For those of you expecting a pre-Iowa Caucus analysis of the GOP field, it is forthcoming. However, I just thought I’d take the opportunity to inform you all that American Rattlesnake is now on Facebook! In order to become a fan-and speaking as an impartial observer, I highly recommend doing so-just go to our Facebook page and click the “like” button. In addition to posting stories you’ll see here, we’ll also be using the page to respond to questions, take suggestions, and post articles that time constraints prevent me from exploring on AR’s main page.

It’s a fully interactive page, and we encourage thoughtful readers to post articles, photos, and videos about the disastrous impact of current immigration policy. We’re looking forward to growing American Rattlesnake in 2012 and one of the ways we plan on doing so is by utilizing social media such as Facebook and Twitter. We welcome any suggestions and/or critiques you might have, and you can leave them at our new page on Facebook or in the comments section below this post. 

One of the most persistent divides between traditional conservatives and their libertarian/anarcho-capitalist counterparts involves a fundamental philosophical disagreement about immigration. While most conservatives view immigration primarily through the lens of preserving American culture by only accepting those immigrants who are assimilable and will tangibly benefit our society in the future, a view expressed repeatedly during debates over illegal immigration in this country, many libertarians view the subject in an altogether different light. For them, the question is not so much whether a particular cohort of immigrants will be an asset to the United States but whether we have any right to prevent them from settling in this country in the first place, which many answer in the negative. Read More »

This weekend saw the passing of yet another radio icon. For those of you who may not be from New York, or are not regular listeners of WABC, the name Lynn Samuels might not ring a bell. However, for those of us who were avid talk radio listeners during 77 WABC’s golden age she was a radio personality whose presence commanded attention and respect. Although a passionate liberal throughout her entire career, like the late Ron Smith she was concerned about the degradation of our nation’s immigration laws, as her New York Times obituary makes clear. 

On Sirius XM Satellite Left, a subscriber-based channel for a left-of-center audience, where she began working eight years ago, she inveighed against illegal immigrants and turned viciously critical of President Obama. After decades of living in the Village, she moved to Queens. Read More »

A belated Merry Christmas to you all. As this administration continues to systematically dismantle immigration enforcement of any kind, and as criminals go free as a result, there is not much to celebrate about the individuals who misrule our nation in defiance of the American public. However, the spirit of Christmas is alive and well in some parts of this country, despite our venal politicians. One neighborhood in particular, Dyker Heights, seems to exude that spirit every December.

Enjoy.  Read More »

Lots of interesting stories to cover as 2011 winds down, including a lighthearted anecdote involving the U.S. Border Patrol rescuing a wayward, surfing Santa Claus. However, since it’s Christmas Eve we thought a little relaxation and merriment were in order. To that end, this post will provide all of the country music fans with something to listen to over the Christmas weekend. A few months ago I attended the Brooklyn Country Hoedown at Freddy’s Bar, which was one of the few venues where I got to see live country music performed this year.  Read More »

Our last Rattle of 2011 runs the gamut, all the way from an immigration enforcement success in Pennsylvania to a disappointing judicial setback in South Carolina. However, we begin the final roundup of the year with a must-read essay in The American Conservative by W. James Antle III. It looks at the immigration scorecard in a sober, realistic analysis that takes into account the substantive victories of immigration reformers-such as continued nationwide support for SB 1070 and its clones-to the unquestionable failures, including a seismic change in the language of the immigration debate, which has turned the phrase “immigration reform” into a synonym for wholesale amnesty. It’s a piece that anyone who is concerned about this subject-as I know most of you are-should read in its entirety.  Read More »

The deadline for submitting petitions to put the repeal of AB 131 on the ballot is almost here. Download a copy of the AB 131 Referendum Petition and submit it if you want to see this issue decided by California voters. Assemblyman Tim Donnelly has provided all the information necessary in order to complete the petition in time. I strongly urge Californians who want to reverse the downward trajectory of the Golden State to support the Stop AB 131 initiative. It’s time to save your state.

We just received word of a missing person from Amarillo, Texas. Haley Faith Wilson disappeared the day after Christmas and hasn’t been seen since. Information about her disappearance-and the number you can contact if you have information about her whereabouts-can be found on this Facebook page. Her father’s heartfelt message-uploaded to Youtube two days ago-can be seen below.

Hat Tip: Brandy Baron

One of the wonderful things about this season is the spirit of giving it inspires among ordinary Americans, who by almost any measure rank as the most generous people  on the planet. In keeping with that spirit of generosity, I’d like to highlight a worthwhile organization whose mission hits very close to home. My family has a history of heart disease which usually manifests itself later in life. Unfortunately, my cousin Sean Mellon  had a congenital heart condition that took his life just as he was on the cusp of adulthood and looking forward to an incredibly bright future. Read More »

Disclaimer: American Rattlesnake has not released an official endorsement of any Republican presidential candidate. However, Joanna Marzullo, President of NY ICE, has some news about the campaign of Congresswoman Michele Bachmann which her supporters might want to know. Details after the jump. Read More »