People, immigration, faith, borders, security, and all....

Once upon a time I was an Army cadet, haircut and all, and I was dismissed for astigmatism, my eyesight, so I became an award-winning newspaper photographer instead. Always seemed kinda ironic to me. Anyways, one of the other cadets I did Ranger Challenge with and all, he went on through, and he served in Iraq, and he's still Guard or Reserves or something and is working for the Federal gov't trying to keep our education stuff in line, and we meet up time to time for a party or a bite to eat or to go cycling or whatever. I sent him a care package while he was over there that had in it autumn leaves from The Pit at UNC Chapel Hill, kinda the central meeting place where we went to school. He told me once that while he was over there, he'd hold them up to his face to remind him of home. And last I knew, he was Muslim. As I understand it, his family is originally from Afghanistan from a few regime changes ago, and I guess they came over. I don't agree with absolutely everything that comes out of any particular country and/or religion, including my own… which may mean I'm ticking some folks off and which may also mean I've got a pretty even keel, but in terms of people, immigration, faith, borders, security, and all I'm siding with my buddy.