There are three references to the words invasions, invaded and invasion in our U.S. Constitution:

Article 1, Section 8: ³The Congress shall have power to provide for calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the Union, suppress insurrections and repel invasions.²

Article 1, Section 10: ³No state shall, without the consent of Congress, lay any duty or tonnage, keep troops, or ships of war in time of peace, enter into any agreement or compact with another state, or with a foreign power, or engage in war, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent danger as will not admit of delay.²

Article 4, Section 4: ³The United States shall guarantee to every state in the Union a Republican form of government, and shall protect each of them against invasion, and on application of the Legislature, or the executive (when the Legislature cannot be convened) against domestic violence.²

As an officer of the Center for Teaching the Constitution, based in San Marcos at P.O. Box 5118, San Marcos, CA 92079, I urge you to write your legislators to immediately act upon these three references and put a stop to the invasion of all illegal immigrants we are experiencing. Our U.S. Constitution mandates that invasions shall be repealed by Congress.

Our nation¹s sovereignty (freedom from external control) must be protected.

         Betty Gault Cordoba

         San Marcos

The Mexican people illegally in the U.S. should be declared U.S. citizens. Honorary U.S. citizens. Then, after 1-1/2 years, accepted into the U.S. as full citizens and be legally sworn in as full citizens -- with all the rights and obligations of full citizenship.

By doing this, the 15 million or so Mexican citizens of America would become U.S. citizens and the immigration question would be over.

Now, of course, the migrant workers could still migrate to the American farms and back to Mexico. But the migrant people are not the majority of Mexicans in the U.S. Most of the Mexicans in America are here in our own cities and neighborhoods full-time, and should be made full-time citizens.

This endeavor should be given full support by all U.S. officials from the President down to our local officials, great and small.

         Bill Pethpiece

         El Cajon

I saw a sign along a freeway recently. It had been put up by a church. It read, ³merry CHRIST mas.² Those who made the sign were well-intentioned. They emphasized the word ³Christ,² hoping that people would make him the center of their celebrations.

There¹s only one thing wrong. Christ does not want to be the center of their celebrations. Indeed, He is greatly offended by them. If one analyzes the words on the sign from a biblical and historical standpoint, one will find that instead of honoring the Lord Jesus, they actually blaspheme Him.

Should the word ³merry² be attached to the unique and honorable title ³Christ²? He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. There was little merriment in His life, and finally He was crucified on a cross. As to the phrase ³CHRIST mas,² this is ludicrous. The word ³mas² actually stands for mass. This is one of the most solemn acts of the Roman Catholic system. How would it be merry? It has to do with Jesus suffering and death.

When we add it all together, we find, in spite of good intentions of many at this season, that the whole phrase, even with the word ³Christ² emphasized, is blasphemous.

Why make big fuss out of it? Jesus said, ³Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain.² He also said, ³Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven images of likeness of anything that is not in heaven above...² Jesus is in heaven above, seated at the right Hand of the Father.

Every professing Christian needs to seriously think these matters through. A suggestion: Try celebrating Thanksgiving as opposed to Dec. 25. There¹s plenty of historical and biblical warrant for giving thanks. Indeed, it was the first Christian celebration on our shores.

         Wallace A. Bell

         Oceanside

How Fast?

My Mexican ancestors did not sneak in across an unguarded border. They were already here when the border was moved. Some of them went south so as to be in Mexico and to continue to be Mexicans. Most, however, stayed where they lived, made sure their children learned English, and became good Americans. This was not technically an ³immigration,² but it certainly added a lot of new people to the country.

The United States is greatly benefited by immigration. But there are limits. The questions are, ³How many immigrants a year can the nation profitably absorb?² and ³What qualifications must they bring?²

Thinking it over carefully, it becomes obvious that, for whatever political advantage it offers them, our leaders deliberately intend for the immigration question to remain in turmoil. We should remember this at election time.

         Glenn Jacobs

         Eagar, Arizona

We should pray for the 9-11 firefighters. They were the first to serve at the World Trade Center, but now they can¹t even get health benefits from the U.S. health care providers. They went from heroes to zeros.

This is ridiculous. No matter what your politics, these men gave their all to serve us. We should at least give them something (health benefits) to serve them.          

         Bill Pethpiece

            El Cajon