Law, order, and fairness 1n immigration

» Why being anti-illegal immigration isn’t a pro-racism standpoint

Alex Stanton Staff Writer

ne of the most common (lazy) techniques in debating—political or otherwise—is the attempt to question your opponent’s character by simplifying the issue down to a question of right and wrong, and then focusing your entire rebuttal around your morally righteous position by the standards of most people. This also involves shutting down any discourse that is perceived to go against that position, even if there are actually some solid points. This technique is called “taking the moral high ground,” and it appears to be an increasingly common method for those who see things like heavily guarded national borders, long waiting lists, and plenty of legal paperwork as racist.

It’s fair to say most loud- and-proud racists are against illegal immigration. What isn’t at all fair to say, however, is that anyone who supports reasonably strict rules for prospective immigrants is a bigot—no ifs, ands, or buts about it.

This isn’t to say that we

: shouldn't try our best to help

: the less fortunate lead better

: lives, especially because, living

: ina privileged society, we're

: more than capable of doing so.

: One of the more obvious, close- : to-home examples would be

: Mexico, a developing country

: with countless problems in all

: levels of society, and a focal

: point for the war on drugs.

: With the corrupt government

: in full-scale conflict with drug

: cartels, each side is causing just : as much collateral damage as

: the other, Desperate times call

: for desperate measures, and

: it’s no wonder that Mexican

: citizens will do anything for

; More opportunities up north. : We're a society that is always : : progressing, tweaking ourrules : : and regulations as we find

: better solutions to our systems

: currently in place. Though

: the policies are not perfect, all

: this being said, there’s more

: than enough reasons to justify

: the hoops that prospective

: immigrants must jump through. : I’ve heard people comparing the : US-Mexican border fence to the : Berlin Wall. Completely putting : aside the absurdity of that

: comparison, consider how many

: illegal immigrants originate

: from that precise fence. There’s : no possible way to argue that

: it can’t be a solution (perhaps

: a temporary one; society is

: always progressing, after all).

: that all of these laws are in

: place to help those coming to : developed countries (Canada, * America, or the like) for perfectly :

eee a FL

Image via thinkstock

: big problem when it comes to

: crime... But the immigration

: process in our country is

: the way it is to benefit us.

: In Canada, it’s only fair for

: Canadian citizens—whether

: they are born and raised or

: naturalized—to get first dibs on : all the wonderful opportunities : our country offers us.

: legitimate reasons, yet there

: are still those who choose to

: enter the country illegally for : one reason or another. I have

: all the respect in the world for : those who choose to come to

: Canada to live and work by

: jumping through the proper

: hoops, and I don’t really buy

: into Donald Trumps argument that illegal immigrants are a

I can't help but find it unfair

Double negative

» Why you might be concerned about the wrong things

Elliot Chan Opinions Editor — eM opinions@theotherpress.ca

WwW concerns us in day- to-day life differs from person to person; some worry about immediate problems such as deadlines and commitments, while others worried about situations that have no direct influence on them. I’m all for the former and not so much about the latter. We waste too much time concerned with aspects

of the world that we cannot control, and when we do think that we are making a positive impact, we are often neglecting an issue closer to home.

The environment: it is the foundation of life upon Earth. Many of us make every effort to take care of it, but then again, we often forget to take care of ourselves—to protect ourselves. How often do I see commuters on bicycles swerving this way and that on the read without a helmet? I see it almost all the time, especially in urban areas. Riding a bike is better for the environment, but neglecting your safety is far from smart. Your wellbeing is

: a far bigger concern than the : carbon you would emit into : the air if you were driving.

The world at large is full

: of disruption and corruption.

: I remember this cliché line

: growing up: there are poor

: children in Africa that want

: what you have. Hell, there are

: poor children in Canada that

: want what I have. We often

: look at developing countries or : : countries in crisis, such as Syria, ! : and offer our deepest sympathy. : : However, when we look at an

: unfortunate individual closer

: to home, what do we do? We

: call them lazy, we call them

: bums, and we call them stupid, : and so on and so on. If you

: want to help people, start

: with those in your backyard.

Worrying is a type

: of escape, don’t deny it.

: Sometimes we get emotionally : invested in things just so

? we can avoid the immediate

: problems with our lives. Look : at sports for example. We put : so much emotional weight on : the performance of a group

: of people we don’t even know. : The outcome has minimal

: effect on our lives. If we own : a sports bar, we might benefit

: from the Canucks winning,

: but otherwise, it’s pretty much : a way to misdirect attention

: from our own work ethics.

: We worry so much about how : the Canucks, Whitecaps, and

: Lions are doing, but how often : do we turn to our friends and

: family and show interest in

Image via thinkstock

: their pursuits? Rarely. Working : at an office or a restaurant is

: not as interesting as scoring a

: goal. Finishing an assignment

: is not as exciting as making the : playoffs. But if you are worried

: about the successes and failures : of complete strangers, why

: aren’t you worried about those

: who matter so much to you? It’s okay to be farsighted : now and then and be

: concerned about the world,

: but more often than not, we : should look at what’s around : us—there are problems

: everywhere that need to be

: solved. Let’s start with those.