Arizona and New Immigration Laws

If you watch or read the news at all, you know that Arizona recently passed a tough illegal immigration law.  According to an article in my morning paper that was submitted by the Associated Press, Arizona has "become the center of national immigration debate."  If you don't know what the law is about, to put it plainly, the new law "makes it a state crime to be in the U.S. illegally and it directs police to question people about their immigration status if there is reason to suspect they are illegal."  Lawmakers and our own coconut in the White House have declared the law unconstitutional and have said it will lead to racial profiling and harassment by the police. 

In signing this policy into law, Governor Jan Brewer of Arizona has stated,

"The new state misdemeanor crime of failure to complete or carry an alien registration document is adopted verbatim from the same offense found in federal statute," she said. "I will not tolerate racial discrimination or racial profiling in Arizona."

I think most of my readers know how I feel about immigration, especially the illegal kind.  If you aren't sure or don't remember, you could read a post about my feelings here.  I applaud Governor Brewer and her courage to take care of a situation in her state that has been all but ignored nationally for generations.  Every president promises to do something about illegal immigration, but none of them actually follow through.  Why?  Because the Hispanic population carries a lot of political weight.  They lobby, they boycott, they are a force to be reckoned with.  And I am not against legal immigration.  I'm all for it.  At one point or another, almost all of us have ancestors that immigrated to North America.

For those that think Governor Brewer is wrong in trying to protect the state she is responsible for, let me share a few statistics that were in that same news article I read this morning.

• Arizona is home to approx. 460,000 illegal immigrants
• In the past 3 yrs. Border Patrol agents in Arizona have arrested an avg. of 900 illegals entering Arizona EVERY DAY
• Federal agents seized approx. 1.2 million pounds of marijuana in Arizona last year.  That is roughly 1.5 tons PER DAY
• Last week 67 illegals were found crammed into the back of a U-Haul entering Arizona.  This happens EVERY DAY

These figures represent just ONE of the states that border Mexico.  I live in California and I'm sure there are similar statistics for my state.  We can look at this situation in another way.  Although I have never traveled outside of the U.S. I know there are certain requirements for doing so.

• To cross the border out of the USA I must carry a passport.
• To travel to MEXICO:
• If I'm under 18, I am required to also carry notarized permission from my parent or guardian
• If I'm planning an extended stay to any country I need a visa.
• I can expect that I will be questioned about my travel plans as I leave the US and as I enter the country I am visiting
• I can expect that my travel documents will be inspected when I leave the US and I enter the country I am visiting
• I can expect that if I am stopped for any reason while in the foreign country, I will be required to show identification and the documents that allow me to be in that country.

These requirements are for my own protection, the protection of the United States and the protection of the country I am visiting.  Why is that so hard to understand?  Why should we not require and expect the same of people that are in OUR country.  Why do we feel sorry for those that enter our country illegally?  Why do we think we need to offer them amnesty from entering the country illegally and then provide them with citizenship? (As the coconut in the White House wants to do).  I JUST DON'T GET IT!

By no means am I telling you how to think or feel or vote.  If you support tougher immigration legislation, let your coconut and political representatives know.  If you support more lenient immigration policies, let the powers that be know that too.  This is OUR country and we have elected these people to do what we want them to.  If they don't know how we feel, they certainly can't make informed decisions.

You all know how I feel about it.  I routinely contact my legislators on any number of issues that concern me.  Do I know that they consider my opinions when they vote? No.  Do I know that I have done my part as a citizen to make my opinions known and voiced for what I believe will make our country better?  You betcha'.

For a more humorous look at immigration, you can check this post that was inspired by an email my mom sent me about a year ago.  Hope it makes you smile.

I Just Finished Reading...

...Slaves in the Family by Edward Ball.  This was the first book written by Ball, who is descended from one of the earliest settlers of South Carolina; Elias "Red Cap" Ball.  By doing exhaustive research into oral family history, meticulous plantation records, and even an advertisement in local newspapers, Ball was able to tell a narrative of family history that keeps one captivated.  His writing style flowed easily and the story was told with all the twists and turns of a mystery/action/romance novel.

Ball was able to connect with descendants of former slaves that had lived on the Ball plantations from the early 1600's up until the middle of the 20th century.  These weren't just people who had relatives on the Ball lands.  These were blood relatives, in many cases, to Edward Ball himself.  In reading this family history, I also gained a better understanding of American history.  The history of native people on the soil that would become the United States, the history of the slave trade to Charleston, South Carolina, the history of the participation of slaves in the Revolutionary War, and the history of the Civil War all became clearer to me as I read this book. 

This is the only book written by Edward Ball that I have read so far, however I am interested in reading some of his other books as well.  I'd really like to read his book, The Genetic Strand: Exploring a Family History Through DNA, which takes a closer, more scientific look into the lives of his ancestors that were introduced in Slaves. 

Another of his titles was co-authored with Edwina Harleston Whitlock, a relative of Ball's and an ancestor to the relationship of one of Edward Ball's uncles and his black slave.  This was a relationship that lasted many years and produced several children. This family history is looked at more closely in The Sweet Hell Inside: The Rise of an Elite Black Family in the Segregated South.  The are characters that are introduced in Slaves in the Family.

Since almost all of my ancestors immigrated here from Europe after the Civil War, I don't think there are any slaves in my family, not directly any way.  But who knows, I'm sure there are a few skeletons in the closet I haven't discovered yet.  How about you?  Do you have slaves in your family?

I'm a Bibliophile!

Don't know what that is?  Well, according to Merriam-Webster, a bibliophile is simply a "lover of books."  Ask anyone to tell you one thing that I have lots of, and most will tell you books.  I can't ever remember not knowing how to read.  And even as I was reading on my own, my parents were still reading to me and my siblings.  My mom would read her magazines and romance novels; my dad would read Tarzan and Louis Lamour books.  A love of the written word has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. 

I was looking through my overstuffed Google Reader and came across a post from Faith, Family, and Fun.  It was all about the Top 100 Children's Novels.   She got her list from SchoolLibraryJournal.com, which conducted a poll and then compiled a list of the 100 most listed books.

When I was going to college, one of my required courses was Children's Literature.  I loved it!  I still read books that would be considered children's literature.  I read those that have been around for nearly 100 years and things written within the last 10 or 20.  I love books!  I chose a different website for my list of 100 books.  I went to librarybooklists.org, a site I became familiar with when I was taking that college course.  There are so many different kinds of lists here that I couldn't choose just one.  So, I took a few books off of each of the various lists.   
So like quinnschilling at Faith, Family, and Fun, I have listed my Top 100 Children's Books and Novels.  I have read all of these!  I can't believe it.  In fact, some of these have been read more than once, some many times.  I recommend each and every one of these books.  Some are for younger children and some are for older children.  All are for grown-ups.  They are perfect to read on one's own or as a family read aloud.
 

If the author has a website or blog, I have also listed that.  Many of these author sites have more than just information on the author and the books their books.  Many have interactive pages for kids (or kids at heart) and pages that provide lesson ideas for using the book as a teaching tool. 

My Top 100 Children's Books and Novels

1. 
   
     Little Women ~ Louisa May Alcott
2. 
   
     Little Men ~ Louisa May Alcott
3. 
   
    A Secret Garden ~ Frances Hodgson Burnett
4. 
   
   The Little Prince ~  Antoine de Saint-Exupery
5. 
   
   Black Beauty ~ Anna Sewell
6. 
   
   The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn ~ Mark Twain
7. 
   
   Charlotte's Web ~ E. B. White
8. 
   
   Little House in the Big Woods ~ Laura Ingalls Wilder
9. 
   
   Little House on the Prairie ~ Laura Ingalls Wilder
10. 
    
    On the Banks of Plum Creek ~ Laura Ingalls Wilder
11. 
    
    Farmer Boy ~ Laura Ingalls Wilder
12. 
    
    By the Shores of Silver Lake ~ Laura Ingalls Wilder
13. 
    
    Little Town on the Prairie ~ Laura Ingalls Wilder
14. 
    
    The Long Winter ~ Laura Ingalls Wilder
15. 
    
    The First Four Years ~ Laura Ingalls Wilder
16. 
    
    These Happy Golden Years ~ Laura Ingalls Wilder
17. 
    
    The Wolves of Willoughby Chase ~ Joan Aiken
18. 
    
    Tuck Everlasting ~ Natalie Babbitt
19. 
    
    Caddie Woodlawn ~ Carol Ryrie Brink
20. 
    
    Ramona the Pest ~ Beverly Cleary
21. 
    
    Beezus and Ramona ~ Beverly Cleary
22. 
    
    Henry Huggins ~ Beverly Cleary
23. 
    
    James and the Giant Peach ~ Roald Dahl
24. 
    
    Harriet the Spy ~ Louise Fitzhugh
25. 
    
    Diary of a Young Girl ~ Anne Frank
26. 
    
    From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler ~ E. L. Konigsburg
27. 
    
    Ben and Me ~ Robert Lawson
28. 
    
    Number the Stars ~ Lois Lowry
29. 
    
    The Giver ~ Lois Lowry
30. 
    
    Esperanza Rising ~ Pam Munoz Ryan
31. 
    
    Amelia and Eleanor Go For a Ride ~ Pam Munoz Ryan
32. 
    
    Sarah, Plain and Tall ~ Patricia MacLachlan
33. 
    
    Make Way for Ducklings ~ Robert McCloskey
34. 
    
    One Morning in Maine ~ Robert McCloskey
35. 
    
    Blueberries for Sal ~ Robert McCloskey
36. 
    
    Holes ~ Louis Sachar
37. 
    
    Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry ~ Mildred Taylor
38. 
    
    The Boxcar Children ~ Gertrude Chandler Warner
39. 
    
    Cheaper by the Dozen ~ Frank B. Gilbreth, Jr.
40. 
    
    The Velveteen Rabbit or, How Toys Become Real ~ Margery Williams
41. 
    
    The Tale of Despereaux ~ Kate DiCamillo
42. 
    
    The Westing Game ~ Ellen Raskin
43. 
    
    How to Eat Fried Worms ~ Thomas Rockwell
44. 
    
    Roxaboxen ~  Alice McLerran
45. 
    
    Miss Rumphius ~ Barbara Cooney
46. 
    
    Island Boy ~ Barbara Cooney
47. 
    
    Eleanor ~ Barbara Cooney
48. 
    
    Hattie and the Wild Waves ~ Barbara Cooney
49. 
    
    Ox-Cart Man ~ Donald Hall
50. 
    
    Madeline ~ Ludwig Bemelmans
51. 
    
    The Old Man and the Sea ~ Ernest Hemingway
52. 
    
    Danger: The Dog-Yard Cat ~ Libby Riddles
53. 
    
    Storm Run:The Story of the First Woman to Win the Iditarod Sled Dog Race ~ Libby Riddles
54. 
    
    My Side of the Mountain ~ Jean Craighead George 
55. 
    
    The Stinky Cheese Man ~ Jon Scieszka
56. 
    
    The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs! ~ Jon Scieszka
57. 
    
    Crispin: The Cross of Lead ~ Avi
58. 
    
    The Bad Beginning ~ Lemony Snicket
59. 
    
    Chicka Chicka Boom Boom ~ Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault
60. 
    
    Bad Day at Riverbend ~ Chris Van Allsburg
61. 
    
    The Mysteries of Harris Burdick ~ Chris Van Allsburg
62. 
    
    Stellaluna ~ Janell Cannon
63. 
    
    Verdi ~ Janell Cannon
64. 
    
    Crickwing ~ Janell Cannon
65. 
    
    The Number Devil: A Mathematical Adventure ~ Hans Magnus Enzensberger
66. 
    
    The Mitten ~ Jan Brett
67. 
    
    The Hat ~ Jan Brett
68. 
    
    The Legend of Lightning Larry ~ Aaron Shepherd
69. 
    
    The Keeping Quilt ~ Patricia Polacco
70. 
    
    Chicken Sunday ~ Patricia Polacco
71. 
    
    The Outsiders ~ S. E. Hinton
72. 
    
    Encyclopedia Brown ~ Donald J. Sobol
73. 
    
    How the Grinch Stole Christmas ~ Dr. Seuss
74. 
    
    The Crippled Lamb ~ Max Lucado
75. 
    
    Olive, The Other Reindeer ~ Vivian Walsh
76. 
    
    Love, Ruby Lavender ~ Deborah Wiles
77. 
    
    Each Little Bird That Sings ~ Deborah Wiles
78. 
    
    Yonder ~ Tony Johnston and Lloyd Bloom
79. 
    
    Olivia - Ian Falconer
80. 
    
    Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. ~ Doreen Rappaport
81. 
    
    I Have a Dream ~ Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., introduction byCoretta Scott King
82. 
    
    The Wall – by Eve Bunting
83. 
    
    When I Was Young in the Mountains ~ Cynthia Rylant and Diane Goode
84. 
    
    Bud, Not Buddy ~  by Christopher Paul Curtis
85. 
    
    Snowflake Bentley ~ Jaqueline Briggs Martin and Mary Azarian
86. 
    
    Miss Nelson Is Missing! ~ Harry G. Allard, Jr.
87. 
    
    Amelia Bedelia ~Peggy Parish
88. 
    
    I Ain't Gonna Paint No More! ~ Karen Beaumont
89. 
    
    Through My Eyes ~ Ruby Bridges
90. 
    
    A Cool Drink of Water ~ Barbara Kerley
91. 
    
    N.C. Wyeth's Pilgrims ~ Robert D. San Souci
92. 
    
    Hannah and Jack ~ Mary Nethery and Mary Morgan
93. 
    
    Owl Moon ~ Jane Yolen
94. 
    
    How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? ~ Jane Yolen
95. 
    
    Out of the Dust ~ Karen Hesse
96. 
    
    Where the Wild Things Are ~ Maurice Sendak
97. 
    
    Grandfather's Journey ~ Allen Say
98. 
    
    The Glorious Flight: Across the Channel with Louis Bleriot ~ Alice and Martin Provensen
99. 
    
    Talkin’ About Bessie: The Story of Aviator Elizabeth Coleman ~ Nikki Grimes
100. 
     
     Aunt Harriet's Underground Railroad in the Sky ~ Faith Ringgold

                              

image source

Are you a bibliophile? 

What is your all-time favorite children's book?