Hearing Today

Well, the congressional hearing on federalization of our local immigration is taking place today. Are any of you bloggers going? I was planning to go, but I think I've decided not to. Last week I got in touch with Jayvee, my editor at the Tribune, to see if he could get a "press pass" for me. Apparently, there are no press passes, nor a designated section for the press. We would just have to fight with the throngs for a seat, and I expect there will the throngs. (I just realized that "throngs" and "thongs" are almost the same word. Here's a Middle Road question for you: "Do you expect there will be thongs at the hearing?" Sorry to even put that image into your head.)

Instead of a press pass, I thought about going anyway, and wearing my NMIFA soccer ID around my neck, and carrying myself like I belonged in the front row. That kind of stuff always works for me.

But, ultimately, I think I decided that I've already heard all the points of view on this. And I don't want to hear them again. Some of them churn my stomach. Plus, I don't like to be in places that require a lot of security. I don't' worry about the threats. I worry about the security guys walking around with those M16's, looking a little unsure about what to do other than just spray. It was pretty freaky after 9/11, driving up the airport here in Saipan, seeing these guys in full combat gear, walking around with their machine guns. I actually asked one of them, "Is that a real gun?".

So, anyone going?