Saturday, April 30, 2011

Immigration Reform

I will now address a topic about which I know very little. My detractors would ask, "How is this new or in any way different from anything else you write?" I admit that as a sixteen-year-old who was born in the U. S., and, for that matter, not all that close to any foreign borders, despite the lame U. S. government course I took in high school, how can I profess to have any real knowledge regarding the subject of immigration?

Three of my four grandparents were born in nations other than the United States and immigrated here. My remaining grandparent was the son of two Irish immigrants. Who am I to to say that the borders should remain open long enough to let my family in, but that they then should then be tightly sealed against all but the most wealthy and educated of foreigners who would desire to come here? As a nation of immigrants, we should all understand that underlying sentiment to some degree. Still, our nation probably cannot continue to function even as well as it currently functions if anyone and everyone who wants to come here for whatever reason is allowed to do so. Some control of the borders is inevitable.

My purpose for addressing the topic at this time, while I have nothing intelligent to contribute to the discussion, is to express a small degree of pride in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for taking a decidedly non-conservative position on this divisive issue. The church has come out in favor of the government taking a "compassionate stance' in keeping families together. The Church took a major risk of alienating a portion of its membership, some of whom would make John Birch appear liberal by comparison. For once I can say with at least a small measure of pride that my father gave two years of his life in missionary service for this faith.

God help us in  keeping this nation as one to which anyone in his or her right mind would desire to immigrate.

1 comment:

  1. The Church does one stupid thing in over 150 years and it's the one thing you like about the Church. This is so fitting!
    you probably know who

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