must make Satan proud.

I just don't say it well. I do not have the talent to write as concisely or as well as some of you do, and probably do not have the intellect either. But I am passionate. That is for sure. I care about how Americans treat each other and how they treat the rest of the world. It scares hell out of me that there are so many of us who claim to be good Christians and claim to be born again to do God's will, but who speak and behave in such a way that they must make Satan proud.

Au contraire, you write very well, grrl, and do yourself a misjustice with respect to your assessment of your intellect as well. Although I am personally often mistrustful of passion - it is so often backed up with nothing more than sound bite philosophy - it strikes me that your concern, and that of TOM and of many, many others of the people who post here is with the democratisation of America.

My hunch is that you are concerned that a lot of voices have become lost over the past 3 decades or so, that the very folks whom the Statue of Liberty once welcomed have no longer a place in America. Of course the issue is, with respect to the illegals, how?

(There is, ironically, quite a large number of Canucks - both legal and illegal - infesting your country, too.:heh: )

Europe has dealt with that problem by allowing all members of the Economic Union countries to move and work freely within the Union. North America has NAFTA but this does not extend to the movement of personnel.

Both Canada and America have need of citizens who will undertake those jobs which longtime Canadians and Americans are not interested in. We need nannies, cabbies, gardeners, security guards, cleaners, etc. These might be considered level entry jobs, a way of paying for your entry into your new country.

Both Canada and America are losing well-paid unionized blue collar jobs to Mexico where the labour is cheap and the environmental and labour safety laws are nonexistent. Companies can do this because of NAFTA and shareholders and senior company personnel profit. This is nice for the rich folks but distressing for those families who find themselves without jobs. For those towns which are single-economy based towns it is a disaster. For those young Americans and Canadians who are not cut out to be professionals or technicians the disappearance of these manufacturing jobs is bad news. As for the environment, well, we must remember that environmental pollution never remains a purely local issue. The Sh$t does drift.

Green's unpopular and probably dim-witted solution would be to reframe NAFTA so that this alliance becomes closer in style to that of the European Economic Union. By doing this Mexico would no longer be an economic colony of the northern countries and the issue of illegal immigration would be put to rest.

Mexicans could then legally move northward in order to work but Mexico would also be subject to our labour standards with respect to health, the environment, and pay for work. As the Mexican working conditions improve there will be fewer migrants; folks like to stay where they are socially at home. And maybe too, once labour in Mexico is not such a bargain some of those jobs that left the rust belts of the north might make their way back there.

As for Canada, your northern neighbour, our population is very small: we only number 35 million and we follow the European demographic profile. We are not very good at having babies. We really rely on immigration in order to keep our population and our economy growing. We have a big problem up here in the great white north. Maybe we could do with an injection of Mexican-Canadians. Taco-Bell has already colonized Canada.

Green: Your posts always provide humor and are thought provoking, which I really appreciate very much. When I think about Canada and its' lower population and the sweetness of the people I encountered when I lived there, I definitely think about relocating to the great white north. Alas, it is probably not a real possibility.

When Mexicans work in the U.S. and get the low paying jobs that everyone says Americans don't want, and they live in Mexico, they can eke out a better living than without the U.S. jobs. However, if they are living on the economy in the U.S., how long do you think they will be happy working as hard as they do for the money that they get? I mean to say, if we gave them the freedom to move here as long as they are willing to take those jobs, I wonder how long we could depend on it to be mutually rewarding.

So your suggestion for a plan similar to Europe's makes more sense and it appeals to me for several reasons. If only our president would make some gesture in that direction. Let's face it, that would only happen if we got some of the large American corporations interested, because that's what motivates this president.

That is what makes me so mad: the greed and disrespect for people without money and power in this administration. Thank goodness we have a few people in the newly elected Congress making some noise.

Our icy frigid weather lately has made me want to take a fast boat to Bali. You in?

Yep, let's Green and BJean run off to Bali together. I just spoke to my signif other and he said he would be okay with that. I'm game if you are.

Green is dreaming of Bali. She's never been there and her passport is current.

If you don't mind a male joining this love fest, I would like to say that I generally agree with very much of what both you, Green and you, BJean write. BJean and I may have seemed to be at each other's throats on this issue, going back and forth, but though some may have inferred it, I did not assume nor insinuate that BJean is anything like Pat Buchanan, nor that she wants to exclude people from the USA's benefits or opportunities.

I think that if BJean and I were sitting across a table having lunch or a cup of coffee, we would be agreeing on 99% of what each other say. The PC forum is a great way to exchange ideas, but it can not compare with direct conversation for nuance and interpretation of ideas.

I also want the immigrants to be able to work, and to be able to prosper and have the same chance at promotion as any other citizen does. My biggest gripe with the BuSh plan for immigration was that immigrant guest workers would be tied to one sponsoring company, which could have him deported if he didn't kiss butt and allow abuse.

If you don't mind a male joining this love fest, I would like to say that I generally agree with very much of what both you, Green and you, BJean write. BJean and I may have seemed to be at each other's throats on this issue, going back and forth, but though some may have inferred it, I did not assume nor insinuate that BJean is anything like Pat Buchanan, nor that she wants to exclude people from the USA's benefits or opportunities.

I think that if BJean and I were sitting across a table having lunch or a cup of coffee, we would be agreeing on 99% of what each other say. The PC forum is a great way to exchange ideas, but it can not compare with direct conversation for nuance and interpretation of ideas.

I also want the immigrants to be able to work, and to be able to prosper and have the same chance at promotion as any other citizen does. My biggest gripe with the BuSh plan for immigration was that immigrant guest workers would be tied to one sponsoring company, which could have him deported if he didn't kiss butt and allow abuse.

I think you know that we three are all on the same page, kiddo. Hey, do you and you wife want to go to Bali with us? I come from a Brit background and promise never to hug her.

I think you know that we three are all on the same page, kiddo. Hey, do you and you wife want to go to Bali with us? I come from a Brit background and promise never to hug her.

Sounds great, but I don't think we can hack it right now.

The passport is valid and up to date on this end. If we can get TOM to join us we could bill it as a working trip. We might be able to come up with a viable plan for immigration issues near and far.

I would welcome the chance to break bread over lunch or dip our biscotti in a steaming cup of java together and hash out the details. Wonder if there's a Starbucks in Bali? Silly question, of course there is.

I too believe that we're about 99% in agreement. I'm sure I wandered off on a tangent and sounded like a maniac. It is all just so frustrating. I am glad that we have this venue to vent and read what others have to say. Finding like minded people here is comforting.

Starbucks and Balinese cuisine...how heavenly! And beaches!! We could go swimming.

A holiday like this would be splendid. I've just come back from brawling over at the Anti-Semitism in France thread. I didn't comport myself with any grace or serenity at all. *blush* I think I need a holiday.....:phanvan

I leave you alone for a few hours and you get into trouble, Green. We both need a holiday! I had to get a grip thinking about white sandy beaches, coconut milk drinks, tiki torches, moonlight swims - and wearing a swimsuit around natives chubbier than me, not a bad scenario, a? That's the only way I can recover from popping off at Jack over at "...worst American President." We have cabin fever and no real cabin (with a palm frond roof).

Starbucks and Balinese cuisine...how heavenly! And beaches!! We could go swimming.

A holiday like this would be splendid. I've just come back from brawling over at the Anti-Semitism in France thread. I didn't comport myself with any grace or serenity at all. *blush* I think I need a holiday.....:phanvan

You made a mistake, but the person in question used innuendo rather that outright name calling. Comparing some of us to thieves, liars and murderers, saying that some of us crawl out of the woodworks and insinuating that being here compared to being in Sodom was not conducive to civil discourse and I have to admit, I was not civil at times which saddens me and makes me want to take a vacation (from posting).

Sometimes it's easier to get insulting than it is to come up with a fresh retort. Especially if you have your bikini in a wad.

Green was in a state of high snittery and did have her size extra large atheist bloomers in a twist.:cry

Green was in a state of high snittery and did have her size extra large atheist bloomers in a twist.:cry

You weren't the only one. I truly regret that I sank to his level.:speechles