I suppose that everyone who reads my blog will likely have already watched this video, but I liked it so well that I wanted to place it here. The "coming" rings all too true in what I see and experience, and I hope, pray, and strive for the "going".
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Sunday, May 09, 2010
And Freedom for All
I suppose my opinions here may not be the opinions of all who read this. However, I hold that these are, indeed, my opinions, and do not need to reflect yours, that I do not have all of the facts and reserve the right to change my opinion, and that your opinion is just as valid as mine.
That being said, I believe the single biggest problem we have with immigration is that it is too hard. If it were easier to come in properly, then there would be much less need to come in illegally. Or, conversely, it is presently easier for many people to immigrate illegally than it if for them to immigrate legally. Consequently, illegal immigration is an issue. If those same immigrants were legit, then they would be part of the system proper, and not cause for concern. They would "buy-in" to the nation.
I do not understand why we place limits on the number of people permitted to enter from a given country. Those limits vary from country to country. To me, that says, we prefer people of this or that nationality over another nationality. It is stereotyping and racism and profiling, all rolled into one, big, smelly pile of mess.
It is also not necessary to limit the total number of people immigrating, of whatever nationality. There is not a shortage of space in the states. Many international cities are much more densely packed than our large cities, for those who like that kind of thing. Our cities are poorly designed and, more importantly, poorly evolved. Los Angeles, for example, does not have the infrastructure it needs to support its population effectively, and is entirely too sprawling, considering its total population. There is room for growth, if there is room for improvement. In the below graph, note that New York City is on par with other, international cities that I thought of off the top of my head. They are not necessarily the most dense cities. After New York, LA is our second most densely populated city, which we see is about half as dense as the others. Depending on how you count, Chicago may be more dense than LA, but still not a chart-topper. No other cities in the US are worth mentioning on this chart.
Further, there is much of the interior of the nation that is unpopulated, for those who do not wish to live in cities. The world could always do with more farmers. Speaking of which, there is not a shortage of food or arable land, either. There is a shortage of people properly utilizing the land and producing worthwhile crops. I will save my corn tirade for another post.
There is an understandable concern about letting in just anybody. What if the bad guys get in? I have two thoughts there. Firstly, part of being able to get in should be a background check - I think things like criminal histories and terrorist tendencies are legitimate reasons to bar entry. However, point 2 is that those who are of that ilk will not balk at entering illegally anyway. The bad guys are getting in now. The bad guys are also recruiting within our borders without even having to come over. What good is a fence doing anyone in that case?
As to fences, when was the last time that you were asked for a passport/ID/whatever when you left the beach? Could not a well-funded terrorist organization or crime organization get people ashore using speed boats along any number of beaches? How many coast guard patrols would be necessary to secure all of the waterfront along both sides of the county? Or will we build fences there, too?
The harder we work to keep people out, the more it costs us, as citizens and the more desperate normal-ish people are while attempting to enter. Trying to imagine the lengths necessary to ensure only those we want and know about enter is a daunting, frightening task.
Many people do not like the haughty, proud, elitist attitude of the USA. Do you think our current border and immigration policies helps or hurts that image? What about open borders?
"Diversity" is all the rage in businesses and at Universities. However, how truly diverse can any place be, when the inputs and available pools to draw from are stacked decks? Or at least the decks have been picked through to make sure that there are not more than the allowed quota of each type of card.
Many people are concerned that their job will be lost to a migrant worker, if we let everyone in. Well, you may be right, but instead of being afraid of it, do what is necessary to ensure your livelihood. Remember, too, that all of those migrants will need to buy food, clothes, find shelter, and basically pump money back into the system. I would not be surprised if someone did a study and found that the average time to convert from a "third world" or "developing nation" lifestyle, to one of waste and opulence, and consumer-centric is about 0.65 generations. In the mean time, if they can live on smaller wages, so can you. It is the blue-collar equivalent to externalization, collaboration, and out-sourcing. If someone can do your job almost as well for less, then you had better develop additional skills. If a robot or computer can do your job, you had better develop new skills. I will save that tirade for later, too.
I believe those are all of the arguments I have heard against immigration and against population growth. I have not heard anything that makes me think allowing people to attempt to live their dreams is a bad thing. If someone's dream is to come and live off the fat of society, well then at least let them come legally so that they are properly accounted for. However, that is not the dream of anybody I have spoken with who has wanted to come here. Every last person I have spoken to from Canadians to Bulgarians to Cambodians to Latin Americans has wanted to come here to escape crushing economic, political, or cultural hardship. Every last one of them has wanted to enjoy the land for the reason God established it.
I do not feel it is our place to deny them entry.
"We were here first" is both wrong and puerile.
It is time to stop being selfish as individuals and as a nation.
Well, that is my rant. I feel better for having put it out there. I hope no one is offended. If you are, I am sorry your feelings are hurt. Please re-read my first paragraph. I am only sharing my opinion. I am not trying to make you agree, though you are welcome to, if you like.
I do not understand why we place limits on the number of people permitted to enter from a given country. Those limits vary from country to country. To me, that says, we prefer people of this or that nationality over another nationality. It is stereotyping and racism and profiling, all rolled into one, big, smelly pile of mess.
It is also not necessary to limit the total number of people immigrating, of whatever nationality. There is not a shortage of space in the states. Many international cities are much more densely packed than our large cities, for those who like that kind of thing. Our cities are poorly designed and, more importantly, poorly evolved. Los Angeles, for example, does not have the infrastructure it needs to support its population effectively, and is entirely too sprawling, considering its total population. There is room for growth, if there is room for improvement. In the below graph, note that New York City is on par with other, international cities that I thought of off the top of my head. They are not necessarily the most dense cities. After New York, LA is our second most densely populated city, which we see is about half as dense as the others. Depending on how you count, Chicago may be more dense than LA, but still not a chart-topper. No other cities in the US are worth mentioning on this chart.
Further, there is much of the interior of the nation that is unpopulated, for those who do not wish to live in cities. The world could always do with more farmers. Speaking of which, there is not a shortage of food or arable land, either. There is a shortage of people properly utilizing the land and producing worthwhile crops. I will save my corn tirade for another post.
There is an understandable concern about letting in just anybody. What if the bad guys get in? I have two thoughts there. Firstly, part of being able to get in should be a background check - I think things like criminal histories and terrorist tendencies are legitimate reasons to bar entry. However, point 2 is that those who are of that ilk will not balk at entering illegally anyway. The bad guys are getting in now. The bad guys are also recruiting within our borders without even having to come over. What good is a fence doing anyone in that case?
As to fences, when was the last time that you were asked for a passport/ID/whatever when you left the beach? Could not a well-funded terrorist organization or crime organization get people ashore using speed boats along any number of beaches? How many coast guard patrols would be necessary to secure all of the waterfront along both sides of the county? Or will we build fences there, too?
The harder we work to keep people out, the more it costs us, as citizens and the more desperate normal-ish people are while attempting to enter. Trying to imagine the lengths necessary to ensure only those we want and know about enter is a daunting, frightening task.
Many people do not like the haughty, proud, elitist attitude of the USA. Do you think our current border and immigration policies helps or hurts that image? What about open borders?
"Diversity" is all the rage in businesses and at Universities. However, how truly diverse can any place be, when the inputs and available pools to draw from are stacked decks? Or at least the decks have been picked through to make sure that there are not more than the allowed quota of each type of card.
Many people are concerned that their job will be lost to a migrant worker, if we let everyone in. Well, you may be right, but instead of being afraid of it, do what is necessary to ensure your livelihood. Remember, too, that all of those migrants will need to buy food, clothes, find shelter, and basically pump money back into the system. I would not be surprised if someone did a study and found that the average time to convert from a "third world" or "developing nation" lifestyle, to one of waste and opulence, and consumer-centric is about 0.65 generations. In the mean time, if they can live on smaller wages, so can you. It is the blue-collar equivalent to externalization, collaboration, and out-sourcing. If someone can do your job almost as well for less, then you had better develop additional skills. If a robot or computer can do your job, you had better develop new skills. I will save that tirade for later, too.
I believe those are all of the arguments I have heard against immigration and against population growth. I have not heard anything that makes me think allowing people to attempt to live their dreams is a bad thing. If someone's dream is to come and live off the fat of society, well then at least let them come legally so that they are properly accounted for. However, that is not the dream of anybody I have spoken with who has wanted to come here. Every last person I have spoken to from Canadians to Bulgarians to Cambodians to Latin Americans has wanted to come here to escape crushing economic, political, or cultural hardship. Every last one of them has wanted to enjoy the land for the reason God established it.
I do not feel it is our place to deny them entry.
"We were here first" is both wrong and puerile.
It is time to stop being selfish as individuals and as a nation.
Well, that is my rant. I feel better for having put it out there. I hope no one is offended. If you are, I am sorry your feelings are hurt. Please re-read my first paragraph. I am only sharing my opinion. I am not trying to make you agree, though you are welcome to, if you like.
Friday, May 07, 2010
Just Plain Not Right
I do not believe anyone, especially soldiers, should be treated with this level of contempt and disrespect.
http://www.theworld.org/2010/05/07/us-veterans-denied-benefits/
http://www.theworld.org/2010/05/07/us-veterans-denied-benefits/
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