Illegal Immigrants

I keep getting e-mails from friends with ideas about how to solve the problem of illegal immigrants. They range from idiotic to just plain stupid. A 20 foot fence doesn't work, just check out San Diego or El Paso. They have great fences, but the folks wanting in just dig longer tunnels or use bigger wire cutters. Beefed up Border Patrol doesn't work any better, see previous statement. My solution is more radical than others that have been suggested. Make certain that there are good paying jobs available in Mexico and all of Central and South America for all who want to work. Then we might reverse the movement across the border. The people who risk (and sometimes lose) their lives to get into the US don't do it to become criminals, they come because the low paying jobs available to them here are better than starving at home. They even manage to send money home to support families back there. We have been waging a war on drugs for years and we have failed miserably. We have tried all of the different suggestions and none have worked. The lure is just too much to resist for those who do the smuggling. The same is true for those coming to the US to work, the money is much less than the drugs bring, but the money is so much better than back home. Living 10 to an apartment with running water and electricity is a helluva lot better than living in a cardboard shack with no water or electricity. Our Christian ethics demand that we help these unfortunate people any way we can. Let's try getting work for them where they live so that they can supply their families with the basic essentials for life and then some. Then there will be all that field work at minimum wage for the unemployed in the US. I'm sure that they will leap at the chance for those jobs. I sometimes feel that we are like the proverbial Dog in the Manger. We don't really want those low income back breaking jobs, but we don't want those illegals taking them either.

Another idea! Why not have a one world nation with no borders.

Goodby Old Fart

I read that Opinionated Old Fart was going to stop writing his blog. His was the first blog I ever read and I was impressed with his writing. So impressed, that I decided to try this blogging stuff myself. I know that I can never achieve his great level of writing but I feel that I can at least say what's on my mind. I know that he had a great following who will miss his wisdom greatly. I never commented on anything he had to say I read him as often as I could. He will be missed. Old Fart I never really knew ye, but farewell and come back to us whenever the muse strikes you. You are a strong voice for those of us who don't think liberal is a bad word. I'll have to get my liberal fix somewhere else.

College Football

Just finished watching the Ohio State - Florida Championship Football game. Much like many Superbowls, this one was a bust. Florida played a good game and Ohio State forgot to show up. I've seen a lot of writing about the need for a playoff setup rather than the current BCS charade. I fear that the same arrogance that permeates the BCS would somehow be manifest in a playoff plan. Something like SEC schools and Notre Dame would get to have a replay if they lost a game in the playoffs because they are inherently better than other teams. They could use a plan like the OSAA uses in its State Football playoffs. The 1 and 2 teams from each conference would be placed in a bracket that was drawn before the season begins. A new bracket is drawn each year at random with #1's playing #2's from different conferences. Like basketball they could have the final four in a double header or something. Unfortunately, big bucks will rule whatever happens. Personally, even though I am not a Boise State fan, I think they should be National Champions. They are the only undefeated Division I team left.

New Blog

I somehow lost my other blog, "Rural Rantings" in the changeover from Beta Blogger. I used to think I was pretty hip with this computer stuff, but I sometimes feel that I'm getting passed by as computers continue to advance more rapidly than I. I suspect if I go back to the other blog I will be able to get it to transfer over to Google blogspot. If not I can live with this new blog. Finding a new name is somewhat daunting. There are a lot of names already taken, but I finally found one, Rural Church Mouse. I guess I'll have to try out my sermons on here first. Since I don't think anyone reads this, no one can complain about my liberal bent. I come by my liberalism from my father who was a dyed in the wool Socialist. He voted for Norman Thomas even when he wasn't running. I don't think I am a Socialist, but I sure feel like a misfit in Malheur County, Oregon. This is one of those rural red counties in a blue state. Ironic that the conservatives have been labeled Red. When we first moved to this part of the state we were shocked by the John Birch and Impeach Earl Warrren billboards along the highways. To call someone Red was the epitome of blasphemy, they couldn't be one of them Godless Communists! That's what a Red was! Now they're proud to be among the Reds, and not them Godless liberal anti-Christs. I find it difficult to understand what is wrong with wanting to help your less fortunate fellow human beings. I guess I'll just have to keep preaching that God is Love, He doesn't hate anyone.