Saturday, March 3, 2007

Another round for illegal immigration

As the Senate is entering the great debate over illegal immigration, it's imperative to examine the frequent claim of "immigrants' rights."
Bluntly said, people who are illegally in this country possess only those civil rights that we grant to them.

Yes, they have human rights, such as the familiar life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. But civil rights, by most definitions, are protections and privileges of freedom given by nation's laws to its citizens.

This, of course, flies in the face of the contemporary confusion about "immigrants' rights," which proclaims that anyone who lands on U.S. soil, by whatever means, has the same civil right to obtain a driver's license, get a subsidized mortgage or any of the other benefits that are typically granted by law to citizens.

An illegal immigrant can claim the protections of human rights, which cannot be voided by any governmental action. But--and this will startle and anger some--an "undocumented" immigrant has no claim to equal treatment.

This may sound like a lot of philosophical gibberish, but it has some very real implications. For example, the teen who was in America illegally and who was denied admission to an Elmwood Park school has a human right to an education. But whether she has a civil right to attend that school, using our public money, at this time, should be a matter for the citizens of the United States and Elmwood Park to decide. Same goes for issuing driver's licenses or providing mortgage assistance.

I might sound like a squirrelly policy wonk for saying it, but if the citizens of the United States don't get to decide who qualifies for citizenship and who benefits from government programs, then citizenship is made meaningless by denying them control over their laws and their spending. So, Americans are properly offended by the bald-faced attempt by Mexico President Vicente Fox and 10 other Latin American leaders to prescribe their solution to the vast problems caused by the illegal presence of 11 million people in our country and a non-functional border.

While we're trying to set some ground rules in this difficult debate, it would help to clarify some language. A foreigner (yes, that's the proper name for someone here from another country) who can't produce his documents to demonstrate his legal status in the United States is different from a foreigner who has no documents because he is here illegally. Thus, "undocumented immigrant" is an imprecise substitute for "illegal immigrant."

It is yet another loss for proper usage in the never-ending skirmish over political correctness. And while the use of "illegal immigrant" may cause offense, it hardly rises to the offensive heights caused by labeling one side of a legitimate debate "nativists" or "xenophobes."

Also, as we enter this debate, it's wise to bring up what we've learned from the past, since we've been around this corner before. In 1986, we conducted this same debate and the "solution" then was to grant amnesty to about 2.7 million illegal immigrants. Then, amnesty advocates said we need grant it "just this once," and that better enforcement--mostly going after employers who hire illegal immigrants--would solve the problem. That amnesty didn't stop the illegal flow across our border, and enforcement--especially by the Bush administration--has been a joke.

Last year, 86 members of Congress felt compelled to urge President Bush to enforce three dozen immigration laws that they said the administration had ignored.

Amnesty wasn't part of a border-security bill the House passed last year. But the Senate won't escape a debate over amnesty, especially with President Bush pushing for a "guest worker" program. At least four bills are up for Senate consideration, but as far as I can tell, none of them would immediately round up 11 million people and ship them "back." Nonetheless, some believe any solution is so intractable that we might as well live with an open border.

To the contrary, we can solve this problem, humanely and effectively. Strengthen our border. Enforce the laws on the books. Restore respect for the rule of law. Agree that the fight isn't over immigration, but illegal immigration. And, most important, agree that Americans have a right to define and defend what it means to be an American.

Friday, February 23, 2007

The homosexual agenda!

Please help us get this information into the hands of as many people as possible by forwarding it to your entire email list of family and friends.

House of Representatives set to vote on 'hate crimes' giving homosexuals special rights

Contact Your Representative In Opposition to HR 254 Today!

Dear Mike,


The U.S. House of Representatives will soon vote on HR 254, which establishes “hate crime” legislation. HR 254 will create new special rights for homosexuals under the guise of enhancing law enforcement. It would make “sexual orientation” a protected class alongside race, religion and gender.

The only way this bill can be defeated is with a real grassroots uprising by those who care about the future of their children, families and marriages!

The intent of this law is to force the acceptance and approval of homosexuality on every American, regardless of their religious views. Here is a short summary of HR 254.

For a more in-depth review of where we are headed, click here.

Here is a partial list of what homosexual activists are trying to force on every American. While HR 254 will not, in and of itself, accomplish these goals, it will open the door to such regulations. Once the elephant gets its trunk under the tent, the way is open for the elephant to move inside and do whatever he wants.

Preaching that homosexuality is a sin from the pulpit will result in the preacher being charged with “hate speech.”
Churches will have their tax-exempt status revoked if they oppose homosexuality.
Homosexual marriage will be legalized and recognized in all states.
Polygamy will be legalized.
Landlords will be forced to rent to homosexuals.
Scouts, and all non-profit organizations, will be required to hire homosexuals as leaders.
Biblical language used to define homosexuality will be considered “hate speech.” City officials have already had a billboard removed in Long Island, NY, because it was classified as “hate speech.” The billboard read: “If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination.” (Leviticus 20:13)
Employees will not be allowed to say anything negative about homosexuality in their workplaces.
Classes promoting the homosexual lifestyle will be included in school curricula beginning with the lower grades.
Employers will be forced to hire homosexuals.
Adoption by homosexuals will be legalized in every state.
To read HR 254, click here.

Let me say again: HR 254 will not, in and of itself, accomplish everything the homosexual activist’s desire. But it is the first step is to position their cause where they can achieve all their goals.

If they are successful with HR 254, rest assured they will pursue their next goal and will not stop until they achieve all their goals.

Take Action
Send the e-mail to your representative urging him or her to vote AGAINST HR 254. It all boils down to who is dedicated to their cause more — homosexual activists or Christians. Right now the homosexual activists are winning.

Please forward this to all your friends and family. The only way to stop this onslaught on Christian values and Christianity is a national uprising against HR 254, saying enough is enough!


Click Here to Email Your Representative Now!

If you think our efforts are worthy, would you please support us with a small gift? Thank you for caring enough to get involved.
Sincerely,



Donald E. Wildmon, Founder and Chairman
American Family Association

P.S. Please forward this e-mail message to your family and friends!

Have a question about this or past Action Alerts? Click Here

Sunday, February 18, 2007

The struggle between wrong and right.

Romans 7:15 I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate


I think that one of the most common struggles that we face as Christians is the struggle between what we know we should be doing and what we are doing. In the book of Romans, verses 7:15-25, we can see where we're not the only ones who face this problem. In verses 15 and 16, Paul describes the problem: "For that which I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. But if I do the very thing I do not wish to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that it is good." Does this sort of self-questioning sound familiar?

Notice in these verses, that there's only one player in these two verses, the "I," that is mentioned nine times. Notice also that this person has a good heart; he agrees with the law of God. But this good-hearted Christian has a behavior problem. He knows what he should be doing but, for some reason, he can't do it. He agrees with God but ends up doing the very things he hates. Once again, does this sound familiar?

Verses 17-21 show us the reason for this behavior problem: "So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which indwells me. . . . If I am doing the very thing I do not wish, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me." How many players are involved now? Two: sin and me. But sin is clearly not me; it's only living in me. Sin is preventing me from doing what I want to do. Sin is keeping me from the relationship with God that we all want and need.

Do these verses say that I am no good, that I am evil, or that I am sin? Absolutely not. They say that I have something living in me which is no good, evil, and sinful, but it's not me. If I have a sliver in my finger, I could say that I have something in me which is no good. But it's not me who's no good. I'm not the sliver. The sliver which is stuck in my finger is no good. I am not sin and I am not a sinner. I am a saint struggling with sin which causes me to do what I don't want to do.

Romans 6:12 informs us that it is our responsibility not to allow sin to reign in our lives. Sin will reign if we use our bodies as instruments of unrighteousness (Romans 6:13). We have to strive to get rid of the sin in our lives that we struggle with on a daily basis. Having said this, you need to remember that we need to draw our strength from God in this struggle because it's usually a fight we can't fight on our own. I tried for years to quit drinking, but it wasn't until I asked God for the strength was the desire taken away. Remember, Philipians 4:13 says "we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us," this includes getting rid of the sin in our lives. In fact, it was already done on the cross.

Praying that we all find the strength of Christ,
Pastor Mike