There is a great opportunity here that we all seem to be
missing. It is an opportunity for many of us to come together and understand
each other.
Please consider the following:
- · Restricting travel for citizens of a handful of nations which happen to be predominantly Muslim seems to some, a small matter of inconvenience for a few, with great security benefits for many Americans.
If you are on the other side, of course, you can see right
through that. What security benefits? Refugees and immigrants (these are LEGAL immigrants we are
talking about. There is already a de-facto ban on illegals. That is why they
are called illegals) rarely, if ever, conduct terrorist attacks. Further, the attacks
that have happened here were NOT perpetrated by immigrants from any of the
nations on the “banned” list. The attackers were from nations that are noticeably
missing from that list.
Does this scenario sound familiar? It should.
- · Restricting sale or access to a small set of firearms that seem scary seems to some is a small matter of inconvenience for a few with seemingly great security benefits for many Americans.
If you are on the other side, of course, you can see right
through that. What security benefits? Law abiding citizens no matter how well armed they are, rarely,
if ever, conduct murderous attacks on innocent people. These are LEGAL firearms
owned by law-abiding citizens we are talking about. Murder is already illegal.
The vast majority of firearm deaths in this country are either suicides or the
result of criminal activity. Making certain guns illegal, or more difficult to
get legally, will likely have no reducing effect on either category and may indeed have the opposite effect.
If after reading this you are formulating a reply as to how your side of one of
these arguments is different, and more righteous, than the other side, you are
missing my point. Everyone’s freedoms are important. A divided nation is not
in any of our interests. PLEASE take a couple of minutes, or at least a couple
of breaths, and look for ways to understand the other side OF EVERY ISSUE. We are literally
all In this together. If we cannot find common ground with those with whom we
disagree, then I truly fear that a government of the people, by the people, and
for the people, may indeed perish from this earth.
Perhaps what our country needs is stronger debate curriculum. For those unfamiliar, students of debate study the ins and outs and what have you's of a topic and then find out what side they are on shortly before they begin to argue. The whole point is to deeply understand the topic from both sides, rather than diggin in deeply on on side.
ReplyDeleteI think a stronger EVERYTHING curriculum would be a good idea. I like your idea though. We did something like that in HS in one of my Social Studies classes. One must hope that students would use the skill to examine their own opinions as well as to sharpen their debating chops.
DeleteDo we really want our policy makers finding out what side they are on at the last minute? There is debate for sport (and for learning) and then there is debate for critical decision making. Lots of the entrenched folks on every side are entrenched because they have adopted some primary assumption, reasoned through all the arguments from there and landed where they are. Lots of the deadlocks come about from an inability/unwillingness to listen and re-examine the fundamental assumptions from whence they came. One mouth + two ears + humble heart = productive debate.
DeleteGiven that I hate pretty much anybody who gets within sniffing distance of national office, I guess I don't care much about national unity; that's an aspiration that makes no sense (draw an arbitrary circle around people and hope they come to a consensus on something or other).
ReplyDeleteI do wish people would argue without personal attacks. If I could eliminate one feature of current discourse, it would be that.
it is not the borders that matter to me. It is the concept of the form of government of the people, by the people, and for the people. That should ultimately be greater than any one nation. I think it is a good starting point for any civilization. Freedom and Justice for all is worthy goal.
DeleteI voted for Trump. But I am torn on the travel ban. On the one hand, I think we need to have the toughest vetting possible. On the other hand, immigrants have made America the great nation it is today. I've never thought of comparing it to the second amendment- which I am a staunch supporter of. I think that is a very great comparison. You might have just won me over.
ReplyDeleteI voted for Trump. But I am torn on the travel ban. On the one hand, I think we need to have the toughest vetting possible. On the other hand, immigrants have made America the great nation it is today. I've never thought of comparing it to the second amendment- which I am a staunch supporter of. I think that is a very great comparison. You might have just won me over.
ReplyDeleteIt was not my intent to win you over, just to make people think a little differently. Still, I am glad you see things differently and hope I did "win you over," to that. I am not afraid of immigrants or refugees that are trying to do it the right way. That is not easy. I will happily take the hard working, goal-oriented people from any nation.
DeleteI know painters, masons, and house cleaners (there have to be more) who are being squeezed pretty hard by housefuls of ?immigrants? of questionable legality. That there is a problem cannot be avoided and it's not just limited to terrorism. Not saying the current scenario is the best answer (and maybe it's not intended to be permanent) but sometimes action is what sparks discussion and listening needs to be the better part. We are all so busy that the status quo can slide for a looong time. You buy a Christmas tree, who knows how long it's been on the lot, and they put it on the vibrating/shaky thing and lots of the dead falls out. If nothing else, Trump has people talking so let's make the most of it while it lasts....Hey! Look! a squirrel!.................
ReplyDelete