Time to shut down on illegal immigrants-Charlie Daniels

http://www.sidneyherald.com/articles/2006/02/07/opinion/edit03.txt

Feb. 9, 2006

God bless America
Charlie Daniels
It seems that the U.S.A. has a history of waiting until the horse is gone before securing the proverbial barn door. In some cases it’s simply expensive or inconvenient, but in some cases it is downright dangerous.

Although few on the left are willing to admit, it’s pretty well known that Bill Clinton had at least three chances to take bin Ladin into custody and refused. We all know that we brought Saddam to his knees during the first Gulf War and sailed away without finishing the job, necessitating the second Gulf War.

We all know that our Congress usually takes so long in passing meaningful legislation that by the time it becomes law it is, many times, toothless and obsolete.

But one of the most dangerous things happening in our nation right now is the situation at our southern borders. Everyday illegals cross the international border of Mexico with impunity. Our cities are inundated with unpapered, non-English speaking aliens.
I have no problem with honest people coming to this country seeking a better life for them and their families, but when they come in illegally I am dead set against it. We don’t even know they’re here and we have no way of knowing what kind of people they are.

Are they Islamic sympathizers bent on destroying us and our way of life? Are they violent gang members who hire out to do murder and mayhem? Are they drug traffickers, fugitives from the law, disease carriers or political malcontents?

The fact is that when they simply walk across our borders we have no way of knowing who or what they are. Is this not insanity?

It has been proven that most politicians have not got the guts to deal with the situation. It’s not a Democratic or Republican thing, nor a left or right thing, it’s simply a political hot potato that will continue to grow bigger and hotter until it eventually explodes in one way or another.

These illegals are straining the budgets of every border state and now some politicians want to give them what’s tantamount to having undocumented American citizenship, allowing them to participate in social programs and entitlements.

There is no way that this situation is ever going to resolve itself. This is a festering sore that becomes bigger and more infected every passing day and, at sometime in the future, will manifest itself in some catastrophic result in this nation. Whether it comes in the form of a nuclear attack or some contagious, out-of-control disease, when it hits I hope that people in this nation will remember how our state and federal politicians left us vulnerable and defenseless, all in the cause of trying to buy themselves a few more votes.
In my book they’re all culpable - the president, Congress, Senate, governors and legislatures. It’s way past time to shut the barn door.

Charlie Daniels is a successful country music artist and enjoys writing a weekly column.