Tommy

This poem, by Rudyard Kipling (a favorite author of mine), was sent to me by Marine Sgt. Nate DeWeerd, a longtime reader. It was not written about American soldiers, but I think after reading you’ll see why it still applies.

Tommy
by Rudyard Kipling

I went into a public house to get a pint of cheer.
The owner up and says, “We serve no Red Coats here”.
The girls behind the bar, they laughed and giggled fit to die.
I’m out into the street again and to myself says I;

O it’s Tommy this, and Tommy that, an’ Tommy go away.
But it’s “Thank you Mister tdkins”, when the band begins to play.
The band begins to play my boys, the band begins to play.
O it’s “Thank you Mister Atkins, when the band begins to play.

Yes, making mock of uniforms that guard you while you sleep.
Is cheaper than them uniforms, and they are starving cheap.
An’ hustlin’ drunken soldiers when they’re going large a bit.
Is five times better than parading in full kit.

Then it’s Tommy this, and Tommy that, and “Tommy, own your soul”?
But it’s “thin red line of heroes, when the drums begin to roll.
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll.
O it’s “thin red line of heroes” when the drums begin to roll.

We aren’t no thin red heroes, nor we aren’t no black guards too.
But single men in barracks, most remarkable like you.
And if sometimes our conduct ain’t all you fancy paints.
Why, single men in barracks don’t grow into plaster saints.

While it’s Tommy this, and Tommy that, and Tommy fall be’ind.
But it’s “Please to walk in front, sir,” when there’s trouble in the wind.
There’s trouble in the wind, my boys, there’s trouble in the wind.
O it’s “Please to walk in front, sir”, when there’s trouble in the wind.

You talk o’ better food for us, and schools, and fires, and all.
We’ll wait for extra rations if you treat us rational.
Don’t mess about the cook room slops, but prove it to our face.
The widow’s uniform is not the soldier-man’s disgrace.

For it’s Tommy this, and Tommy that, and “Chuck him out, the brute!”
But it’s “Savior of this country” when the guns begin to shoot.
And it’s Tommy this and Tommy that, and anytime you please.
And Tommy ain’t a bloomin’ fool - you bet that Tommy sees.

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American Students Retaliate Against Flag Dishonoring

*****************UPDATED, SCROLL DOWN******************

I heard about this incident in Phoenix early this morning, but couldn’t find a news link for it until now. Hispanic students who raised the Mexican flag over the American flag at their high school - in front of the Navy ROTC building, no less - were shocked when other students yanked down the Mexican flag…and BURNED IT! It’s not clear if the students were ROTC, though I’d like to think they were.

This week’s tensions over immigration reform literally caught fire in the East Valley on Thursday when students raised a Mexican flag over Apache Junction High School — and then other students yanked it down and burned it.

God bless ‘em for doing what the rest of us would dearly love to do.

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UPDATE APR 1: The principal of the Apache Junction High School school is Mr. Wilson. His email is: cwilson@ajhs.ajusd.org. His phone number is: 480-474-3980 ext. 2303

From FR with thanks to Crystal

Just got home from work, and was listening to Joe Crummy on KFYI interview one of the dads of the kids that burned the Mexican flag:

Apparently, his kid was arrested by AJ [Apache Junction] Police and was held in detention in Florence all day yesterday. Charged with Arson. It took all of their savings to get a retainer for an atty.

It gets better. The family is now getting death threats. They were informed by police that there are those trying to find out where the family lives, and are going after them. AJ police stated to the father, there is nothing they can do about it, until someone actually shows up on their property.

Also, there was another kid from the school (Rod, who said he was a “future” Marine) read that letter from the school, forbidding any kid to wear any article of clothing resembling or representing a flag, no matter what country it represents.

He said emphatically, that he will wear the US Flag to school Monday.

The principal’s quote about banning all flag-related items, including the American flag, went something like this:

“We want to make sure for both the kids and the adults that no one expresses their opinion in a way that’s offensive to others.”

UPDATE 2: More from FR

I heard that same radio show and there are more details. This happened before school started. The Mexican kids had brought a Mexican flag to work and ran it up the ROTC flagpole. Some ROTC students went over and asked them to take it down but they wouldn’t. So the ROTC guys ran it down, removed it, and gave it back to the Mexicans. As soon as they left, the Mexicans ran it back up the flagpole again. That’s when the ROTC kids took it down and burned it, and the scuffling started.

The dad said that his son has been in ROTC for 3 years and is proud of it, planning to be a military officer. Said that the AJ PD decided to make an example of him so charged him with two felony counts - arson and something like interfering with an educational institution.

Since the dad used all of his savings to retain an attorney, I would expect that the radio station would be trying to set up a fund to help defray his costs. If so, Freepers can check back at www.kfyi.com periodically to see if that fund is available.

This makes me angry and I hope the kid is exonerated because in my opinion he and his friends are heroes.

My question is this: Burning an American flag is considered free speech, but burning a Mexican flag is a felony? WTF? Is this America, y’all? What friggin’ country am I in?

Here’s a link to the local radio station. They appear to be following the story.

What bothers me about these police not doing anything until those threatening are on property is that thy don’t need to step foot on their property to do a drive-by.

Right. Not a thing they can do about it.

That kid, ROTC, has never ever been in trouble. And he’s the one that spends the entire day in jail.

Those people need body guards now.

When Joe Crummy asked the father what his wife thought about all of this, he just said that she’s been crying the entire time.

My heart goes out to them. I will pitch in for their defense fund. This is absolutely sickening. And I tell you what, that family’s “neighbors” (here in the East Valley and environs) will not stand or put up with it.

It’s going to get ugly.

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Jill Carroll - Traitor Or Under Duress?

Yesterday morning, I posted that Jill Carroll had been released, and sarcastically noted how enamored she seemed to be of her erstwhile captors (much like the CPT hostages released last week). I also provided a link to a video of her post-release interview. (Here’s an additional video link.) In the video, she said that she did not know why she had been released, and that it was just “such a surprise” to her. She claimed that her captors just showed up in her room and told her she was free.

With no details forthcoming, Down and Dirty asks the obvious, “But WHY was she released?” Was there a ransom paid? If the American government was involved wouldn’t that indicate they are now dealing with terrorists? Isn’t that a policy shift in a direction we swore never to go?

Well, now a video has surfaced on a terrorist website of Jill practicing her lines before being released. In the video uncovered by ABC News, Carroll is shown being interviewed by an unknown person and refers to her imminent release.

I think it has all of a sudden become quite clear WHY Jill Carroll was relased. She is a Pallywood-style PR weapon that has just been launched.

Below is a transcription of the astonishing video and my comments on it:

[Read more]

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May 1st - A Day Without Latinos

Great - I’m ALL FOR IT!!

The organizational geniuses behind the latest slew of illegal immigrants rioting in our streets are planning a Day Without Latinos on May 1st. Based upon the self-indulgent and utterly stupid premise of the movie, “A Day Without A Mexican”, and believing that the American economy with absolutely collapse if Mexican workers don’t show up for a day, they are rallying illegals to do exactly that on May 1st.

I suggest that able-bodied American workers, especially those hundreds of thousands of unemployed Katrina victims, show up and just TAKE back those jobs the Latinos will be walking away from.

In fact, I suggest that true Americans show exactly how they feel and refuse to accept any and all labor from illegal immigrants! You can’t do anything about the behind-the-scenes employment of businesses everywhere except boycott them if you know they hire illegals. But there are things you can do to free yourself from personal dependence on illegal labor! Get your kids off the computer and away from the TV and get them to mow your lawn! Fire your Mexican nanny and spend time with your own sweet kids, or hire an American babysitter. Wash your own dishes or hire an American teenager, flip your own burgers or hire an American cook, clean your own house or hire an American maid service! We’ll see exactly what happens to the American economy when Americans do the work that had always been done by Americans before. And an added side benefit? We’ll have better kids who know how to work!

How about making that your lifestyle?! I have, and I’m none the worse for wear. I get along JUST FINE without ever hiring an illegal alien. Try it!

*********************************

UPDATE: I found some interesting info on this particular date they’ve chosen for a Day Without Latinos:

International Workers’ Day is an international holiday in many countries around the world, but not English-speaking countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom. In most of the world, except in the US, Labor Day is celebrated on the 1st of May in remembrance of the 1886 Haymarket Riot. The adoption of May Day around this time by socialists and communists as their primary holiday cements official resistance to this expression of the day in the US.

Nevertheless, May Day has long been a focal point for demonstrations by various socialist, communist, and anarchist groups. In the 20th century, the holiday received the official endorsement of the Soviet Union; celebrations in communist countries during the Cold War era often consisted of large military parades and shows of common people in support of the government.

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Injured Soldier Needs Our Help!

Take a break from the illegal immigration fight, and do something for our of our best and brightest - an American soldier. I got this email this morning and I know that our readers will do everything they can to help!

“There is a young soldier (a 23 year old Tennessee National Guardsman) named Sgt. Kevin Downs. He was blown out of his tank in Baghdad a year ago and left with no feet, mangled arms, and burns over 60% of his body. He is a Tennessee boy. Everyone else in the tank was killed. His condition is not good. A surgery to improve the use of fingers on one hand inadvertently caused previous skin grafts to break down, and the grafts on his legs are cracking as well and may require beginning over at square one.”

“Kevin is tired and low in spirits. He needs our prayers and support through cards. Would you please send him a note or card to let him know you are thinking about him? Remember him in your prayers as well.”

“Now I am going to ask a special favor from me. Would you please send this to as many people that you can in your e-mail addresses? Send this link and introduce Kevin to your e-mail buddies. I would love to see him get cards from everywhere and hopefully he will know that people all over the country appreciate him leaving the safety of his home and country and fighting for our freedoms. I personally have never met Kevin or his family but when my minister let us know that Kevin needed a lift, I couldn’t keep quiet. I love America and know that it could very well be one of my family members. Thank you for all that you will do.”

Every little card and prayer will help!

For those who fought for it, Freedom has a flavor the protected will never know.
All gave some, some gave all.

Thanks again!

Rocky
VA Rep., Chapter XVII, 173rd Airborne Brigade (Sep)
VA Rep.,C/75 Airborne Rangers
VA Service Officer, American Legion, Post #3
Patriot Guard, American Legion Riders

His address is:

Sgt. Kevin Downs
Brooke Army Medical Center
3851 Roger Brooke Drive Bldg 3600
Fort Sam Houston, TX 78234

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Cheap Labor Won’t Stay Cheap For Long

Here’s something to think about. If the Senate has their way, and their amnesty legislation is passed,then the “cheap labor force” they are so enamored of will demand more pay and better benefits. They will because they can. They’ve seen how the mob rule affects our weak-kneed politicians.

Employers who cheat the system and bypass able-bodied Americans to hire illegals in order to take advantage of cheap labor will find themsleves kicked in the pants. The illegal immigrants, in their demonstrations, have continuously siad that they want to be equal. As soon as the illegals are “legal”, then they are due and OWED a decent wage - exactly what those slimy employers find too expensive to pay to Americans today.

Is no one looking down the road to see that this is exactly where we’ll end up? If illegals are legalized, it won’t be long before they are demanding higher wages and benefits. Remember, they want what Americans have. So then, what’s the point? The whole “cheap lettuce” argument just falls apart. When these so-called migrant workers have the legal standing to demand higher wages, they WILL.

Let’s skip the monstrous mistake of legalizing millions and millions of workers, all because our politicians adhere to the mistaken philosophy that they do work “Americans won’t do.” That’s a highly offensive fallacy. The illegals do work that Americans WILL do and have ALWAYS done, but not for a slave wage. Illegals get those jobs by undercutting decent, hard-working Americans.

Employers are going to end up forced to pay a living wage anyways - but to legalized foreigners, instead of Americans. The stupid employers of illegals don’t even see the train coming. Once their precious illegal workers are legalized, they won’t be content to work for less. That’s a guarantee.

We know where this is going to end up! Can’t we skip the mistake of amnesty in between?!

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Houston Principal Hoists Mexican Flag

I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw this article last night. The principal of Reagan High School raised the Mexican flag up the flag pole of the high school.

Reagan High School Principal Robert Pambello was ordered to remove a Mexican flag Wednesday morning that he had hoisted below the U.S. and Texas flags that typically fly in front of his school — a symbol he agreed to fly to show support for his predominantly Hispanic student body.
[...]
The Mexican flag has become a lightning rod in the immigration debate that’s consumed the city and the nation this week. Students say the flag represents their pride in the contributions Mexicans make to this country. Critics, though, said watching young Hispanics in the streets with the red, green and white flags is more than they can stand. These youngsters are in the United States and should — at the least — carry the U.S. flag, they argue.

“The whole thing just makes my blood boil,” said Bruce R. Wing, a 52-year-old Missouri City resident. “I want them all out of here.”

Wing said the Houston Independent School District should fire Pambello.

HISD leaders said no decision has been made about possible discipline against the principal, who declined interview requests Wednesday.

“It is appropriate to fly the flags of the United States and Texas over schools in the Houston Independent School District, since we are a public entity of the state,” HISD spokesman Terry Abbott said. “It would not be appropriate for the school district to advocate allegiance to a country other than the United States. Therefore, it is not appropriate to permit use of school district flagpoles for the purpose of flying flags representing other countries.”

I think the principal needs to be fired; first, for his poor judgment, and second, for his promotion of allegiance to a foreign government. What do you guys think?

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Prisoners Picking Fruit

Today some ballsy Representatives were showing Senate Republicans how it’s done.

House conservatives criticized President Bush, accused the Senate of fouling the air, said prisoners rather than illegal farm workers should pick America’s crops and denounced the use of Mexican flags by protesters Thursday in a vehement attack on legislation to liberalize U.S. immigration laws.

“I say let the prisoners pick the fruits,” said Rep. Dana Rohrabacher of California, one of more than a dozen Republicans who took turns condemning a Senate bill that offers an estimated 11 million illegal immigrants an opportunity for citizenship.

“Anybody that votes for an amnesty bill deserves to be branded with a scarlet letter A,” said Rep. Steve King of Iowa, referring to a guest worker provision in the Senate measure.

These guys get it. They understand that Americans (not the fake ones who aren’t even supposed to be here and don’t want to be AMERICAN, but the ones who pay taxes, believe in the American ideal, and VOTE) will vote them out if they don’t their jobs.

And by the way…they definitely heard about the upside down flag.

Referring to a wave of demonstrations in recent weeks, Rep. Virgil Goode of Virginia said, “I say if you are here illegally and want to fly the Mexican flag, go to Mexico and wave the American flag.”

Perhaps the best part of this article are comments by Rep. Steve King from Iowa, who explained the immigration problem in class terms.

“The elite class in America is becoming a ruling class and they’ve made enough money by hiring cheap illegal labor that they think they also have some kind of a right to cheap servants to manicure their nails and their lawn, for example.

“So this ruling class, this new ruling class of America, is expanding a servant class in America at the expense of the middle class of America, the blue collar of America that used to be able to punch a time clock, buy a modest house and raise their families. … Those young people are cut out of this process.”

Of course, there is also the whole entitlement mentality, the rabid pro-illegal lobby that thinks they should literally take the land back for Mexico (since they’ve done SO WELL with the land they currently own), and all the rest of it.

I’m still spitting angry, and I don’t expect I’ll get any less so anytime soon. To the reader who asked how much ammo was at Cabela’s…I don’t know, but I’m fixin’ to find out.

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Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch…

While the entire U.S. is steaming over the desecration of our flag by a bunch of ungrateful (and in many cases, illegal) immigrants this week, Iran steadily plods forward in its quest for domination of the Middle East and obliteration of Israel.

Secretary of State Condi Rice called for permanent sanctions today against Iran while talking with the members of the UN Security Council, and received, as the MSM puts it, a “decidedly cool reaction from China and Russia.” Hmm. I wonder why.

…Dai Bingguo, China’s vice minister of foreign affairs, rejected the idea of sanctions and offered a thinly veiled criticism of the war in Iraq when he said, “The Chinese side feels there has already been enough turmoil in the Middle East. We don’t need any more turmoil.”

So witty, those Chinese. I say that when China stops forcing women to have abortions, stops filtering and blocking internet content, and stops persecuting Christians, then they can come talk to us about the perceived “turmoil” they think we caused in the Middle East. Until then, allow me to simply wrap myself in the precious freedom of speech that I have and send a big hearty “Suck it!” over to Mr. Bingguo. Please excuse my choice of phrase; it was the most non-profane thing I could come up with.

As it is, both Russia and China bluntly declared that they had no interest in imposing sanctions or taking any further action against Iran, though both countries did express concern about the nuclear program. Both countries said they wanted to refer the issue back to the atomic energy agency.

Let me translate that for you. What they’re saying here is, “We’re kind of worried about their nuclear program, but only because you Americans will try to do something about it, and hurt our current arms business with Iran, so let’s send it back to some agency to deal with.”

The immigration debate is definitely red-hot right now, but I think it’s important that we don’t forget about all the rest of the countries and regimes and groups who want our people dead and our land for themselves.

Then again, I don’t think illegal immigrants want us dead. Who would support them then?

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Too Late - We See Clearly

Linda Chavez, in an op-ed piece today in the NY Times, has cautioned Latinos against alienating Americans to their cause with in-your-face anti-American tactics:

The Senate bill has a long way to go before becoming law, however. Despite their victory in this round, supporters of comprehensive immigration reform must be careful in their tactics, including what symbols they embrace. Although American flags were widely visible among the crowd of a half-million in downtown Los Angeles (organizers had asked marchers to bring them), reports indicated that they were outnumbered by those of Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and other countries. And if history is any guide, those foreign banners could spur an anti-immigrant reaction.
[...]
With shouts of “Sí, se puede!” (Yes, we can!) — an old United Farm Workers rallying cry — and signs announcing “We didn’t cross the border, the border crossed us,” the demonstrators are likely to turn off more Americans than they win over. And the sight of thousands of angry Hispanic students from California to Virginia pouring out of schools to join protest marches will only reinforce stereotypes that Latinos care little about education.

Instead of presenting themselves as an aggrieved, foreign presence, immigration advocates ought to be explaining how similar Latinos are to other Americans in their values, aspirations and achievements.

Your helpful advice to the organizers of La Gran Marcha is too late, Linda. The blatant anti-American beliefs of millions of people are hard to hide and impossible to disguise. What Americans saw this past week in the demonstrations was hordes of foreigners DEMANDING rights they haven’t earned and privileges they don’t deserve. We saw anti-American sentiment as high in the streets of our own cities, as anywhere in the Middle East. The desecration of our flag by foreigners and the continuously screeched insults have only shown the TRUE COLORS of the people you and the D.C. politicos want to give everything to. Alien lawbreakers who will never in a million years comprehend the preciousness of the gift, but rather see it as a “freebie” they are entitled to.

In fact, these interlopers are now emboldened in the success of their impact, especially on the weak-kneed politicians debating immigration legislation right this minute:

What does the immense success of “La Gran Marcha” mean to Mexicanos and other Latinos? It simply means that we now have the numbers, the political will and the organizational skills to direct our own destinies and not be subservient to the White and Jewish power structures. It means that we can now undertake bigger and more significant mass actions to achieve total political and economic liberation like that being proposed by Juan José Gutiérrez, President of Movimiento Latino USA. Juan José Gutiérrez is proposing that the coalition that organized “La Gran Marcha” meet in Arizona or Texas on April 8 to “organize a mass boycott (huelga) against the economy of the USA” to take place on May 5 or 19.

A major reason for the great success of “La Gran Marcha” was the strong participation of labor unions and the Catholic Church. This same alliance contributed to the success of Lech Walesa’s “Solidarity Movement” in the Republic of Poland. This can be done in Aztlan as well. If the racist “Sensenbrenner Legislation” passes the US Senate, there is no doubt that a massive civil disobedience movement will emerge. Eventually labor union power can merge with the immigrant civil rights and “Immigrant Sanctuary” movements to enable us to either form a new political party or to do heavy duty reforming of the existing Democratic Party. The next and final steps would follow and that is to elect our own governors of all the states within Aztlan.

NO thank you! Your advice comes too late, Linda. Americans won’t be fooled if illegal aliens half-heartedly wave our flag in some PR parody of forced patriotism, nor by speeches about how “similar” we all are. We are NOT alike in the ways that matter - and that is in the love of our country.

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An Upside-Down Flag

Among the crowd of 500,000 in LA last week, the Mexican flag was everywhere. Protest organizers unsuccessfully tried to force American flags on the crowd in order for them to seem “more American”. The few American flags that were unfortunate enough to end up in the hands of presumably illegal aliens that do not love or respect it, were treated with disrespect - many were dragged along the ground, walked upon, and in a few instances, burned in front of cheering hordes. On Monday, student protesters in California stepped over the line when they lowered the American flag at a high school, and gleefully replaced it with the Mexican flag flying OVER an upside-down U.S. flag.

For those of us real Americans who love our country and the flag which symbolizes it all, seeing photos of our flag desecrated in such a way were gut-wrenching. The kids that did such a thing may or may not have known that what they were doing was incredibly offensive - and it doesn’t really matter to me. The point is that they’ll NEVER understand why or how it is offensive. They do not have American parents to teach them, nor patriotic adults to guide them. It’s a whole generation for which America has no value, and our heritage has no meaning. Nothing will change that.

It does not bother me so much that our flag was flown upside down, as it does by WHOM. That is a traditional signal of dire distress, which has been co-opted by people who wish to make a shocking political statement against the government of this country. John Kerry and his ilk used it when protesting the Vietnam War, and people since use such a means to make political statements all the time. They are completely mis-using the symbology of it, but to such people as they, it likely doesn’t matter. Their regard for the flag is less a matter of the heart than it is something to abuse to shock or dishearten their opponents.

THE FLAG CODE
Title 36, U.S.C., Chapter 10
As amended by P.L. 344, 94th Congress
Approved July 7, 1976

§ 176. Respect for flag: No disrespect should be shown to the flag of the United States of America; the flag should not be dipped to any person or thing. Regimental colors, State flags, and organization or institutional flags are to be dipped as a mark of honor.

(a) The flag should never be displayed with the union down, except as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property.

One might successfully argue that due to the fact that our country is overrun with millions of illegals that neither love it or respect it, we are in dire distress. I cannot deny that our country’s straits pose a direct “danger to life and property”. But since we are not in need of rescue from outside sources, and we still have avenues of action available to us, an upside-down flag, as flown by beleaguered Americans, is a pre-mature unnecessity. However, when flown that way by Mexicans, it is a jeering affront.

What shocked me to my core, though, was the Mexican flag raised OVER our American flag. That is NOT supposed to happen on our soil. Ever. It is a deliberate dishonor and not to be tolerated.

When flown with flags of states, communities, or societies on separate flag poles which are of the same height and in a straight line, the flag of the United States is always placed in the position of honor - to its own right.
..The other flags may be smaller but none may be larger.
..No other flag ever should be placed above it.
..The flag of the United States is always the first flag raised and the last to be lowered.

My kids know this because it’s important to me, and so I’ve taught them. But the kids that abused our national treasure in such a way do not know (or care), and will never have such teaching in their lives. They have been raised to have a bitter regard for the American flag and all it stands for, though they are freely enjoying our nation’s largesse. They have been raised with a totally inexplicable pride in Mexico, therefore they prize the Mexican flag and feel the need to raise it up at the expense of dishonoring the American flag.

The symbolism of such an act was cheap, uneducated, dishonorable, tawdry, and unfortunately, completely inevitable. The illegals who would de-value our country, dishonor our flag, and demean our heritage are all around us every day. They have neither respect for, nor allegiance to, our laws or our government-run-amok which stands so ready to harbor them at all costs to you and I. If our government disregards the will of the people and chooses such rabble over the upstanding and contributing citizens of our nation, then I will consider our nation in direst distress.

************
Recent articles:

LA - Aspiring To Mob Rule
I Have Something To Say About Amnesty
I Have No Words
The Mexican Agenda Unmasked…Again

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Journalist Jill Carroll Released - Sings Praises Of Her Captors

Everything is fine and dandy. Jill got a little bored, but it was worth it, now that she’s on her way to becoming a media darling and quite rich telling her story. My question is this: will she keep her hijaib now that she’s free? Will she convert? I just can’t wait for the movie, y’all!

This link contains a video clip of her interview after she was released, where she just cannot say enough how well she was treated. Isn’t that great?

BAGHDAD, March 30 – American journalist Jill Carroll, abducted in early January by gunmen in Baghdad, was released to a Sunni Arab political party in the capital Thursday morning after 82 days in captivity.

“I was treated very well. That’s important people know that,” she said in an interview broadcast by the Iraqi Islamic Party. “They never said they would hit me, never threatened me in any way. I was just happy to be free, and I want to be with my family.”
[...]
Carroll said she spent her days sitting in a small, well-furnished room, its lone window made opaque by curtains and frosted glass. She said she was fed well and allowed to shower whenever she wanted, but was given almost no information from the outside world.

“They would come, bring me my food, I would eat, it was fine,” Carroll said. “If I had to take a shower, I would walk two feet to the next door, take a shower, go to the bathroom and come back.”

She said she watched television only once, and was brought a newspaper one time. No noise penetrated the room from the outside, and she did not know whether she was held near Baghdad or elsewhere.

After the interview, Hashimi was shown presenting Carroll with gifts: a plaque bearing the party’s emblem and a boxed copy of the Koran.

“What you have received today from the Iraqi Islamic Party is exactly the teachings of the Koran,” Hashimi said, smiling. Carroll thanked him and said the copy of the Koran was beautiful.

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Action Alert: Call Your Senators TODAY

From a NumbersUSA action alert:

Give your Senators a last chance to not blow it today on amnesty votes.

PHONE YOUR 2 SENATORS AND TELL THEM THAT A VOTE FOR THE JUDICIARY BILL ON THE SENATE FLOOR WILL SADDLE THEM WITH A GIANT AMNESTY RECORD THE REST OF THEIR CAREERS.

What happens later today is anybody’s guess, but many are guessing that the Kennedy/Specter Judiciary bill (with amnesty and 30 million more permanent immigrants the next decade) will come up for a first vote today. The idea will be to add it as an amendment to Majority Leader Frist’s less damaging immigration bill. (We also oppose Frist’s bill because its enforcement provisions are tied to doubling annual legal immigration.)

ALL PHONE NUMBERS FOR YOUR TWO SENATORS ARE HERE.

Very clearly state your objection to nearly everythi