Welcome! Thank you for subscribing to this newsletter and returning this week. By chance, have you noticed there are two diametrically opposing statements about the same issues facing our country lately? Who is telling the truth? Better yet, what are the facts so you and I can come to our own conclusions. We have two separate articles this week that call us to take a second look. Are we becoming a lawless society? How do we overcome the divisions between us that seem to be tearing our nation apart? Let’s take a closer look together.
Would a country that doesn’t obey its own laws contribute to a lawless society?
Some call the massive migration of non-citizens into the United States a “circumstance.” Others call it a “crisis.” One would have to turn off the TV volume and view the scenes at the border to come to a conclusion. Next, the influx of non-citizens combined with a very limited staff to process entry into the United States means that our country is not obeying its own laws. In a situation of this magnitude, a few people deciding that this is a good idea to allow entry of unprocessed, undocumented people from other countries is not how our government is designed.
I’ve traveled over a good part of the globe. I had to wait in a sweltering, hours-long line to get into Argentina, show my passport, then pay a fee of $300.00 US dollars to gain entry. In New Zealand, I had to throw out anything that might bring disease to their country. The border agents checked me and my possessions very carefully. Getting into Israel was no walk in the park. Understandably, the process there was extensive. The Israeli agents were the most skilled I have ever experienced. Long lines of processing greeted me in the European Union. You stand and wait. No documents? No entry. In fact, due to different requirements, if your passport expires while you travel, you are not allowed into the following country. It happened to someone I know. Ever sat in the Detroit tunnel trying to cross into Canada? You get the idea.
So, why would citizens of every other country obey our laws if our own government doesn’t? Why would Americans obey our laws?
Consider the difficulties that may soon arise if Americans are treated more strictly with entry than non-citizens. (I can assure you, Americans don’t get a “pass” when they travel to other countries).
What about the spring break chaos in Miami? National leadership sets the course for the people. If leadership gives a wink and a nod to laws, is it any surprise when citizens engage in civil disobedience? Some say that this “letting loose” is caused by being quarantined for so long during the pandemic. I can’t entirely agree. I think citizens behave badly when the Constitution is under fire and laws aren’t being followed.
Worth mentioning are two other examples of revisionist law-making on the fly: D.C. Statehood and the possible unseating of a duly elected, sworn-in U.S. Representative who won by six votes.
Washington D.C. was set aside as the seat of our government in 1790. The Constitution is clear that it is not a state. If it were to become a state, can you imagine Washington D.C. having its own state guard troops within our national capital city? The District of Columbia would be a sovereign state with all the implications.
In the case of the U.S. Representative, the election was certified. The Congressman has been seated. Can a senator or representative be unseated simply for winning by only six votes? No other infractions, no fraud, just winning by a few votes. How many votes does it take to win an election? Right.
So then, I believe that a lot of lawlessness at the top eventually leads to lawlessness by the people.-not just in Miami, but across the nation.
This is Common Sense Civics and Citizenship. 🇺🇸
