Multiculturalism – “Anyone but us – anywhere but here”

Regarding debate over the teaching of Hmong history in Wausau public schools:

The Hmong have a long and proud cultural history, and have certainly in many if not most cases quite successfully overcome a significant amount of adversity to become proud contributing members of their adopted country and home.

Whether it is desireable to “teach” a specific cultural heritage in the government schools, either for the benefit of those who trace their heritage to that culture, or for the perceived benefit of those whose own society and culture has been embraced through the act of immigration – ought I think to be considered in the same context as school students are taught the culture and heritage of ANY of the major ethnic and cultural sub-groups who immigrated to central Wisconsin over the past 200 or so years – or those for that matter who were already here when they arrived – Germans, Polish, Swedes, Norwegians, Danes, Irish, English, French, the Chippewa, the Dakota, the Meshkwa kihig’, the Sauk, the Illinois, the Kickapoo, et al.

It’s good to be the king …

DrRent writes (responding to “Speed limits apply to officials too”):
“… a marked patrol car is at a stoplight… and apparantly is not happy with the length of the red light where there is no traffic in the other street (hey, who isn’t). So.. all of a sudden the lights come on.. he runs the red light.. then lights back off. … Must be nice”

Police officers and other government officials are people just like everyone else (loath though some of them may be to admit it to themselves) – which means that they are certainly subject to the same human temptations to “push the envelope” and to get by with whatever they can get away with.

Perhaps more so, since they are generally much less likely to suffer enforcement penalty – who watches the watchers?

Immigration and Enforcement 2 …

Peter writes:
“the old “enforce the laws we’ve got” argument that seems to be the stock in trade of everyone from xenophobes to gun nuts. “

Interesting.

This must mean that you’ve never called for the police, filed a grievance or a lawsuit, or expected anything out of anyone that you did not personally stand over them and force them to do.

You probably also don’t mind if your advertisers don’t pay their bills, or if the publisher of the WDH is a few days or more late delivering your paycheck, or if your insurance company decides not to pay your claim, contract be hanged.

Immigration “Reform” vs Law Enforcement

The problem is not the “need for new/tougher laws” (a common legislative response to public complaint), the problem is the need (and the will) to properly and consistently enforce the laws we have.

Clearly, there are too many today who benefit from lax enforcement of existing immigration laws.

Immigration: What Part of “Illegal” Don’t You Comprende’?

With the exception of the few true dyed-in-the-wool racial and ethnic bigots out there, the issue for most people is not IMMIGRATION (we are a nation of immigrants, and generally respect those who are hard-working and law-abiding), the issue is all about ILLEGAL immigration.

ILLEGAL immigration is the influx of line-jumping, law-evading individuals of ANY ethnic or national background, who in spite of what may be (or may not be) a sincere desire to better their lives by coming to the United States, have chosen to by-pass the system that IS in place for coming here.

True, some people clearly do not understand the difference, or wish to mute it – and that misunderstanding is being unfortunately furthered by poor reporting of the facts in the general media – usually under the guise of being “compassionate”.