There's a great line in the movie "Aliens," in which the frustrated character Ripley asks the inquiry board that's questioning her, "Did IQ's just drop sharply while I was away?"

I felt that way when I read about the huge rallies in Los Angeles in favor of illegal immigration. Well, not exactly in favor of illegal immigration per se, but against cracking down on it. If you read my post of March 16th, you know how I feel about the topic - immigration per se is fine, and is in fact essential to keeping our country strong and vibrant. But the real issue here is the willingness of some immigrants to break the law, and of many people in this country to excuse that illegality. Where are we if we are able to pick the laws we choose to obey? What does it mean to be a nation of laws if the laws can be ignored with impunity? What message does it send to those who break the law to come here, and those who support them...that it's all right to break laws, if you don't think they should apply to you ?

To reiterate my earlier point: to protect our security, we must get a handle on illegal immigration, and we must do it by providing legal opportunities for those who wish to come to this country. The facilitation of illegal activity is illegal and should be punished. People who have violated the law to enter this country should be rounded up and jailed or expelled. We will do much more for new immigrants if we can provide avenues for them to come here legally...if we can offer them the full protections granted and responsibilites demanded by legal residence and citizenship.

Immigration reform doesn't mean, "it's okay to break the law." Immigration reform means, "you are welcome to come here and enjoy the fruits of life in America, but you must do it within the law." If you don't like the law, work to change it...not with mass demonstrations, but with the grassroots political action that makes your elected representatives respond to your concerns. America offers you this possibility. Most other countries don't.

And if your IQ has dropped sharply enough that you can't understand that, then perhaps you need to reconsider not just your rights under the law, but your responsibilities as well.

Have a good day. More random comments tomorrow.

Bilbo