I have been observing something lately that is interesting and it's really telling about the media. While listening to KFI or pretty much any news radio or TV, I here the term "immigrant" used to describe illegal immigrants. Now I believe that immigration is an extremely important part of American society. Pretty much every person walking around the U.S. (besides native Americans) has a background that involved some kind of immigration. From the Pilgrims on the Mayflower to the Swedes, Irish, Africans, Norwegians, Italians and so many other nationalities who have made America their home. This country is made up of every type of person most of whom immigrated at some point.

The problem is that all of a sudden law doesn't matter. The thing that makes an American be an American, primarily the process of becoming a U.S. citizen is given no priority or authority. The disturbing thing is that the only people given this slip of the law are coming from Mexico. My friend Annie who is from Scotland recently (in the last couple of years) married an American. She went through all of the correct channels and waited for work visas and paperwork that took forever. The process was hard but she respected the process and has since been rewarded with citizenship work visas and such. Now she can be proud of the being an American and taking the right steps and following the laws of her new country.

As Americans we welcome with open arms the foreigner. Those who can't make it in their own country. Those who are persecuted, hungry and needy. But is there going to be any enforcement of the law? Do those needy people even care about the country that so freely welcomes them?

We need to call it "ILLEGAL immigration" not "immigration. After all that's what it is right? The United States of America needs to recognize illegal immigration for what it is and hold everyone to the same standard. It's not fair to those who take the time to respect the laws of the country they want to be a part of and spend the time needed to become a citizen. I feel crazy for even having to analyze this, I mean it seems so fundamental! But it seems like things that should be so obvious aren't anymore.

I would love to hear the correct term used but I'm afraid that would force the issue! (Oh, and it might make some people feel uncomfortable...)