Tag Archives: immigrant

The Immigrant

I read a lot of news simply because I like to have different points of view while attempting to weed out misinformation and disinformation. In today’s media it is a hard thing to do, and most young people today get their news from one source on their phone or computer. There are many people that only read or hear one form of news (information) and believe everything to be factual and true. They will not fact check the source, nor do they want to hear anything on the other side of the story.

               The other day, just before the 4th of July Holiday, I listened to a short debate that has been ongoing for many years, about the first Thanksgiving and where it started. This made me think back to when I was in grade school and in one class, I was taught the first Thanksgiving was in a New England state (Massachusetts I think) but in another class I had to take Virginia history (I am from Virginia) and there I was taught it was in Jamestown, Virginia (the first permanent settlement). I really don’t know for sure because that happened more than three hundred years before my time. But the debate goes on and where it stops, no one knows.

               I said that to give you background into what a Congresswoman said during one of her speeches. She said we (the United States) should put all immigrants and those that are not wholly American out of the country. No exceptions allowed. That made my mind do flip-flops. First, we all are immigrants except for the Native Americans (American Indians). The United States was invaded by Europeans not by Native Americans. Europeans tricked, stole, and killed for this land. The Native Americans, at first, attempted to help the Europeans survive in this strange land and even taught them to raise their own food, etc.

               The Europeans bought in slaves (my ancestors) to do the work for them and even had other slaves and indentured servants (depending on the part of the country and era). The Europeans set up colonies (which became states) and a constitution to bolster their laws which were supposed to be for everyone. The laws applied to every European, all others were considered either non-human or below the Europeans.

               The way I see it is all people, except for the Native American, should get out because all other people are the immigrant. All peoples migrated all over the globe and settled where they thought they could safely live and prosper.  It is true that there are bad people among them but that is another subject that I have covered before and may cover again.

               So, I’ll say this, yes, my ancestors were immigrants and so was everyone else’s. The Native American is not and will never be an immigrant and that Congresswoman should be the first person on a plane or ship out of here. Words hurt especially if you don’t know your history. We are one and have travelled this earth, going to better places, for thousands of years. This is a beautiful place, and we are trying hard to bring it down and make it ugly.

Tomorrow Is Not Promised

A while ago I thought I had found true retirement and what it really felt like until I moved to Virginia Beach. My wife and I walked to the beach, she sat and got a lot of sun while I fished. Life is great and I will try to take full advantage of it with the little time I have left on this earth. Most people do not think about their age or that time is dear. Tomorrow is not promised, you can leave this world at any moment.

I never thought about that, I always lived as though I will be here forever. Then, one Sunday morning in 1971, while I was stationed in Germany, I had a massive stroke and awaken two weeks later. My right side, from head to toe, was paralyzed. I was given a fifty percent chance of having another stroke, a fifty percent chance of surviving another stroke and only ten more years to live. Well, I am still here and did not have another stroke. God is good and have given me a good life but tomorrow is not promised.

Today, like yesterday, I live one day at a time never forgetting that today or tomorrow could be my final day. For more than forty years I have reminded myself of this but I do not let it get me down or stop me from living life to it’s fullest, as much as I can. I also think about people that can not live life to it’s fullest or have the opportunity to even try.

It is a shame to be an American, to be a part of separating children from their parents. Yes, we all are guilty because we are the American that allowed the situation to happen in the first place and then let it come to a tragic point before opposition was voiced. The opposed should have made their voices heard from the beginning, not a week or two later. Although an order have been signed does not mean that this is over or it will not happen again.

How will the children be reunited with their parents when most can not tell their full names, parents full names, where they are from or any valuable information that will garner a possibility of reuniting them? It is a big mess the USA administration have made and they don’t show any sorrow for causing it. Mockery, laughter, snide remarks is all that is heard from the administration as well as blaming other politicians and/or the other party. Have anyone heard the majority leaders speak up yet?

We as seniors suppose to have the maturity to do the right thing, should not wait to see what happen but just do the right thing. Fall elections will be here shortly and the right thing must be done to get back onto the right track. We can then begin to allow people to live the life that we live. There is plenty of room for others, right beside me and you, and we all can ride this good life train together. Tomorrow is not promised to anyone therefore things must be set right today. Judgment could be today or tomorrow but whenever it come, and it will, it will be no use telling God that you meant no harm. You can see the harm and sorrow. You would not want to be treated this way nor have your children go through what the immigrant children are going through. Do unto others as you would have done unto you.

Do the right thing by loudly voicing disapproval, voting the right way and being an upstanding senior that will lead the younger generation in the right direction. Don’t quietly mumble you don’t like what’s happening, say it loud, also… Don’t believe it will get better on it’s own, it will not, believe me. Tomorrow is not promised nor the remainder of today.