This past Easter, while visiting my parents in Delaware, my opinion on a subject shifted because of my father. We were looking at our birth certificates, family pictures and, what was, I think his most treasured document. It was the first and only one I'd ever seen. Thousands of people have died at sea, and countless more trying to flee their countries trying to get even the chance at one.
My father's Certificate of Naturalization is pretty impressive once you realize what was done back in the early 50s to get one. He had learned a trade while still in Germany, and had requested to come to America. The leg work/paperwork he had to do just for that would cause most natural born citizens to give up. Once he was approved and found a sponsor he came over. He joined the Army and served for 3 years and still he wasn't granted citizenship. He knew the five rights in the First Amendment, luckily they didn't ask him the characters on the Simpsons. He also was required to know this countries history (more I'll wager then most members of Congress do). On top of this, English was required to pass the citizenship test, not just haphazardly, but better then High School graduates of today. There were no bilingual schools, signs or instructions. It was English sink or swim.
I can still remember being younger and hearing his contempt for bilingual instructions, signs, and that ever irritating "press 2 for Spanish". At first I was a little taken aback, but after pondering it, if anyone has a right to complain about the PC bilingual craze, it would be a immigrant that was Required to learn English, sink or swim. Hell, I'd wager most would say he and others like him earned it. Funny, a man can swear to defend a country, yet he isn't given citizenship. It must really grate naturalized citizens to here amnesty for illegals. I wonder how many men and women died defending this country for the chance to become citizens. Yet Illegals DEMAND it?
Now before this I believed in, open boarders and amnesty, or at most token fines. But after hearing what my father had to go through not to mention millions of others. I believe I was wrong, my mind wasn't changed for some silly sound bite like "they're taking jobs away from Americans" but by history.
I think the term open boarders is wrong. A house has walls, windows and doors, I believe in an open door policy, don't come through the window. Yes there's a line at the door, but if you want it bad enough EARN it. Those in the future that try to come through the window a banned from ever coming through the door.
Those who have come through the window already, they're illegal, come forward and pay the fine, say, double what would have been paid through taxes at minimum wage for 5 years (monthly installments are fine). No, this does not make any eligible for Social Security benefits, it's a fine. After the fine is paid the illegal immigrant is able to apply legally (end of the line buddy). Those who feel they're already over here, so "why bother", if they're caught it's to jail, until the fine is paid. Then deported and banned from ever entering the country again.
Now some may say how can one in jail pay their fine off. Well I found this little tidbit in the Constitution, Amendment XII, Sec 1
"Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted.
shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their
jurisdiction"
Speaking of the Constitution. There's one reason that some come here and that's to give birth so that their children are citizens. This was brought up at Free NY awhile ago, and being a constructionist I'd have to say they are citizens, yet the parents are here illegally. An Amendment to the Constitution should be proposed stating that only children born to parents legally in the country or it's territories are to be citizens. Those who are born to parents illegally in the country after ratification, no make that the submission of the Amendment shall not be citizens.
Congressman Ron Paul's article says it better.
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