Comments on the News

Here in San Antonio, Tx. it is a hot one. "Like seven inches from the midday sun," as Rob Thomas lets us know in Smooth. It is going to stay that way for awhile here. No relief in sight. When the Highs are in the 100's and the Lows remain in the high 70's, forget it. My house does not get cool at all even with the ac when the temps are this high. Whew. . . don't know if I can endure another Summer like this.


Anyway, very tragic what had happened at the Holocaust Museum in D.C. The killer has been labeled a "white supremacist" (still can't understand why no one is labeled a "black or brown supremacist," but that's for another time). I've heard that the killer, James von Brunn had a racist website and was anti-Semitic. Had heard (or actually read just now on MSNBC's website) that he had been arrested and convicted in '83 for wanting to kidnap members of the Federal Reserve Board.

Well, that's enough about him. He doesn't deserve anymore pub. His victim's name was Stephen T. Johns who was a security guard there at the museum. In fact, just read in Yahoo news that Mr. Johns actually opened the door for the killer who then started firing and killed Mr. Johns. It's people such as Mr. Johns who help keep us the public safe from the murderers and other types of thugs of this world. I salute this man and others such as him. Unfortunately, many times his type of job is deemed unimportant until--unfortunately--something tragic happens.

His persona is often invisible, but he is there. Yes, everyday, great men such as Mr. Johns are there for us. Unfortunately, men such as him are not known or we don't read about him in the periodicals until--yes, again, unfortunately--something tragic happens. Remember men and women such as Mr. Johns.

Still reading in the Internet headlines (usually Yahoo) that the Swine Flu is still on its rampage; but don't hear much about it on the regular media. Don't know exactly why except just thinking that doing so--as far reporting or publicizing it--could still cast a negative ambiance toward Mexico where all this started. Not quite understandable considering this disease continues to spread throughout the world. In fact, WHO has already announced or categorized it as a pandemic. So, what gives here? Now, I'm not expecting the press to throw all of us into a panic as they are prone to do, but. . .

Basically, speaking of Mexico and the illegal-alien dilemma that is still wrestled with from day to day, locally a young Mexican woman by the name of Benita Veliz was under threat of deportation because she has been in this country illegally. Her parents had brought her over from Mexico on a tourist visa since she was 8 years old. She and her parents apparently stayed under the radar until she was eventually caught.

The way she was caught was by being pulled over by a policemen for rolling past a "Stop" sign. Miss Veliz, who is now 23 and has never had a driver's license, was arrested and eventually turned over to Immigration authorities to be deported. Now before all this happened, Miss Veliz had graduated as valedictorian from her high school and later graduated with a degree from a local university.

So the dilemma or question arises. . . what happens or what should happen to her? Being in this country illegally, does she automatically get deported even though it wasn't her fault--as is claimed-- that she was in the country illegally. Should an exception be made in her case as far as allowing her to remain here, since she apparently has been a model "citizen" by paying taxes, not committing any heinous crimes and, of course, earning a college degree. (To be continued).

The information about Miss Veliz's case was gleaned from the San Antonio Express-News, dated June 11, 2009; article written by Melissa Ludwig.