Let me just specify that I'm really fond of the musical group called the "Dixie Chicks". Mainly because I saw them perform live for a small technical conference I attended back in 1995 in Dallas - before they were famous, as they say.
They are extremely talented and make great music. No doubt about it.
So, I was a little disheartned when their career derailed back in 2003 because of a political comment that singer Natalie Mains made on a stage in London right before our battle in Iraq commenced. She said that she was "ashamed that President Bush is from our state", or something like that.
That little comment caused a firestorm, and their career tanked. Off the radio, decreased CD sales, and as they tell it - death threats.
What they never really got was this: people weren't that mad about what she said, just where she said it. We are tired of celebrities going overseas to bash the President. If you're that brave, say it in Dallas not London. Dixie Chickens.
I forgave them quickly. I mean really. Do I care what Natalie thinks about Bush and the war? Really. Forgive and forget and lets get the fiddles going.
At least that's what I thought. Apparently, it's not reciprocal.
In a massive strike of career suicide, the Chicks have come out swinging with their first song off their long awaited new album called "Not Ready to Make Nice". They are still angry about the backlash to her statement. So, out they come with this angry screed aimed at their audience.
Not ready to make nice?
Who asked you to? Wasnt' me. I'm living quite nicely without spending $15 for this.
Have a nice life Natalie, Emily, and Martie.
Sunday, May 14, 2006
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
of Heroes and Murderers
I saw "United 93" on opening day last Friday. You know the story. You know how it ends.
Let me just say that I would encourage everyone who's even thinking about seeing it to see it. It's an extremely powerful movie that's brilliantly done.
My experience was apparently like others who's reviews I've read. The theater was silent, with the audience gripped by the intensity and emotion of the film. When the lights came up everyone just sat for a minute and then filed out silently like a funeral procession.
I wanted to scream a profanity at the scream, but suppressed that urge. I was angry at the end. For good reason. I had just watched the true story of the first counterattack in the war on terror.
Don't worry about the movie clashing with your politics. The movie is devoid of politics. There's no agenda or opinion pushed. There's no context at all, in fact. It's just a real time presentation of the events of that fateful morning. You think for yourself. You decide it's meaning.
Go. See. Remember. It's the least we can do to remember those who first fought back.
Let me just say that I would encourage everyone who's even thinking about seeing it to see it. It's an extremely powerful movie that's brilliantly done.
My experience was apparently like others who's reviews I've read. The theater was silent, with the audience gripped by the intensity and emotion of the film. When the lights came up everyone just sat for a minute and then filed out silently like a funeral procession.
I wanted to scream a profanity at the scream, but suppressed that urge. I was angry at the end. For good reason. I had just watched the true story of the first counterattack in the war on terror.
Don't worry about the movie clashing with your politics. The movie is devoid of politics. There's no agenda or opinion pushed. There's no context at all, in fact. It's just a real time presentation of the events of that fateful morning. You think for yourself. You decide it's meaning.
Go. See. Remember. It's the least we can do to remember those who first fought back.
We Need Clarity on Immigration
The flareup of immigration issues in the last month, including Congress's attempts at "immigration reform" and the resulting marches by hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens, gives us all a second chance at civics class. We need clarity on this issue in a big way.
I have some thoughts:
First, it's clearly a huge problem. When a constituent group can generate mass rallies which threaten to "shut down" American cities - you've got a problem.
Second, no one hates the illegals. America is a very welcoming country with a strong sense of rooting for immigrants. Most of us can completely understand someone's desire to leave a country that is saturated with poverty and corruption to try to make a better life here. Most Americans believe that we should welcome as many good people as we can from all over the world as we can reasonably assimilate.
Third, we can't welcome everyone. We just can't. There has to be an orderly control of the borders which admits only the number of people we can absorb.
Fourth, if you're not in that number you can't just break into the country. It's trespassing, and it's illegal. Plus, when 12 million people do it it's an invasion.
Fifth, the marchers have intentionally poked their fingers in our eyes. It's as if:
Someone broke into our house (illegal border crossing), ate all of the food in our refridgerator (use public schools, emergency rooms, etc), and then get mad at us for not giving them the spare key to the house yet (immigrant rights now!), and by the way - why haven't we adopted them yet? (today we march - tomorrow we vote!)
Unbelievable ingrattitude.
Sixth, politicians from both parties are completely out of tune with mainstream America on this one. Enough of the platitudes like "they're doing jobs Americans won't do" and "we can't have a mass deportation". Americans will do the jobs if the wages are not depressed by an illegal market. And surrender to the problem is not a policy.
For clarity, let me state my position on it:
- America has a right, and a duty, to control it's borders as any sovereign state does.
- Congress has already passed laws defining border control and immigration policy, including setting the limit of how many people we can reasonably assimilate
- Congress and the several presidential administrations have been seriously negligent in enforcing those laws for the last twenty years, resulting in an illegal population 12 million strong willing to make threats to shut down our cities.
- Congress and the Bush Administration have exactly no credibility on immigration reform, given a twenty year track record of dereliction which has allowed the flouting of our laws and sovereignty to the tune of 12 million illegals within our borders.
- In spite of that, Congress and the Bush Administration need to establish immediate control of our border and enforcement of our laws by:
- securing the border immediately. Build a wall now.
- Deporting everyone that comes into contact with law enforcement that is not in the country legally
- Punishing heavily businesses that hire illegal aliens - which depresses the wage scale for Americans. I would start with the businesses, like Tyson foods, that had to shut their doors yesterday during the boycott because their illegal workers were at the rallies. Fine those CEO's to the maximum extent of the law.
Enough foolishness on this issue. We need clarity. And we need public officials Republicans and Democrats - to follow the law.
I have some thoughts:
First, it's clearly a huge problem. When a constituent group can generate mass rallies which threaten to "shut down" American cities - you've got a problem.
Second, no one hates the illegals. America is a very welcoming country with a strong sense of rooting for immigrants. Most of us can completely understand someone's desire to leave a country that is saturated with poverty and corruption to try to make a better life here. Most Americans believe that we should welcome as many good people as we can from all over the world as we can reasonably assimilate.
Third, we can't welcome everyone. We just can't. There has to be an orderly control of the borders which admits only the number of people we can absorb.
Fourth, if you're not in that number you can't just break into the country. It's trespassing, and it's illegal. Plus, when 12 million people do it it's an invasion.
Fifth, the marchers have intentionally poked their fingers in our eyes. It's as if:
Someone broke into our house (illegal border crossing), ate all of the food in our refridgerator (use public schools, emergency rooms, etc), and then get mad at us for not giving them the spare key to the house yet (immigrant rights now!), and by the way - why haven't we adopted them yet? (today we march - tomorrow we vote!)
Unbelievable ingrattitude.
Sixth, politicians from both parties are completely out of tune with mainstream America on this one. Enough of the platitudes like "they're doing jobs Americans won't do" and "we can't have a mass deportation". Americans will do the jobs if the wages are not depressed by an illegal market. And surrender to the problem is not a policy.
For clarity, let me state my position on it:
- America has a right, and a duty, to control it's borders as any sovereign state does.
- Congress has already passed laws defining border control and immigration policy, including setting the limit of how many people we can reasonably assimilate
- Congress and the several presidential administrations have been seriously negligent in enforcing those laws for the last twenty years, resulting in an illegal population 12 million strong willing to make threats to shut down our cities.
- Congress and the Bush Administration have exactly no credibility on immigration reform, given a twenty year track record of dereliction which has allowed the flouting of our laws and sovereignty to the tune of 12 million illegals within our borders.
- In spite of that, Congress and the Bush Administration need to establish immediate control of our border and enforcement of our laws by:
- securing the border immediately. Build a wall now.
- Deporting everyone that comes into contact with law enforcement that is not in the country legally
- Punishing heavily businesses that hire illegal aliens - which depresses the wage scale for Americans. I would start with the businesses, like Tyson foods, that had to shut their doors yesterday during the boycott because their illegal workers were at the rallies. Fine those CEO's to the maximum extent of the law.
Enough foolishness on this issue. We need clarity. And we need public officials Republicans and Democrats - to follow the law.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)