I am an opinionated guy. Sometimes I'm too opinionated. Sometimes I form opinions on an issue just to have an opinion on the issue, not because I actually know anything or even care about the issue.
I wanted to write something about this whole immigration fiasco going on right now, but then I had a sudden realization. I realized that I don't actually have a strong opinion on the matter. This time my lack of an opinion is not due to apathy, but to ignorance. In other words, I care, but this issue is truly that difficult to navigate. Do we open up our borders and let anyone come in? Do we allow people to stay in our country because they snuck in and had a baby, thereby rewarding lawlessness? That can't be a good idea. On the other hand, do we throw out millions of people who have been here for years, sometimes even decades? Do we ship off people who have families, homes, jobs--in short, lives--here in this country? Do we send the parents back without their kids? Do we send the kids back, too? That option doesn't seem great either.
I really don't know what the right answer is here. I feel like the right answer hasn't been proffered yet. My emotions, beliefs, and thoughts can't seem to settle on the proper course of action. It's humbling. I, someone who tends to offer an answer even when I don't really have the right answer, really don't know what I would do if I were in D.C. right now. If I were Donald Trump, how would I handle this situation? I genuinely can't say.
The United States was borne out of a Europe that had experienced cultural, religious, and academic rebirth. We like to think of ourselves as free and enlightened, and that means that each and every person has a right to raise his voice and offer a suggestion. We are all created equal and have a right to participate in the marketplace of ideas. While this is true, at least at some fundamental level, we also need to recognize that governing is not a skill that every human being possesses. As a collective we vote for those whom we want to represent us in our legislative bodies. We should pick people who share our values, first and foremost, but we should also choose those people who have a penchant for making good decisions, especially when the going gets rough.
It's easy to sit at your computer and criticize government officials (I have done it far too often, I'll admit), but would you really make better decisions, given the opportunity? In this specific situation I really wouldn't know what to do. So, while I maintain that a large majority of our politicians in Washington are corrupt and greedy, I think it's important to remember that politics is a tricky game and governing well is a true gift. Those of you who have read my work before know that I am no Trump fan, but let's give our leaders the benefit of the doubt on this and assume that they are trying to make a decision that is fair and viable, without sacrificing national security. In other words, let's cut our politicians a little slack and ease up on the memes for a second.
I wanted to write something about this whole immigration fiasco going on right now, but then I had a sudden realization. I realized that I don't actually have a strong opinion on the matter. This time my lack of an opinion is not due to apathy, but to ignorance. In other words, I care, but this issue is truly that difficult to navigate. Do we open up our borders and let anyone come in? Do we allow people to stay in our country because they snuck in and had a baby, thereby rewarding lawlessness? That can't be a good idea. On the other hand, do we throw out millions of people who have been here for years, sometimes even decades? Do we ship off people who have families, homes, jobs--in short, lives--here in this country? Do we send the parents back without their kids? Do we send the kids back, too? That option doesn't seem great either.
I really don't know what the right answer is here. I feel like the right answer hasn't been proffered yet. My emotions, beliefs, and thoughts can't seem to settle on the proper course of action. It's humbling. I, someone who tends to offer an answer even when I don't really have the right answer, really don't know what I would do if I were in D.C. right now. If I were Donald Trump, how would I handle this situation? I genuinely can't say.
The United States was borne out of a Europe that had experienced cultural, religious, and academic rebirth. We like to think of ourselves as free and enlightened, and that means that each and every person has a right to raise his voice and offer a suggestion. We are all created equal and have a right to participate in the marketplace of ideas. While this is true, at least at some fundamental level, we also need to recognize that governing is not a skill that every human being possesses. As a collective we vote for those whom we want to represent us in our legislative bodies. We should pick people who share our values, first and foremost, but we should also choose those people who have a penchant for making good decisions, especially when the going gets rough.
It's easy to sit at your computer and criticize government officials (I have done it far too often, I'll admit), but would you really make better decisions, given the opportunity? In this specific situation I really wouldn't know what to do. So, while I maintain that a large majority of our politicians in Washington are corrupt and greedy, I think it's important to remember that politics is a tricky game and governing well is a true gift. Those of you who have read my work before know that I am no Trump fan, but let's give our leaders the benefit of the doubt on this and assume that they are trying to make a decision that is fair and viable, without sacrificing national security. In other words, let's cut our politicians a little slack and ease up on the memes for a second.
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