Doug Lambert

A recent story about immigrant refugees in the Citizen contained several tidbits of information that struck me. Please don’t construe my retelling of the facts as meaning that I am somehow “against” all immigrants and/or refugees. I understand that we are a nation of immigrants and that we should always allow a certain measure of ongoing legal immigration. I also acknowledge that we as human beings must do all that we can to aid our brothers and sisters in times of great and dire need. All I ask is that you consider the following, which I found to be somewhat surprising.

Tuesday’s Citizen reveals, “According to representatives from the Human Relations Committee, the City of Laconia has one of the state's largest populations of refugees, totaling an estimated 300.” I’ll bet you, just like me, knew that many lived in the area, but probably did not know that little old Laconia was among the top hosts in the state. The same article describes how refugees happen to arrive in a particular state: “refugees are assigned to different states by the U.S. State Department through the United Nations.” Again, I’m sure this is news to you, as it was to me. I did not know that the UN had the authority to “assign” anything to any of our states. I mustn’t have been paying attention when that happened!

One particular statement from the same piece that intrigued me the most was this: “Laconia, Franklin, Manchester, Concord and Nashua get a large number of New Hampshire's assigned refugees because they can better accommodate their employment and housing needs.” Oh really? Am I the only one who hears the daily cries from the area’s so-called “leaders”, various “elites”, and other sundry characters telling us about the need for “workforce” and other such “affordable” housing schemes? Can this be yet another example of “build it and they will come”? Are all the lost Molex jobs being replaced sometime soon?

One last note on the “refugee” thing — I have no problem helping and welcoming those who absolutely must escape their homelands due to circumstances beyond their control. I do, however, expect that they abide by our laws and customs as they find them. I do not feel that our country must always change and conform to the ways of newcomers. I think that learning the language, learning and appreciating the history and founding of America, and ultimately earning their own way in life is the very least that those who have been saved from the ravages of the world can do as an act of appreciation towards their generous benefactors. Otherwise, when things calm down back in the mother country, send them back.

* * *

Tuesday’s Laconia Daily Sun reported in a headline that NH Sens. Judd Gregg and John Sununu are “among 8 who don’t co-sponsor lynching apology bill”. The article continued: “A week ago, the United States Senate issued a formal apology for failing to make lynching a federal crime.” (The piece noted that Gregg supported the measure anyway.) What exactly does this “apology” seek to accomplish? Which current U.S. Senator is thought to have perpetrated or somehow abetted an act of lynching? Even former Klansman Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.VA) checks out clean in this regard. I tend to agree with Sen. Thad Cochran of Mississippi on this issue: “I don’t think I’ll get in the business of apologizing for acts previous Senates took.”

If a lynching resulted in death, then the charge is murder. If there are lynchers roaming free out there, find them and bring them to justice. I never lynched anybody. I condemn those who have in the strongest of terms. I don’t want my elected officials to apologize for something they, or I, didn’t do. I feel the same way about “slavery reparations” — America lost over 600,000 lives ending that repugnant practice. Nobody alive today either was, or owned, a slave. Why should I pay or apologize for that, any more than I should for lynching?

If they’re all about apologizing for something, how about if instead the current U.S. Senate apologizes for their lack of action defending our borders against the ongoing invasion that is illegal immigration? Better yet, don’t apologize- FIX IT!

* * *

Add me to the list of those upset about “Camp Gitmo”. How it can be allowed to continue functioning as it presently does seems completely outrageous to me. How long can the lack of consideration be allowed to continue? How long will we as Americans stand for such action from our government?

I don’t know about you, but I am really ticked off at the fact that our government isn’t, in fact, doing all it can to save American lives by preventing future terror attacks. Treating the enemy combatants with the kid gloves that we do, instead of certain, more punishing means of coercion seems at odds with the dangers we face. I expect my government to use all means to prevent our enemies from hitting us again. Instead, we do things like wearing special gloves to hand a prisoner the very same “sacred” book that inspired him to kill us in the first place. How this is helpful escapes me.

Doug Lambert has an opinion about practically everything. His column runs every Thursday.