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I Still Don't Care About Illegal Immigration

And I'll tell you why. This immigration system is still a brutally unfair racial quota system, that basically doesn't allow very many people in general to come to the United States legally. If that weren't enough, I have to somehow take Donald Trump morally seriously, when he wants to make it even harder to legally immigrate to the United States. If I were running from drug gangs in Mexico or Central America, or trying to escape crushing poverty, yeah, I might sneak across the border. If we had any sort of sensible immigration policy that was generous, just, and fair, I might be more inclined to take a more hard-line position. Also, to treat asylum-seekers the same as those who illegally cross the border, is unconscionable and indefensible. I know it's a right-wing party game to make fun of "international" anything, but if I were in charge, the United States would not even be contemplating breaking international law. I don't think we should act like pariahs, even if we are big enough that no one else in the world could punish us.

I notice also an absurd tendency in the reactionary right-wing rhetoric to play Hispanics and African-Americans against one another, to defend this indefensible immigration restrictionism. I'm sure Prager "University" is planning a video to this effect right now.

I believe in borders, by the way. I just think ours should be much more porous than they are right now. Personally, I don't get anxious by studies that purportedly show that Americans will be majority non-white in the near future. I've always believed that we were a nation founded on principles, not on ethnic identity. I do think that immigrants and potential immigrants should respect this country and its traditions, provided that they are good. We have a tradition of racism and bigotry, however, and a few too many people think that is the tradition we ought to hold onto as Americans. "Sad!," as a certain highly placed person might say.

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