A Quotable Quip about Saddam Hussein...

...if ever there was one worth quoting, was reported on by CNN.com at: http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/12/29/hussein/index.html

Saddam's body is in front me. It's over.

Click on the Image. (Image courtesy of Thomas T.)

Let me just add that it also has been reported on Foxnews.com, and on the BBC.com, that Iraqi television has reported Saddam Hussein was hanged. The BBC report had it happening just before at 0600
12/30/06.

Time for a celebratory drink now that The Butcher of Baghdad is dead, a nice 100 proof Rumple Minz. I will raise my glass in honorable memory of all the innocents he killed (estimated at up to one million by some). I will also toast and honor his captors, his prosecutors, those who were brave enough to give testimony against him, his judges, and his executioners. If I believed in the devil, I would even toast Satan in the hopes he would take considerable care of Saddam's soul for eternity.

I know it will not put an end to things in Iraq, but it put an end to a vile, murderous, thug - justice was done. As Michelle Malkin noted on her site: Sic Semper Tyrannis.

About the only other thing I can think of to say is: Good Riddance Dirtbag!

All the best,
Glenn B

Theodore Roosevelt on the Americanization of Immigrants

The following piece is, in essence, yet another of those things that I receive from time to time in my email. I had read it before, and thought that the claim in the email that this was from a speech by TR in 1907 seemed incorrect, and I also thought the wording was not quite right. So, I did a bit of checking. I discovered that many a website incorrectly attributes this to a speech made by President Roosevelt in 1907, that it should be correctly realized to be a letter he wrote in January 1919 some months after WWI and even closer to his own death, and that the example in the email to me was an abbreviated version.

I decided to reprint the full version of President roosevelt's letter about the Americanization of immigrants here. It was the last written piece, of a political nature, known to have been penned by President Theodore Roosevelt; and though it was written a long time ago, it still has a resounding amount of logic to it. The words he wrote, ever so appropriate then just after WWI, are just as applicable to immigrants entering our nation today. I believe the piece to be timeless in its nature as it regards immigrants coming into, and becoming part of, the United States of America.

The version below, was found at: http://67.19.222.106/politics/graphics/troosevelt.pdf; and the link to it was found at Snopes.com (and I note that Snopes.com did not have the complete version as the letter at the provided link appears to be).

January 3rd, 1919

Dear Mr. Hurd:

I cannot be with you and so all I can do is to wish you God speed. There must be no sagging back in the fight for Americanism merely because the war is over. There are plenty of persons who have already made the assertion that they believe the American people have a short memory and that they intend to revive all the foreign associations which most directly interfere with the complete Americanization of our people. Our principle in this matter should be absolutely simple. In the first place we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here does in good faith become an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with every one else ,for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the man's becoming in very fact an American and nothing but an American. If he tries to keep segregated with men of his own origin and separated from the rest of America, then he isn’t doing his part as an American. There can be no divided allegience here. Any man who says he is an American but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag, and this excludes the red flag which symbolizes all wars against liberty and civilization just as much as it excludes any foreign flag of a nation to which we are hostile. We have room for but one language here and that is the English language, for we intend to see that the crucible turns our people out as Americans,of American nationality, and not as dwellers in a pollyglot boarding house; and we have room for but one soul loyalty, and that is loyalty to the American people.

Faithfully yours,


Mr. Richard K. Hurd,
59 Liberty
Street,
New York.

Note, I printed it just as it appeared in the letter, or at least I tried to get the spacing (which got messed up when I published here), punctuation, and even mistakes (such as "pollyglot" just the same. One other note, when TR wrote the words: "soul loyalty", I believe it was a play on words to mean both 'a loyalty of the soul or spirit', and a singular or 'sole loyalty', but that is just my hunch.

Now that you have read the above you can, whenever someone challenges strictly reformed immigration policy including removal of illegal aliens from the USA and the Americanization of legal aliens, reply with wisdom that transcends the ages about the particular subject.

As a matter of fact, it might be a good idea to send a copy of that letter to our elected officials, citing it properly, and then including our own ideas on the subject, so that our politicians get the idea that only immigrants who will obey the laws of this nation, and who truly show that they want to become Americanized, and then become good U.S. citizens, should be permitted to remain within our borders for any amount of time.

I do not believe I have ever heard it put better than in this letter as penned by TR.

Faithfully yours,

Glenn B

On a U.S. Citizen Becoming an Illegal Alien by Anon.

Today I received one of those emails, from my friend Gerry S., that just has to be shared with anyone who will read it. I obviously do not have the email addresses of those of you who read my rants, so I figured to post it here. Here it is; and remember that after you read it, you may want to pass it on, not only to friends, but also printed and signed and in a stamped envelope addressed to your elected officials:

Becoming Illegal (From an Iowa resident to his senator)

The Honorable Tom Harkin
731 Hart Senate Office Building Phone
(202) 224 3254
Washington DC , 20510

Dear Senator Harkin,

As a native Iowan and excellent customer of the Internal Revenue Service, I am writing to ask for your assistance. I have contacted the Department of Homeland Security in an effort to determine the procedures for becoming an illegal alien, and they referred me to you.

My primary reason for wishing to change my status from U.S. Citizen to illegal alien stem from the bill which was recently passed by the Senate and for which you voted. If my understanding of this bill's provisions is accurate, as an illegal alien who has been in the United States for five years, all I need to do to become a citizen is to pay a $2,000 fine and income taxes for three of the last five years. I know a good deal when I see one and I am anxious to get the process started before everyone figures it out. Simply put, those of us who have been here legally have had to pay taxes every year so I'm excited about the prospect of avoiding two years of taxes in return for paying a $2,000 fine. Is there any way that I can apply to be illegal retroactively? This would yield an excellent result for me and my family because we paid heavy taxes in 2004 and 2005.

Additionally, as an illegal alien I could begin using the local emergency room as my primary health care provider. Once I have stopped paying premiums for medical insurance, my accountant figures I could save almost $10,000 a year. Another benefit in gaining illegal status would be that my daughter would receive preferential treatment relative to her law school applications, as well as "in-state" tuition rates for many colleges throughout the United States for my son. Lastly, I understand that illegal status would relieve me of the burden of renewing my driver's license and making those burdensome car insurance premium payments. This is very important to me given that I still have college age children driving my car.

If you would provide me with an outline of the process to becoming illegal (retroactively if possible) and copies of the necessary forms, I would be most appreciative. Thank you for your assistance. Your Loyal Constituent,

(Insert Your Name)

Get your Forms (NOW)!! Call your Internal Revenue Service 1-800-289-1040. Please pass this on to your friends so they can save on this great offer!!!!

That was it, in its entirety as sent to me. I have to admit, I find it woderfully written and quite amusing, but I also think that if enough of our elected officials received this letter, they may get the point. My copies will be in the mail today to Senators Clinton and Schummer and to Representative McCarthy.

All the best,
Glenn B
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