When you were growing up, did you ever get in trouble for not locking a door? I’ll bet the answer is yes.
As children we’re not aware of many dangers that surround us. Our parents try to instill awareness and safety procedures in us, that’s their job. They tell us about looking both ways before crossing streets, not taking candy from strangers, they warn us about the dangers of putting items in electrical outlets and petting dogs we are not familiar with. We are taught to swim or given lessons. We are told to be careful when running or riding our bikes. It’s all in the name of safety!
We’ve all learned some, or all of these lessons. As kids we perceive many of the warnings as tiresome and intrusive (or some smaller word that means the same thing).
As we age we take on responsibilities of our own, some of us marry, have children, get supervisory jobs, own our own businesses or homes. At these times many of the lessons we learned as kids take on a new and stronger meaning. We really start to appreciate where our parents were coming from when we have kids of our own and feel the pain of every skinned knee or broken bone they suffer.
These lessons about safety and security are important and kids who weren’t taught them often suffer by learning them in a more difficult way. As a cop, unfortunately, I was assigned a case of a kid who rode his bike into an on-coming car. The driver said the kid raced right in front of her. The neighbors said he was always doing that. The coroner said he died of blunt force trauma and multiple broken bones and internal injuries. In 35 years as a cop, that was one of my worst assignments.
I understand, and I am glad, that tragedy is not the end result every time we forget about the rules that make us safe and secure. I am also someone who acknowledges that I am “tempting fate” if I willfully ignore safety procedures. I have driven thousands of miles in my 35 years as a cop. I can count on one hand the number of times I have not worn a seatbelt and I can attest that I had my ballistic vest on every time I put my uniform on.
You never know when your seatbelt will save your life, and a cop never knows when the issued ballistic vest will prove what a good investment it was.
I was driving to work on a bitter cold February day. The windchill was well below zero and the actual temperature was near -10. I had my uniform on, so I was wearing my vest. I was hit head-on by a much larger car. The impact actually broke the frame of my little economy car in half. That released my seatbelt from its mount, and my chest then forced my steering wheel up to the ceiling of the car. With the seatbelt mount broken I landed in the passenger seat. I broke my upper and lower left leg, shattered my kneecap into 8 pieces, fractured my skull and lost a few teeth. I am now listed as confirmed save #670 of the “SECOND CHANCE BALLISTIC VEST” Company- and my family and I are very glad that I take safety and security seriously! I am very thankful that I had my seatbelt (For as long as it lasted) and my Second Chance Ballistic Vest on!
As a person who has been saved by prioritizing safety, I can’t believe that our government is not doing the same, I am even more alarmed that the compliant press is doing nothing, the opposition party is doing nothing effective, and we citizens are doing nothing. It has been confirmed that over 10 million illegal aliens (I call them illegal aliens because they are aliens- foreign citizens- who have entered our country by disregarding and violating the lawful entry procedures- illegally) have entered our country since the current president took office. Ten million is a low estimate of how many have actually entered the country because it does not even try to account for those who did not encounter border guards or those who have entered by some other ruse.
The same party that orchestrated this invasion is now, in many states, making it possible for these invaders to vote, have government funded housing, receive free phones, food vouchers, and more! Politicians and concerned citizens who demand that only people who can prove that they are U.S. citizens registered to vote be allowed to cast their ballots are being called racists!
The definition of “Racism” is: 1. “A belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usu. involving the idea that one’s own race is superior. 2. a policy, system of government, etc., based on such a doctrine. 3. hatred or intolerance of another race or other races….racist n., adj. (RANDOM HOUSE WEBSTER’S COLLEGE DICTIONARY copyright 1998).
I include this definition because I have been hearing politicians who, in my opinion, are selling out our nation’s security in hope of political gain using the argument that asking a person to prove they have authority to vote, is racist. As you can see from the definition above, a racist action must single out a race, or races, for special treatment based on a belief that one race is superior to another.
Voter ID laws are merely assuring that those given the ability to choose our representatives are legally entitled to do so.
I have believed from the first time I heard that ludicrous argument that it is without merit, basis, or foundation. My initial thought was. “I am carded (asked to show an ID) to buy alcohol, when I am stopped by a police officer, to buy cigarettes (For my girlfriend at the time- I know, it’s a nasty habit), to cash a check or make any bank transaction, to take out a library book, to watch an R-rated movie, to fly on a trip, to go to college functions, and many more things.
It is a, generally, unmentioned fact that most of the states that were proposing voter ID laws offered free IDs to individuals who needed official identification.
Our founding fathers allowed the federal government limited enumerated powers in the constitution. They are: The power to coin money, to regulate commerce, to declare war, to raise and maintain armed forces, and to establish a post office. In addition, there are “implied powers” introduced in Article 1 Section 8. Congress is given the right to “…make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers, and other powers vested in the government of the United States.” The point is, by my interpretation, our government has grown well beyond what was intended, or considered beneficial for “we the people!”
While growing so large, large enough to accumulate a 35 trillion-dollar debt, our government is neglecting its’ basic, foundational, responsibilities. The government that I used to, irresponsibly, trust. Has outgrown its’ boundaries by leaps and bounds and is ignoring the few responsibilities it has been assigned.
How can a government that is concerned about the safety of its citizens allow 10 million unknown aliens to enter in a three-year period? Is it acceptable to allow 10 million people to enter our country without being vetted or monitored? – I say NO!
Why does our government then, in way too many instances, supply these invaders with food, phones, housing and spending money? Is this a bad joke?
These people who have entered our country illegally are being treated better than our needy veterans!
According to Ballotpedia.org Pew Research Center reported that the US had 25 million non-citizen residents in 2020. Fourteen million of those 25 were documented permanent residents, visitors, or students. Since that report it has been confirmed that over 10 million additional illegal aliens have entered, that comes to over 21 million illegal aliens currently in the US. The same article documented that as of June 2024, The District of Columbia and municipalities in three states are allowing non-citizens to vote in local elections. WOW!
What could go wrong? Let me just think out loud for a minute….
Here’s a thought, if you were in a country illegally and foolish people in that country gave you a chance to vote in their elections would you vote for the candidate who ran on a platform of reforming the out of control spending, or would you vote for the guy who promised free cell phones and lodging with no questions asked or responsibility? Another way of saying that is, as an illegal alien with no “horse in the race” would you vote for a platform that will save the country in the long run, or for a candidate who promised giveaways with no strings attached?
How many of these illegals are murderers? Nobody knows, they haven’t been vetted. Most states don’t keep separate statistics for citizen/non-citizen crime. Texas does; and an article in “City Journal” (6/24/2019) reported that illegal aliens were charged with more than 298,000 crimes from June 1, 2011, to the end of 2018- an average of over 39,000/year. Those numbers included 624 murders, 1,911 robberies, and 3,955 sexual assaults (Which, under Texas law, include rapes).
In my opinion, we deserve much better than we are getting from our government.
We deserve a secure border! We deserve secure streets! Our country is worth fighting for! Security of our elections is worth fighting for! I was raised in Chicagoland. We have joked about dead relatives voting in Chicago elections for years- I can not stomach joking about that now because the reality of it is destroying our country!
The press and politicians have been, successfully, dividing us. We had politicians openly recommending that constituents harass opposite party politicians wherever they see them. Is that what freedom of speech is supposed to be used for? I don’t think so. Could it be that those politicians are trying to bully people into voting against their conscience to avoid being attacked on the street?
We have politicians implementing tax increases directed at “the rich!” I guess we are supposed to accept it because it’s not us! I don’t!
Other politicians refer to “rich old white guys” in a demeaning way. I’m not rich, but I am old and white. Does that make me bad? Did they miss the point that- indicating color of skin in a demeaning remark is racist?
I love America! I feel, warts and all, this is the best country in the world! I miss the days I could talk politics with friends and later toast to each other’s health. I wrote above that I felt certain politicians were trying to divide us by race, economic status, ethnicity and whatever else might work. It’s not a bad plan. If we’re busy fighting each other, we won’t notice what they’re up to!
I have an alternate plan. Let’s remember we are all brothers and sisters. Let’s remember that all stories must be vetted. We can not just accept one news source. We have a responsibility as voting citizens to hold those elected to represent us do so honestly, while working in our best interest. We have to end the “tradition” of common people being elected to office and retiring as multi-millionaires, sometimes after only a short time!
Thank you for reading to the end. Please comment on what you liked, didn’t like, agreed with, disagreed with etc.
Phil
