[Winona] Mop or Faucet ?

[c.e. woodford]

Mr Voegli,
   Good question.. I would like to think I am a bit or both Mop and Faucet centric. I can however tell you this, I am extremely familiar with Maricopa County property taxes and I certainly feel I have wasted enough time and $$$ on the "mop" side of this issue. 
   Us Midwesterners/northerners have a somewhat myopic view on this subject, I guarantee if the residents of Winona county were feeling a direct hit on their property taxes( year after year) due to increased law enforcement costs and county medical costs, the somewhat feel good/let 'em all in attitude which sometimes peeks its head here would disappear real quick. Winonans have it lucky, it really isn't hitting their pocketbooks like it is the residents of border states. 
   Here's what I believe,( hit the sappy patriotic music now) I believe anyone who wants to come to this country to make a better existence for themselves and or their family should come on over. I want them to do ONE thing before they step foot in the USA....sign in on the guest book...it's not too much to ask, no other non-third world country on the planet (the EU even requires you to show SOMETHING as you travel from country to country) allows their borders to be breached as we do on our southwest border. Cubans have a harder time getting access and they are actually fleeing a real life oppressive dictator..we send them right back if they don't hit the beach! 
   
   Is it really too much to ask that people entering our country at least acknowledge to us who they are? By requiring this basic tenet of travel am I automatically a xenophobic racist?
   
  Here's another point to ponder, IF you were a refugee/illegal immigrant(non-Mexican) would you NOT feel discriminated upon if you were turned down at the border? What about all the Mexican immigrants who the govt turns a blind eye to? What about the NON Mexicans who are being discriminated upon by our Govts pick and choose immigration enforcement? I know this seems like a far stretch but it IS a reality we all should take a harder look at.
   
  What about Mexico? I hear and read strong rhetoric coming from their government and immigrant spokespeople, however, has anyone stopped to take a look at what Mexico does to its illegal immigrants? It isn't pretty and it by no means mimics the current US stand on illegal immigration...You don't want to be a Guatemalan/Salvadoran/etc caught illegally in Mexico...they aren't so accommodating with them as they would have you believe.
   
  I believe, as I stated earlier, we, as a country, no matter what your skin color or ethnicity, need to sit down and come up with SOLUTIONS to how we can fix this problem. Some of those problems are on this side of the border and some are on the south side. Both sets of problems need to be addressed and handled very soon. If we keep letting this border be as porous as it currently is we will certainly pay for it a hundredfold in the future. This isnt the time to point fingers or try to ly blame, it is time to put political leanings aside, admit WE have a problem, and get to the business of hammering out a solution that works for everyone.
   
   
  c.e. woodford
   
  

 

       
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