We Are A Nation Of Laws - Actually Not So Much

In listening to all of the immigration talk for the last few months, I keep hearing the words, "Illegal is illegal, we are a nation of laws..."

Actually, we are a nation who has stood up to unjust laws and protested them. One of my favorite protesters is Stephen Hopkins who signed the Declaration of Independence. He said, "May King George know that even though my hands may tremble, my heart does not..." All of the signers of the Declaration of Independence were law breakers because they knew that what they were standing up for was right. Their homes were ransacked, they were arrested and even killed because they stood up against unjust laws.

Women began their fight to get the right to vote. They were against unjust laws that say they should not vote. They marched in 1912, they fought for their rights, they were told that we are a nation of laws and that we would not put up with people breaking the laws. However, these women continued to do things that were considered illegal, like trying to vote, and in 1920 the law was changed.

One of my favorite lawbreakers is Rosa Parks. She broke the law because it was unjust and refused to give up her seat in the bus. She was certain that even if it was the law, the law was unjust and therefore should be protested.

Our history is full of lawbreakers who we now honor as heroes because they made changes to unjust, unfair, and discriminatory laws!

When there are unjust laws, there will always be American citizens that will stand up and go against the law because it is the right thing to do. Our immigration laws are unjust. If the same immigration laws had been in place 100 years ago that are in place today, most of us would not be living here in the United States today.

Immigration laws say that the children that were brought here by their parents when they were but babies, should be deported. That is wrong. It doesn't take a Rhode Scholar to know that this is wrong and it will never ever be right. It is not a Republican issue, it is not a Democratic issue, it is right to allow these kids to stay in the United States and the Dream Act is a beautiful way to help these kids have a bright future here in the United States. Shame on those who did not vote for the passage of this bill. Power without compassion is tyranny.

There is no cap on the amount of people that can sponsor their spouse for immigration. If a person's spouse is from another country, they can petition to have their sweetheart come to the United States and get a Green Card. Now there is some proof required, but all in all is is basically cut and dried. You have a spouse, you can get a green card. ... Unless you are of the same sex as that spouse. The United States does not recognize same sex relationships. Apparently, they have some exaggerated sense of what they think is right and wrong, yet homosexuality is the only "sin" that is discriminated against in immigration law. No where does it say that liars cannot immigrate to the United States. No where does it say that those who take the Lord's name in vain cannot immigrate. Shame on the United States for having such hypocrisy in it's immigration law.

For anyone to say that homosexuality is a sin, well they have not done their own research in the Bible and choose to believe centuries of misguided lies by the religious community.

As American citizens, it is our job to stand up to unjust laws. Our immigration laws are unjust, un-American, and just plain discriminatory. We need the Uniting American Families Act passed so that everyone can stay with their families. We need the Uniting American Families Act passed, because it is the right thing to do. We need the Uniting American Families Act passed because we are a nation that needs to go back to the ideas that founded this nation that all are created equal. Let us pursue our right to happiness by being with our loved ones. Pass the Uniting American Families Act.