What is the Congress doing to stop the infux of ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS?

 

My town has been overtaken by Mexicans. Sure I like a taco just like everyone else but this is ridiculous. I go grocery shopping and my Wal Mart is packed full of pregnant Mexican women with 6 other children in tow. All a Social Security Card away from lifetime benefits (that they have not paid a dime for).

 

The products have all changed – half I cannot read because they are in Spanish. All those pregnant women are downloading American citizens that we will have to support. Our schools are over crowded and we have to provide classes in Spanish to instruct the ILLEGALS children that have not learned to assimilate into our country.

True Story - I was in court 3 weeks ago (I got a ticket for littering - a cigarette butt) anyway there are at least 4 Hispanics in court the person before me cannot speak one word of English. The court had to provide a translator for them.  He was caught driving without a license & no insurance. Guess What - Not one Single Person including the Judge asked him if he was in our country legally...not one person. The fine $300 next case. I almost fell out of my chair. I wanted to stand up and say "your honor has it ever occured to you that Pepe is not in our country legally and THAT is why he has no license"? You are turning him loose out on the streets to hopefully not get caught again? WHAT????

The only time I enjoy going the convenience store in the morning is on rainy days. THEY are not working – rain cancels construction projects.

Ok – take it anyway you like I am not a Mexican hater but what if the shoe was on the other foot. Would we be welcomed in Mexico if 1/3 of our population moved into Mexico and demanded that they all speak English – change the way their local stores operated – change the way any phone is answered? Would we be afforded benefits from the Mexican government – I think not?

Check the way they treat Non-Resident living in their country and you will see a vast difference.

I am for LEGAL immigrations – I am just pissed off that our leaders – President – Congress are doing absolutely NOTHING to stop this.  You had better hope the Hispanic population votes for you in the next elections because in my book you are outta here!

Stand Up American – grow some BALLS!

 

Right after finishing my route for tonight, I went home immediately to watch the highly anticipated super featherweight fight between Manny "The Destroyer" Pacquaio (Philippines) vs. Juan Manuel Marquez (Mexico). Though I've been waiting for this fight for weeks, the two fighters have been waiting for FOUR YEARS since they last fought, which resulted in a draw.

I'm still a bit speechless about the fight. It was close. Way too close that I seriously thought that it was going to be another draw. But Manny Pacquaio WON!!! w0000t!!! But Marquez put up such a great fight, that it was almost a near repeat of what happened four years ago.

I need some rest. Here's the news from The Canadian Press:

Manny Pacquiao beats Juan Manuel Marquez in a sensational split decision

LAS VEGAS — Manny Pacquiao's rematch victory over Juan Manuel Marquez was worth every minute of the four-year wait.

Pacquiao won a narrow split decision to claim Marquez's WBC 130-pound title Saturday night in a sensational fight that left two of the world's best boxers bloody and triumphant.

Though Marquez landed more punches at a higher percentage, Pacquiao (46-3-2) knocked down Marquez (48-4-1) in the third round and persevered through a nasty cut. Marquez also was cut in the fight, but neither backed down from one scintillating exchange after another.

Their first matchup ended in a draw in May 2004. Marquez was knocked down three times in the opening round of that acclaimed bout, but improbably rallied to win most of the later rounds in a possible career-saving performance.

May 2004

And that meeting was just a warmup.

Judge Duane Ford favoured Pacquiao 115-112 and Jerry Roth called it 115-112 for Marquez, while Tom Miller gave a 114-113 edge to Pacquiao. The Associated Press narrowly favoured Marquez, 114-113.

But with outstanding action in nearly every round producing bloody injuries and heart-stopping moments, the fight was befitting of a matchup between two of the world's most gifted boxers.

From the opening bell, the action was fast and frenetic at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

Marquez staggered Pacquiao in the second round, but Pacquiao knocked down Marquez in the third with a left hook. Pacquiao then wobbled Marquez again late in what's sure to be one of the year's best rounds, but couldn't finish off Marquez.

"I don't like the decision," Marquez said. "I still feel I am the champion. It was a bad decision. That first knockdown, he got me cold, but then I adjusted my game plan and I thought from then on, I dictated the whole fight. ... The people are the best judge, and the people are booing him. I won." Pacquiao won a major world title in his fourth weight division, and he intends to take on a fifth when he moves up to 135 pounds for his next fight against David Diaz, the WBC lightweight champion who won on Saturday's undercard

w0000000000000t!!!

Happy New Year!
Went to JC today and had lunch at Panera with my mom and sis. From there we went to my mom's school and got some things in the classroom in order.
After that we met up with Greg (my lover ;) ) at El Torito and had dinner from 4:15pm until way past 7pm. It was fantastic in every way. While there I actually saw Ira which was completely lovely. According to my mom he looked over at least 12 times while he was there. I'm not sure if I believe her or not....and I'm definately not going to get my hopes up (seeing as every time I do I just go and jinx it). Plus, I do NOT need to get myself all worked up over things....once was enough to last a lifetime. Chances are he's just "window shopping," anyway. Either way, he's dreamy. lol He stopped by our table before he left and talked for a few minutes, even seeming a bit sorry when the people he was with urged him to come on so they could leave and go to NC for the night. Also, he said a couple of times that he liked my antlers (I know, antlers for new years....it's a long story). *shrug* I don't know. Greg agrees that he's cute, though. And very intellectual. :)
Anyway, after dinner we three (my mom, sis, and myself) bought some spumoni to have tonight as we watch season 7 of Gilmore Girls and kick off the new year.
So, here's to a fresh start. I'll see you all next year!


(Sis, Greg, and Me)

I've just come back from Lake Tahoe, where I had no phone, no internet, no TV, and few distractions other than, "Where are we going to swim today?" and "What shall we eat?"

There is a lot to be said for that kind of life.

I hated coming back. I like a life of contemplation and survival in the woods. I like being in nature. I enjoy watching sunrises and sunsets through tall trees. I love hiking and finding new delightful pristine swim spots.

Yesterday, back in Santa Barbara, I stopped to ask someone the time. They couldn't speak English. Only Spanish. My daughter has a little friend whose mother and grandmother have lived here for years. They only speak Spanish, no English. When the little girl came home from school announcing she would only speak English in the home, they clamped down on her and said no way. The language has to be Spanish.

And this bugs me.

Worse, it bugs me that it bugs me. Where is my tolerance? Where is my patience? My openness? Why do I think it's cute that in San Francisco's Chinatown, many menus and signs are in Chinese? Why don't I take umbrage to the fact that many San Francisco Chinese speak only Chinese in the home? Why pick on the Mexicans?

I sat with this awhile. I think the answer is this: One, I don't live in San Francisco, so I really don't experience the co-culture community there as a resident might. Two, Chinese there seem to be limited to a small enclave of the city. They're not ubiquitous. And they mostly know English, at least all the ones I spoke to did. Three, there wasn't a demand that I learn Chinese to accommodate them.

At my daughter's school, I had to fill out numerous forms recently to transfer her in. They were double-sided: one side English, the other, Spanish. I wondered over this. How do people obey traffic laws, get access to news, and otherwise exist in a society where you don't speak the language? I've encountered this myself in travels to Central America and Europe. Many countries there expect you to speak their language, and really, I see nothing wrong with this. I go there, I should learn their ways rather than expect them to change for me.

But something else is happening here. While in Miami a couple of years ago, I noticed that the Cubano populations had greatly influenced the flavor of the city, on all fronts. And many signs were in Spanish as well as English. Racial tensions were very high, though, especially between African American and Cuban Americans. On an exploration, I stopped to read a sign outside a delicious-smelling Cubano restaurant:

"The city of Miami forbids the practice of tipping based on race, sex, color, creed, etc."

Why in the world would the city of Miami need to enact such a law? I soon found out. A nice older Cubano waiter took my order at the counter and promptly delivered my food. It was as delicious as I'd detected outside, and I ate with gusto. While I was eating, a middle-aged African American male came in and stood next to me, trying to get the waiter's attention. Suddenly, my pleasant waiter turned stiff and studiously ignored the man. I finally intervened and got his attention, and he begrudgingly waited on the man, clearly annoyed. Both were pretty agitated by this time. My plates were cleared immediately and coffee and desert offered, which I of course accepted. My counter-mate's food finally arrived, to go, and he took it in a huff, leaving no tip. The Cubano watched this, and grumbled.

From this one incident, I began to get a view into a world I'd never suspected existed. This was some other America, some place not visible unless you travel there, live there, and experience it for yourself. Here was an obviously long-standing integration problem magnified for my view. Here were two groups unable to live happily alongside one another, after many decades of trying.

I shuddered.

Integration into a new society is always hard. Even in New York City, I suppose there were problems getting Italians to speak solely English in and out of their communities. I have heard of the old grandmas who never spoke anything but Italian and slaved over hot stoves all day churning out Italian dishes only experienced in the home country. But the Spanish integration into this country seems more....difficult. More hostile, on all sides, and more determined to hold onto its language, its foods, and even its nationality. As I watch the French struggle with the Muslims, the English struggle with the Pakistanis, and we struggle to integrate the Mexican and Cuban cultures on both coasts, I wonder if there is some new movement arising in immigration, one where you transport your old country with you, and assert that the new country accede to some of your customs and language needs.

There is a determinist mindset in this country that newcomers must assimilate. But enforcement has been something else, something quite different. We seem to have gone the other way, and not really done much to stop illegal immigration, and force adoption of the language, and integration into the society. One argument currently is that large movements of immigrants constitute the new underclass. So the Irish and Italians of the last century were the old underclass, the Mexicans of this century are the new one. As the underclass desires to climb the ranks of the society, they will integrate, and expand the social fabric of the culture by introducing pride in their heritage. This seems to be the system, admittedly.

Is it right?

Doesn't feel like it.

And doesn't feel real comfortable either.

And that bothers me most....my discomfort. I feel I should be more tolerant. And yet I find myself sticking....and this is an extremely uncomfortable place to be. As the nation sorts out its own views, I am sorting out mine. And the process is anything but easy.

from thefallenangel 

 

If you hate stereotypes and think people should just shut up and stop judging others, then POST THIS! Pick the stereotype that fits you the most, and put it in the subject when you re-post this.

 

I'm EMO, so I MUST cut my wrists
I'm BLACK, so I MUST carry a gun.
I'm HISPANIC, so I MUST be dirty.
I'm ASIAN, so I MUST be smart.
I'm NOT LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, so I MUST be a loser.
I'm JEWISH, so I MUST be greedy.
I'm GAY, so I MUST have AIDS.
I'm a LESBIAN, so I MUST have a sex-tape.
I'm ARAB, so I MUST be a terrorist.
I SPEAK MY MIND, so I MUST be a bitch.
I'm OVERWEIGHT, so I MUST have a problem with self control.
I'm RELIGIOUS, so I MUST shove my beliefs down your throat.
I'm an ATHEIST, so I MUST hate the world.
I DON'T HAVE A RELIGION, so I MUST not have morals.
I'm REPUBLICAN, so I MUST not care about poor people.
I'm DEMOCRAT, so I MUST not believe in being responsible.
I'm JAMAICAN, so I MUST smoke weed.
I am LIBERAL, so I MUST be gay.
I'm SOUTHERN, so I MUST be white trash.
I take ANTI-DEPRESSANTS, so I MUST be crazy
I'm a GUY, so I MUST only want to get into your pants.
I'm IRISH, so I MUST have a bad drinking problem.
I'm INDIAN, so I MUST own a convenient store.
I'm NATIVE AMERICAN, so I MUST dance around a fire screaming like a savage.
I'm PREPPY, so I MUST shun those who don't wear Abercrombie & Hollister.
I'm a CHEERLEADER, so I MUST be a stuck up whore.
I'm on a DANCE team, so I must be stupid, stuck up, and a whore
I wear SKIRTS a lot, so I MUST be a slut.
I'm a PUNK, so I MUST do drugs.
I'm YOUNG, so I MUST be naive
I'm RICH, so I MUST be a conceited snob.
I WEAR BLACK, so I MUST be a goth.
I'm BLONDE, so I MUST be a stupid ditz.
I'm a WHITE GIRL, so I MUST be a nagging, steal-your-money kind of girlfriend.
I'm CUBAN, so I MUST spend my spare time rolling cigars.
I'm MEXICAN, so I MUST have hopped the border.
I'm NOT A VIRGIN, so I MUST be easy. (Pft.  People thought that about me even when I was a virgin.)
I FELL IN LOVE WITH A MARRIED MAN, so I MUST be a home-wrecking whore.
I'm a TEENAGE MOM, so I MUST be an irresponsible slut.
I'm POLISH, so I MUST wear my socks with my sandals.
I'm ITALIAN, so I must have a big peter.
I GOT A CAR FOR MY BIRTHDAY, so I MUST be a spoiled brat.
I'm PRETTY, so I MUST not be a virgin.
I HAVE STRAIGHT A'S, so I MUST have no social life.
I DYE MY HAIR CRAZY COLORS, so I MUST be looking for attention.
I DRESS IN UNUSUAL WAYS so I MUST be looking for attention.
I'm INTO THEATER ART, so I MUST be a homosexual.
I'm a VEGETARIAN, so I MUST be a crazy political activist.
I HAVE A BUNCH OF GUY FRIENDS, so I MUST be fucking them all. (GGRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
I HAVE A BUNCH OF GIRLS WHO ARE FRIENDS, so I MUST be gay
I HAVE BIG BOOBS, so I MUST be a whore. (I've been hearing that since I was in middle school. I didn't even have my first kiss until my freshman year of high school!)
I'm COLOMBIAN, so I MUST be a drug dealer.
I WEAR WHAT I WANT, so I MUST be a poser.
I'm RUSSIAN, so I MUST be cool.
I'm GERMAN, so I MUST be a Nazi.
I hang out with GAYS, so I MUST be GAY TOO.
I'm BRAZILIAN, so I MUST have a BIG BUTT.
I'm PUERTO RICAN, so I MUST look good and be conceited.
I'm SALVADORIAN, so I MUST be in MS 13.
I'm POLISH, so I MUST be greedy.
I'm HAWAIIAN, so I MUST be lazy.
I'm a STONER, so I MUST be going in the wrong direction.
I'm a VIRGIN, so I MUST be a prude.
I'm a FEMALE GAMER, so I MUST be ugly or crazy.
I'm BLACK, so I MUST love watermelon and fried chicken.
I'm BI, so I MUST think every person I see is hot.

I'm ASIAN, so I MUST have a small penis.
I'm a GUY CHEERLEADER, so I MUST be gay.
I'm SKINNY, so I MUST be anorexic.
I'm PREP, so I MUST be rich.
I dont like the SUN, so I MUST be albino.
I have a lot of FRIENDS, so I MUST love to drink and party.
I wear tight PANTS and I'm a guy, so I MUST be emo.
I become DEPRESSED easily, so I MUST be suicidal.

 

Repost this if you think these stereotypes are full of crap.