Sec. Napolitano Taking Correct Steps on Immigration Control

E-mail the Congress:

Congratulations to Sec. Napolitano on her new security clearance program for people entering the United States!

Sec. Napolitano has done mostly a miserable job up to now, but we must give credit where credit is due. As Secretary of Homeland Security, her job is to protect physically the people of the United States, including guarding them from terrorists entering from abroad.

The new program will involve initial questioning on race and religion, which seems to have upset a number of people. The record shows that Muslims and nonwhites have the highest prevalence for terrorist activities. Therefore, this is a logical area for questioning. The Secretary has said that people of those two groups will have special concentration on the initial interrogation, and may even go on to a second phase of interrogation, depending upon information collected in the primary instance. The Secretary is not talking about beating these people, torturing them, or jailing them. Some may be considered this profiling, but profiling is the only way progress is made on some problems.

In the 1970s, I was pulled out of line at Hawaii airport screening, for a private disrobing and body search. I was never given a reason for this action by immigration authorities, and I believe I should have had an explanation. However, I was not overly disturbed, and was especially appreciative of the diligence of immigration authorities, when I learned later that I fit the description of a person who was reported to be bringing drugs into the state.

I am on the whole a strong believer in individual freedoms but admit that some license must be taken depending on circumstances. In 1944, I was forced into the United States Army and subsequently required to do my best on uranium separation for an atomic bomb. I had no desire to kill thousands of people, but I did have an understanding that I could shorten casualties of the US military by use of this device. I felt my temporary limitation on individual liberties was justified for the good of the country.