From The Publisher

Lori Barrett

"Cautious, careful people always casting about to preserve their reputation or social standards never can bring about reform. Those who are really in earnest are willing to be anything or nothing in the world's estimation, and publicly and privately, in season and out, avow their sympathies with despised ideas and their advocates, and bear the consequences."
—Susan B. Anthony

If life is a journey, some parts of it more eventful than others, yet certainly never dull.

Our most recent challenge has been that of dealing with immigration issues for our son Robert. A Canadian citizen, he came here to Arizona with us while he was in the 8th grade. As a dependent of ourselves, E-2 investors, he was allowed to attend school here, but never was allowed to work. No after school job at McDonalds. He couldn't take the job of an American citizen, even though he was willing to do the work that otherwise couldn't be filled. 10 years later, he has now graduated from the U of A. It is now the desire of TUSD to hire him for a specialized teaching program. Not so easy. The requirement is firstly and foremost that the school board hire an American citizen. If they can't find one to do the job, then they have to prove without a shadow of a doubt that they need this foreigner to do it. From the Human Resource department, to the legal department, to the attorney who now has to prepare this request, the process is long and grueling. We hear so much on the nightly news about immigration reform, and how illegal immigrants from Mexico can be pardoned and get citizenship. I simply don't get it. Here you have a young gentleman who has something to offer the students he desires to teach, who is a specialized educator, who has proven himself in the community, and the hoops he has to jump through to stay in the country are long and hard.

Robert has contributed to his community first as a youth councellor at our churh camp, as the drum major at CDO high school to student staff member for the Pride of Arizona and on to the position of Drum Major at the U of A. He has also been a student staff member at a high school helping the marching band, developed and implemented band camps in Tucson and Phoenix, and he travels the country every summer teaching and developing students in the arts. Is this not the kind of person the Country wants as a citizen? He doesn't even have the option to become a citizen under the current programs.

I agree with immigration reform, but lets not start with the masses because they can win votes, lets start with where the needs of the Country are, and with the people who can make a difference to it.

Questions or comments on the subject?

Email me: women@barrettpublishing.com

Sincerely,

Lori