Identities Thieves?

When I bought my first cellular phone from Cingular, the sales clerk at the store sold or gave away my social security number to a gentleman that ended up in prison. That did not stop his opening of three separate cellular phone accounts whose bills began showing up at my apartment a year later. First it was Sprint, then it was AT&T. By the time the third bill arrived, I had most of the problem solved. All of these companies have first rate fraud agencies. After reporting the crime to the local police, it was pretty smooth sailing after an initial period of shock and disbelief. The theft of thousands of social security numbers of active military personnel is disturbing, just as the news that a locally bred terrorist group wanted to behead the Prime Minister of Canada. "He is innocent until proven guilty in Canada," his attorney said. "This is NOT Guantanamo Bay." How should a country respond to such events? Is there really a trend now of government Corruption as Lou Dobbs suggests? To keep from rambling, it was important to uncover the story of the woman who had over 200 such incidences, ruining her financial life. The linking of this theft to illegal immigrants is an even more enticing story. It was enlightening to see the story where a Congressman merely recommended we adopt Mexico's stringent immigration laws for our own country. It is hypocritical to ask for amnesty when there is casual disregard for our own immigration policies. "Eh, you want to come to Tijuana boy? You want to score some weed, eh? Find some hookers? Jail for you in Tijuana!" That image is fairly clear as evidenced in more than one Hollywood movie. There should not be a double standard. If indeed Mexicans are the ones using these stolen ID's to get and maintain jobs, then the law must be adhered to and they must be punished, not rewarded. The law is the same for everyone. It is up to our judges to moderate sentencing in an ethical, moral, and thoughtful way. That takes experience and compassion. I wouldn't trust 'em, but that is one of the tried and true methods that is losing ground in our increasingly Totalitarian nation. Hard lines on everything. The beautiful thing about "Swing" music and jazz is, swing is accountable for the repercussion. In that form of rhythmic energy, the producing component is aware of and prepared for the repercussion. It is an expected part of the creative process. To enter processes, such as government and legislation, without a tenant for the repercussion is naive and silly. This process of divergent opinion and the embracing of it is what has made this country grow into what it is. Stifle that process with a Totalitarian regime and we will die. It used to be our two political parties represented the "swing" and the repercussion. They were able to work together, at times pushing, at times pulling, but always finding an acceptable and positive outcome. It seems our current government has failed in this objective and our country has turn monodynamic. How could this happen, considering the very history of our country as a melting pot? An Isolationist philosophy toward the rest of the world will only doom what once was the world's super power. It was refreshing to see on the news an examination of other countries' immigration policies, at least suggesting the United States does not know everything. A friendship with foreign cultures and an appreciation of alternative lifestyles surely cannot be that damaging to such a brute and powerful nation. Prostitution is legal in many countries as is moderate drug use. Do we see these countries falling into ruins or do we see advances in small ways? Without the goals and desires of the human being, a country would cease to exist. It is disturbing to see humanity being stripped from our lives in the name of some right winged agenda.