On March 26th, 2006, the Los Angeles Police Department estimated that half a million people marched through the streets of downtown Los Angeles to protest proposed new laws that cracked down on illegal immigration. Similar protests took place in many other parts of the country.
It was stunning. I remember walking out of the Little Tokyo branch library in the afternoon and seeing hundreds of mostly Hispanic, men, women, and children walking the streets wearing white shirts headed to the march. I remember saying, "What the f--k," to myself, as I say often when perplexed. Sorry mom.
At that time Congress was still controlled by the Republicans, and the House had passed a law that would make it a felony to be illegally in the United States (as if they could find and lock up the 12 million estimated illegal immigrants already in the country), and harsher penalties for those who employed them.
It seemed a lot of people didn't like that (one of the many reasons the Republicans lost power later that year).
This issue gets a lot of attention, in the media and in Washington. My own view is that of all the problems this country is currently facing; economics, two foreign military occupations, dependence on oil, and global warming, to name a few, illegal immigration is one of the least pressing. One must remember this nation was founded by illegal immigrants, as the native Indian population certainly did not invite Europeans here. Everyone who is not an American Indian, is either an immigrant, or has an ancestor that once was.
Still the issue has languished in Congress too long and needs attention, and I believe President Obama's position on this issue is a step (finally) in the right direction. Three steps actually.
Obviously a nation that cannot control its own boarders is in an unfortunate position as far as national security is concerned. The President wishes to increase boarder security by adding personell, infrastructure, and advanced technology. He also wishes to fix the dysfunctional immigration bureaucracy, increase the amount of legal immigrants, and develop a way for those undocumented aliens to become citizens.
That makes sense to me. We'll see what happens.
I believe we also need to help our southern neighbor, Mexico, improve the standard of living of its citizens, and defeat the raging drug cartels that have killed more than 6,000 people last year. This may require a persistent review of our domestic drug policy, something I have not heard the President propose.
And I think we're forgetting the great threat from the north. How many icebacks are are invading our country from Canada this very second, that's what I want to know. Are Jim Carrey, William Shatner, Kim Catrall, Seth Rogen, and Mike Myers really here legally? Prove it, I say.
Anyway, I brought up this subject because when I took an MTA bus to the downtown area last Saturday it had to depart from its normal route due to an anticipated Immigration Rights March on Broadway. It was supposed to have begun at 10 o'clock, and very well may have, but when I finally made it to Broadway near noon no marchers could be detected.
I hate it when my bus has to depart from its normal route.
I get a monthly bus pass that allows me to travel anywhere in Los Angeles County for about 94 cents a month. Why I could go to Santa Monica to see the Pacific Ocean right now if I so desired. I think I will. Please excuse me.
Okay, back now. Sorry about the delay. I got sidetracked by some itinerant weight lifters in Venice.
As to the title of this post. Today's Garden Club session consisted of myself, Hardy, and case manager Paul, driving to a Lowe's Home Improvement facility in Pico Rivera, of all places, to purchase garden things. It was fun.
We bought two big bags of garden dirt, four pepper plants (various varieties) in convenient bio-degradable pots, an asparagus fern, and a semi-dwarf Washington Navel Orange plant. They are sitting in the garden right now, and at nine tomorrow morning, a special session of the Garden Club will be convened with the express purpose of planting these living organisms which do not enjoy the power of locomotion.
Erin was very excited with our picks, as were we all.
Soon dwarf oranges will abound.
It was stunning. I remember walking out of the Little Tokyo branch library in the afternoon and seeing hundreds of mostly Hispanic, men, women, and children walking the streets wearing white shirts headed to the march. I remember saying, "What the f--k," to myself, as I say often when perplexed. Sorry mom.
At that time Congress was still controlled by the Republicans, and the House had passed a law that would make it a felony to be illegally in the United States (as if they could find and lock up the 12 million estimated illegal immigrants already in the country), and harsher penalties for those who employed them.
It seemed a lot of people didn't like that (one of the many reasons the Republicans lost power later that year).
This issue gets a lot of attention, in the media and in Washington. My own view is that of all the problems this country is currently facing; economics, two foreign military occupations, dependence on oil, and global warming, to name a few, illegal immigration is one of the least pressing. One must remember this nation was founded by illegal immigrants, as the native Indian population certainly did not invite Europeans here. Everyone who is not an American Indian, is either an immigrant, or has an ancestor that once was.
Still the issue has languished in Congress too long and needs attention, and I believe President Obama's position on this issue is a step (finally) in the right direction. Three steps actually.
Obviously a nation that cannot control its own boarders is in an unfortunate position as far as national security is concerned. The President wishes to increase boarder security by adding personell, infrastructure, and advanced technology. He also wishes to fix the dysfunctional immigration bureaucracy, increase the amount of legal immigrants, and develop a way for those undocumented aliens to become citizens.
That makes sense to me. We'll see what happens.
I believe we also need to help our southern neighbor, Mexico, improve the standard of living of its citizens, and defeat the raging drug cartels that have killed more than 6,000 people last year. This may require a persistent review of our domestic drug policy, something I have not heard the President propose.
And I think we're forgetting the great threat from the north. How many icebacks are are invading our country from Canada this very second, that's what I want to know. Are Jim Carrey, William Shatner, Kim Catrall, Seth Rogen, and Mike Myers really here legally? Prove it, I say.
Anyway, I brought up this subject because when I took an MTA bus to the downtown area last Saturday it had to depart from its normal route due to an anticipated Immigration Rights March on Broadway. It was supposed to have begun at 10 o'clock, and very well may have, but when I finally made it to Broadway near noon no marchers could be detected.
I hate it when my bus has to depart from its normal route.
I get a monthly bus pass that allows me to travel anywhere in Los Angeles County for about 94 cents a month. Why I could go to Santa Monica to see the Pacific Ocean right now if I so desired. I think I will. Please excuse me.
Okay, back now. Sorry about the delay. I got sidetracked by some itinerant weight lifters in Venice.
As to the title of this post. Today's Garden Club session consisted of myself, Hardy, and case manager Paul, driving to a Lowe's Home Improvement facility in Pico Rivera, of all places, to purchase garden things. It was fun.
We bought two big bags of garden dirt, four pepper plants (various varieties) in convenient bio-degradable pots, an asparagus fern, and a semi-dwarf Washington Navel Orange plant. They are sitting in the garden right now, and at nine tomorrow morning, a special session of the Garden Club will be convened with the express purpose of planting these living organisms which do not enjoy the power of locomotion.
Erin was very excited with our picks, as were we all.
Soon dwarf oranges will abound.
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