Voters in Farmer's Branch Texas were to decide Saturday whether to repeal or approve an ordinance prohibiting landlords from renting apartments to most illegal immigrants in their Dallas suburb.

It is interesting, and tragically ironic, that on the 500th anniversary of the establishment of the English settlement of Jamestown, this vote should be taking place. Settlers at Jamestown did not have a passport, visa, or guest worker permit. They did not, in fact, even ask permission of the original inhabitants before occupying their lands and taking food they had stored ... which seems to me to clearly violate one of the commandments of the religion to which they professed to be so passionately devoted that despite enormous costs, risks, and dangers, they came to this continent seeking a refuge where they could freely practice their faith ... which commands that they not steal ... which is what they did almost as soon as they landed.

The situation for Texans is even more hypocritical. Citizens of the newly formed United States were invited to immigrate to the Mexican territory of Texas by the Mexican government. The Mexican government was liberal in the invitation; however, the Mexican government also abolished slavery. Some of the new immigrants refused to comply with this law and imported slaves.

It seems that the more things change, the more they stay the same.