REAGAN'S LEGACY: In an article in the Wall Street Journal February 6 by open border advocates, some usually conservative activists blurred the distinction between legal and illegal immigrants while claiming the mantle of President Reagan for their views. Another group of conservative leaders wrote a letter that appeared in the WSJ on Tuesday, February 17. "We agree fully with President Reagan's famous metaphor of the 'shining city on a hill,'" they responded. "It is a magnificent vision which reaffirms deep American values. Yet it is unfortunate that the authors of the 'Statement' did not read Reagan's words more carefully. Reagan said that 'the doors' of this city must remain open. He did not say that people are welcome to bypass the doors and climb the walls." This letter was signed by Rep. Tom Tancredo (R.-Colo.), Michael Reagan, Bay Buchanan, Victor Davis Hanson, David Keene, Michelle Malkin, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R.-Calif.), Phyllis Schlafly, and Paul Weyrich.
On February 6, the Journal had published a so-called "Conservative Statement of Principles on Immigration" that endorsed President Bush's proposed amnesty for illegal aliens and his plan to flood this country with a potentially unlimited number of foreign guest workers. "The President has shown courage by calling on Congress to place reality over rhetoric and recognize that those already working here outside the law are unlikely to leave," the authors wrote. The signers of this pro-open borders letter were Stuart Anderson, Jeff Bell, Linda Chavez, Larry Cirignano, Cesar V. Conda, Francis Fukuyama, Richard Gilder, Newt Gingrich, Ed Goeas, Tamar Jacoby, Jack Kemp, Steve Moore, Grover Norquist, Richard W. Rahn, and Malcolm Wallop.
HIRE THEM OR ELSE: Leftist judges and homosexual rights activists continue their disturbing jihad to force the Boy Scouts to hire homosexual scoutmasters to look after young boys. One of the current fronts is in Connecticut, where despite the Boy Scouts' 30 years of participation in a state charitable program, the scouts have now been excluded because they "discriminate" on the basis of sexual orientation. The U.S. 2nd Court of Appeals has upheld the state's decision-even though homosexual activist groups such as the Lambda Legal Defense Fund are allowed to participate in the state's program. Thomas More Law Center Associate Counsel Robert Muise said, "It is unconstitutional to force an organization to forego its basic values, beliefs and practices as a condition for the receipt of a government benefit." The center has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to take up the case.
FIRED FOR PRO-LIFE: If you do not want to participate in the murder of an unborn child, it may soon be that you can't be a pharmacist in this country. Eckerd fired three pharmacists on January 29 for refusing to fill a prescription for a rape victim who wanted the morning-after pill. According to AP (February 12), Gene Herr said that he and two others were fired. "Herr, 33, of Denton, [Tex.] said he declined to fill the prescription for the so-called 'morning-after pill' because he believes it could have killed the embryo if the woman already had conceived," AP reported. "Though he had declined five or six times in the past to fill such prescriptions, it was the first time he had been handed one for a rape victim, he said. 'I went in the back room and briefly prayed about it,' said Herr, who had worked for Eckerd for five years. 'I actually called my pastor. . .and asked him what he thought about it.' The two other pharmacists who were present also declined to fill the prescription. Herr would not name them. The rape victim had the prescription filled at a nearby pharmacy."
PRODIGAL SON: The Washington Post reported on February 17 the average spent per night on lodging by some presidential candidates while on the campaign trail: John Kerry, $202; John Edwards, $238; President Bush, $607; Al Sharpton, $3,598.
PRIVACY CONCERNS: While liberal civil libertarians were busy protesting the Patriot Act's effectiveness in terrorism investigations, the New Mexico state house passed a bill last week requiring a breathalyzer to be installed on every car sold in the state. "Ignition interlocks prevent vehicles from being started when the driver is drunk," reported AP. "The measure's sponsor, Grants Democrat Ken Martinez, says it would save lives. He says putting ignition interlocks on every car, truck and commercial vehicle would shift the focus from punishment to prevention."
