Looking for the banjo

I've had blogs here and there, more than any person with minimal sanity would, and then I took about six months off. Now... here I am again. Ain't life grand?

If you want to know the reason for the name of the blog, google Stephen Foster.

(The image came from here. I haven't figured out yet how to make linkable images in this new format.)

UPDATE: It's been four years since I've posted regularly in Blogger, and it's starting to get to me. This was actually the first post I wrote, but in fiddling (banjoing?) around, trying to get the time to post correctly, it wound up with a time later than the other two. Yeesh. Sorry.

Haga como digo, no como hago*

That would be "Do as I say, not as I do". (At least, according to freetranslation.com.)

It appears that while Mexico is huffing and hmphing about efforts to stop illegal immigration from Mexico into the US, they are trying to stop exactly the same kind of immigration from Central America and other countries into Mexico.

I have no particular concern about immigrants coming into the US; we're a nation of immigrants, and it's worked out so far. My concerns about illegal immigration boil down to this:

* When immigrants come in illegally, we as a nation can't monitor who's coming in. Probably the vast majority of those coming in are good hard-working people who would be fine citizens of this country if they had that option. But a good percentage are also the dregs of their own societies, coming in with full intent to commit crime or at least live off this country's welfare system. With legal immigration, we could cut down on that element.

* Illegal immigrants are both the catalysts for and the victims of crime. They are catalysts in that whole criminal networks have evolved to facilitate illegal immigration. They are victims in many ways, including victimization by the criminal networks set up to get them here, by both their fellow illegals and Americans who know the illegals will be too frighten to report the crime, and by those who hire them off the books for pay way under the going rate for legals or citizens. Allowing them to come in legally would result in a lot less crime against them.

* When we draw a line in the sand, we need to stick it. If that line is too strict, erase it and make a new one that fits. But if you've drawn it, stick it. To do otherwise is to invite general contempt for your laws and system of justice. We do ourselves no favors by setting a set of laws and then refusing to enforce them.

My solution? Open up legal immigration to allow many more migrant workers and those who would like to be permanent citizens. Force Mexico to clean up the criminal networks and bribery rings that are now blocking the poorer Mexican workers from succeeding at getting here legally. And then deport illegals and prosecute those who hire them.

Not an easy task. But a fair solution.

New Orleans is open for business

At least, if you're a drug dealer.*

It's just very sad to see so many young lives lost for... nothing of any moment. What would it take to change it?

* Everyone is innocent until proven guilty, etc.