Thank You, Blog Viewers, for making my Blog so Popular!!

I started my Blog one year ago. Never, in my wildest dreams, did I envision the popularity I would have on my Blog. My mission has never been about popularity. My mission is as stated on my blog:

"To provide a forum where people, both PRO and ANTI, can discuss American Immigration Issues civilly, freely and safely thereby reducing the hate, anger and misunderstandings currently inherent in most of these discussions."

The reason I became involved in the Immigration discussion has been extremely clear to me. In May, 2006, after the Immigration Marches, I started seeing the cable news channels talking very negatively about illegal immigration. I found many internet sites were talking negatively about legal and illegal immigration issues. Since I do research on the job, I started conducting Immigration research on the web. I joined several Immigration websites and I researched others. Over that time, I learned so much about Immigration issues. I had been participating on a Discussion Board. For various reasons, they wanted to change their format. I liked the concept of having both sides, ANTIs and PROs, debating each other civilly. I decided to start my own Blog to fill this need. I was very, very fortunate that many of the intelligent participants from my previous discussion board followed me to my blog!! For that, I am very grateful to them!! (especially Ulty and Liquid!)

I want to thank all of my visitors and commenters for visiting my blog!
I was reviewing my eBlogger Dashboard Visitor Report today. This month (May 2008), I have had over 5000 visitors with over 10,000 page views to my blog with an average of 200 – 300 visitors per day. (I love these reports. )

While most of my visitors are from the US (over 95%), I have visitors from all over the world. 154 from Canada. 31 from Mexico. 2 from Guatemala. 1 from Panama. 10 from Brazil. 2 from Argentina. 5 from Chile. 10 from Spain. 43 from UK. 41 from Germany. 8 from Italy. Dozens from other European countries. 4 from Russia. 6 from Japan. 1 from China. 2 from Malasia. 18 from Australia. Several from the Islands. Over a dozen from several countries in Africa.
I owe the popularity of my blog to YOU, My Welcome Visitors! I am especially proud of all of you and the intelligent and civil debate we conduct on my Blog!

Thank you so Much!!

PS: Pat, before you start, I even welcome and am glad you are here!! Thank you! (be nice, just for once, in this comment section!)