illegal immigration

Perhaps one of the most debated topics over the past few years has been illegal immigration. Our country has been in hot debate over the issues. I myself have several opinions about the subject. First and foremost I am all for immigration of a legal nature. I myself am friends with many people from different countries who are here on legal visa’s to either work or go to school. They are here because they value the opportunities that this country has to offer and what this country represents. That being said my opinions now that are being offered are strictly opinions.
I feel that this country is being drained of our resources and many lives being changed for the worse because of all the illegal’s that live in this country without documentation. My first argument against illegal’s being here from Mexico or any other country is the drain on our economy. Many of these workers come here and work in our fields and do jobs that are low wage. They then send the money they earn back to their home country to support their family. Now as far as humanity is concerned everyone has the right to support their own family and ensure that they are well off. However that being said they are taking resources that could be circulating in our own country and instead adding it to another country’s welfare. This for me is one reason why I do not support illegal immigration because that money is very much needed to support our own economy in our current downturn.
My next argument against illegal immigration is the medical situation that is created. In California and other states close to the border, there are hospitals that are closing or are in dire need of financial aid. You see when an illegal immigrant comes in for help they cannot be refused by the doctor or the hospital. It is a part of the oath taken by doctors and I agree that no person should be denied medical care. However the immigrant can’t afford to pay the hospital bill or the doctors fees for their service, so where does the money come from. Well it comes from our taxes. I personally do not like the idea of paying other peoples bills when I can barely make it on my own. And if illegal’s do not help pay taxes I am supporting them as well as my family and that is wrong. I don’t work so hard to support people who do not honor the country and its system. Doctors have to raise their prices for those who can pay to make up for those who can’t hospitals have to raise prices because they cannot afford to stay open if they are not getting funded. And it is getting worse. I have many friends out in California who witness this situation all the time. If I was a doctor and I was not getting paid to work I would either move or charge other who could pay more money. This situation again calls on citizens to support illegal’s who are not adding to this countries worth but only taking away from it. It is hard for all of us to pay medical bills or to pay insurance to companies who charge too high of prices to begin with. Still when you are a doctor what choice do you have when you are not getting paid? And it is not just one or two illegal’s asking for help. No hospitals in California are closing their doors because they cannot afford to stay open because a good deal of their patients are illegal’s and do not have the ability to pay for the bills or the emergency services provided to them. Doctors are leaving hospitals because they are not getting paid and they cannot afford their malpractice insurance. So they either have to move to a place where they will get paid or they have to charge people like you and me higher prices in order to make ends meet. And to pay off their own bills and loans for medical school.
Next there is the crime situation. Many rapes, murders and other crimes have been committed by illegal’s who were criminals to begin with. Then they crossed the border and where not documented. So we do not have their prints or DNA on file. Yes rapes and murders are committed by citizens too but there are many people who did not have to be hurt that were hurt or killed because of the illegal immigration situation. How many crimes have been committed by illegal immigrants? Too many if they want to be a part of this country they should obey the law and honor what this country stands for not hurt it or its citizens in any way. That means economically or physically. I feel that people who cannot enter this country legally are not conducive to following its laws in the first place. That should be a red flag to all those who are in support of immigration. Why won’t they at least enter in on a work visa? Maybe it takes time but if they love this country as much as I do then they will want to follow its laws as well.
One type of crime that has increased because of illegal immigration is drug trafficking. Because our boarders are so often crossed many substances that is harmful not only to the user but to other because of the user are entering our country because of the continuous back and forth crossings of people between Mexico and America. If our country was serious about stopping drug trafficking than they would pay closer attention to those who were coming into our country. Another crime that is gaining speed is the amount of Mexican gangs infiltrating our country. There are more gangs in this country now and more racist gang wars in this country. Now that is not at all to blame on the race of immigrants but first they are in our country and they are in a gang. Bad to begin with second of racism in this country and in other gangs that leads to more violence than we already have. Yes this a rather poor argument but it is there.
Another argument I have to offer is the language barrier. Over the past summer I lived in Italy. I loved the country and its people. I had to jump through a few hoops in order to get a visa and be allowed into that country. I had to be medically fit, have a clean record and most importantly of all be a documented citizen of a country to be allowed into Italy. However when I got there I was expected to know enough Italian to get myself from point A to point b. The Italian people take great offense to those who don’t even try to learn their language. After all it is their country and I cannot expect them like so many others do to make every effort to convenience me. I watched as my fellow Americans were ripped off or received rude service because they expected people to act the way they do or to know English. Than when I went the same Italian and I spoke their language no matter how poorly I did the Italians always treated me with ten times more respect and admiration and I always got better service because I respected them as a people. That being said I loathe the idea of another people coming into our English speaking country and expecting us to change our signs to Spanish, having our schools being taught in two languages and expecting our people to learn their language in order to get by in our native country. That too is wrong. If they want to be a part of our society they need to learn to speak our language. I should not have to learn to speak two languages in my native country because illegals came in and said I don’t understand you so work for me. No I will not do it. It is simply wrong.
My last argument is for legal immigration. I have two friends that are immigrants. The first one is from Scotland, the second is from Brazil. Both face the possibility of not being in this country in the future. My friend from Scotland came into this country to become pastor. He received a seven year visa and worked hard to be a great influence on our society he was a good man and was law abiding. However last year his visa expired and he was forced to go back to Scotland. My friend from brazil is a brilliant engineer and is responsible for many structures right here in fort Collins however his visa is expiring and he dreads going home where he will not anywhere near as good of a job or lifestyle if he stayed here in the united states. Both of these men have worked hard to be a part of this country and contribute to it. I believe that the government should let them stay instead of the illegals. They con tribute to our society yet now because they followed the law they have to go home. Is that fair to them? I believe that this situation needs to be addressed no ignored.

actors in my politics

It seems these days that every actor on the stage and in film who has a big enough name and enough money decide that they want to do their civil duty and go into politics. You look around and all you see is one famous person or another from the screen now deciding your future. My questions are, does this concept worry anyone, what makes them qualified to lead us, why can they get in so easily and we cannot, how did and when did actors start making the cross from film to legislature and should we take them seriously? Should fame decide who you vote for? Whatever happened to credentials?
Okay so I have just rambled off a ton of questions but as I observe in class and through life I wonder why people like Brad Pitt have their words taken so seriously when an esteemed scientist is ignored. No it is not like this in every case however the rich and the famous are heard more than those who actually do the work. When I first started look as this I thought of sex appeal? Yeah I know but hear me out on this one. Ok everyone has heard of a poster child right? For this article I will assume that you have. Maybe one reason why political parties use actors to portray their view is sex appeal. Who is our modern pop culture centered society going to pay more attention to? A guy in a business suit or a white jacket with a stack of notes and books or the hot man or woman we follow in the tabloids and watch movies of? To be honest a lot more people prefer the actor. They have the beauty that draws people to them.
Another factor that influences why people listen to actors more than other plain people is that the actor’s lives are continually thrust upon us by films and media. Also because we demand to know about their personal lives, their political views are going to be brought up. If I am say in love with Edward Norton, ‘yes he is pretty cute,’ I would be interested in what he does off the screen as well. If I adore him and have what some call an acting crush I am more likely to listen to what he says. So say he supports a particular political agenda or a cause. I am probably going to take a second look at that agenda, cause, or even party because I take him as a credible source. Often this happens. People may deny it but in many cases this previous statement does have some merit.
Actors may join the political arena for many reasons, either they generally care about issues; they just want more fans and money or both. Some actors like Ronald Reagan, Angelina Jolie and many others really cared about the lives of others. They did and do generally want to help make the world and this country a better place by making their views public and using their fame for the good of those who are less fortunate. Then again there are actors who want more publicity. I will not name names, but there are a few actors who think by joining politics more people will come to watch them on the screen.
Ok so I have spouted out a few names of our modern actors that have joined up in the political game but an actor involving themselves in politics has been going on for a very long time. One of the first well documented campaigns for an actor in the political sphere was Helen Gahagan Douglas. This woman started off on Broadway but then in 1944 was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. One thing that she is most remembered for is giving Richard Nixon his nick name tricky dick. Another actor that joined the game was Charlton Heston. He was known for being involved in civil rights and the NRA. He gave the NRA a face to put on the posters. People saw his face next to the slogan and knew what he stood for. Another famous household name is Sony Bono. He was an elected republican official. Then there was Arnold Schwarzenegger, we all know his history in the movies and now he is the governor of California. Side not he is much better than the last governor. However why do we take his word over others. I think that his fame is one of the things that made it easier for him to come into politics.
Alright so there are a lot of actors and singers in our politics. What makes them qualified to lead us? And why is their views more important or paid more attention to than other who knows more? I honestly do not have answers for either of these questions. No it is not true all the time however what makes an actor so special that they can lead me or my sate. For example the governator, really? Does he have any training in politics, economics, world social issues, military experience, and social reforms? How can he connect or know what his voters want? He probable does not hang out with everyday people. He is part of an elite class. Like many other actors who were or are in office I feel that they are not really qualified or have enough experience in our system to make informed decisions. But then again half of our current politicians no matter what party they are a part of have no idea about half of the stuff I have mentioned.
Ok so what about all those actors who use their fame to endorse an issue or a political side. My personal opinion that unless it is for a humanitarian cause, don’t do it. You’re an actor I do not care if you are a dem or a rep or a comm, really shut up. I think that it is low and just dumb to include actors in political rings. I don’t want to hear Pairs Hiltons views on anything. I want to hear someone who has a degree. Maybe I am one of few that do but one example of this that will most likely get a lot of comments is Al Gore. I was mad that he got a Nobel Peace Prize. Yeah good cause but he does not even really abide by the system he wants to enforce. He did not do any scientific data or go out in the field. No he put together a power point that came from the data of others work. That is what made me mad. He is not a credible source the guys behind the work should of gotten the prize not him. Yet no one really knows of any scientist who worked or works on global warming analysis. Nope we just know the politicians and actors who have big mouths.
This last section I am writing is my personal views on what should decide political involvement in the higher level aka elected office. If an actor wants to get in on this ok whatever but I believe that every politician should have a well versed background in economics, world history, our own cultures history. They should know why different groups of people disagree and have knowledge about different religions, and how they feel about one another. Being a speech major I would like to see politicians be skilled in the art of giving speeches and not reading off of teleprompters. They should have a good deal of knowledge of military tactics. Manly because if I were in the military I would not want someone who knew nothing of it to lead me or be my commander and chief. Yes these people should have a knowledge of world trade and how it works, they should know about many different cultures so they don’t make too many blunder in other countries. Most of all I feel that actors are more pre-determined to be affected by public opinion rather than standing by what they believe in. that I do not want. I may not agree with a president or an elected official but I respect anyone who stands by their beliefs and does not let the masses tell them what to do.
Alright so I have ranted enough for one day but as you can see I feel that as a country we need to take a closer look at why our rich and famous decide to join politics. Even so should they be able to lead us? Yes it is a free country but as citizens of this free country we also have a responsibility to one another. I encourage everyone not to vote for a actor unless they have the qualifications needed to lead a group of people. Then again that goes for every political player. Actors are just an extreme truth to the fact that not all of our elected officials are qualified to lead. My list earlier should apply to everyone. The most qualified and educated should be leading us, not the most popular or powerful or rich or famous. I know I would feel much safer in my everyday life if I knew that the people who were in office knew more than I did on a subject or a field. So perhaps we should demand that from our leader. A man or woman who has these qualifications is far more likely to win my vote than a pretty face I have seen in the movies.

females in politics

Women in Politics

Political leaders require many things, strength, power, patience, intelligence and a willingness to learn. These are only some of the virtues that should be the qualifications for leading people. However not all people who are leaders are first held up to those standards. What am I talking about? Well I am discussing women in political history. It is my view that no matter what women do, no matter what they accomplish the first thing they will be remembered for is that they were a woman. Almost saying wow a woman could accomplish all this. I know not everyone feels that way but that is how many people act. As human beings we think that the sex life of a woman and her role with males is just as if not more interesting than the things she did to change the world around her. Throughout history there are many examples of this. Why is this?

Throughout our history women were mostly seen either as mothers, sex symbols, whores, or things that got in the way. Ok I know not all women were but what does our history record? One famous example is the story of Cleopatra. She was most noted for her affairs with César and with Mark Anthony. That and well killing herself with a snake bite. However what do all of our movies and books and fictional writers focus on, not the fact that she united two empires, fed millions of people and fought wars, defeated her brother and was basically the last pharaoh, nope they just focused on her body, her sexual habits and her affairs. yes this was a big part of her. However she was more than just her libido.

Another famous example is none other than the good old queen of England herself queen Elizabeth the first. Now days I will admit that we give her the credit she was due. She defeated the Spanish armada, prevented England from going into civil war, encouraged our greatest English writers and united England in many other ways. However today and most of all back then she was known first and foremost as the virgin queen. Her sex life was more important to her people than the decisions she made for them day to day. I must say I felt sorry for her I feel sorry for her. Excuse my poor grammar. People always wondering who she was going to marry was more important than who she was leading.

One exception in most ways to my argument is Joan of Ark. Except for the pants issue she was most noted for her visions and leading the French people to freedom and independence from outside English influences.

Ok now that I have mentioned many women in the past I will touch on our modern political women leaders. First let us look at our own lady in the white house Hillary Clinton. After class I was shocked at what I saw. Ok so I am a republican but I was sad and angry at those people who were yelling iron my shirt b… . I mean seriously how people can do that. I may not agree with the woman on a ton of issues but I do admire for one thing. That one thing is that she is willing to step out into the political arena and let her voice be heard. As I heard those chants it only proves my statement all the more. Society still views that women should be in the home barefoot and pregnant. Yeah it made me angry and ashamed of my own party. We should be encouraging every citizen to get into the political arena and not make it hard or difficult for anyone based on race or gender or religion. Will this kind of stuff ever stop?

As a young woman in school I barely heard about women’s suffrage. When I did it was not really stressed as all that important. However these women wanted to say that no their husbands do not represent them in their views. They wanted to choose who was going to lead them instead of other choosing for them. They wanted to be equal citizens. For if women were under the law of the united states they should be able to take part in shaping those laws and their own futures. I admire those women who worked so hard to give me and my other women kind a voice in our system. Also I admire any woman who goes out into the political sphere.

I see women like Clinton, Palin, Pelosi, Dole, and many others go out and fight for their beliefs. They do not dress in household dresses nor do they dress like hoes, they dress like business professionals. So why can we not treat them like professionals? Why can we not as the most free country in the world get over the fact that yes they are women but no they are no less smart or efficient. I am sad to say that I have heard from many that women do not have what it takes to lead a military. That they cannot make the kill. Well we can but also it should be celebrated that we think of everything else first before we think of killing.

Ok maybe I got a little carried away there. However there is merit in what I said. As women how often are we told that it is a man’s world and that often we just have to accept that. I don’t know maybe I am wrong but I feel that in this world a woman can either be a house wife a career obsessed beast or a whore. Personally I do not want to want to be any of those things. However when women such as those I have mentioned before try they are treated in terrible ways. I know that I would crumble if people were yelling at me to iron their shirts. Is this what I want to go after no way not if women are treated like this no matter what party they are a part of?

I know that in many ways I could be mistaken however I do believe that I am not. Woman in politics should not be looked at for their fashion, their hair, their sexual activities, or their abilities to be a mother. They should instead be looked at for their ability and to make an educated decision based on the research they have conducted. They should be given a chance be women of good moral fiber and not just women who want to play with the big boys. Women have the ability to lead a country and county a state or a school board. They also have the ability to live the way they want to without it being extorted by the media when a man in the same position would have no questions at all raised about him.

Last I implore my fellow women in our society look up in history how hard other women have worked so hard to give you the chances they never have. Also stand tall and insist that you be look at for more than just your breast size or how long your skirt is. Honestly we have to stand together and insist that we are more than just the female of a species but equally important participants in our society and we deserve the credit we deserve. Stop saying that it is harder for a woman than it is for a man. Today it may be harder for us but by working together we can show the rest of the world that it will not be that way for long. No one day perhaps we will be treated equally as men. We will not have to deal with men shouting iron our shirt or how high does your skirt go up. No one day we will be seen as we should be as citizens of this country.