U.S. immigration policy totally inconsistent

Like most things surrounding the Bush Administration, the U.S. immigration policy is a web of totally inconsistent legislation and priorities.
If you come to this country illegally from MEXICO, there are hundreds of thousands (perhaps millions) of "Americans" (themselves all ancestors of immigrants) who want to throw you out on your Latino ass. That stands regardless of being productive, law-abiding people who merely want a better life.
BUT if you are from Cuba, you are treated FAR differently. Because of the undue political influence of ultra-conservative Cubano voters in south Florida, and those votes going to the Republicna party, illegal immigrants from Cuba, wanting a better life, are given special privileges.
The Cuban Adjustment Act was adopted by Congress on Nov. 2, 1966, under the Lyndon Johnson administration. Its main purpose was to change the legal status of Cuban immigrants - to become "political refugees" and to grant them asylum. That would mean immediate access to the legal system and welfare benefits not given to other groups (automatic permanent residence status - all without review and without the normal processing time).
The Immigration and Naturalization Service policy was updated in the 1990s to become the "wet foot, dry foot" policy, acknowledged just a few days ago by the White House. That means Cubans who reach U.S. soil are allowed to stay; those caught at sea usually are sent home.
If this nation wants consistent immigration reform and control of its borders, then such enforcement MUST be across-the-board, regardless of country of origin. We profess to hate Fidel Castro and love Vicente Fox but Senor Fox's actions often demonstrate that he is NOT our compadre. However, the Mexican-American community still lacks the concentrated political strength as exhibited by their Cuban brethren.
The entire debate centers on the wrong issue. It's just like the phony War on Drugs. Instead of attacking the suppliers (much more difficult since they often exist outside our borders), the "demand" situation is the area to attack. Kill the demand and the supply will dry up.
If the United States government decides to make it VERY painful for U.S. employers to openly desire to hire (illegal workers on the cheap), then the supply to dwindle. But that seems quite unlikely because there is no political will to challenge to business lobby. One shriek of "higher prices" is enough to stifle any meaningful debate.
And that's la verdad. The Truth.

Assholes in the airport

True fucking story.

I was flying un-American Airlines (the worst of the worst) back to DFW from Las Vegas last Saturday. I can speak to the tininess of airline seating these days and other unfriendly aspects of air travel (remember when it was actually ... fun?), but here is a true story that involves the stupidity that we call "airport security."

Because I must walk with a cane these days (real bad back problems), at McCarren (a nightmare of a layout and one of the most unfriendly venues for handicapped people), I was allowed to go through a separate line for us handicapped. However, the line was stalled for many minutes and a large huddle of men crowded around the baggage scanner, pointing fingers and deploying long faces.

Finally, the line moved, but when it came my turn to go through, I was asked to remove my shoes, which I could not do (no place to sit and no way to bend over to do that). In Dallas, they merely wanded my shoes with a device and things were peachy.

In Vegas, I was ushered to a separate goddamn area, told to sit my ass down and immediately wiped down (shoes and hands) with treated pads, which were put into some machine. Thi, I was told, was to search for drug residue. Because I had a cane? Bullshit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was then patted down by some guy, front, back and in between, despite having nothing in my pockets or on my body (I placed all that shit in a bowl prior). Meanwhile, the whole line is staring at me - wondering what in the fuck is going on.

Did I look like, or walk like, someone who was dangerous? And with three different TSA personnel stating oppisite orders at once, I had no idea what their problem was.

I then discovered the reason for the line delay. A woman, who shall be titled "The Bitch," ahead of me had tried to take a pen knife in her purse (despite ample signs and videos every five feet to the contrary). At first, it displayed on the security screen. When the TSA personnel asked The Bitch to run the purse through again, it was gone, drawing more concerns and long faces.

Seems as if this mental midget fool took the knife out of the purse and put it ... in her goddamn pocket. How fucking ignorant can a person be????

They discovered her bait-and-switch and confiscated the knife. But they then allowed The Bitch to move through without any other action. I got frisked; she got a pass.

WHAT'S UP WITH THAT?????????????????????

Add to the idiocy the fact that in a space of 45 feet, you must show your boarding pass FIVE fucking times, including twice in a distance of 7 feet. WHY? It infuriated my wife to the point of verbally snapping a TSA guy's head off.

It was just too much! It makes air travel as unpleasant as a rectal exam. In fact, my ass felt better after seeing the doctor than sitting in a flying fucking cigar tube for three hours. It is absurd and the public allows itself to be treated this way.

I don't feel safer when I feel put upon. I hate airports; I hate airlines; I hate Transportation Safety Administration. I hate American Airlines. And I hate idiot bitches who can't read, and don't think, when trying to bend the rules (what year is it again?).

We have allowed our freedoms to be compromised because of some false sense of security. Want security? Go suck your thumb and grab a blanket, you faggot Linuses!!!!!!!!

Muslim respect not an automatic; must be earned

I am amazed at how this country now handles those who practice, and profess, to believe in Islam with kid gloves when it comes to the abhorrent behavior of followers who do harmful things in the name of Allah.
This UNC student who deliberately drove into a crowd of Tar Heels last week, "on a sign from Allah," to spread his mixed-up faith (that revenge should be taken for Americans killing Muslims when it apparently doesn't work in reverse) has not received the outwardly vocal condemnation of even American Muslims.
Why? It is because the current perception holds that ANYTHING said negatively about Islam is immediately called "racist?" That's bullshit of the highest degree.
If it were a Klansman driving into a crowd of black students, Christian (and Jewish) groups would be signalling outrage. Why no such reaction, on anything like this or many, MANY other incidents?
Once upon a time, we as a people spoke truth. And the truth is you cannot go around killing, or injuring, innocent people, and expect automatic love because you say you "believe" in something.
"Respect is earned," Jock Ewing once told Bobby. "It is not given."