[ale] Off topic - And now, Arizona

[Greg Freemyer]

On Mon, Jul 12, 2010 at 10:26 AM, Sean <kilpatms at speakeasy.net> wrote:
>  relatively easy solution.
>
> Institute a policy of 2 years of national service for everyone.  Between 18-25
> everyone (men, women, blind, "physically challenged, etc.) would owe the
> government two years of service.  I think this has been the policy throughout the
> EU (except maybe for GB) for decades.  Don't want to do two years in the
> military, then join the  C.C.C.  God knows the infrastructure within our National
> Parks is in desperate need of repair. Can't do that, then scut work is available
> in the nursing homes. (One on my foreign exchange students from Germany did just
> that for two years -- he is now a full PhD in Physics, so it didn't slow him down
> noticeably.)
> But if everyone had to do 2 years of national service before being eligible for a
> voting card, the political landscape would change.  I'd also offer citizenship to
> illegal immigrants who do four years of national service, but that's just me. :)
> I vividly remember the Draft while we were in Vietnam.  If we had something like
> it today, the outcry to get out of Pakistan, Afganistan,etc. would be deafening.
>
> Sean

Thinking of dangerous parts of the world; how many of the 25,000
people killed in Mexico and the southern border in the last 4 years
have been American citizens.

<http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2010-07-01/news/fl-gmcol-martinez-immigration-mexico-20100701_1_drug-cartels-texas-border-drug-related-violence>
 (found be a quick google.)

I would not be surprised if its not more than American citizens killed
in Iraq, Pakistan and Afganistan combined. (I'm thinking that number
is well under 1,000 in the last 4 years combined?)

I also would bet that 25,000 is more people of any nationality killed
than in Iraq, Pakistan and Afganistan combined in the last 4 years.

Mexico is rapidly becoming a major participant in world terrorism, and
we ignore it at our peril.

(Yes, both Bush and Obama have done their best to ignore the border
issue, so I'm not blaming the democrats per se.  I blame all of
Washington.)

Greg