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This Thanksgiving TJ, Eric, and I went to California to spend time with my dad and his wife. Originally, we’d planned to celebrate Christmas as well so that we could share our presents in person, but they didn’t get enough time to go shopping, so alas, we’ll do the mail thing.

Anyway, I digress. We watched a lot of football (damn Broncos), ate the traditional holiday meal, and read a bunch. Oh, yeah, and we put up Christmas lights at 3 different houses, so I spent a good portion of Monday morning clinging for my life 2 stories up (I’m quite afraid of heights). We also played ping-pong in the semi-darkness, which made just keeping the ball on the table challenging at best but funny as well.

Snow falling throughout Monday in Salem caused a feeling of restlessness all day as I was very interested in my return. Snow is rare in Salem and I wanted the maximum amount of time to enjoy. Which I got…about an inch and a half stayed overnight up here in the west Salem hills (lower elevations weren’t so lucky) and flurries tried mightily but failed to stay long today. I really can’t wait to move to a place where the annual snowfall is measured in feet.

My life has been consumed by yet another new video game (Stronghold 2 – medieval castles, boiling vats of oil, jousting, warring lords). When I can tear myself away from it, I will resume posting.

I rarely poke my nose in political issues or debates, so condemn me if you wish for inaccuracies in the following post, but also understand that I barely keep straight Democrat and Republican and which believes what, and I care even less. My intentions are simply to rationally rant, and then propose my (better) solutions for the nonsensical plans of our goverment.

The Mexican/American “security” wall, a 700-mile portion of which has been approved by the government (but as of yet has no funding), is the single worst idea the United States government has supported since segregation.  It is a giant leap backward not only for the United States (a country founded on the absence of persecution with a long history of worldwide humanitarian efforts), but also for humanity.

The U.S. has a long history of worldwide humanitarian efforts (many of which also have served more lucrative purposes, but nonetheless were publicized at least partially in the name of goodwill by the government) – Iraq, Vietnam, South Korea, and the foundation of Israel are just a few biggies that come to mind.  We have traversed the far-reaches of the globe in an attempt to better the lives of its occupants, yet we continually overlook our southern neighbors (maybe we have tried, but I doubt terribly hard).  Perhaps because they have no uber-valuable resources to secure and no oppressive government we can justifiably replace with American-loyals.

With the multiples of billions of dollars we’re prepared to spend on a wall to keep illegal Mexican aliens out of America, I propose we begin a humanitarian effort in collaboration with the Mexican government.  Again, the nitty-gritty logistics of this are lost on me, but I believe we could boost the Mexican economy, the peso, and improve the amenities available to the public, thus making Mexico a more appealing place to live and work.  Many legal and illegal Mexicans would prefer to live in Mexico, but realize their best options lie in relocation to the States or working here and sending money to the family back home.

If, which I highly suspect, the American public as well as the government would never in a million years accept such an undertaking…something about using the money unwisely, etc., as if a physical barrier between two countries is any less unwise in 2006 as it was in the 1940s…I believe there still exists a better alternative.  Quite simply, fine the hell out of businesses who employ illegal aliens; this worked beautifully for the sale of alcohol and cigarettes to minors.  Run similar sting operations. Employers will be much more unwilling to hire them, and the United States becomes a much less appealing country to illegally inhabit.

With the building of this wall, this country takes a big step towards the oppressive governments we so righteously stand against, towards governments similar to the ones in 1984 and V for Vendetta, and away from globalization and the world peace we say we’re striving for.