DEAR CHECHENS, PLEASE STAY HOME! AND, DON'T FORGET, FOR YOUR NEXT BIG TRIP THERE IS ALWAYS DAGESTAN!

Immediately after the Boston terrorist bombing, there were many Americans - maybe even most Americans! - who had no idea where a tiny Russian republic called Chechnya was located.  Some, apparently, thought that Chechens came from Czechoslovakia, despite the fact that Czechs and Slovaks split the sheets a few years ago; and, if Czechoslovakia were still in existence, it would be located approximately 2,000 miles from Chechnya. So, for all those who are geographically-challenged, here goes.  Chechnya, with a population of less than 1.5 million persons, is located in the northern Caucasus, just to the northeast of the Republic of Georgia.

CHECHEN BEAUTIES STROLLING IN CAPITAL OF GROZNY

When Chechens were even thought of by Americans prior to Boston, it was likely that they would have been known for kidnapping and killing almost 400 children at a Russian school in Beslan, kidnapping more than 300 theatre-goers in Moscow and waging an ongoing war for independence from Russia.  During the uproar over the Danish Mohamed cartoons, Chechens gained more notoriety when one of their number living in Belgium traveled all the way to Copenhagen on jihad with a bomb recipe.  Fortunately for the Danes, the unlucky Chechen departed prematurely to meet his 72 virgins when his explosive materials were accidentally detonated in his hotel room.

FAMILY TSARNAEV WITH ZUBEIDAT AND BABY TAMERLAN

Chechnya has, for all practical purposes, been convulsed by social, political and religious upheaval since the 15th century. The original Tamerlane (more properly Timur the Lame, who was of Turko-Mongolian extraction) put together an empire stretching from the Caucasus to Punjab in the late 14th century. Chechnya, originally part of the empire, would end up fighting during most of its history for autonomy from Russia.  Its conversion to Sunni Islam was in large part a move to gain support from the Turkish-Ottoman Empire against Russia.  And so, over the centuries, little Chechnya has been a land of embattled warriors.

Just a few days ago while pondering the family Tsarnaev, I happened to come across this 1907 quote from President Theodore Roosevelt:

MODERN DAY CHECHEN PRESERVES HIS CULTURE

In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant comes here in good faith, becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to disciminate against any such man because of creed,  birthplace, or origin.  But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American - and nothing but an American.  There can be no divided allegiance here. 

Every man who says he is an  American, but something

 else also is not an American at all. We have room but for 

one flag, the American flag. We have room but for one 

language here, and that is the English language.

And we have room for but one sole loyalty, and 

that is loyalty to the American people.

CHECHENS WITH FELINE HOUSE PET

Dear readers, do not these words make eminent sense?  Why should we not demand of those wishing to immigrate into this country that they leave all of their old, tired conflicts and political and religious hatreds behind?  This is our country.  We do not want to be drawn into quarrels not of our making. And, most assuredly, we do not want to see our fellow citizens maimed and killed by crazed individuals who should never have been admitted to the United States in the first place!  If, as the present administration would have the world believe, the United States is a politically-correct paradise, with its emphases placed on diversity, toleration and acceptance, why would this country want admit into its confines aliens who have no wish to integrate, much less to assimilate?

CHECHEN GUERRILLA FIGHTERS

Any nation so near-sighted as to lose sight of its own culture and values is surely destined for failure, and history is replete with examples of rotting cultures and  corresponding collapsing societies.  Even if we ignore history - and certainly we do so at our own peril - the warning signs are all around us.  During the last week, in Minnesota, Somali Muslims were called to account for their "charitable" activities in which they openly solicited funds to support our Islamist enemies.  This and other cases in point have become almost daily occurrences.  Let us scream unto the high heavens that enough is enough!  If we shout it to the mountain tops, perhaps our urbane and cosmopolitan Solons in D.C. will finally get the idea that their first obligation is the protection of the United States of America and its citizens!

So I say, Chechens, if you want to carry on your fights, go elsewhere.  Dagestan, with its combustible mix of Avars, Dargins, Kumyks, Azeris, Lezgins and Laks, may be more to your liking. And, besides, it is right next door.  I hear that most of those folks are always up for a good fight.  Go for it!