For the record: I am not anti-immigrant, nor am I “pro-wall,” per se.
I am, however, fascinated by the “no borders, no countries,” movement that is growing not just worldwide (I’d expect that), but America-wide. More and more Americans are willing to say that borders are unnecessary boundaries and that we are all one people of one world.
As a huge fan of Star Trek and Gene Rodenberry’s vision of a humanity that realizes that we are all one people united together and against any threats to our existence as a species, that thought speaks to me. However, I also note that Rodenberry’s storylines always referred back to a great world war III of the 21st century…an event so necessary and devastating that it brought us together as a people. This is the genius of his vision; it takes division to create addition. Ask a mathematician about that one.
For now, there are no Vulcans coming to Earth to offer peace nor Romulans looking to blow up our planet. It’s just us. And just as if we were being attacked as a planet, it is perfectly acceptable, given our current understanding of the universe, that we draw lines and boundaries and defend them based on various sovereign beliefs. That’s what we’d be doing to an invading species; we’d be saying that this was our world, and we’ll defend it. You can’t join us unless we give you permission.
So, what’s the difference? America has the right (and the obligation) to say to the world that this is our country, regardless of how it came to be, and only those that we allow in are welcome. Somehow, recently, that sentence I just wrote has become “hate speech.”
In this hyper-partisan, hyper-political environment that we live in there are only two positions allowed by the extremists. Either you believe in no borders at all and everyone should be allowed everywhere, or you believe that no one is invited to come to America and everyone that came here illegally already, even those who were children at the time, need to be deported immediately. No middle ground allowed on either side, period.
Clearly, this is asinine on both sides.
However, there are some common-sense ideals that we used to be able to agree on. Those ideals re gone and so we’re left with the most idiotic arguments we can possibly muster.
Again, I state, a wall is not the be all, end all of illegal immigration issues in America. 40% of all illegal immigrants currently living in America are a result of those invited legally to join us via work visas who have overstayed their welcome. These are folks we both want and need to be part of America’s working society as they bring skills and willingness that we need to remain the world’s economic superpower, that’s why we welcome them in the first place. Clearly, no wall on Earth is going to eliminate 40% of our illegal immigration problem, that’s an enforcement issue.
However, what in the actual hell is wrong with some sort of a wall at the southern border, where countless drugs and humans are being smuggled constantly? Keeping in mind that those of us with half of a brain know that no wall on Earth will keep everyone out, why not try, create and implement every reasonable defense of our border?
Well, for starters, of course, it’s mean. Secondly, it’s expensive and, there’s a lack of proof that immigrants are actually stealing jobs from Americans
http://www.salon.com/2017/01/18/trumps-border-wall_partner/
OK…just for the sake of argument, let’s cede that…why again shouldn’t we still protect our borders?
Well, illegal immigration is already declining and, what about that Northern border?
OK…just for the sake of argument, let’s cede that…why again shouldn’t we still protect our borders?
Well, as it turns out, the wall wont; solve everything, so why try to solve anything? The wall won’t keep all terrorists out, after all. Drug cartels are smart and know how to outsmart our attempts at stopping them, and our courts are already overrun with immigration law cases, so Good Lord, why make it worse or even try?
http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/02/trump-wall-mexico-problems-immigration-214837
These are the arguments against enforcing already existing border lines that define and protect the sovereign nation known as the United States of America. But perhaps my favorite argument against defending our borders surfaced this week when activists went for the jugular by appealing to Americans’ love of animals with the claim that a wall will destroy various species, most notably the jaguar.
https://www.usatoday.com/border-wall/story/environmental-impact-endangered-species-jaguar/582602001/
This is brilliant because it plays to our modern day arrogance and need to believe that we’re in control of this planet, which we clearly are not. Since no one has the ability to acknowledge that we have no affect at all, whatsoever, on the planet, this storyline is the best I’ve seen yet. We, as Americans, must expose ourselves to threats from foreign entities whether it be financial or physical in nature, so that we can save the planet. It doesn’t get aby better (or more arrogant) than this. I hate us so much.
