America, While You Were Sleeping…
For America, a rude awakening
is in order
The setting is a common room in Maspeth, Queens,
an old and history-laden area within the sprawling metropolis
that is New York. In the common room, about 15 to 20 tradesmen
await the time-clock’s imminent arrival of 3:00 p.m., and
quitting time.
Always abuzz with the day’s doings --- job-related tales
and technical jargon fit only for the ears of these technocrats
of the Trades --- I decide to liven it up (once again) by pursuing
my favorite topic, politics.
Needless to say, most of the time I am poked fun at by my fellow
mates. But once in a while, they seem to tolerate me and my fondness
for political pursuits. The areas of discussion vary greatly,
from drilling for oil in ANWAR, to whether Rudy Giuliani will
run for office in 2008.
But the political flavor of the day this time was--in case you
were comatose these last two weeks --- immigration. Since the
group was fairly representative of New York’s famed “melting
pot,” I thought that the discussion would be wide-ranging
and informative.
I soon realized that my brother workers --- my friends and fellow
Americans --- cared about immigration about as much as Bill Clinton
cared about fidelity within the institution of marriage, specifically
his. Yes, that much.
Try as I might --- and I raised more than a few hackles here
--- nobody really seemed to care. I was even patronized by an
otherwise even-headed and good-hearted friend who said to me:
“Well, thank God the rest of us have you around to fight
these battles for the rest of us,” as he snickered
aloud, thereby leading the way for the others to react in the
same manner.
At that moment, I felt about as angry as I have felt in many
a day. Not one to ever be accused of being a wallflower, I expressed
my anger and defiance of their attitudes, condemning them and
their flippant and grossly irresponsible behavior toward an issue
that has generational consequences.
Because we are friends, all was essentially back to normal within
two or three days, but not before I drew this little hot iron
out of the fire to poke them with: “It isn’t you
who will bare the brunt of your cynicism and uncaring attitude
towards the real problem of illegal immigration. It is not only
your children, but your country which you betray today by your
lack of concern.”
Well, I can overdramatize at times and be conspicuously overemotional,
even bombastic. Some say that is the Italian in me that is speaking
out. But is it?
Hardly. It is the patriot in me, the American that loves the
country, and the people that are in it. My question is this: how
long will the rest of you continue to sleep while America and
its ideals erode a little more each day? Not just the issue of
illegal immigration, but all kinds of social ills that have crept
upon us over the years and blotted out our practical sense of
what is right.
America, while you were sleeping…
- We have opened the Pandora’s Box of political correctness,
and with no end in sight.
- There have been over 30 million killed; we still cannot agree
that two arms, two legs, and a head constitute a baby, but is
instead referred to by the pro-choice lobby as “fetal tissue.”
- We have chased God out of the public square, and in His place
have erected the hollow edifice of government.
- We have let the mainstream media go unchallenged far too long.
The media has now almost become a political party unto themselves,
and looks to sensationalize the news on behalf of their chosen
political interest.
- We have allowed ourselves to believe that we’re in total
control of our government, but are now face to face with the reality
of what decades of liberalism has cost, and will cost, all of
us in the future.
- We have, for decades now, watched as judges throughout America
attempt --- and succeed --- in making law as opposed to interpreting
it. It seems all were lulled into thinking that judges were beyond
political calculations. We were wrong.
- We have allowed “victimology” to become a way of
life for the country’s so-called minority populace. That
would be everyone except white males.
- We have given title and importance to such low-brow political
types as Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Michael Moore, and other
liberal notables.
- We have witnessed the agenda of America’s plastic people
in Hollywood. That these actors and the like should be paid any
heed at all when their entire lives are wrapped up within the
elitist and narcissistic bubble they live in, is simply wrong,
and wasteful.
- We have given too much latitude and forgiveness to America’s
Islamic leadership and citizenry within the United States. Where
were their much-needed voices regarding 9/11? Where the hell are
they now?
- We have watched the Congress of the United States, specifically
the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, spend the
taxpayers’ money as if it were their own. Over 5,500 earmarked
or pork-laden spending items is tantamount to theft. Where are
the Gingrich Republicans of 1994?
- We have watched the Democratic Party declare that America’s
biggest threat is not Osama bin Laden, North Korea, or even Iran.
It is George W. Bush. And because of this…
- We have watched as the Democratic Party has, without question,
aided America’s enemies through its ceaseless and tireless
harangue against the “corrupt” and “scandalized”
presidency of George W. Bush. Though nothing has been proven against
this President, it is not necessarily intended to. This is done
as a spring board for what the liberal Democratic Party hopes
for most: the reacquisition of political power.
- We have watched millions of illegal aliens march through the
streets of over 60 American cities demanding “immigration
rights,” when most Americans know that these marches have
nothing to do with “rights,” but with pressuring the
Bush Administration into granting a circuitous route towards amnesty.
And stunningly…
- We have seen the political tin ear of George W. Bush regarding
immigration, and it is unacceptable. By his inaction of not securing
America’s borders, this President endangers America, a concept
that is hard to believe when one views this very same President’s
actions in the war on terrorism.
- Finally, we have tragically grown accustomed to the everyday
ravages of all of the above, and pay them less and less attention.
From the annoyance of trying to remove the word “Christmas”
from, well, Christmas, to the ability of the states to take land
from one private owner and transfer it to another, (Kelo v.
New London) Americans have grown pre-occupied, and calloused.
Don’t look now, America, but your country is in the process
of becoming a shell of what it once was. But in actuality, it
is we who are becoming shells of what we once were. While you
were sleeping, America, the country you once knew has become,
in many respects, the stuff of dreams.
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