The Week In Weird

Jill Carroll
I was happy to hear that Jill Carroll has denounced her captors and taken back all the warm fuzzy things she said about them when she was released. For what it’s worth (and I suppose I should have written it here), I had a feeling she was too afraid to tell the truth while still in Iraq. If that hadn’t been the case, we would have been running a serious risk of bringing a newly brainwashed terrorist back to the states and giving her a homecoming. I know that sounds harsh, but her praise for her terrorist captors was at odds with what any red blooded American should have been saying. Bully for her to be smart enough not to take any chances while she was still in Iraq. If it were me, I’m not sure I would have opened my mouth one way or the other until my feet were firmly planted on American soil. It’s truly a miracle that she’s been released alive.

So, Jose wants to work.
Seems everyone is weighing in on the immigration dilemma we’re facing here in the U.S. For what it’s worth, there are a few things I would like to add to the mix.

As Allan Wall (among others) has pointed out, the President of Mexico, Vincent Fox, has predicted that in ten years, the U.S. will be begging for Mexican workers if we send them home now.

Others, like Tony Snow have pointed out that statistics do not support the suggestion that illegal immigrants are doing the damage to our society that many would have us believe.

I would like to offer a third opinion that leans a little bit toward both these articles.

First, I think it’s important that we secure our borders. Beyond illegal immigration, beyond what many believe we are handing over to the people wrangling their way onto American soil – it’s simply not smart to not have someone guarding the back door. Are most of the people coming over the border from Mexico terrorists? It doesn’t matter – if ONE terrorist enters the country by way of the Mexican border – it’s one too many. If ONE drug dealer (and we all know there’s been plenty of them) enter by way of the Mexican border – we’re not doing our job. So, before anyone jumps on me because you think I don’t want a fence – that’s not at all what I’m about to say.

I think it’s appalling that we support ANY illegal immigrants with our welfare system, healthcare system or any other freebies they’re getting. HOWEVER, in my own person experience, Presidente Fox isn’t as far off base as many of you think.
Here in South Central Pennsylvania, I’ve had the opportunity to see first hand the impact Hispanic workers have had on our workforce.

A couple of years ago, I had the opportunity to participate in a job fair that was being held at the local Hispanic Civic Association. It was very interesting to see the number of representatives in attendance who had general labor positions available and were desperate to find people who were willing to work. I spent some time speaking to the head of a local masonry company. The gentleman told me how he was unable to get his own son to come out and work for him because the pampered American kids aren’t interested in working with their hands, getting dirty, working outside when it’s hot or cold, etc. They want to sit behind a desk and do something that doesn’t require anything more physical than reaching for a telephone or typing on a keyboard. He explained that his son and some of his friends had taken jobs with a local company doing telemarketing. Their starting wage was $10 per hour. The starting wage for a masonry helper is $14.50 per hour. After a few years and some hard work learning the trade, the masonry helper can be promoted into a more independent position that could earn him easily $25 per hour. That’s assuming they aren’t working on a scale job (a school or government building) because then their salary for either position would be doubled. According to monster.com, a telemarketing manager (assuming the lazy child got promoted) has the potential of earning approximately $15 per hour in this area of the country.

At any given time there are more than 1000 jobs listed in the local classifieds section of the newspaper. According to the 2004 census report for my area, 30.8% of the population here are Hispanic.

Currently, the L.A. Times online has over 10,000 entry level, non-skilled labor jobs available. As an employer, I can tell you without a doubt – I want people who are willing to work. I am sick and tired of lazy, pampered people who think they’re above working hard to get ahead.

All of these statistics tell me two things…
The economy isn’t nearly as bad as the nay-sayers would have us think, and
Mexicans are not outing anybody who really wants to work.

As far as I’m concerned, a guest-worker program will help American businesses. I say give them a work visa with one provision; if we catch a potential terrorist, drug dealer or other criminal posing as a guest worker, the punishment is death.

You got your way - give it up already!
I sat in my living room and watched in a state of disbelief and disgust while Michael Schiavo promoted his book last weekend. His academy award worthy performance on both Dateline and Larry King surely convinced a lot of people that he was a loving, gentle man who only wanted what was best for his wife. There was one thing, however, that bled through every single over-dramatized tear…his arrogance.

On both shows, he repeatedly mentioned that he had taken on the Governor of Florida, The U.S. Supreme Court, the President of the United States and the Pope and...he had won. His narcissistic self obviously couldn’t resist reiterating his victories, which couldn’t be further from what he’s trying to sell in his book – that he did it all for Terry. From the writing of his book, which no doubt also has a lot to do with the fact that he had to go back to work, to the inscription on her gravestone (“I kept my promise”), he simply can not help himself but to rub his “win” in the faces of her family. A better title for his book and inscription on Terry’s gravestone would be, “I got my way”.

I was a bit surprised to learn that he and his mistress actually waited 9 months before getting married. After all, they didn’t wait until Terry died to start a family. By the time Mr. Schiavo succeeded in murdering his wife, he had fathered two children and lived with his girlfriend for 10 years. One can only hope the girlfriend will remember his views on food and water being considered life support when he’s old and unable to care for himself. After all, it wouldn’t be appropriate to put off Michael Schiavo’s ultimate battle – when he gets to take on an authority much greater than any Governor, President, Court or even the Vatican.

I didn’t buy his book and I won’t. I wouldn’t invest in his bank account if you put a gun to my head. I did, however, purchase the Schindler’s book, “A Life That Matters – The Legacy of Terry Schiavo” and began reading it last night. I think the quote at the start of the book says it all,

“Where there is love, there is no burden”.