I saw it this morning and sent it to be published. You should have received an email from "nobody" which would have been me. Thursday evening I see that you have two QuickLinks ready to be accepted. They cannot be picked up by OpEdNews software. Please ask for the link which works with QuickLinks.

About your article, you make such good points. Since my degree in poli sci is so obsolete and yours is new, I'm wondering what you studied regarding Western Hemisphere relations. I studied during WW2, and the Good Neighbor Policy was vital to the success of the war. For example, the humps between Brazil and Africa furnished the shortest air route, back when planes couldn't fly so far and the idea of refueling in the air was only someone's dream, if that.

by Margaret Bassett (45 articles, 2909 quicklinks, 43 diaries, 1853 comments [99 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Thursday, May 8, 2008 at 10:05:16 PM

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Margaret, Thank you for your kind words, I graduated in 1997 but basically it has been pretty much the same as history repeats itself.  The US wishes to spread solidarity and democracy and in the way is terrorism, illegal arms & drugs and government corruption.  While free trade is beneficial for many, I personally believe that like the illegal’s, it is the middle class tax-paying American who is footing the bill and losing the most as we lose all our jobs over-seas.  Just two months ago I watched in horror as Bill Gates begged for high skill working visa’s to be changed from 25,000 a year to over 65,000 a year.  He might donate money to help our education system, but his actions defeats his own donations.  He must higher our own American college graduates and train them to his (our) needs.

by Pat Smith (5 articles, 0 quicklinks, 6 diaries, 70 comments [11 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Friday, May 9, 2008 at 6:58:11 AM

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Your article is garbage. Our troops aren't fighting for anyone's freedom. They're participating in illegal and immoral occupations of other countries. They're violating the Iraqis and Afghanis freedom and right to self-determination. Excuse me but America is not a "great nation." Our country sucks because of white supremacist nationalist trash like yourself. The illegals aren't invading America. They're fleeing extreme poverty and political persecution. Amnesty means no punishment. Paying a $5000 fee is a punishment. No one should have to pay the government any amount of money to become a citizen. The soldiers dying in Iraq and Afghanistan aren't brave heroes. They were gutless cowards and traitors who violated there oath to defend the US Constitution and participated in illegal wars of aggression. The real heroes are those who demand an end to the wars and occupations of other countries and demand the truth about 911 which was committed by the US government. If you oppose illegal immigration so much then why don't you demand an end to free trade agreements which destroy countries economies and cause mass impoverishment. Corporations cause unemployment not illegals since corporations want cheap labor. Stop using illegal immigrants as a scapegoat for the countries problems. Big Business and their supporters like yourself are the problem. You're an elitist. You support wealthy successful people but you hate poor and impoverished people and you use the "blame the victim" routine. I prefer illegal immigrants to the murderers, rapists, and torturers in the military.

by Ty (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 888 comments [2 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Saturday, May 10, 2008 at 1:00:05 PM

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Ty, usually I just ignore ignorance and trash like you, but since you have the same name as my DOG, but sound worst than a cat in heat, just please move to the Middle East, you definitely do not belong in America.  And guess what? As a disabled veteran I am economically poorer than you are, but much richer in FRIENDS who do not yell:  ‘oh woe is me, give me more free food stamps now!’  Illegals are the down fall of the middle-class and our great Nation.  Have a Happy Mothers Day!!!

by Pat Smith (5 articles, 0 quicklinks, 6 diaries, 70 comments [11 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Sunday, May 11, 2008 at 11:00:52 AM

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Guess what buddy....

 I'm an immigrant, born and Raised in Hungary...got dragged here when I was 9...I'm 17 now. ANd I made a stupid account just so I can comment on your ignorance.

 Let us begin,

First off, I completely understand your grief and anger over the fact that American Veterans are being treated in such a disrespectful manner.But how dare you blame that statistic on immigrants of any kind? I don't know how you've even reached this point. I'll have you know that I'd gladly die for this great country..even as an immigrant.

Secondly, immigrants, illegal or not are who drive this economy. It is fact that over 85% of busines's are owned and operated by immigrants (typicaly European), and it is also common knowledge that illegal immigrants drive the bottom half of the economy by providing cheap and hard labor. Illegal immigrants are the reason that a middle and upper class even exist. Immigrants are by no means free loaders of the so called American Freedom. They are forced to hide and remain in secrecy because of simple minded morons such as yourself.

 But I don't blame you, because I know that you haveno idea what it's truly like to be an immigrant, and what it's like to be better than your AMERICAN classmates in everything, yet not being able to enjoy the simple privilige to a license. You don't know what it was like having to learn English in the ghetto, andthen becoming a fully Honors level student in the suburbs. You've never experienced the hardships of not being able to get a job soley because of the lack of working papers. Otherwise I could already be making 55K a year out of High School because I am a certified CCNA ( thats a networking certification incase you were wondering, all for a 12th grader...put that in your pipe and smoke it!)

So until you've lived a day in my shoe, don't you ever dare blame immigrants for any misfortune that has touched any American citizen. Because I'd love to see you cleaning feces from a toilet for 3 dollars and hour and not ask fora raise. I will once again state that the treatment that American Veterans recieve is very unjust. But that has nothing to do with immigrants.

Ohh...as an FYI

This immigrant has also been teaching a former WWII disabled veteran how to use a computer through a program established by my teacher in my technical center. And he has thanked me many times over for re-connecting him with his two sons through e-mails, due to the fact that they live in various states while he's  stuck in an old folk's rehab home. So next time you try to blame immigrants..remember this.

Sincerely,

Zsolt

by idk idk (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 3 comments) on Sunday, May 11, 2008 at 5:48:53 PM

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You obliviously can not understand my article; I had and still have LEGAL immigrant friends.  And NONE of them are disrespectful with their words or actions like you just were, but I forgive you, besides being Mothers day it is a Sunday.  I just can’t turn my cheek when it comes to paying out money I do not have in the form of very high school taxes and having my brothers and sisters in our military get pee(ed) on by the likes of welfare seeking illegal’s who take jobs away from Americans.  God bless you!

by Pat Smith (5 articles, 0 quicklinks, 6 diaries, 70 comments [11 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Sunday, May 11, 2008 at 7:48:01 PM

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Wow..and you are obviously hallucinating lady

 Even Illegal aliens arent hurting anyone. And if you tell me that they are taking away jobs because they work for less, you're wrong. Most illegal aliens lack education, therefore they are paid less to perform jobs that American citizens wouldn't do anyways.

Secondly, I have not shown you anymore disrespect than what you have shown to illegal immigrants. Obviously you cannot grasp the reality of the hardships any immigrant has to go through to gain citizenship, I've been here 9 and a half years and I'm still in the process. And I'm European. So I don'tblameanyone for tryingto share the American dream with the rest of us, regardless of their denile for paperwork. And if you wanna use the "they're criminals and lazy" excuse, once again you're wrong.

Let's cover the criminal part first, there are way more American born people of all backgrounds in our jails and prisons than immigrants. Sure most of that statistic is filled by Hispanic and African American peoples, but thats irrelavent. And the lazy part, well lets just say that any American citizen is way lazier than any immigrant, this is because Americans have the luxury of spare time on their hands. Immigrants don't, they have to work long hours, and hold cruddy jobs. Sure they get paid off the books, but have you ever thought ofthe fact that they dont get tax returns, which means they actually save the gov't money by overpaying the federal social security system. So in actuality, they might be the ones paying for your children in the public school system, as well as for their own.

As far as wellfare goes, legal American citizens compose just a large percentage of wellfare users as immigrants. If not more. Therefore, who areyou to blaim only the immigrants, be fair and blaim your fellow citizens as well you fool.

 I would say god bless you as well...but the big man upstairs would die again trying to bless the dark souls of people like you....instead I suggest you actually educate yourself about a topic before you go running your big mouth about it.

Ohh..and I DONT forgive you....

by idk idk (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 3 comments) on Monday, May 12, 2008 at 7:21:25 PM

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iky, I am so pissed off over this below, thank you for that much needed chuckle!

 “Democratic lawmakers expect some version of the GI bill will pass eventually” (Government Executive): WTF? This is unacceptable, let this new GI bill equal that of WWII vets when this “mission is accomplished” or the vet is physically disabled.  This will provide much more INCENTIVE to enlist and re-enlist. Our troops deserve this GI bill as separate legislation.  Over-medication defeats the purpose of a quality education and the VA needs time to become fully funded.  One again at the VA yesterday, I watched too many young and old Veterans waiting in the mental health clinic barely conscious from medication.  Our government needs to get their priorities straight: Our American veterans of all race, creed, color and religion’s NOT 20 million illegal’s.

by Pat Smith (5 articles, 0 quicklinks, 6 diaries, 70 comments [11 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Tuesday, May 13, 2008 at 6:52:04 AM

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I love how at first you right out attacked illegal aliens, and now you're saying that all you want is for the gov't to simply set their priorities straight.

Either way though, the naturalization of illegal immigrants is just as important as your veteran aid ideals. Because you have to face the facts that you'll never get rid of illegals, so I say secure the borders if you must, then grant the illegals a chance to become legal, and therefore stop your so called damage to the economy, and finally make immigration an esier process for the future generations.

Still I must say, you are horrible at debating...seriously next time....actually have knowledge of the subject before you plan to preech about it. Cause if you haven't noticed, you were using immigrants as scapegoats (and you still are), because there are other things the gov't is focusing on before immigration and veteranou should have brought those subjects up first....but NOOOOOO you had to do what Hitler did to the jews....find a minority group and blame them for everything thats going wrong. Whats next buddy?....Are you gonna say that immigrants are the reason behind the gas prices....better yet..immigrants are gonna cause WWIII?....

Get a damn life

by idk idk (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 3 comments) on Tuesday, May 13, 2008 at 4:54:11 PM

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idk,

You stated “using immigrants as scapegoats”? Get real; 20 million ILLEGAL’S have nothing to do with immigrants, except they are giving some great people a bad reputation!  How many times must I say that not just here in Pa., but through-out our great Nation we have Veterans living underneath bridges (homeless and unemployed), while vast amounts of employed illegal’s are breeding in our rental properties.  This is unacceptable and un-American!  Just a mere 500,000 new veterans from this global war on terror need proper medical care, jobs and education, there are 20 million illegal aliens that are rapidly breeding.  I watched in horror as a friend had a bad miscarriage at a local hospital while lying in the hospitals hallway for 8 and a half hours.  Why were there illegal’s in beds in the maternity ward who could not even speak English?  Guess whose taxes paid for the illegal’s FREE delivery room and hospital charges?  In this particular situation: Veterans vs. Amnesty_— I really wish I was wrong!!!

by Pat Smith (5 articles, 0 quicklinks, 6 diaries, 70 comments [11 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Thursday, May 15, 2008 at 6:21:10 AM

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