not in the sports pages

It doesn't happen very often, but sometimes things happen in my life that make me think about the larger world and what is going on in it. I read the newspaper a little, usually the front page headlines and the sports page. I've heard of immigration reform but I never thought enough about it to really find out what is going on. This past week, though, the immigration laws had an impact on my life, and I'm pretty sure something needs to change.

A friend of mine was brought to the U.S. illegally by her parents when she was only 7 years old. She's been here almost 16 years. Shouldn't there be some kind of amnesty for children who have been here that long and had all of their schooling in the United States? Shouldn't there be some way for her to file for citizenship or residency when she reaches legal age without fearing deportation? She told me that her parents were searching for the "American dream" when they came here. I believe that they have been productive, conscientious citizens here in the US, building a good life for their family. It makes me wonder what life in their homeland was like if they would take the risk of bringing their small children to the U.S. in the dark of night, crawling under fences and praying they wouldn't be seen, all in the hopes of finding a better way to live in the "land of opportunities."

I just don't know what the answers are. It feels like something isn't right about this. I feel bad for my friend because she is an intelligent, talented, beautiful person who may have to lay low and do the best she can here for the rest of her life. Even if she marries a U.S. citizen there are no guarantees. I read in the paper today that there is controversy about U.S. soldiers' families that may be deported while their soldier is in Iraq. That's not right!

It may be easier and nicer to stick with the sports pages and keep my head in the sand. When your comfort zone is knocked around by the reality of the way things are in the bigger world, it really sucks.

And pray for the coal miners and their families in Huntington, Utah.