By Staff
Our View
Since the Monroe Doctrine was put in place in 1823the United states operated under a doctrine of isolationism.This country separated itself from the rest of the world, refused to get involved in foreign wars, and largely produced its own goods with little importation or exportation of products.
For the most part our borders were closed and although we had a steady influx of immigration we still managed to stay neutral in the politics of most nations.
Until World War I we were relatively successful at minding our own business and protecting our borders from threat. We did not get involved in World War I until it seemed there was no other choice.
After that war we returned to our isolationist ways and remained in that state until the advent of World War II.
Since that time our government has made it a priority to be the world police. As we reach farther out into the world's politics we find our homeland security resources stretched farther.
Recently a group in Arizona calling themselves the Minutemen have formed a militia to stop illegal immigration from Mexico.
The American government disbanded the border patrol several years ago and since then an average of 700 to 800 illegal immigrants a day have poured through the Arizona Border.
Since the militia has taken over the number of illegal immigrants that cross in that state has dropped to one tenth that number.
Because of that success other border states such as Texas and New Mexico are forming militia's to control the borders.
One Arizona Minuteman is from Sweden. He was fighting for American citizenship in the 1980's when illegal Mexican Nationals were given amnesty. In an interview with CBS News the swedish man said he did not believe it was fair for immigrants from European countries that speak fluent English to have to fight for years for American citizenship while people who skip the border get a free ride.
In Alabama and other states legal immigrants have found it hard to apply for benefits while illegal immigrants have been able to apply for food stamps, welfare, Social Security, and medical benefits.
At the Capitol Building in Washington a Chinese tourist was tackled by police, arrested and had his luggage blown up because he didn't speak English.
The man had recently arrived in Washington and was carrying his luggage with him. He tried to ask a security official how to get to the white house but instead "demanded to see the president," one news source said.
The streets were cleared, the man was told to stay put and he was treated like a suicide bomber as he rapidly tried to explain the situation to police in broken English and Cantonese. He was tackled from behind and beaten and a bomb squad destroyed his luggage.
Surely, in Washington, there is one person who spoke Chinese that could have listened to this man before he was given a less-than-diplomatic greeting.
It seems the American government is more concerned with foreign affairs than it is with domestic ones.
We treat legal visitors and immigrants with suspicion and illegal ones with benefits. We pay for the government services of Afghanistan and Iraq while we complain about a lack of funding for those same services here.
Maybe we should reinstate the policy of isolationism.