Illegal Immigrants, yes or no?

Recently I heard the term, "media fast," for the first time. While it didn't really sink in at first after giving it some thought I think it makes good sense. The term refers to taking some time off away from the negative sides of the news media, with the purpose being to stay positive and eliminate the negative. For me to do this is very hard since I like to read the news in paper print and on the internet. While I do not watch the news on television, unless something for 9/11 happens, I still see the total negative side of the news. Just this morning I noticed the subject of "illegal immigration" took up two pages in the Lubbock Avalanche Journal. Just to note some of the subject matter I found that Texas Governor Ralph Perry is spending $20 million to strengthen up the border between Texas and Mexico. He says he will not wait for the Federal government to send money for this, even though the state eligible for it, and is putting up surveillance cameras along the border, for remote area observation. Get this, you are sitting somewhere along the border looking into the surveillance screen and see an "illegal immigrant" crossing the border. Now what? Well according to this article you will then call an 800 number and report what is happening. Now, imagine this, you dial the 800 number and this is what will probably happen: first, you are given the opportunity to have the menu stated in English or yep, you guessed it, Spanish, second, you are given up to 10 options, of which none are actually live voices but some kind of computer voice, third, even though you have 10 options none of them really apply to the situation,fourth, when you press for the operator you are automatically referred back to the main menu, with of course to have it in English or Spanish. Question, what if your long lost cousin from Germany is visiting and only speaks German(kind of common among folks from foreign countries to speak THEIR language), then what does he or she do? Good question but I really do not have an answer for that now. Guess they just hand it to someone who either speaks English or Spanish. Then I noticed that the Terminator(Governor Schwarzenegger), the last Governor holdout on sending troops to the California/Mexico border, has decided to send troops to assist the Border Patrol in their job. Last but not least President Bush, as we all know from the May 15 Oval White House news conference, is still wanting to send 6,000 National Guard troops to assist the Border Patrol in doing their jobs. Supposing not a military action; however, do you really think they will not be taking their guns and ammo? To think they will be sent there to help fill out paper work and send flowers each morning to the captured illegal immigrants is like saying the war in Iraq is over, "Mission Accomplished," etc. Now I see what we should take a "media fast" for a while!

Now that I have your juices flowing for the immigration issue I have my own "illegal/legal immigration" story. We live on the little pond called, Ransom Canyon Lake. By West Texas standards it is a very small lake, but by Minnesota standards it is a very small pond. At any rate it has enough size to attract thousands of Canadian geese each winter,the total migration has been estimated at 60,000 total. Well many of these beautiful birds rest their feathered butts on our little lake each winter, graze in the grain fields each day, spend the winter, then fly back to the north country for the summer. We actually enjoy them and do not consider them intruders at all, but simply visitors for the winter. This time of year they are all gone home, with a few exceptions, and you are not likely to see any of them on the lake. But, one day I was heading out on a bike ride and I saw something I had not seen before, baby Canadian geese. There was at least 10 of them walking(barely) behind their parents(guessing there was a male/female combination in the adults they were following) and having a good time with life. Well since my mind works in mysterious ways I got to thinking, are these dudes legal or illegal? What does the law say about Canadian geese being hatched in our state(why does everybody pick on Texas to immigrate to?)and then staying here. Even though it was obvious they couldn't fly yet, does that mean they need a green card or what? Now, over the days I have seen them walking around the community with more strength and confidence I suspect they will be flying soon. So, do we have the National Guard or Border Patrol or the Ransom Canyon Police( all two of them, with two bullets in their breast pockets)arrest these scoundrels and have them deported to their Northern home or since they were hatched in our state does that make them legal and not illegal or what. Well stay tuned for the answer, as a concerned citizen I will find the answer. In the meantime I have enjoyed watching them grow and prosper, just don't want them to grow up not knowing where their legal citizenship is.

Movies: Poseidon--special affects great, rest of movie stinks, dialogue and acting basically terrible, some of the stupidest dialogue I have ever heard in a disaster movie. Well described as a disaster itself. Not even good popcorn made this one tolerable. RV-very funny, again Robin Williams made it, X-Men-well done, great special affects, would love to have their power for swimming, biking and running. If you are into the X-Men cult you will love it. The Da Vinci Code-well done, followed the book very closely, not as deep as the book, but good. Still don't get what all the churches were in such a dither about. It is just a movie about the "fiction" Da Vinci Code book story. They don't seem to be bothered by the fact the Bible has been written and re-written so many times that there has to be inconsistency in the "so-called" written word of God(whew, way too serious this morning). If you can't believe with lots of faith, it just will not work(my opinion of course).

Off to the Milkman Triathlon in big ole Dexter, NM,

greer