I took a drive to our downtown square this afternoon, after a discussion with my wife trying to help her understand that what I was about to do was based on principle, not protest. Like elsewhere around our nation, Ocala area supporters of illegal immigration held a “rally” on our downtown square.

Too often we Americans will speak in quiet circles, or loudly in small groups to register our dissatisfaction with our representatives and government. We will carefully protest the failures of Capitol Hill to address the very real concerns we have; yet when given the opportunity to put feet to our voice, we balk.

Often this is because those of us who hold the most conservative and traditional of values maintain as part of those values a work ethic that creates a responsibility to employer, employee, customer and family. That responsibility oft prevents us from taking the steps necessary to leave or shut down our business and join a group of likeminded individuals to publicly express our beliefs.

Too often, those who demand more from government in the way of handouts, “rights”, and “freedoms” are able to gather together in large numbers because they have few other responsibilities. They demand the benefits without taking on the responsibilities that come with being a member of our society.

While I may be some what convoluted in some aspects of the illegal immigration issue currently facing our nation, one thing I do know. We must secure our borders. This is a much changed world from what it was even 20 years ago when Ronald Reagan first signed the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act that among other things introduced amnesty to those in this country illegally.

At the time it was thought this, along with increased border control would stem the tide of illegals entering the country. In 1986 there were about 2.5 million illegal immigrants in the United States and it was thought a simple matter to close the borders, giving amnesty to those working in the US since 1982, and provide penalties for those who knowingly employed illegals.

Since then the tide of illicit border crossings has continued to rise to an estimated 40,000 monthly. While that may be down from an estimated 1.5 million annually in the mid-90’s, the estimated number of illegals in the US has increased to at least 10.5 million according to the Pew Hispanic Center. Some other estimates put the number as high as 20 million.

Were we discussing armed combatants from a hostile nation, our politicians would fall over themselves to demand military action to drive out the invaders. Yet, while it’s most likely the majority of those entering illegally are peaceful people who simply desire a better life, there are certainly among them a sub group of those who would do this nation harm.

Whether it be drugs, Mexican gangs and “mafia”, criminals and certainly even terrorists as described in one World Net Daily article, there are those entering our country who will do us harm. Yet our politicians remain sitting on their hands, sacrificing the security of 296 million American citizens for fear of alienating 10.5 million non-citizens.

As stated earlier, I may not have a fully developed response for the whole issue of illegal immigration, this one thing I do know, we MUST secure our borders. If not to stop illicit border crossings then to protect against the entry of criminal and terrorist elements who WILL do us harm.

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