Hold on to your hats...

You're not going to believe this, but I actually agree with President Bush. He said (in reference to swearing in foreign born American soldiers, who were wounded in Iraq), "We are stronger and more dynamic when we welcome new citizens like these. As the nation debates the future of our immigration policies, we must remember the contribution of these good men."

He's right.

As a kid, I spent a lot of time in the Great Lakes Naval Hospital. Whether it was the flu, broken finger, broken collar bone or stitches that I needed, there was usually a Navy Corpman or Corpwoman who was not from around here attending to me. I met people from the Philippines, as well as other nations, who were serving our country in the Navy and serving it well.

With all this talk about immigration and I hear a lot about how they should just go home, our country couldn't and wouldn't be here today without the immigrants.

As the song says, "Anytime that flags unfurled, they're coming to America."

And we should keep them coming.

God Bless

PS. I'm taking this quote (as the rest came) from the NY Times story. Thought it was cute and wanted to make sure my readers saw it.

"

As in the past, Mr. Bush said in his remarks Monday that the United States “can be a lawful society and a welcoming society at the same time.’’ He said this was “a joyful day’’ for himself and for the three soldiers: Specialist Noe Santos-Dilone, 21, originally from the Dominican Republic and now of Brooklyn, and two natives of Mexico, Specialist Sergio Lopez, 24, of Bolingbrook, Ill., and Pfc. Eduardo Leal-Cardenas, 21, of Los Angeles.

All were seriously wounded — two lost limbs — by homemade bombs in Iraq. Mr. Bush said he had met one of them, Specialist Santos-Dilone, at the National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast in Washington this year.

“He grabbed my hand, and he said, ‘I’m not a citizen of the United States, and I want to be,’ ” the president recalled, adding, “Now here’s a man who knows how to take it directly to the top.’’"