Fairness is claimed by many to be one of the pillars of character that upholds our civilization. It is a vital part of our interaction with one another. It should be taught in our schools and practiced throughout our nation. All right. I’ll agree with that. So how does it apply to the issue of immigration?
A primary facet of fairness is the necessity to play by the rules. Those who are fair, no matter their age, gender, position in life, or anything else, always play by the rules. They don’t ask that the rules be changed to accommodate them. They don’t ask that exceptions in the rules be made to favor their desires. They don’t claim that the rules prevent them from enjoying what is “rightfully” theirs. They play by the rules.
Among children, this means everyone will obey the established rules for entering soccer, jump rope, or any other game. Everyone will obey the rules for playing the game. Benefits of the game will be enjoyed equally by all. That’s fairness.
I believe governments also need to practice fairness, don’t you? Right now, the “plight” of millions of people across America who refuse to play by the rules is pushing aside the rights of those who do play by the rules. Many – not all – immigrants to our country have been flaunting our rules for years. They’ve treated our country’s laws with great contempt. While others registered for immigration and waited for completion of paperwork, these millions crossed our borders as though it was their right. They entered our work force “game” as though they had every right to do so. They reaped the benefits of our society as though they had taken every legal step to gain those benefits. They spat on the concept of fairness. They laughed in our faces, and continue to do so. “We are not criminals,” they proclaim as they march.
Merriam Webster’s Online Dictionary, however, defines “criminal” as “one who commits crime.” It defines “crime” as “an act or the commission of an act that is forbidden or the omission of a duty that is commanded by a public law.”
Crossing our borders without first securing all necessary immigration documents is criminal.
Now, however, our so-called “representatives” in Congress want to reward that grossly unfair behavior. The longer these illegal immigrants have been breaking the law, the greater the reward they stand to reap. Our “representatives” argue that these people have a right to seek work and better the living standards of their families. They are coming to do the work no one else will do, they tell us, and that’s good for our economy. Sadly, Congress is willing to make those things possible by changing the rules – but only for that group of illegal immigrants who have been playing unfairly for years. The rest of us still have to obey the laws – and that is unfair to the rest of us.
Fairness and immigration can peacefully coexist, but only if Congress realizes the vital importance of this character trait. Perhaps we should require that every member of Congress, and our president, call a moratorium on the immigration debate until each one of them has enrolled in and completed a good character education program. Once they have learned the meaning of fairness, embraced it as a pillar of character, and vowed to exercise it fully, they will be ready to decide how to handle this disgustingly unfair situation.
That’s the view from my chair. What’s your view?