Legion to Congress: Reject amnesty

I am disappointed in the American Legion National Commanders’ response to the U.S. Senates’ Band of 8 proposed immigration bill. National Commander James Koutz framed the issue in this news release in the same manner that causes me not to watch television news organization CNBC (Soledad Obrien, Matt Lauer) for their bias without cause and effect research of the facts. As an organization driven by core principles of Americanism, the American Legion’s stance should simply be we support the laws currently written in matters of immigration as stated in the American Legion’s policy on immigration.
If the American Legion intends not to propose a bill that addresses the immigration problem than the American Legion needs to stay out of media politics on this issue or, simply reemphasize the American Legion’s stance on immigration by quoting the American Legion’s policy on immigration. Within the immigration reform policy proposed by the Senate is an underlying agenda of dividing a political party by another political party that clearly has a strong hold on managing the media’s political message. The American Legion’s stance on political affiliation is we are not politically affiliated.
The National Commander is correct on the Immigration Reform Act of 1986 failure to sustain immigration control. Charismatic statements like “it didn’t work than and won’t work now” and “continue to enhance more security on the borders” exuberates a one sided political view without suggesting dynamic solutions to current immigration laws written in the American Legion’s policy on immigration that clearly are not protecting U.S. Citizen.
I support the National Commander’s candidness but, short news releases like this one places the American Legion in a path of a plow in a hidden agenda to divide one political party. Unless the American Legion intends on offering a unified proposal to correct failed immigration policies, we need to stick to the American Legions’ stance on current immigration policies and no political affiliation. The body of our American Veteran’s Organizations cannot afford political divide.

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ONE THING I HAVE TO WRITE DOWN ON THIS ISSUE (NO AMNESTY) FOR THE PEOPLE WHO VE CROSSED THE BORER ILLEGALY, GO BACK TO THE END OF THE LINE BEFORE YOU BECOME A FELON, AND WILL NEVER BECOME A LEGAL CITIZEN , OF THESE BELOVED UNITED STATES OF AMERICA . BY AVOIDING THE THE APPLICABLE PROCESS FOR CITIZENSHIP . THOSE WHO HAVE THE ( I DONT NEED ON STINKING PAPERS ATTITUDE) SHOULD NEVER BE ALLOWED IN THE STATES EVER, 50% OF ILLEGALS HAVE THIS ATTITUDE AND THOSE ARE THE ONE WE DONT WANT HERE PERIOD!

ONE THING I HAVE TO WRITE DOWN ON THIS ISSUE (NO AMNESTY) FOR THE PEOPLE WHO VE CROSSED THE BORER ILLEGALY, GO BACK TO THE END OF THE LINE BEFORE YOU BECOME A FELON, AND WILL NEVER BECOME A LEGAL CITIZEN , OF THESE BELOVED UNITED STATES OF AMERICA . BY AVOIDING THE THE APPLICABLE PROCESS FOR CITIZENSHIP . THOSE WHO HAVE THE ( I DONT NEED ON STINKING PAPERS ATTITUDE) SHOULD NEVER BE ALLOWED IN THE STATES EVER, 50% OF ILLEGALS HAVE THIS ATTITUDE AND THOSE ARE THE ONES WE DONT WANT HERE PERIOD!

To those who believe that this is an issue that the American Legion should address (simply because you happen to agree with the position), please read.

I joined an organization called the AMERICAN Legion. My beloved American Legion Post has a sign that says "All Active Duty and Veterans are Welcome." When I joined, they screened my Military Record for honorable service during wartime. They did NOT/NOT screen me for my political affiliation and leanings. In my Post, our sign holds true, ALL ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY AND VETERANS ARE WELCOME. In my Post, we share a commeradeship because ALL VETERANS, Republican or Democrat, Native Born or Immigrant (or even those Citizens born here whose parents are illegal), ALL OF US stand up for the principals of the American Legion. ALL OF US, Republican or Democrat, believe that Veterans and the Military and our Families deserve the thanks of a grateful Nation, deserve the benefits that we are owed, and deserve to be taken care of when we suffer for the sacrifices that we made for our Country. In this we are all UNITED.

Many, unfortunately (including our National Commander), seem to feel that we all joined a very VERY different organization than I did. For those who feel that the American Legion should be taking stances on divisive political issues (I've seen lots of rhetoric on this blog on an the American Legion Facebook site pointing fingers at "Democrats" within the American Legion), I want you to think long and hard about your attitude, and if you still feel the same way about the organization that you joined, then I want you, YOU PERSONALLY, to go to your Post and replace your sign with one that says REPUBLICAN LEGION, and follow it with a sign that says, "Republicans Welcome; We Don't Care Whether or NOT you Served in the Military."

Now, on a strictly pragmatic and non-political point about our current "Dear Leader's" chosen Legislative Agenda, I want you to know that Congress looks to us, the AMERICAN Legion, the largest and most inclusive VETERANS Service Organization for advice on Veterans matters. By sending his message to Congress, our "Dear Leader" communicated one thing and one thing only: "If you need money to build a fence/wall/etc. or to round up and deport Illegal Aliens, then FEEL FREE to take that money from Veterans Benefits or from Military Family programs because they are a much lower priority for us and we speak for Veterans." I am NOT / NOT comfortable with that position. Are you?

Lastly, I caution anybody on advocating that the American Legion takes a political position on items that are not Veteran-related. I caution you because if you allow this to happen now, on an issue that you agree with, then you allow it to take a position in the future on an item that you may not agree with. ANYTHING can be justified as being related to Veterans; this is why we need to keep the American Legion focused on Veterans Issues. Otherwise a future National Convention and National Commander might take a position that says that "Veterans fought for the Constitution, which the Supreme Court has ruled includes a Woman's Right to Choose, therefore the American Legion is opposed to any and all anti-abortion legislation," or that since "Veterans fought for our Country's core principals, including that All Men are Created Equal, that the American Legion fully supports Gay Marriage." I only point this out for argument sake. Just because our Veterans Organization takes a political position on a divisive political issue that you agree with, doesn't mean that it is right for them to take a political position at all.

Do us all a favor and form a PAC called, "Veterans United Against Amnesty." And advocate for the cause that you believe in. It will lend a lot of weight that the National Commander of the American Legion, the Nation's largest and most-inclusive Veterans Service Organization, is a member, as is his right. And stop dividing OUR American Legion when we need to be united for the cause of Veterans and Military Families.

By the way, for anyone who wants to point a finger at me as a Democrat and write me off, I am NOT / NOT a Democrat. I am an independent (I feel that Soldiers on Active Duty should be non-partisan) who leans WAY to the Republican side and my wife (who is a proud American Legion and VFW member now that she is out of the Air Force) is a registered Republican. I supported Romney. I even volunteered 15-hours per week one year working for Republicans on Veterans Issues (there, I researched the facts and drafted legislation that would end the unfair and completely UNCONSTITUTIONAL practice of PERMANENTLY denying Veterans and their Family members living with them their Constitutional Right to Bear Arms under the 2nd Amendment without any chance for Judicial Review or Appeal whenever a low-level bureaucrat at the VA determines that they should have a fiduciary (who is usually their family member) to help them look after their VA benefits simply because they don't manage their finances properly. Senator Burr (R-NC) has passed my legislation on a bi-partisan vote in the Committee multiple times, but some damned democrats in the Senate who are big "take our guns" advocates and who, in my humble opinion, blatantly discriminate against veterans because they think that we are all crazy and violent, have repeatedly blocked it from reaching the Senate floor. THIS, by the way, is an issue where I do NOT / NOT see the American Legion weighing in, probably because the National Commander is too busy worrying about immigrants that they don't have time to focus on Veterans).

The American Legion has every right to state its opinion in this matter. It reflects the opinion in our charter and affects national security. To all of us who worked hard to LEGALLY brcome citizens, this is Not a proper thing to do. And most of those getting this readily admit that even if given citizenship their primary allegience is to Mexico. They accept the new status only for financial (Social Security, Medicare, UC, etc) reasons. They would not display an American flag on their homes even if it were given to them for free. This is all about buying votes, not doing what is in the interest of this nation and it's legal citizens. And every person who's worn the uniform of the United States should be concerned. Your politicians in both major parties need to be shown that the rights and security of LEGAL Americans need to be maintaned and protected. I think that most of you born here would just as readily fly the Mexican flag as the Stars and Stripes. If you don't diligently protect it at home as well as oveseas, you WILL lose it, AND the freedoms it represents.

XanderLee. I just looked over the requirements to join the American Legion and there is nothing in there that keeps Mexican Americans out. Mexican Amercians who proudly and honorably serve in the United States Military are welcome in the American Legion. What is unwelcome in the American Legion are your hateful comments about people of Mexican descent because it is most unwelcoming to Mexican Americans who proudly serve our Country. If you mistakingly thought that you joined an organization allows discrimination against Mexican Americans, then I suggest that you end your membership and find another organization that shares your hatred. When your statements degenerated away from remarks against illegal aliens (of any origin and nationality) to hateful statements against American Citizens (and I quote: "I think that most of you born here would just as readily fly the Mexican flag as the Stars and Stripes" -end quote), you crossed a line. Mexican American Servicemen and Women are welcome into our American Legion Legion Post; your blanket attitude towards all Mexican Americans, Sir, is not.

This is another illustration of the negative consequenses of the American Legion taking a position on this issue.

The American Legion has every right to speak out on amnesty for illegal aliens and for those of you who don't pay attention, this is not the first time the legion has opposed amnesty for illegal aliens.
The Legion has opposed amnesty for several years at several National Conventions.

For those of you who believe that illegal aliens should gain citizenship through military service, read this:

In order to join the US Military, you must either be a US citizen, or you must be a legal permanent immigrant, physically living in the United States, with a green card. The US military cannot and will not assist with the immigration process. If you are not a US citizen, you must legally and permanently immigrate to the United States first, via the regular immigration procedures and quotas, establish a residence, and then (if you meet the other qualifying criteria), visit a military recruiter's office and apply for enlistment.

As I have often said, there is no right granted to anyone to serve in the United States Military. The respective military departments do have the absolute right to reject you for any reason it deems appropriate. Regardless of how recruiting commercials may "sell" the military, it is not a "jobs program." It's serious business, involving the security of the United States of America, and our country's national interests.
Congress and the courts have held that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which ensures all individuals are treated equally before the law with respect to civilian employment, does not apply to the military profession. No less than seven major Supreme Court decisions support this.