Posted by
MKotyk on Friday, April 06, 2007 7:38:04 PM
I watched with great interest this morning the Bill O'Reilly/Geraldo Rivera confrontation which occurred on FoxNews Thursday evening. For awhile, I was wondering if I was watching a special edition of WWE: Smackdown instead of Bill O'Reilly's TV show.
I am moderate in my political views and while I found the entire discussion entertaining I also found merit from both sides of the story.
I have been stationed in Hampton Roads for much of my US Navy career. I lived in Virginia Beach from 1995-2006 so I am well acquainted with the policies and sometimes very shady practices of the mayor of Virginia Beach, Ms. Oberndorf. It is no secret that she panders openly to the upper middle class in her city and their tendency to hire illegal immigrants.
In regards to the drunk driving incident which took the lives of two teenagers on Wednesday evening I say, first of all, that it is an immense tragedy. Drunk driving, whether it be from the locals, tourists or illegal aliens is a major problem in the region particularly as we approach the warmer summer months.
In defense of Geraldo Rivera, he is correct in that if this incident did not involve a Mexican national who was here illegally it would have been doubtful if the coverage of this event would have garnered much interest beyond the local community. Looking past all the exchange of rhetoric Mr. Rivera is also correct that this about a drunk driver who slammed into the back end of a stopped vehicle. He is correct on this point but his defense of the accused, Mr. Ramos, also bares some holes in it. Mr. Ramos has been arrested 4 times in his stay in the United States and twice on drunk driving. He already has a history involving alcohol and using Mr. Rivera's 'this is about a drunk driver' he is correct again but I have to ask, did the police do any investigation? That answer is no. Mr. Ramos's history of drunk driving should have been enough to keep him off of the road and deported but it did not. Mr. O'Reilly however, makes a strong counterpoint, if Mr. Ramos was in his country where he came from and not here illegally would this accident have occurred? That answer is probably not but it is also not a given that some other person would have come down the same road and done the very same thing that Mr. Ramos did.
In defense of Mr. O'Reilly, it is true that Mr. Ramos was here illegally and he should have been deported when he was arrested on drunk driving charges the first time. He is also correct that Virginia Beach's mayor is well aware of the illegal aliens in her city. If she does not see them walking the streets of Atlantic Avenue then she is awfully blind and needs a better prescription for the glasses she wears. The truth is, however, that illegal immigrants play the role of nanny, landscaper, laborer and janitor to many of the mayor's supporters. Mayor Oberndorf has a long history of shady dealings which many residents are all too aware of. Still, it does looks as if the mayor will look the other way when it comes to the large number of illegal immigrants in the city. Mr. O'Reilly's claim that Virginia Beach is a 'haven' or 'safe city' for illegals is probably very true.
Nothing is being done to stem the tide of illegal immigrants here in the United States. I am personally for immigration. My grandfather was an immigrant from the Ukraine; but he came her legally and he learned the English language. In fairness, I expect the same from this new 'wave' of immigrants. They must earn their citizenship. I expect Mexicans to enter this country legally and to learn English as my own family did.
Mr. Rivera seemed to indicate that Mr. O'Reilly has a bias against hispanics. I can neither prove nor disprove this. Is he a tad prejudiced towards them? Perhaps. Is he racist? I doubt it. I believe that Mr. O'Reilly, despite his views, is a strong supporter of law and order and all he desires is for our nation's laws to be followed.
So, as I look back at the wrestling match, err, discussion between Mr. Rivera and Mr. O'Reilly ended I see the conclusion as .... a draw.
I wonder if there will be a rematch?