George Putnam
Friday, Sept. 26, 2003

It is this reporter's opinion that certified American heroes are few and far between. One of my own present-day heroes is the man referred to as the "Guardian of the Gates," Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo. Tom is the outspoken guardian of America's borders. He puts his ALL on the line in battling against the illegal alien invasion of the United States.

Recently, Tom said, "Osama bin Laden could shave off his beard, land in Canada, call himself 'Omar the Tentmaker,' come on in and – without identification – be allowed into Canada."

This former schoolteacher, state legislator and appointee in President Reagan's "Renewal of America" challenged the White House with fighting words. He said: "Perhaps the White House is finally getting the message. It's about time they realize that the people of this country justifiably feel that the U.S. border is a sieve. It poses a real threat to our security, and ignoring this fact represents the most egregious evidence that the federal government is shirking its responsibility to the people of this nation."

The congressman boldly accused Bush of pandering to Hispanic voters and Mexican President Vicente Fox by offering amnesty to certain illegal aliens. Bush adviser Karl Rove exploded with an infamous 40-minute phone call in which he actually stated to Tancredo, "Don't ever darken the doorway of the White House again!"

Tancredo also recalls that Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge was giving a briefing and was asked why he had not used the military to help defend and protect the borders. Ridge responded, "There are political and cultural reasons why we can't do that."

"Not acceptable!" said Tancredo, "I want an explanation of these cultural and historical reasons why we can't protect our nation's borders." No wonder Tancredo says the INS needs to be completely dismantled and rebuilt.

Tancredo was told he would pay a price for his patriotic stands on behalf of the sovereignty of America. He was warned that his battle against the illegal alien invasion would have its cost. He proved his adversaries wrong when he won 2-to-1 over the opposition in his last election.

Apparently only the people understand what is happening to America – that the illegals are moving by droves into the Southwest states of California, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, Utah and Nevada. The Mexicans call these seven states Aztlan, the territory ceded to the U.S. by Mexico as part of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo of 1848.

This reporter has been in this battle for the past 30-40 years. I recall that in 1955 Henry Cisneros, future Clinton appointee as housing and urban development secretary, told a Hispanic audience, "As goes the Latino population will go the state of California, and as goes the state of California will go the United States of America."

Later Mario Obledo, chairman of the California Coalition of Hispanic Organizations, said: "We're going to take back all the political institutions in California. The Hispanics are going to be the majority of the state. Anyone who doesn't like it should leave! They ought to go back to Europe."

I recall that newly elected Mexican President Vicente Fox championed the complete dissolution of all borders in the Western Hemisphere. Said Fox, "When we think of 2025, there is not going to be a border between the United States and Mexico." The Mexican president apparently knew what he was talking about.

The Census Bureau recently reported that Mexicans are now the largest minority group in the U.S., with a population of close to 40 million – accounting for half of the country's population growth in the two years after the 2000 census was taken. According to a poll by Zogby International, 58 percent of the Mexican population believes the Southwest territory of the U.S. rightfully belongs to Mexico and 57 percent of the Mexican population believes they should have the right to enter the U.S. without permission.

On March 12, 2002, the House of Representatives, with the encouragement of the Bush administration, confronted the American people with a vote of 275 to 137 to allow aliens who enter the country illegally or whose visas have expired to apply for legal-immigrant status without returning to their countries of origin to do so. Only at the insistence of the bill's major opponent did the House decide to record the vote. That man was Rep. Tom Tancredo.

One can only ask, are we making a choice between politics and patriotism or is it a trade-off – the Democrats want the votes, the Republicans want the cheap labor? Sadly, the illegal alien invasion will continue despite the efforts of heroes like Congressman Tom Tancredo, our own Paul Revere.

The legendary George Putnam is 89 years young and a veteran of 69 years as a reporter, broadcaster and commentator ... and is still going strong. George is part of the all-star line-up of Southern California's KPLS Radio – Hot Talk AM 830. Click here for George's complete bio

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