I am a Proud American!

By Mark Steven Ward

This is dedicated to all the Men and Women throughout the History of The United States of America, who have put on a uniform to serve this GREAT Nation, and to all those Men and Women who have died in the service of this GREAT Nation. This is also dedicated to my Hero, my Father, Sergeant Major Mark H. Ward JR, who fought in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam and is now serving in God's Army.

I AM PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN! I am the Spirit of America. I was there when the first shot was heard around the world, the Battle of Bunker Hill (Breeds Hill). I was there with General George Washington at Valley Forge that cold winter. I was there at the Battle of Yorktown. I was there when The Second Continental Congress signed The Declaration of Independence. I was there when this new Nation received her New Flag.

I AM PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN! I was there at the Battle of Baltimore when the British bombarded Fort McHenry and Francis Scott Key wrote the Star Spangled Banner. I was there with Andy Jackson at the battle of New Orleans.

I AM PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN! I was there at the Alamo when Texans' fought for their Independence.

I AM PROUD TO BE AMERICAN! I was there at Fort Sumter. I was there at the Battle of Antietam. I was there at the Battle of Shiloh. I was there at the Battle of Chickamauga. I was there at the Battle of Gettysburg and I was there when General Robert E. Lee surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Manor.

I AM PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN! I was there when this nation started to spread more westward and we had to fight against the Great Indian Nations of the Sioux, the Comanche, the Apache, and the Cheyenne. I was there with General George Armstrong Custer at the Battle of the Little Big Horn.

I AM PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN! I was there on the USS Maine when she blew up and Remember the Maine became our Battle Cry. I was there with Theodore Roosevelt and the Rough Riders at the Battle of San Juan Hill. I was there at all the Battles of The Spanish-American War. The FORGOTTEN WAR!!

I AM PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN! I was with General John J. Pershing and the American Expeditionary Force when they landed in France. I was there at the Battle of Cantigny. I was there at the Battles of Belleau Wood and Chateau-Thierry. I was there at the Second Battle of the Marne. I was there at the Battle of Saint-Mihiel. I was there at the Meuse-Argonne Offensive.

I AM PROUND TO BE AN AMERICAN! I was there on December 7, 1941, A Date which will live in INFAMY, at Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attacked. I was there at Bataan and Corregidor. I was with the American and Filipino prisoners on The Bataan Death March where thousands died on their way to Japanese POW Camps. I was there at the Sea Battle of the Coral Sea. I was there at the Sea Battle of Midway. I was there at the Battle of Guadalcanal. I was there at the Philippines Campaign. I was there at the Battle of Iwo Jima. I was there at the Battle of Okinawa. I was there in the B-29 Superfortresses that dropped the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

I was there at the North African Campaign. I was there at the Invasion of Sicily and Italy. I was there in Operation Overlord, the Invasion of Normandy. I was there at the Battle of the Bulge and I was in Bastogne when General Anthony McAuliffe replied "NUTS" to the surrender request. I was in the B-17 Flying Fortresses that brought the war to the heartland of Germany. I was there at the Ludendorff Bridge at Remagen when the American forces crossed the Rhine and began the Race for Berlin.

I AM PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN! I was there in South Korea when the North Koreans invaded the South and nearly driving the US and ROK defenders in to the sea. I was there at the Beachhead at Inchon. I am still there in South Korea today guarding at shaky armistice since no peace treaty has been signed.

I AM PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN! I was there in South Vietnam fighting another Communist country takeover.

I AM PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN! I was there when terrorist attacked the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington DC. I was on United Airlines Flight 93 when it crashed in Summerset County, Pennsylvania. I was there in Operation Desert Storm in the Persian Gulf. I was there in Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq. I am there in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. I am there wherever I need to be fighting a Global War on Terrorism.

Comment:

Memorial Day is set aside each year to honor our “American Patriot Dead”, those who have given their lives in defense of the greatest nation on earth and our cherished American way of life. There are many who do not hesitate to criticize us and label us as imperialists but the fact is there is not a more generous, compassionate race of people on the face of the earth than Americans. Throughout our history we have never hesitated to demonstrate that legendary generosity and compassion for the needs of others whether those needs were caused by natural disasters, political unrest, poverty, hunger, disease or a myriad of other problems. We have always been the first to respond to the needs of others. The valiant men and women of our military forces have fought in foreign lands as well as on our own soil since our American Revolutionary War to preserve our dedication to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, not only for our own citizens, but for people of other freedom loving nations as well.

We have seen the dedicated men and women of our American military forces return home from two World Wars, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan with life altering injuries and tragically many in flag draped coffins after answering our nation’s call. Please take time to honor them for their service to or nation on this and every Memorial Day. May God Bless our Troops and our Veterans both young and old.

All gave Some – Some gave All

Jack Meehan, Past National President

Ancient Order of Hibernians in America

Edna Kenny in dark over jobs 'snub' to young graduates

Enda Kenny in dark over jobs 'snub' to young graduates

Chaos at highest level over re-hiring of retired staff in public service

 Michael Brennan and Eoghan MacConnell  May 15 2012

TAOISEACH Enda Kenny last night admitted he didn't know why retired public servants were being brought back to work while thousands of young graduates languish on the dole.

In what amounted to a frank admission of chaos at the highest level, Mr Kenny said: "I don't think I actually know the scale of what's involved here."

And Public Spending Minister Brendan Howlin admitted there is no central record of the retired staff being brought back in to work for state bodies -- or why they are being rehired.

The controversy widened last night after revelations that civil servants are back at their desks, despite taking early retirement and a more lucrative pension under a special deal earlier this year. Some are senior officials in top roles.

But no one in the Government could give firm guidelines on where and when it was acceptable to favour retired people over younger graduates.

Thousands of potential candidates who are not being considered include young teachers, nurses and newly qualified vets.

There is only a vague policy on re-hiring. It says people can be brought back after retirement for a task where their skills or experience are required.

But Mr Kenny said he would prefer to see jobseekers getting priority over retired people.

"I know that in the case of many retired public servants that the instructions are that, where it is possible to hire new people, that should be done."

However, that will bring little solace to the thousands who have graduated over recent years and are looking for work or contemplating emigration.

While there is a recruitment embargo, there was growing evidence last night that hundreds of retirees have been brought back on contracts across the whole public service.

Advertised

Most of the retirees being rehired are on short-term contracts and the positions are not being advertised.

It emerged that 254 teachers are working in schools, despite being retired from duty, to get children through Leaving Cert classes in July.

But the HSE is still refusing to say how many retired health staff have been hired -- even though it is the largest employer in the public sector.

The issue has come to the fore since almost 8,000 public sector workers retired early last February.

The Government is under growing pressure to clarify who it wants to fill gaps in the public service. Some positions have been justified because of the experience that retirees can bring to a role -- this is often the case where teachers return to help a class finish an important exam year.

But in some cases managers are suspected of bringing back retired workers because it is easier than setting out to advertise and interview fresh candidates.

Without any detail or breakdown of where and why the retirees are working, the Government is facing huge criticism for not having a firm set of guidelines in place.

Salary

The retirees who have returned to work include a wide range of staff, from 59 vets working for the Department of Agriculture as meat inspectors, to the chief medical officer in the Department of Social Protection, who was rehired on a salary of up to €102,152.

Fianna Fail TD Billy Kelleher, who obtained the initial figures, said that most public servants who were rehired were denying jobs to those who were unemployed.

"If you retire, all things being equal, you shouldn't be able to come back.

"I just believe there are plenty of young people out there and people with qualifications and skills who could easily take up these jobs," he said.

According to the most recent figures, the State spent €15.4m on rehired retired public servants in 2010.

This is expected to soar this year given the high number of retirements before February's deadline to get a better pension deal.

Comment:

The level of government incompetence is incredible. The man in charge of the government admits that he does not know why people who have retired by their own choice are being rehired on short term contracts to do the very same jobs that they retired from with their retirement pay plus the salary that goes with the job. Great work if you can get it !!! However, the downside is that those jobs are not available to younger workers that are coming into the work force and they are forced to choose between the dole or emigration. Is it any wonder why the Irish government are strongly in favor of the proposed “Irish E-3 Visa Program” in the U.S. It could drastically reduce the ever expanding number of Irish people who are forced onto the dole queue by government incompetence.

Jack Meehan, Past National President

Ancient Order of Hibernians in America

Ireland’s President Michael D Higgins first visit to US this May

Visit takes place early next month

 Irish Central - Editorial

The Irish government has announced the first visit to the U.S. by new Irish president Michael D. Higgins to take place in early May. He will speak at the American Ireland Fund dinner in New York on May 3, as well as address the American Irish Historical Society and the Irish Business Network.

Higgins has been off to a very good start in his presidency, pressing the issues of minority rights and making clear where the responsibility for Ireland’s perilous financial situation lies.

Higgins was a long time activist on many such issues, so his presidency has been predictable in that regard, but his outspoken comments have certainly been welcome.

Higgins spent time in the U.S. at Indiana University and is an old hand in dealing with the American Irish diaspora.

His attitude to America has always been that of a left wing Irish parliamentarian, ill at ease with many of America’s foreign policy decisions.

It will be interesting to see where his thoughts stray during his U.S. visit on many such issues.

Higgins has long been a champion of immigrant rights, especially in Britain where he has often visited the Irish community there.

We can hope that he can help move on the current discussion around the E-3 visa bill which has stalled in Congress, and do his best to help progress it.

The Irish president is heavily circumscribed for speaking out by the constitutional restraints, and Higgins has always been outspoken, so the job will really test his political patience.

It will be an interesting visit to assess Ireland’s new president and his impact on the Irish American community. He has started well given the deep regard and respect for his two predecessors Mary McAleese and Mary Robinson.

Comment:

Regardless of the office that he holds, Mr. Higgins should be afforded the same reception here that he showed to U.S. President Ronald Reagan in 1984 and again to U.S.  President George W. Bush in 2004 on their visits to Ireland. His attitude toward their visits left a great deal to be desired, on the other hand, his enthusiastic participation in the obnoxious demonstrations at Shannon Airport were absolutely beyond the pale. They were organized to intentionally ridicule, cajole, and insult our valiant American troops during their fueling stopovers going to and coming from Iraq and Afghanistan. These heroic young men and women were subjected to intense ridicule by these idiotic demonstrators for honorably serving our country.

Anybody who participated in these reprehensible demonstrations, including Mr. Higgins, should be held accountable for their actions and treated accordingly.

If any progress is to be made on the proposed Irish E-3 Visas, which looks doubtful at this time, it won't be as a result of any effort on his part. That is a matter to be decided by the U.S. Congress not by a politician from another country with a long standing anti - American agenda such as that of Mr. Higgins.

Jack Meehan, Past National President

Ancient Order of Hibernians in America

 An Uachtaran -Wee Michael D.

Michael D. Higgins – The most anti-American head of state in the western world. This fact is sure to do wonders for American business and tourism.

He protested against the US Presidential visit to Ireland in 1984.
He protested against the US Presidential visit to Ireland in 2004.

Michael D. Higgins has always been Ireland's No.1 participant in anti-American protests and demonstrations

E3 Visa For Irish Citizens

E3 Visa For Irish Citizens

Apr 9, 2012

Visa Info
At end of last year we wrote about the Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act 2011 which among other things will reduce wait times dramatically for Chinese and Indian nationals who are on long Green Card waiting lists with EB-2 and EB-3 Visa Categories.
However one other part of this legislation which we didn’t cover much is an addition to the E3 visa category. The E3 Visa is a work visa category that is currently exclusive to Australian nationals and has an annual quota of 10,500 per year. For many years, the Irish American groups and the Irish Government and been lobbying various US Congressmen and Senators (particularly those in large Irish ancestry districts and states) to expand the E-3 visa to include Irish nationals.
As a reminder the main facets of the current E3 Visa for Australians include;
- Available to Australian Citizens which means demand is low relative to annual quota
- An Annual Quota of 10,500 (reset every October 1)
- A Partner Visa called E-3D which allows dependent married spouses and minors to accompany E-3 Visa holder
- Spouse E3-D visa allows partner to work (differs from H-4 visa which is partner visa for H-1B that doesn’t allow working)
- Visa holder has to be Australian citizen but spouse does not
- Allows work based on Specialty Occupation and Bachelor’s Degree conditions
- Can be applied for at any time of the year (unlike the H-1B visa)
- Is for 2 years and can be renewed indefinitely (unlike the H-1B visa which is for 3 years but only renewable once)
- Is NOT a dual intent visa unlike the H-1B visa (but it is not technically prohibited to have a concurrent Green Card application)
- Has no filing fees for the employer
Given the E-3 visa annual quota has barely breached 3,000 since its inception in October 2005, it has a lot of capacity available.

Negative Effect on Irish Applicants

However one point that has been largely ignored in relation to Irish citizens apart from the obvious pandering for votes by Senators and Congress people around the country with heavy Irish constituencies is that this bill can have a negative effect on current Irish immigrants in the country.
Irish immigrants currently in the country who may have pending PERM applications (Green Card or Permanent Residency petitions) will actually be disadvantaged by this entire bill passing through Congress. Because of the removal of limitations on all the Chinese and Indian nationals in particular artificially restricted from having too many of the annual quota of Green Cards awarded to them from the various waiting lists, current Irish immigrants on the waiting lists will now have to wait longer.

Comment:

Why is it that proponents of the "temporary (supposedly indefinitely renewable) work permits", better known as the Irish E-3 Visas never discuss the negative aspects of this "feel good, proposed legislation"? Why is it that so many our undocumented Irish nationals have expressed feelings of utter disgust with those who started out a few years ago with busloads of undocumented Irish full of grandiose promises of "Legalize the Irish". It seems that the buses have all run out of gas just like those who made promises they knew they could never keep. It is time for them to stand up and tell the truth. This is an election year and no politician in his right mind is going to take a chance of alienating any segment of the voting public by showing favoritism toward any ethnicity to the detriment of others. Like it or not, my friends, this is political reality!!!

Jack Meehan, Past National President

Ancient Order of Hibernians in America

Senator Grassley moves forward with a proposal on E3 visa bill

Republican had opposed Sen. Scott Brown’s bill currently in the Senate

ANTOINETTE KELLY - IrishCentral.com Staff Writer - March 18, 2012

Republican Senator Chuck Grassley from Iowa has come forward with an offer to move the E3 visa bill ahead. The bill would allow 10,500 Irish to come legally to America on renewable work visas.

“An up or down vote on Sen. Brown's Irish visa bill would be acceptable to Sen. Grassley with some modifications dealing with the skill level of those receiving an E3 visa,” Beth Levine, communications director for Grassley told CNN.

However, Levine warned that talks were ongoing adding that Grassley’s staff are “still discussing modifications with the sponsors of the bill."

Senator Chuck Schumer (D-New York) has lined up 53 Democratic senators behind his version of the E3 bill.

Grassley had been holding up passage of the bill in the US senate as well as linked legislation that would allow more skilled emigrants from India and China.

Senator Scott Brown (R-Mass) was criticized this week concerning the lack of progress on the E3 visa bill which would allow 10,500 annual work visas for Irish immigrants. The bill is an amendment attached to a wider bill dealing with hi tech visas for Indians and Chinese.

On Febuary 8th, Brown said the visa bill he filed was “about to pop” on Capitol Hill however as of late there was been no significant developments.

In a statement to CNN, Brown’s office said the E3 visa was vital to the Irish community.

"For decades, the Irish have been unfairly shut out by our immigration laws. In an effort to increase visa prospects and maintain the close bond between the United States and Ireland.

“Sen. Brown is working in a bipartisan way to add the Irish E3 program to larger, House-passed visa legislation that benefits several other countries."

Brown's Democratic opponent, Elizabeth Warren agreed that many skilled Irish cannot access the U.S. because of the current system.

Comment:

Some Thoughts on the "Irish E-3 Visa Program"

Lets get real, folks. The proposed "Irish E-3 Visa Program" is nothing more or less than a useless piece of “feel good legislation” that would allow some of its self aggrandizing supporters to pat themselves on the back, but which totally ignores the plight of our undocumented Irish nationals.

Less than a week ago, I read an article which stated that 300 Irish per week have been coming to New York, not to the United States but to one city in the United States, in search of work. They must be coming on visa waivers since there has been no legislation passed recently that would allow them to come here with work authorization. What is going to happen to them when their visa waivers expire? The answer is simple. Most will elect to stay here and will lapse “out of status”. They will then join the thousands of Irish nationals already here in that very unenviable immigration category.

How can advocates of the so called “Irish E-3 Visas” possibly fail to recognize this already large and constantly growing problem that begs to be resolved NOW before advocating for more Irish to come here on “temporary non immigrant work permits” that cannot be converted to permanent residency visas. It is far more beneficial to the United States of America and to all concerned to allow our undocumented Irish nationals to adjust their status and continue to pursue their ultimate goal of American citizenship. Proponents of the “Irish E-3 Visas” would serve our own undocumented Irish nationals, “E-3 visa recipients” who could also wind up “out of status” when their visa extension requests are denied, and Irish American immigration activists, in a much more meaningful way if they would get honest and tell the truth about the many negative aspects of this seriously flawed visa program.

Tell the truth about the apprehensions for minor infractions, the protracted detentions in prisons with hardened criminals, the eventual deportations followed by a ten year bar from re-entry. Tell the truth about how the passage of the proposed “Irish E-3 Visas” will inevitably drive our undocumented Irish nationals further underground. Tell the truth about the drastic increase in cases of severe depression, the increased usage of drugs and alcohol, and yes very sadly, the increase in suicides.

Jack Meehan, Past National President

Ancient Order of Hibernians in America

Rates of Irish emigration to New York mirroring that of early 20th century

355,000 Irish nationals have emigrated in six years

KERRY O'SHEA - IrishCentral Staff Writer - Monday, March 5, 2012

With a dismal economic forecast, Ireland is losing more and more of its population to emigration every year. Ever since the glory days of the Celtic Tiger came to an end in 2007, the rate of emigration has gone up every year since citizens look to new horizons for better opportunities.

The New York Post reported on Sunday that hundreds of Irish workers are coming to New York every month looking for employment. The staggering numbers of those emigrating are particularly profound when considering Ireland’s relatively small national population of only about 4.5 million people.

About 355,000 Irish people have emigrated out of Ireland in the past six years.

Ireland’s emigrating population does come typically highly qualified when venturing outward to places like New York for work. More often than not, those emigrating are highly educated, multilingual and boast specialized skills, traits that the last major wave of Irish emigrants could have only dreamed of.

“There’s a much better economic climate here than in Ireland,” said Natasha Barnwall (25), a Dublin native with a master’s degree in management consultancy. “I will stay as long as possible.”

25 year old Shaun Kennedy, who emigrated to Connecticut as a computer developer, said, “The days of the Celtic Tiger are gone, but if you work hard here, employers will reward you. I have a very keen 18-year-old brother who wants to come out to work after his [high school] exams.”

The rates of emigration are visibly impacting Ireland. “There are no teenagers left in parts of Ireland, that’s how bad it is,” said Frankie McMonagle (40) who, after 13 years of working in New York, had optimistically returned to Ireland to find work only to return back to America after being unsuccessful.

“The people are so depressed at home because of the economy,” he added.

Despite waves of Irish emigration at the moment, American immigration law has not been overly accommodating for those looking for working stateside. Senator Charles Schumer, a loud advocate for Irish immigration rights in America, told the New York Post that proposed alterations to immigration law will make it “virtually impossible for Irish nationals to work legally in the United States in jobs where Americans are not available.”

Senator Schumer is fighting hard, along with other Irish and Irish American community leaders, for a “Irish E-3 visa bill,” which will help repair “our broken immigration system to ensure that we reward legal immigration and deter illegal immigration from one of America’s strongest allies.”

Comment:

The vast majority, if not all, of these young Irish immigrants are coming here on visa waivers which will expire “in the blink of an eye”. What will happen to them then? Undoubtedly, most will elect to remain here and lapse into a category called “out of status” or in plain English “illegal immigrant”. It is an unfortunate fact of life that if this happens, Senator Schumer’s “Irish E-3 Visa Bill” will be of no more use to them than it is to our undocumented Irish nationals that are currently living here in the U.S. now and that is, very frankly, NO USE. Bearing this very strong possibility in mind, does it not make much more sense to work on legislation that would solve the plight of our undocumented first, foremost, and permanently before campaigning for “temporary non immigrant work permits” for which our undocumented Irish here in the U.S. are not eligible.

Jack Meehan, Past National President

Ancient Order of Hibernians in America

Key week shaping up for passage of E3 visa bill for Irish in US Senate

Senator Scott Brown delighted with indications of Irish community support

Niall O’Dowd – IrishCentral - February 26, 2012,

The E3s would allow 10,500 Irish citizens a year to come to America on renewable temporary two year work visas.

Next week is shaping up as a major one for the prospects for immigration reform and the E3 visas for Irish citizens.

The E3s would allow 10,500 Irish citizens a year to come to America on renewable two year work visas. Australia already has such a deal, while 20 other countries also have reciprocal visa programs with the US but not Ireland.

The key figure on the Republican side, Senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts, is said to have been buoyed by the massively positive reception he got from a large Irish Boston audience when he met with Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny recently when the Irish leader was in Boston.

Brown is in an intense battle with the Democrats to hold on to his seat and the Irish American vote is a critical constituency.

At a reception for the prime minister, Irish community leaders made clear to Brown their appreciation of his work on behalf of the new visa program. Brown’s bill is currently before the senate awaiting action.

A similar bill by Senator Charles Schumer of New York on the Democratic side has gained the support of 53 senators.

This week work to bring together the two bills is expected to gather pace. The hope is that a bill can be agreed in both House and Senate by the St. Patrick’s season, when President Barack Obama will host a White House reception for Enda Kenny.

Supporters believe there is a real chance that the legislation can pass through the senate on a unanimous consent basis. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is said to have made clear to Irish officials that he does not intend to hold it up if he has the votes.

Senator Charles Grassley of Iowa, the republican who has held up the bill and a companion bill for hi-tech skill visas is said to be in negotiations with Senator Brown about a compromise.

Meanwhile Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform President Ciaran Staunton was in San Antonio, Texas where he addressed the Irish American community there.

He stressed the importance of reaching out to Texas senator John Cornyn and San Antonio US representative Lamar Smith who is a key figure on immigration in the US House.

Comment:

It looks like the ILIR have lost their way which is clearly spelled out in the mission statement below taken from their own web page. Is it any wonder that there is widespread anger in the undocumented Irish community? They have been thrown under the bus in order to pass a piece of “feel good legislation” that does absolutely nothing to solve their very unenviable immigration status.

Jack Meehan, Past National President

Ancient Order of Hibernians in America

From The ILIR Web Page

ABOUT US: The Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform (ILIR) is fighting for the voice of the estimated 50,000 undocumented Irish in the immigration debate.

ILIR was set up in December 2005 and since then we have held several immigration rallies throughout the US and have also held two high-profile lobby days in Congress to lobby for our undocumented Irish workers.



A Wee Reminder

There is no reference in the mission statement above to “a half a loaf is better than none” or settling for the “crumbs from somebody else’s table”. Back then it was a clear cut case of all or nothing. “Legalize the Irish” was emblazoned on several banners and hundreds of T-shirts and it referred to our undocumented Irish nationals who proudly carried those banners and wore those T-shirts in hopes of making a difference in their lives.

The question remains nearly seven years later. What has happened to all the promises made by politicians who agreed to work diligently to fix our broken immigration system and bring our undocumented Irish nationals in from the cold? The fact that nothing has changed from that day to this that would allow them to adjust their status is a classic example of, “the road to hell is paved with good intentions and broken promises”. We can and we must do better. E-3 temporary work permits are not good enough!!!