"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free. The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless tempest- tossed to me. I lift my lamp beside the golden door."

With these very words, my Grandparents entered the United States in order to make a life beyond one they lived in Italy. They came in the early 1900's, traveling by boat; with the understanding that it was a *crap-shoot* whether they would be able to remain or not. In their case, they were fortunate that no one was even slightly ill, for this could be cause for them to be deported back. Their first stop was Ellis Island, and from there the families settled in Boston and Pittsburg. This would make me second generation on my mothers side. My fathers family has history that dated all the way back to the Pilgrims and the Mayflower. So put this altogether and you have what is commonly known as "American": the blend of cultures, the spirit of freedom, and the land of opportunity.

This is all not lost on the immigrants of today. Many still do cross the borders legally, and for many of the same reasons my Grandparents did. To those people, I have the highest regard for their efforts to become acclimated into American society. To make an honest endeavor to leave all you knew behind, and bank your future on a country completely foreign to you is indeed a brave adventure.

However, we now have an influx of immigrants that have not gone through proper channels to be here. This is no secret, and has been the subject of debate for many years. We're all just really waking up to it now since it's become a topic for our political candidates to wrap themselves around, while positioning themselves to be the next occupants of the White House. While positions are being jockied to do the correct thing, much is being lost in what course to take.

Because we are a nation of free-thinkers (some freer than others) comments have heated the debate from all sides. If you were to read a comment from a KKK member, he would tell you that they all have to go; only whites are Americans. But then that assessment would also include Jews, Catholics, Blacks, etc, etc..... I sometimes wonder if they remember that their forefathers were immigrants once. A migrant worker from Mexico would debate that they are here because they are only doing the job of some American who doesn't choose to do manual labor. Well, I tend to think they are closer to the issue than the KKK member.... but then that's because we put them in that postion in the first place. Let's face it, in no way would we want to do some of the jobs that the migrant workers do. Aren't we always preaching to our kids that they need a good education so they won't end up flipping burgers for a living? That's because we have higher aspirations for ourselves and our children, whether we are willing to admit it or not. It's not a bad thing necessarily; all our forefathers came to this country with the same idea in mind: a better life for my family, even if it means I do manual work as a first generation immigrant. It was a necessary pill for them to swallow mostly due to language barriers. However, these forefathers of ours came in through legal channels, which is not our current situation. Yeah, no doubt some rogue immigrants did sneak in illegally, but not in the numbers we see today.

But the issue remains at a stalemate because we were asleep at the wheel long enough in our greed to tend to it before it got out of hand.... the numbers are a staggering 12 million illegal immigrants to date.... if not more. So what to do now? Well it's not like you can just round everybody up and show them to the border and say: KEEP OUT! That seems like a reasonable answer, but the practicality of it doesn't solve the issue. It's only a matter of time before re-entry into the US is imminent to their plans. What we need to do is seal our borders off, and make it damn near impossible for them to get in to begin with. The population already here needs to get themselves registered for citizenship and face the same *proper channels* our forefathers did, or face immediate deportation. Seems harsh, but this is serious business and demands action before the numbers triple..... and at our current rate, that's not too far off into the future. If they prove to be serious about being in the United States, then they can comply with the rules we live with everyday; if not, they need to return to the country of their origin.... or whoever else will take them. They should not be allowed to handicap our system, for they have no rights here as citizens.... just as I would have no rights in their country.

For those willing to risk their past life on a new future in America, I say we hand them the * Bill of No Rights*, just so they know what they are getting into by being here. As a matter of fact, we Americans should follow a few of it's examples; if for nothing else, it makes complete common sense, and might clarify a few things for everybody.

* The Bill of No Rights *

We, the sensible people of the United States, in an attempt to help everyone get along, restore some semblence of justice, avoid any more riots, keep our nation safe, promote positive behavior, and secure the blessings of debt free liberty to ourselves and our great-great-great- grandchildren., hereby try one more time to ordain and establish some common sense guidelines for the terminally whinny, guiltridden, delusional, and other bed-wetters.

We hold these truths to be self-evident: that a whole lot of people are confused by the Bill of Rights and are so dim that they require a Bill of No Rights.

Article I: You do not have the right to a new car, big screen TV or any other form of wealth. More power to you if you can legally acquire them, but no one is guaranteeing anything.

Article II: You do not have the right to never be offended. This country is based on freedom, and that means freedom for everyone-- not just you! You may leave the room, turn the channel, express a different opinion, etc., but the world is full of idiots, and probably always will be.

Article III: You do not have the right to be free from harm. If you stick a screwdriver in your eye, learn to be more careful, do not expect the tool manufacturer to make you and all your relatives independently wealthy.

Article IV: You do not have the right to free food and housing. Americans are the most charitable people to be found, and will gladly help anyone in need, but we are quickly growing weary of subsidizing generation after generation of professional couch-potatoes who achieve nothing more than the creation of another generation of couch-potatoes.

Article V: You do not have the right to free health care. That would be nice, but from the looks of public housing, we're just not interested in public health care.

Article VI: You do not have the right to physically harm other people. If you kidnap, rape, intentionally maim or kill someone, don't be surprised if the rest of us want to see you fry in the electric chair.

Article VII: You do not have the right to the possessions of others. If you rob, cheat or coerce away the goods or services of other citizens, don't be surprised if the rest of us get together and lock you away in a place where you still won't have the right to a big screen color TV or a life of leisure.

Article VIII: You don't have the right to demand that our children risk their lives in foreign wars to soothe your aching conscience. We hate oppressive governments and won't lift a finger to stop you from going to fight if you'd like. However, we do not enjoy parenting the entire world and do not want to spend so much of our time battling each and every little tyrant with a military uniform and a funny hat.

Article IX: You don't have the right to a job. All of us sure want you to have a job, and will gladly help you along in hard times, but we expect you to take advantage of the opportunities of education and vocational training laid before you to make yourself useful.

Article X: You do not have the right to happiness. Being an American means that you have a right to PERSUE happiness--- which, by the way, is a lot easier if you are unencumbered of idiotic laws created by those of you who were confused by the Bill of Rights.

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Perhaps these words written by Libertarian writer and US Senate candidate Lewis Napper might be a bit ungracious, but it might be time that we remember common sense rationale for which this country was founded on. This country wasn't founded for free-loaders, be it illegal immigrants or naturalized citizens, to abuse. It was for huddled masses of oppression to hold up to the world as a better plan to govern it's people. Why do we have such a hard time doing that, and instead have become a laughing stock to the rest of the world?...... but then that's a post for another day.