50CAL, you are right. And, in all honesty, I only personally know TWO people currently in federal office who are willing to say what they believe then vote they way they say. One of them is Tom Tancredo. The other is Sylvestre Reyes. Reyes and I don't see eye to eye as it applies to amnesty but I have to respect him for saying what he thinks instead of what he thinks I want him to say. I wish with all my heart I had the ability to sway his opinion but so far, it seems, I do not. But I will never stop telling what I think as long as he sits in that congressional seat where I am a constituent.

My optimism refers to local law enforcement, local media and other areas where those people are not elected and therefore they have nothing to lose by doing their jobs. I'm referring to local level politicians like the Sherriff in Hudspeth County, TX who is speaking out and demanding help, according to our news. I'm still not sure about the El Paso County, TX sheriff --my sheriff-- but he is new and so far he seems to be trying so that is a plus. He certainly isn't sitting in the corner and not speaking out. I have seen a couple instances that cause me alarm but I'm not sure if I heard him right so I'm not going to pass judgement on his motives until I see more of his actions.

I am sitting on the border where any progress is important to the nation as a whole. One less illegal entrant, one more gun-toting drug cartel member locked up for even a day, is a step in the right direction.

Because you know me better than most people on this forum, you surely know that I'm not the "rose-colored-glasses" type of optimist. However, I do believe in giving credit where credit is due. I believe that if we don't encourage people or recognize their efforts when they do something positive, we are going to discourage them and then we are back to square one.

For example, look at William Gheen, the guy who provides us this board. If we fail to recognize the value of his personal sacrifice when he speaks up on radio, tv and forums like this, then why should he bother? If we don't see the sacrifice Tom Tancredo makes by putting himself out there day after day against illegal immigration, why should he bother? And you. If we fail to see the sacrifices you make personally by putting yourself out there in the midst of what appears to be a pack of jackals in the senate race, would you bother?

I understand walk the walk as opposed to talk the talk.

I know that if some of the people didn't agree with me at least some of the time that I would probably have pulled in my claws long ago and decided that the entire cause was futile. I'd have stopped using the limited skills I possess to convince others that we can win. But as long as one person is on the same side as I'm on, I will continue the fight.

I know you will, too. I know that hundreds, thousands--even millions of others will, too. That is how we are going to win.