My vote was not based on fear and anger. I made an informed vote against the same old same old progressive hopey-changey propaganda cum status quo. Specific to Encinitas, let me elaborate on the mess we’re in and how housing and immigration are related:
It is not hateful, racist, or bigoted to favor law and order over anarchy, jobs over welfare, border security over anything goes, and an objection to refugees coming here. We have a sovereign right and responsibility to monitor our borders. Keep in mind that Jimmy Carter banned immigration from Iran during his presidency. As the EU is falling apart, the Dutch, Swedes, Danes, and the French, just to name a few, are beginning to rethink their open door policies. Angela Merkel recently voiced regrets, “If I could, I would turn back time … to better prepare the entire German government and everyone else in a position of responsibility for the situation that hit us largely unprepared at the end of summer 2015.”
People who don’t like us are securing footholds into the fabric of our nation. Required reading for anyone seeking to understand the turmoil in the Middle East: “Because They Hate” (2006) by Brigitte Gabriel, “Radical: My Journey out of Islamist Extremism” (2013) by Maajid Nawaz, and “Defeating Jihad” (2016) by Dr. Sebastian Gorka.
Can someone explain to me why out-going President Obama always refers to ISIS as “ISIL”? Never mind. The Levant is a geographical term for that region of the Middle East, which includes Lebanon, northern Iraq, Syria, Jordan, and Israel!
A friend in rural upstate New York refurbished a rundown Civil War mansion and turned it into a beautiful party venue. He recently told me it was for sale for a million bucks! I was shocked at the price tag. He then said he had received a full-price offer, but rejected it because the buyers wanted to turn it into a mosque. Good Scottish boy that he is, he said he would sooner burn it down!
As I’ve said before, “We are between a rock (Iraq) and a hard place.” Damned if we did and do, and damned if we don’t. Shouldn’t “civilized Islam” rein in the bad ambassadors of their peaceful religion? Shouldn’t Syrian men fight for their own country? If we were in a civil war, would Syrians fight our battles? How many more of our soldiers must die or be maimed simply trying to determine who’s who over there? When will the Middle East solve its own problems and live peacefully with its neighbors? Safe zones in Syria are the best option as ISIS is defeated. Does it concern you that Iran is gaining power, fighting proxy wars, and provoking our ships in international waters off the coast of Yemen after we gave them billions of dollars?!
At our very own Encinitas Library, illegal immigrants are being taught how to avoid deportation. Who is paying for this?! We have always been a friendly and welcoming community, but if you can’t afford to live here, can’t speak English, don’t have a job, don’t understand and respect our way of life, our Constitution, Judeo-Christian heritage, and our laws, maybe Encinitas isn’t the right place for you.
The Housing Element Update, supported by every member of the Encinitas City Council(!), was more deception in the name of affordable housing which put the long and hard-fought battle for Proposition A in serious jeopardy. We voted to save our city and its community character by voting NO on Measure T to defend what we fought for — holding off the developers and their lobbyists colluding with Sacra-demento to continue paving every inch of the planet!
Defeated was a laundry list of developer-friendly policies the city planning staff tried to push through with higher density, increased height, and other changes that are not required by the State. It included no affordable housing, lacked adequate parking, and provided huge profits for developers. Can you imagine the additional traffic?!
Thanks to this defeat, we retain control over how, and how fast, Encinitas grows. This is common sense defense of our cherished community quality of life and our peace of mind.
We got informed, we were vigilant, and we voted our values. Power to the people!
Celia Kiewit is an Encinitas resident.
