UP UP AND AWAY

ALFRED LORD TENNYSON, THE BRITISH POET, "DIPT INTO THE FUTURE, FAR AS HUMAN EYE COULD SEE/ SAW THE VISION OF THE WORLD, AND ALL THE WONDERS THAT WOULD BE; / SAW THE HEAVENS FILL WITH COMMERCE, ARGOSIES OF MAGIC SAILS, /" SO I ASK MYSELF WHAT IN AMERICA'S FUTURE SHOULD PREVAIL?

I HAVE NO ILLUSIONS, DON'T BROOK DREAMS AND AM NOT ENTHRALLED BY UNREALISTIC BELIEFS, HOPES OR LOVES. AMERICA'S FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM IS TERRIBLE AND ONGOING. AMERICA'S DECLINE INTO CULTURAL DECADENCE MUST BE SLOWED. NEVERTHELESS, I WISH THAT AMERICANS WOULD UNITE FOR SOMETHING THAT REPRESENTS A LASTING STAND. UNITE FOR WHAT? MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY. ACCOUNTABILITY IS WANTING IN MANY AMERICANS WHO WANT TO 'LIVE THE DREAM' TODAY BUT DENY THE NIGHTMARE THAT MAY HAUNT THEIR FUTURE IF THEY DON'T LIVE RESPONSIBLY AND SAVE. TAKE THE EXAMPLE OF THE 'SPOILED' GENERAL MOTORS' EMPLOYEES WHO EXPECTED THEIR BIG DADDY TO PROVIDE THEM WITH A LUXURIOUS SALARY AND BENEFIT PACKAGE FOREVER. HAVE THESE WORKERS ASSUMED THEIR PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY BY SAVING REGULARLY AND INVESTING FOR THEIR FUTURES? CONTRAST THEM WITH THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM MEXICO WHO EKE OUT A PLACE FOR THEMSELVES IN THE LAND OF OPPORTUNITY YET STILL MANAGE TO SEND BILLIONS OF HARD-EARNED DOLLARS BACK HOME TO FAMILIAS EACH YEAR. YES, THESE 'NECESSARY' LABORERS ARE ILLEGAL, BUT THOSE NOW UNEMPLOYED BY GM OR THOSE IN THE GENERAL POPULACE 'WILLING TO WORK', ARE FREE TO COMPETE FOR JOBS WITH THE SOUTHERN MIGRANTS ANYTIME. NOT ONLY DO THE ILLEGALS REMIT CASH TO THEIR MOTHER COUNTRY, BUT THEY ALSO PUMP BILLIONS OF DOLLARS INTO OUR AMERICAN ECONOMY. GM WORKERS RE-DISTRIBUTE THEIR WEALTH TOO, BUT MANY HAVE 'BLOWN' THEIR BUCKS AND NOW SHAMELESSLY COMPLAIN THAT THEY CANNOT MAINTAIN THEIR LIFESTYLES IF BANKRUPT GM LETS THEM GO. EXPENDITURES RISE TO MEET INCOME IS A LEGITIMATE OBSERVATION OF FLAWED, HUMAN BEHAVIOR.

CHINESE, INDIANS, EUROPEANS, EAST EUROPEANS, AFRICANS AND MULTI-ETHNIC ISLANDERS AND NOW MEXICANS, AS REFUGEES OR IMMIGRANT WAVES, HAVE REPEATEDLY PULLED THEMSELVES UP FROM POVERTY AFTER LANDING ON OUR NEW SHORES. QUITE OFTEN, THE NEW POVERTY WAS APPRECIATED BECAUSE IT WAS ABOVE THE LEVEL OF THE OLD POVERTY LEFT BEHIND. THEY WORKED, HABITUALLY SAVED AND OFTEN SENT SUPPORT MONIES HOME, NO MATTER WHAT PITTANCE THEY WERE PAID. THEY MOVED 'ON UP' - LIKE THE JEFFERSONS ON THE T.V. SHOW - IN THE SOCIAL STRATA. HOW DID THEY DO THAT? HOW DO THEY DO IT STILL? ASK THE 23 MILLION ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS HERE TODAY?

YES, THEY ARE ILLEGAL, BUT WE CAN'T THROW THEM AWAY. HOWEVER, IF THEY DRAIN THE POCKETBOOKS OF AMERICAN CITIZENS BY THEIR IRRESPONSIBLE USE OF THE HEALTH CARE, EDUCATIONAL OR WELFARE SYSTEM OR BY THEIR CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES, THEY ARE NO DIFFERENT FROM THEIR LEGAL AMERICAN COUNTERPARTS. WHAT A SHAME! LAZY, SPOILED AND SPENDTHRIFT AMERICANS SHOULD BE ASHAMED THAT THEY SET NO SHINING EXAMPLE TO THE ADMIRING, IMMIGRANT POPULATION. SHAME ON AMERICANS' CONSUMERISM, HEDONISM AND ABSENCE OF SAVINGS.