Why I Mess With Texas

Many of my friends (well, only a few) are Texans. I have some great relatives who live in Texas. Still, in the midst of a crisis of undocumented immigrant children, the Governor of Texas offers this photo-op in response:

Now, I don't think Gov. Perry is actually shooting immigrant children fleeing unbearable economic, political, and criminal disasters in their home countries in Central America and Mexico. But why would he choose this type of a macho photo-op? It reminds me of this one:

Gov. George Wallace Standing in defense of segregation at  the U of Alabama.

Look, they even seem to have the same expressions on their respective faces! Sure look macho to me. (Do they know that's a Spanish word?)

Fortunately, Gov. Wallace stood aside. His stand was for a photo-op, so, mission accomplished. Oh yeah, that reminds me of the the swagger of another Texan Governor:

This photo-op was almost TMI (and was, of course, one of historical ironies of the 21st Century!

Of course, W. wasn't Governor for this photo-op when he landed (well, rode in the backseat of a landing) on an aircraft carrier under that infamous banner. He was Commander-in-Chief and with Congressional support, (darn you, wimp Democrats!!) had the whole US military at his command to conquer Iraq and force democracy on them. (didn't work out so well. Something about "forced democracy.")

The Southern Governors above could call out the National Guard to "keep the peace" which roughly translates to controlling Negroes and Immigrant Children. Fortunately, Republican President Eisenhower nationalized the well-regulated militia that is the National Guard to protect school children who were attempting to enter schools desegregated by the U.S. Supreme Court. Then Kennedy continued the policy enforcing desegregation until Johnson got the Civil Rights Act.

We see a lot of contention on this current immigration issue. Wouldn't it be great if we could get Congress to put something together along the lines of the Utah Compact?

Let's help them out down there. Not with helicopters and military patrols. Why can't we just get those kids some pizza!

My kind of photo-op