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by Paul Kiser
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Arizona recently passed a law directed at people of Mexican descent in an effort to rid the State of ‘non-Americans’. For many Americans this topic is centered on claims of how ‘illegal’ immigrants are responsible for stealing jobs, increasing crime, and threatening to destroy almost every aspect ‘American’ life. If you want to find the person who has a raw nerve about the issue of Mexican immigrants (legal or illegal) one only has to say, “Press one for English” and that person will launch into a tirade about illegal immigrants and how they have destroyed ‘our’ country.
It is easy to forget that less than 165 years ago the United States of America “obtained” 55% of Mexico’s territory at gunpoint. The Mexican-American War was not a war as much as it was a mugging. It is now recognized that most of the rationale for the declaration of war by the United States on Mexico had little to do with defending US citizens or property and a lot to do with our designs on seizing northern Mexico. We had offered to buy much of the land prior to the war and Mexico rejected it, but after the war we paid fifty cents on the dollar.
There is a reason why the northern borders of California, Nevada, and Utah fall on the same latitude of 42 degrees North. It is because that was the northern border of Mexico after they won independence from Spain. Until 1847 the sovereign country of Mexico owned the land that is currently claimed by the States of California, Nevada, Utah, southwestern Wyoming, western and southern Colorado, southwestern Kansas, the pan handle of Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. Before the US takeover, northern Mexico consisted of Alta California, Nuevo Mexico, and Tejas. Many of the names of the geographic features, such as the Colorado River, retain the Mexican name still today.
How We Took Northern Mexico
After Mexico won its independence from Spain it allowed settlers to immigrate into their country, providing they agreed to become Catholics and abide by Mexican law and policies. In what is now Texas, the Americans moved into Mexico and then objected to the laws that outlawed slavery, restrictions on what crops could be grown, and becoming Catholics. Eventually the Americans declared their independence from Mexico in 1836 and a minor war ensued.
Mexico had few resources with which to fight the white illegal immigrants and restore Mexican law. After a few minor defeats the Mexican government stopped sending their army to battle with the trespassers; however, they never relinquished the land to the Texans. The white illegal immigrants then claimed to be an independent country known as the Republic of Texas. Knowing that Mexico would eventually gather enough resources to reclaim the land, the immigrants then petitioned the United States for statehood and protection of the US Army. In 1845 the United States accepted Texas’ petition to become a State and sent troops to secure the territory.
Mexico objected to the occupation of Texas or ‘Tejas’ with U.S. troops and in 1846 attacked Fort Texas. In response the U.S. Congress, under a doctrine of ‘Manifest Destiny’ (i.e.; the United States was destined to control the land from the Pacific to the Atlantic) declared war on Mexico with the intent of not only securing the Texas territory, but California as well. Meeting little resistance the United States occupied northern Mexico, including California by January of 1847 and by September had captured Mexico City.
The United States then dictated the terms of Mexico’s surrender with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. The treaty forced Mexico to ‘sell’ most it’s country to the United States for $15 million, half of what had been offered before the war.
As we consider the issue of immigration ‘reform’, it would be helpful to remember that it was the United States that aggressively took the land from Mexico in the first place and that ‘Manifest Destiny’ was a disguise for the conquest of northern Mexico.
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get over it. It is what it is. We are not going to give the land back to mexico. We should probably govern the rest of mexico
Bill:
History is not something to ‘get over’. This article is not a request for a plan to give ill-gotten land back, just to put history in context to what is happening today. Most people who live in the former lands of northern Mexico probably have no understanding of how the United States obtained the land. When people start trying to define a piece of property as their own and everyone else is ‘illegal’ it’s important to note how they came to ‘own’ it.
Paul
Sadly, there are way too many Americans that would make the same statement as good ol’ Bill up there, however misguided it is. Thank YOU for being rational and covering this topic well. I only wish there were more individuals out there who would actually THINK about the situation and how to make it better, instead of taking everything as a call to arms.
Thank you for both of your comments. I completely agree with you on them. I’m planning a future blog on false Christians who say they believe in the Bible, but don’t follow the teachings of Jesus or Paul the Apostle when it comes to being their ‘brother’s keeper’. You can’t have it both ways. You can’t say you’re a Christian and then deny the foundation of the New Testament.
Thanks again!
Paul
Good article!
Scott:
Thank you and thanks for reading it!
Paul
Excellent! Many people use the “Get over it” statement way too much. They believe “time” took away from the atrocities caused by a selfish American president in the 1840’s. Many families were affected, not to mention an entire COUNTRY, but there is no way that one could even start to realize that unless one has compassion and puts himself in the other’s shoes.
For such a large historical issue, many Americans have no clue about it. Americans should know the truth… whether they accept it or try to hide it… that’s another story!
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THE UNITES STATES WAS THE “SAVIOR” OF MEXICO FORM SPAIN.. JUST THANK IF SPAIN WAS SILL RUNING THE SHOW.. JUST THANK.. ALL THE KILLING.. BUT LOOK AT MEXICO NOW A LIL SPAIN HERE AND A LIL GERMEN THERE AND A LIL THIS AND A LIL THAT SO YOU ARE JUST LIKE US.. NOT 100% AND NEVER WILL BE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jose (That’s funny you use a false name, and try to make yourself sound Hispanic):
I had to approve this one because you are a typical Tea Party example. You use a false name. You try to deceive people. You don’t know what your are talking about, and you make me laugh.
No, the United States was NOT the ‘Savior’ of Mexico. Spain had turned Mexico back over to the people of Mexico when it was over extended with wars back in Europe. To make this assertion (big word for you…you should look it up,) makes you look like…well, the person you are, and I need to say no more. We took Northern Mexico at gunpoint from the citizens of Mexico. That’s a fact.
By the way, the CAPS LOCK button is to the left side of the keyboard. You should find it and learn how to use it.
Next time use your real name.
Paul Kiser
And you MUST go to school and take English as a second Language so you can learn how to spell and write correctly please.
Hi Paul,
Perhaps many Americans don’t know the history (I think we do here though), but what happened 165 years ago it loses its impact while Americans struggle to survive. Living on the border, I can tell you that I battle illegals for jobs every single day. I am neither a liberal nor a conservative. I just live here and know what it’s like to beg for jobs, and people think they should pay me the same as what they pay the illegals, which you can’t live on. I am on the verge of losing my home. Many people here think they are “doing the right thing” by hiring illegals (in such jobs as housecleaning, which is what I do) because they want to help them, but I pay taxes, volunteer, and contribute to my community in ways they do not. I am a professional, but many people don’t understand that housecleaning is not as easy as it sounds. There is no work here, and with the recent fires, Arizona is turning into a wasteland. It was smugglers (either drug or human) that started two of these fires. They will not talk about this in the news as it is considered politically incorrect, but these fires are a common occurrence here, they just don’t make national news until a million acres are burned. Now my backyard is on fire as our government obsesses over foreign wars and spends billions and billions of dollars we desperately need here to help all Americans, no matter what race. Unemployment, homelessness, and foreclosures are rampant here. Think of how much the money spent on the war in Libya could help us create jobs in America. Where are the troops to help with these fires, tornadoes, floods, etc.? In the Mideast.
I notice you have quite a few errors on your “About” page:
“Paul Kiser is a social media, management, public relations consultant representing He also is a professional performer for business role-playing scenarios…” This doesn’t really make sense to me.
I see this post is a year old, but it happened to pop up on a WordPress tag page. I understand your point, but it is not a simple situation and the fact is, this is what we are dealing with at this moment in time, which has to take precedence—before we completely fold as a country.
Take care,
Debra
Debra:
First, I apologize for not approving your comment when you made it. I saw the name of your blog site and thought it was a spam site. Thanks for your note regarding the ‘About’ page. I had made some updates and failed to fully edit the page. I think it is correct, now, or at least more correct. The fact is that we have a lot of scared white people in this country and they are scared because of fear-mongering by Conservatives. The immigration issue is a great tool to get people to rally behind. Hitler knew this and that is why Jews became a target for his rhetoric and his murderous acts.
For a ‘Christian Nation’ we have people who behave exactly opposite of the teachings of the New Testament. We are not about to fold as a nation…unless Conservatives have their way. The problems we face are no worse than we have faced in every decade since we established this country. In the 60’s Conservatives thought the Hippies were going to destroy our country. It didn’t happen. In the 70’s we thought inflation was going to destroy our country. It didn’t happen. The list goes on. What amazes me, and why I wrote this article, is because most Americans have no concept of the history of what we did to take northern Mexico. Any discussion of immigration has to be put in the context of how we ended up with Mexico’s property in the first place.
Thanks for your comment.
Paul
Paul,
First off I find it interesting that you don’t mention or perhaps you don’t know (as you accuse readers of not knowing) that over the course of the last 10 – 20 thousand years land and Countries have changed hands many times usally through war. Whether it be through greed or for self protection it has happened over and over again. I am not saying it is the right thing to do as in most cases it was not. I am just stating facts.
The lands you mention were not originaly part of Mexico…but…had been claimed by Spain and were turned over to Mexico as you stated. Who had these territories before Spain? California was ‘populated by various Indian tribes as was the other lands in your statement. Some of these tribes such as the Chumash were advanced and had a written language and built aqueducts as well as other structures. My point being that before Spain or Mexico or the USA there was already an established peoples in the regions you mentioned. So in fact Spain / Mexico / USA stole this land from them!
To me you are trying to make the peoples who live here now feel guilty for something that occured in the distant past that they have no control over. You are also trying to justify the takeover of these lands by Mexicans???
If these lands had been left in the hands of Mexico would the People that live here (native and non native) be better off…..I doubt it. We would probably have marauding bands of cartel Members instead of banditos and the murder and mayhem would be off the charts.
I also love the way you connect tea party members and conservatives to the negative side of the story then claim it is just a history lesson. People should be aware of past History….it helps prevent the same mistakes or atrocities from reoccuring. But we do not and can not live in the past.
Shane:
Of course history is filled with invasions where the strong conquered the weaker. Often this has been a savage process with the native people beaten down, and in some instances, annihilated. What I hope we have discovered in the past 100 years is that the process of destroying weaker native people almost always has a greater cost in the long term. I might have mentioned this in the article, but I did assume that anyone with a high school degree should have taken some history classes and would have studied the past to understand why taking someone else’s land from them has consequences that can last for centuries.
You are incorrect about the history of Mexico and the western United States. American books, movies and television have created the idea that ‘Indians’ occupied the western US for centuries before the western European came to take it away. That is technically not true. The Aztecs, Mayans and other ancient tribal cultures occupied much of Mexico/southwest US before the Spanish came, and those people are believed to have crossed over from Russia (Asia) across to Alaska and down the west coast into Mexico. The idea that ‘Indians’ lived north of the current Mexico/US border and Mexicans lived south is absurd. What Americans like to call ‘Indians’ were all people with the same historical roots as the Aztecs and Mayans.
You are correct to accuse our white European cousins from Spain who stole Mexico and the western US from the native people; however, at the time they invaded there were no ‘hard’ borders to Mexico. It was when Spain gave back…let me repeat…it was when Spain ‘gave back’ the land to the native people that the first ‘hard’ border that created Mexico by uniting many of the native tribal cultures that all had root in the migration from Russia.
I am not trying to make current Americans ‘feel guilty’ about what we did in stealing northern Mexico from the native people who lived here; however, I am trying to remind Americans that when they start screaming about ‘illegal aliens,’ that it was white Europeans that are the ‘aliens’ to the western United States. Our arrogance is built on the lack of understanding of the history of the United States and it makes all of us look stupid when a group of Americans fail to remember how we took the land from Mexico 170 years ago. That is not living in the past, but rather a way to define the stupid from the people who are not.
Thanks for reading the article.
Paul
Its time for White America to wake up, and realize that the Mexicans prefer their own, and are illegally in the US to take over – Illegal as it were – invaders to the very word – and without exception – the Mexican has purposefully and illegally invaded our nation.
The only recourse is open war with millions of illegals – sorry if the truth offends anyone.
Wake Up People……
Mr. Jones:
It is you I fear. Any man who would declare war, incite killing based on your fictionalized account of the motives of people who have come here for a better life is a serious threat to our Great country. Mexicans come here because they have better opportunities than in most of Mexico. They are only the latest in a long line of immigrants who have done the same. The English came, Irish came, the Italians came, the Africans were forced here, but what is happening now is exactly how America has grown and become a world leader. The fact that we took northern Mexico at gunpoint is something that brings shame to our country’s honor and we have much to account for in our manner of exploitation of other people’s land.
Paul
” Mexicans come here because they have better opportunities than in most of Mexico.”
If these areas had stayed part of Mexico would there be similar opportuniies?
I think that the answer is no.
I also think that those who crossed into North America overran and bred with any other human inhabitants.
It is a fact that groups taking over others real estate goes back to the dawn of humanity.
It is also a fact that as a sovereign nation we have a right to enforce our borders and that if we do not do so that we will suffer the same fate as European countries which are being taken over through welfare and excessive reproduction.
Israel faced the same problem and dealt with it. Now we must do the same.
As to your dismissal and denigration of various people based on what may or may not be their political orientation or their intelligence, my grandmother was Native American, I was a Dem which evolved into an independent and you have less than a one in 1.6 million chance of matching my IQ.
You need to tone down the condescending attitude.
Dear Ronald:
Thanks for reading and commenting.
You make a point that the ‘ends justifies the means.” I don’t buy that, nor do I buy that the United States made everything great by taking Northern Mexico away from a people of another sovereign country. Had that land stayed in Mexico’s possession they may have developed it differently, but that doesn’t mean that their use would have been ‘better’ that what we did to the land. Taking land by force is never acceptable, unless you like what Putin did in Crimea. Maybe you do.
You equate the Unite States to Israel’s situation and that we must act as Israel has to use force and seizure tactics against a population that has done nothing more that try to go to where there are jobs that the local inhabitants do not want to do, and make a better living for themselves. Certainly that is justification to bring out our military might and kill unarmed people.
As far as your pedigree and intelligence, every encounter I have had with a Native American has been one of pride of their people, and an intense respect for others. Despite the way Europeans have treated the Indian Nation, I have never encountered a Native American to invoke a plan of senseless of violence. I would suggest that you get back in touch with your grandmother’s heritage, because you apparently have lost the dignity of your grandmother’s people.
As far as your IQ, I would repeat what Saint Paul said the the Corinthians:
“For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise”
Both he and I were being sarcastic. I don’t suffer fools gladly.
Thanks again for reading and commenting.
Paul
Hello Mr. Kiser
You say its I that you fear: what is that a kinda sick joke? There are an estimated 20 million Illegal Mexicans in the US, forming gangs and selling drugs to underage children, drawing welfare, all the while, under-cutting american workers. And its I that you fear? Are you a nut or something, Mexicans have not come to the US legally, nor have they come in peace, and furthermore, it is the elite who have allowed the Illegal Mexican to come. But yet, it is a Common US Citizen, a Veteran of Foriegn War, a Tax Payer, and a man who has never broke the law to any extent – that you fear. Sir: your a joke….
There are not 20 million illegal immigrants forming gangs, selling drugs to underage children, drawing welfare and undercutting American workers. Your paranoia and declaration that all these evils are caused by illegal immigrants is absurd. Are there some illegal immigrants committing crimes? Yes, but there are damn few. Most illegal immigrants are doing everything they can to keep a low profile for fear of being deported. The crimes you talk about are being committed by citizens of the United States of America.
I have heard Conservatives yell at the top of their lungs the same accusations and they pick one or two examples, or a false Conservative email that makes its claim to be factual statistics and it they are not. If you were going to go to another country and live illegally in that country would you try to risk everything by making yourself a target for the local Police? What you are doing is blaming another race in order to raise anger and hate among white people against Hispanics. That is immoral. When you try to incite killing, that is immoral.
Show me proof. Give me the names of 100 people who are unemployed because an illegal immigrant has the job they applied for and it was given to the illegal immigrant. Give me 50 names. Give me 25 names. I’m willing to bet that you don’t even know one person who didn’t get a job because it was given to an illegal immigrant. Why? Because all a US citizen has to do is go to Immigration Services and file a report and that employer will have so many ICE agents descending upon him/her that their business will be over.
Alabama found out what happens when the illegal immigrants leave. Americans don’t want the jobs that the illegal immigrants do and suddenly they have crops that can’t be harvested. That causes shortages and the prices go up.
The whole ‘immigration is destroying our country’ argument is a joke, but nobody’s laughing.
You are so IGNORANT, if someone is UNDOCUMENTED in this country They CANNOT collect welfare, let me repeat , They CANNOT collect welfare so if you’re going to write something RACIST at lest get the facts so you don’t sound so DUMB!! Please
Mr. Kiser.
Your reply is all over the place, I’m not sure which of you numerous comment suggestions to comment on! Well, lets start with a demographics chart, starting in lets say 1970. In this study, you will clearly see the hispanic population growing in almost every state. Now gets some info on the number of persons imprisoned by race, and or ethnic group from the same year: 1970. Take a look at stats dealing with N.A.F.T.A and W.T.O. See how many American jobs have been lost. Examine the number of Illegal Mexicans that draw welfare. As far as coming up with names of persons, I don’t have to because I was told the Mexicans prefer their own, and in American Colleges: They want Mexican Teachers. In a word, I do-not agree with you, and can tell you have some sort of alterior motive, meaning your either a liberal or a mexican: which is it Mr. Kiser?
Mr. Jones:
Yes, there are more Hispanic immigrants in the United States. There are also more full-fledged citizens who are Hispanic in the United States. Both groups have children born in the United States. That means that their are more Hispanics, both American and illegal in America. The demographics you cite indicate that you lump both American citizens (who are Hispanic) and illegal immigrants (who are Hispanic) together. So your real issue is that you hate all Hispanics regardless of whether or not they are Americans or illegal.
For the record, latest statistics show a major drop in Mexican immigrants since 2006 (through 2010.) (SEE stats: http://www.migrationinformation.org/feature/display.cfm?ID=818#3d).
Regarding crime. Using 2009 statistics, 40% of the people in prisons are African American. 16% were Hispanic, which is the same percentage as Hispanics in the general population, so the argument that Hispanics have a higher proportion of criminals in their population is false.
I have no idea of what statistics you are trying to apply from WTO or NAFTA. Once again I ask you for proof. Names of people you know that can’t get a job because an ILLEGAL immigrant has their job. Just because a Hispanic American citizen has a job doesn’t mean they ‘stole’ a job from a white person. Your ‘I have been told’ argument is a damn lie and you should let the person who ‘told you’ that they need to stick to facts not making up ‘facts’.
My motives? I am an American citizen and I love my government The United States of America has the greatest government in the world and we are world leaders because of what our government has provided for citizens and businesses to build on. For whatever your motives are for trying to paint this as a personal agenda on my part, it is not.
Targeting a race for hate is wrong and immoral. When you say we should have open war with Hispanics is wrong and immoral. Your motives seem to be that you are a racist and you are looking for any reason to do violence to another human being. It is my duty as a lover of this nation founded by and for immigrants, to counter your hate with truth.
I think the Concept of having Anchor Babies is wrong and immoral, and that is exactly what the ILLEGAL MEXICAN has been doing for the last 40 years.My name is the only name your going to get, and I can prove my claims, and on more than one occasion. Most immigrants come legally, unlike the Mexican, who seem to feel they are not only entitled to come at will, but also feel they have rights to welfare, and to sell illegal drugs, to children no doubt. N.A.F.T.A. and the W.T.O. are unfare trade laws which have been pushed down the American peoples throat. The only way to push the Global event was to allow ILLEGAL MEXICANS to further destroy the American working class, in which the elite did an incredable job. You say I hate the ILLEGAL MEXICAN! No Sir, I have no hate for anyone, as I am a soldier. Soldiers can-not afford Hate, A soldier Kills without emotion.
You are a racist. You say ‘ILLEGAL MEXICANS’ but what you are really saying is all Hispanics. An immigrant is an immigrant and yet you want to declare one race as responsible for all the problems you list, which is not true and you have no facts to back it up. There is no difference between you and the KKK. You write all these words of hate and false accusations and then say you don’t hate.
Soldiers do not make political decisions. They do not make policy. When a soldier starts announcing who we should kill then that soldier is declaring himself greater than his superiors and is no longer a soldier but a person that is no longer serving his country, but serving himself. Nazis said they were soldiers when they began putting Jews into gas chambers. What honor did those soldiers have in killing?
If you are a “real soldier” you are even more dangerous than we originally thought.
Something you should know: My great Great Great Grandfather served at the Battle of San Jacinto (Texas) when General Santana was caught dressed in a privates uniform, crying like a sissy. The Mexican is a ruthless coward, a thief, a drug addict and pusher, and now they ILLEGALLY INVADE our nation: but yet, you fear me. You fear a man who has served the Citizens of the United States, Who has Served the Government of the United States, who has Paid Taxes for 40 years, who has made a life of serving other Americans rather than harming other Americans, a man who was born to an Honorably Discharged Veteran of WW2: am I really who you fear, a Patriot Of our Once Fine America? You should either become a true American or leave and move on to Mexico, because there are many MEN just like me, and we have had enough of the ILLEGAL MEXICAN! Futher, we have had enough of the Liberal Communist, who sees it to give our nation away.
And there it is, the ‘I’m a great patriot and because you don’t agree with me, you are not’ argument.
You have served our country. Thank you. I appreciate the sacrifices you and all soldiers and their families have made for our country.
But let’s get one thing straight. Being an American is not defined by being a soldier. You want to hate and blame one race for all America’s problems, well I can’t stop you. We have white men in this country who are racist and that is unfortunate. But that doesn’t make you a patriot or a better American.
Here’s the bottom line. There are more Hispanics as a proportion of the general population than there were 40 years ago, and most of them are legal citizens of this country. That scares some white people. There are also more Hispanics married to white people. That also scares some white people. The way that some scared white people are responding to the change in demographics is to target that race with accusations they can’t prove. They are desperately trying to find anything to justify their fears. It doesn’t need to be factual, it just has to sound factual. Conservative politicians are playing on this because they can use that fear to get elected.
Just because some white people buy into all the fear mongering, doesn’t mean the rest of us do. That is not communism, nor does it make me less of an American. It is just being a decent person who is willing to stand up to lies and falsehoods.
Mr. Kiser
You seem to think American economics are dependent upon Illegal Mexicans and un-fair trade laws: further, that since the Illegals have forced their way in, pushed out some anchor babies, they are now part of our nation! The Illegal Mexican is a parasite, much like a cock-roach that has infiltrated ones home: I.E. Illegal Mexicans invade, draw welfare, send their anchors to our schools, form drug gangs, thieve, and further, under-cut american working class persons. If the american tax-payer were to go by your view, they should hire mexicans, pay them little to nothing, work the piss out of them, and focus on nothing but pure profit: do you really think thats right? I’m not sure why you have the views that you have, its very easy to see that an Illegal is a criminal, and that an anchor is the off-spring of a criminal: both are criminals which should be picked up, and stood behind a high wall. You call me a racist, and then call yourself a patriot, what a joke that truelly is. I’ll ask once more: what is your motive, are you a communist, a mexican, a liberal, or are you a capitolist who makes profit on welfare drawing Illegals?
Mr. Kiser
Its now time for you to learn, I mean really learn! You talk about the United States taking Mexico by force, acting as if its something new, or even a negative. The fact is, in history, many nations and or empires have taken over other areas by by force: The United States is only one to be counted. My example is to utilze the Roman Empire, simply because its been a point of study by many and for hundreds of years. The Roman empire fell, and the reason it fell was due to several factors: The Romans allowed and or forced Other Cultures, and or ethnics groups into their lands, and became out numbered: They expended to far, and couldn’t defend their lands, and they went broke, in part, due to over taxation of the citizens. You call yourself a patriot and a historian. My questions are: Do you honestly love the US, and if so, can you not see the ILLEGAL MEXICAN is taking over, and as a result, Taxation is becoming a burden on its own people: meaning, taxes continue to increase, while fewer American people can afford to pay tax, simply because they are being undercut by the ILLEGAL MEXICAN, and at the hands of our of ROMAN GOVERNMENT? You have called me a racist, comparing me to a nazi, and even the KKK! You don’t know me, and I have told you that I served this nations military: are you a nut? The US is under attack, in part from the ILLEGAL MEXICAN, but other lands and or cultures aswell, such as Islam. If you are truelly a patriot of this nation, its time to wake up, defend your nation, and tell history the way it really is.
Let’s see if I can lose the cocky attitude for a little while…no guarantees.
I disagree with your analysis of the Fall of the Roman Empire. There are over 210 written theories on the Fall of Roman Empire, but most agree that it came at the political infighting among the Roman citizens and the upheavals that left it open for its enemies to first chip away, then outright conquer Rome.
Blaming the Fall of Rome on the many cultures it absorbed is a little like saying the cause of death for a man who was strangled on his dependence on air. Rome excelled at adapting cultures, technology, and methods of others into their own, which strengthened the Empire. That is why their Empire lasted 1,000 years.
Rome was strong when it had a strong central government that built roads, buildings, waterways, and established civil order among business and civilians. It was when the strong central government weakened that Rome stumbled.
I do not believe that the United States is threatened by immigrants. Most Hispanics I have encountered hold America as a kind of paradise where we do things right. They know their country is a mess and they do not want to import that into this country. They keep a low profile even if they are US citizens which makes them easy targets for those who want to make accusations about them.
My parents could not have imagined the wealth we enjoy now. When I grew up in the 60’s we had one black and white TV, one car, and one phone. It was a luxury when we got a dryer. If you asked them then if people would someday have multiple cars, multiple color TVs, and everyone would have their own personal phone that they carried with them they would have said, “Why would anyone need more than one of any of them?”
The wealth that we enjoy in this country is far beyond what my parents could have imagined. In turn the wealth they enjoyed was beyond what my grandparents could have imagined. We live in a blessed country and yet every decade their are some who predict that America’s finished. In the 60’s it was the Viet Nam War and Hippies, the 70’s it was inflation and gas prices, the 80’s it was the recession, etc. We’re still here.
America’s success is not guaranteed, but I have heard all the doomsayers for decades predict that it’s ‘game over’ for America and it’s wearing thin for me. My son’s, daughter’s, and my grandchildren have a great future. They were born in a great country. It will continue to be great because Americans (all Americans) know how to do great things.
Eisenhower looked forward and said we need an Interstate road system. We have now it and thanks to it businesses are able to move products across the country with ease. America would have the massive variety of food, clothing, and the other products we buy if our government didn’t have it built.
Kennedy looked forward and said we need a space program. We did it and now almost every piece of technology we have was made possible by the space program.
Scientists and universities looked forward and said we need to interconnect the computers between universities to share research. We now have the Internet and businesses are making trillions of dollars via Internet commerce.
I do defend my nation. I defend it from false claims and fear-mongering. We have to many people who are trying to ‘save our country’ by tearing it apart. It’s time to call these people out and put their claims under the microscope for facts. That’s how I defend our country.
First, I don’t think American economics are dependent on “Illegal Mexicans and un-fair trade laws”. I don’t know how that statement could be made from the comments I’ve made.
The fact is that most Hispanics in this country are here legally. Your ‘anchor babies’ rant is meaningless. Babies born in the United States are citizens of this country and deserve all the rights and privileges that you and I enjoy. Also anyone who is Hispanic and a citizen of this country does, BY OUR CONSTITUTION…that piece of paper that you use only when convenient, are also equal citizens under the laws of this country.
As for those immigrants of all nationalities who are not here in this country with the approval of our government, there are some issues, but certainly not the issues you are accusing in your statements. Selling drugs to children is done by American citizens, many of whom are white. If you want to address the drug issue then let’s look at the people who are doing it, not blindly declaring that one race is selling drugs to children.
Only 16 percent of the criminals incarcerated in 2009 were Hispanic, so you easily overlook 84% of the other races committing crime. Even less than 16% are illegal aliens. Why don’t you care about the 84%+, why are you focused on just one race?
You declare that Mexicans are a “cockroach”. Are you kidding me? Need there be any more evidence that you are a racist than that statement?
I told you my motives. I’m an American citizen who loves my country…ALL of my country, even the visitors, and pointing out the falsehoods you have stated.
The true mark of a Conservative is that he can’t back up his statements with fact and so he tries to turn the debate into a question of motives, so that no one will see that he has nothing to support his position.
To Mr. Kiser
Well, I am very pleased to see for myself where you stand on the debate at hand. Don’t worry yourself, Mexico will have its way in our nation, and the US will continue to erode, just as it has been for the last (X-Number of Years) depending upon ones personal point of view. However, you sir will be remebered for years to come: a very interesting time – period of history is coming. Thank you for your kind attention and debate.
Hello, Paul?
I believe that in your blog, you forgot to mention how the United States took advantage of Mexico since it had just finish fighting Spain, it was weak . Americans entered Tejas and didn’t like the idea that, then Mexico didn’t allowed slavery. Americans became a treath to Mexico and ironically it was ILLEGAL for any AMERICAN to cross into Mexico, unfortunatly it was to late and the Amecans revolted and claimed Independence(not recognized by Mexico). Mexico came back and defeated the Americans(remember the Alamo) and push them out of Texas, for some reason Mexico retreated back and didn’t reinforce the border. California was also taken at gun-point for that matter it didn’t became a state by admission it was force into the union by American invaders. Now with that been said I think many people need to revised the history and conflicts of this two neighboring countries.
Rigo:
Everything you have said agrees with the research I did for the article. The people in America who wanted to seize as much land as possible seemed to be emboldened by the ease that white settlers had in taking land from the Native Americans. Despite a well-defined political border between the United States and Mexico, these white European settlers had no honor and no respect for non-white natives, nor their ownership of their land. My ancestors all were white Europeans, but I have no pride in the manner nor the ruthlessness they had in taking land from the native people of the Americas. The frustrating aspect of our history is that so many people have no idea of the dishonor that we carry in the conquest of North America.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
Paul
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