In the Sunday, February 23rd, issue of The Tullahoma News in a Letter to the Editor entitled:  “When will we stand up?” I would like to suggest to your readers what the writer of that letter was really saying. 

Don’t say it was illegal aliens that raped and murdered Laken Riley, say it was an undocumented citizen.  We should feel sorry for him because perhaps he didn’t have a beautiful wife or girlfriend with whom he could enjoy sexual pleasures so we shouldn’t hold him responsible. 

When organized groups of illegal aliens (undocumented citizens) raid places of business stealing thousands of dollars’ worth of merchandise (which should be  referenced as undocumented shopping), we should not seek to deport them or hold them accountable for maybe if we took better care of them, they wouldn’t have to live that way.

When a gang of illegals (whom he would prefer to reference as the homeless in need of housing with protection) take over an apartment complex with guns and knives from people legitimately in their homes or apartments, he would contend that if we provided better housing and lifestyle to our undocumented residents, they wouldn’t have to resort to those tactics.

As one who will stand up, I would say when someone rapes, molests, or injures a female of our country, prosecute them; and if here illegally, deport them once their sentence is served so they can’t do it to somebody else.  Prosecute members of gangs who loot and steal from our businesses whether they are legal or illegal and if illegal, then get them out of the country.

If anybody comes to our country and terrorizes our citizens in gang fashion or otherwise terrorizes our citizens, punish them to the extent of our laws and if they don’t even have a right to be here after they are punished get them out of the country so they can’t do it to anybody else.  Getting them out of the country who fall into the categories above is the very least we should do.  We should stand up, yes.  We should stand up to protect our citizens against wrongdoing of anyone.

We have enough crime in the country from people that are legitimately here.  We probably have some criminals here that we would like to deport, but they are not subject to deportation, but we have criminals here that have no legitimate right to be here; and we surely need to get rid of those.  That sounds like a good start to me.  The protection of our citizens, our families and loved ones that is where we should take a stand against those that would harm them.

Robert L. Huskey

Manchester