There was a time, not that long ago, that political discourse went something like this: “Here’s why I think I’m right and you’re wrong.” Nowadays, there is no discourse, civil or otherwise. In 2017 America, politics is framed in terms of, “I’m righteous, you’re evil, and here’s why you’re the spawn of Satan.”
Nowhere is this toxic atmosphere more evident than in the area of immigration policy. One of the groups that is lavishly funded to foment hatred rather than civil debate is Reform Immigration for America (RIFA). In response to the recent Trump administration’s outline of immigration reforms it would seek in exchange for amnesty for DACA beneficiaries, RIFA did not even bother to list their reasons for opposing the proposals.
Here, verbatim, is what they had to say instead. “The White House just released a list of ‘immigration principles and policies,’ the foundation for Trump’s plans for immigrants in the United States, and it’s sickening. It reads like a white supremacist wish list, [RIFA’s bold emphasis] demonizing immigrants and attacking communities of color.”
What, exactly, you may wonder is this “white supremacist wish list”? Again, in RIFA’s own words:
- Demanding money to build his expensive and ineffective border wall.
- Demanding money to hire 10,000 more ICE agents who will ramp up detentions and deportations that tear families apart.
- Attacking the sanctuary cities that protect the members of their communities, harshly penalizing them if they don’t comply with his new rules.
- Cracking down on the undocumented workers that help revitalize America’s economy (while he, his children, and other wealthy CEOs continue to ship good jobs overseas).
In the bygone ‘here’s-why-I-disagree’ era, opponents of the president’s policy proposals might have taken the trouble to rebut those proposals, or explain why they think they would be ineffective. But why bother? Lately, ideas disliked by groups and individuals with RIFA’s mindset are simply dismissed as hate, and the current flavor of the week is white supremacy.
One might reasonably disagree with building a wall along the southern border and offer reasons for why it would be ineffective. But an expression of white supremacy? If so, then Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, and current Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer are all white supremacists given that they all voted to build the wall back in 2006.
The same question can be asked of the other policy proposals RIFA objects to. Let’s hear the case for why more enforcement personnel, ending sanctuary policies, or enforcing laws against people working in the country illegally might be bad public policy, or an inefficient use of public resources. But leaving aside the fact that not all people who support enforcement of our immigration laws are white, much less white supremacists, none of the ideas put forth by the White House is inherently hateful.
Labeling all political dissent as a form of hate is itself a form of hate. It sends the message to supporters of a particular point of view that those who disagree with them are not merely wrong, but evil. The objective of the game at that point is not to persuade the other guy, but rather to destroy him. In such circumstances civility, much less compromise, becomes impossible.
Such is the sad state of political discourse in United States today, and ideologues, like RIFA, are both undermining immigration policy and taking a wrecking ball to civil society.
6 Comments
Time to put Americans first, no amnesty, no chain migration, no birthright, no welfare, These people come here for the handouts only and continue to leech without adding any value. They are criminals who broke our laws and should be held accountable. They are anti-American to begin with flying their Mexico flag demanding this and that. If I had my way they would all be going back to Mexico waving their flag, they have no right to demand anything. This country does not owe these people anything Accepting these people is like a slap in the face to every immigrant who came here followed the laws, learned English and became citizens. Every immigrant I’ve talked to who are citizens (no matter where they came from) believe these should have to go thru the same process as them and if not send them back.
see that’s how stupid you are , it’s not hate and intolerance , it’s the fact that as they bring more in the crime rate and violence goes up, like they say a few bad apples spoil the bunch, just like i am sick of listening to blacks about whites killing blacks , fact is they ask for it, so don’t expect me to feel sorry for them , and just like blacks, whites can’t fix their problems , it’s time for them to fix their own races , and stop blaming us for what happens 100 years ago, i can find a million reasons to blame others for my life , but i made it what it is , besides that i have made a good life for myself , but i still have things i can cry and whine about , like the rest of you poor babies , but it’s a waste of time
“Such is the sad state of political discourse in United States today, and ideologues, like RIFA, are both undermining immigration policy and taking a wrecking ball to civil society.”
RIFA? Another communist, anti-American hate group? American citizens are the ones paying the price for these kinds of leftist groups that want to attack and weaken our civil society.
I too am so tired of the whiny left and their lack of intelligent discussion! Think of all that could be accomplished if we held rational discussions and treated each other with respect! All of this whining, tempter tantrum rhrowing and violent protests are damaging to our great country! What is wrong with wanting people to come here legally? What is wrong with deporting people here illegally? The wall isn’t meant to keep ALL immigrants out, just the ones who break the law!
Your a liberal baby really ,I cant even start to rip this article apart it’s so retarded. take your baby infant remarks about our president and immigration and pack it in your ***,. This White supremacist trash bs your spouting is also to damn stupid to even go into. your sound like a carbon copy of liberal media news really. How about you stop listening to the lies and bs and form an actual mind set of your own you sheeple.
Right in line with this type of thinking, a few days ago Hillary gave an interview to London’s Evening Standard and it was a virtual repeat of her deplorables hype. Talking about the Brexit vote she said: “They voted against modern Britain and the EU, believing that somehow this would be good for their small village.” Well yes, that is precisely what they did because they were tired of watching their “small villages” overwhelmed by foreigners who expect the native population to change for them and who use welfare at very high rates. Her attitude is exactly that of the elites who live behind gates manned by security guards. Is it some plus for Britain when they have to wonder if that next van coming over the bridge is going to jump the curb and mow them down?
Tony Blair was prime minister when mass immigration went into high gear, encouraged by his policies. Now that the voters have chosen to leave the EU and it’s overreach into their lives, Blair keeps insisting that another vote be held because they “didn’t understand” what they were doing. Withdrawing from the EU has been thoroughly discussed for many years, but people like Blair and Hillary dismiss the public as too stupid to see things their way. Britain has 65 million people crammed into that relatively small island but the brain dead liberals insist the more the merrier.
It’s like how NFL fans supposedly don’t understand what the demonstrations are about. Although Trump needs to slow it down, the fact is that most people don’t buy into the idea that cops are looking to shoot blacks at every opportunity. Michael Brown was not a hero. He was a thug who robbed a store, assaulted the clerk, and tried to take a cop’s gun. The only victims were the cop who lost his job and the hard working people whose businesses were torched.