Hyphenated-Americans: There are plans on May 1, 2006 (coinciding with communism’s biggest celebration day of the year) for illegal aliens to protest across the country. Their goal is to shut down our country, showing how important that they are. As a business owner I can say categorically that if any of my employees were to not show up to work because they wanted to protest that they would be looking for a new job on Tuesday. However, if they came to me and asked for the day off ahead of time I would have no problem. [however, everyone has completed the required I-9 form clarifying their legal status as a US citizen.]

I think that the biggest problem in all of this is that we (Americans) allow others (media, non-Americans) to define the terms. We are told that we are politically incorrect to call those who have crossed into our country without permission as “illegal”. In fact, some in our country’s leadership have stated publicly that they are not illegal. I scratch my head at that. If I cross into another country without their permission, and it is against the law, how is it not illegal. But I digress.

The biggest step in all of this is that we have allowed some to segregate us. They don’t see everyone who is a citizen of this great country as Americans. We are instead told that we are African-Americans, Anglo-Americans, Latin-Americans (or sometimes Hispanic-Americans), etc. Why can’t we just be Americans? So now that we have identified our heritage as a part of our name, why not add our religious preference. We could have Catholic-Latin-Americans, Protestant-Latin-Americans, Muslim-Latin-Americans. But that really doesn’t tell us anything about their political ideology, so we need to add that. Now we have Liberal-Catholic-Latin- Americans, Conservative-Catholic-Latin-Americans, etc. Where does this end. Well with me it ends with the hyphenation. I am American. Does it matter to you my race, my political slant, my faith, my heritage? It matter only to those who are close to me. I would hope that the world wouldn’t discount my photography, my art, my writing, etc, because I don’t line up 100% with their little pigeon-holed labels. I happen to have very strong feelings personally about a lot of issues, but my top choice for president of the United States for the next election is someone who is 180° opposed to the issue that matters to me the most. I am hoping for a running mate who is not of my faith, gender, or race (but don’t think she’ll run).

Its time for all American’s to stand together. Let’s through off all labels except for American. And if you are not “American” you are either a tourist, a visitor (with visa), or you are illegal.