[Tink]

Gina and Janet, I understand what you're saying. I don't like that anyone gets a free ride since I have always had to work for every penny I've gotten. What I think has happened, is that the bleeding hearts have decided to go overboard to welcome immigrants. EQUAL treatment is what I want for them.... Not freebies that citizens can't have.

While they're going to extremes, they're alienating our own people and causing a lot of problems in the process. We have many Mexican immigrants in our area who came to find work at Ashley Furniture and Golden Plump... our 2 biggest local industries. Quite a few of them do their banking at the bank where I work, and I have yet to have any problems with any of them. They're struggling to learn the language, deposit their checks to pay their bills and celebrate the same things we do. One man came in today beaming because his wife is expecting. I seriously don't see that they've done any harm to our community.

We do have an increase in drug and alcohol abuse, with other crimes rising as well; but any time you have an increase in population you see that. The majority of people in the county jail are still young caucasian males. I think for the most part, people act like you expect them to. My ancestors learned to fit in, and these immigrants are working toward that too. If we can befriend them and treat them as we would like to be treated, we both win.

As far as the mention of terrorists, I believe that's a whole different issue. The religious extremists don't want to take over our country... they want nothing but to see us dead. In their minds, we are the evil nation and it's their duty to wipe us off the earth.

I'm not looking to fight about this or any other issue, 'cause I truly like both of you.
I'm glad we can have a civil discussion on this and so many other topics without acting like nutcases over it. I respect your viewpoints and appreciate that you do the same for me. HUGS