Drawing the line at 12 million

Drawing the line at 12 million

If 12 million Pakistanis came into our country illegally would we be so quick to accept them and forgive then their illegal entry? If 12 million Somali did the same thing would it be OK? Haitians? Koreans? Would Mexico accept 12 million Americans entering their country illegally? When a person enters Iran illegally they go directly to jail, most likely labeled a spy and possibly doomed to death.

Here in the United States you will most likely be allowed to get a driver’s license, a Social Security card, access to free government paid health care, and other social services. I’m a natural-born American citizen and can’t get free health care and those same social benefits.

Arizona attempts to curb the rising stem of illegal immigrants in their state and everyone is aghast. Don’t these naysayers understand that they are supporting illegal immigrants that drain the assets of our country and give very little back?

Like most Americans I have no problem with legal immigrants and welcome everyone regardless of race or national origin into my country. But illegal immigrants break the law the moment they cross into my country. And the worst part is they laugh, thumb their noses at us, and boast that there is nothing we can do about it. And when a group of people become so powerful they actually make an attempt to have the national anthem of my country sung in their native language it’s time to put a stop to it.

Tom Hall, Lisbon

Raise them right, beginning early

There was an article in The Vindicator that dealt with discipline in the Youngstown city schools. Procedures will be implemented to deal with students who have major behavior problems. I am reminded of the old adage of a day late and a dollar short. These steps should have been used by their parents when the student was an infant. Delinquent children are the products of delinquent parents, and not the other way around.

A person’s personality is formed at around 18 months of age and problem students for the most part come from homes ( I use the word home loosely) that often reflect the worst that society has to offer. These children start their lives handicapped from the beginning, mostly because their parents (I use the word parent loosely) really don’t want to be bothered.

At the time they enter school these children are full of anger and resentment and feel cheated. Unfortunately their misplaced hostility is directed at society rather than toward their negligent parents. A desire to learn is often lacking because survival on the street and at home are a lot more important. Very few will escape this vicious cycle because the damage that has been done is often irreversible.

Delinquent parents are not willing to make the personal sacrifices that are required to raise a child. It is apparent that in this case the teachers and administrators are expected to fill in as surrogate parents. Teachers are supposed to teach and not serve as part time probation officers and/or social workers.

One novel approach to the school’s discipline program would be to mandate that the student’s parent or parents attend school with their child while they are under probation. Just think, the parent might actually spend more time with their child than they ever have before.

Gerald Heitkamp, Youngstown

One man’s best is another’s bad

The headline on a column by Michael J. Lacivita was, “Best US presidents: FDR, Truman.” Since I did not personally experience the times of FDR and Truman, as did Mr. Lacivita, I believe I can be more objective in commenting on these two former presidents.

When I think of Franklin D. Roosevelt the following come to mind: policies that prolonged and deepened the Great Depression; lied America into a war that might have been avoided; expanded the role of the presidency and government; removed US from the gold standard; detained Japanese-Americans without charges or trials; censored radio programs and newspapers, and prosecuted people under the Espionage Act of 1917 for their views.

When when it comes to Harry Truman, I think of his contribution to the permanent US empire, imperial presidency, Cold War, and Middle East conflicts; entered the Korean War without seeking a formal declaration of war from Congress; invented the military-industrial complex, and seized private industries (Youngstown Sheet & Tube vs Sawyer).

The good these two presidents did while in office is far outweighed by the bad.

Bill Hegarty, Poland