I want to ignore several types of laws when they apply to me, my family, and friends. Among the laws I wish to ignore are speed limits, parking prohibitions, noise ordinances, dog curbing requirements, and of course those infuriating rules requiring me to pay taxes.
I should be allowed to ignore the laws of my choosing. Our nation is in the process of setting the needed precedents in place for me to do this; we are actively ignoring our laws against illegal immigration when that immigration comes through our southern border.
However…….
Obviously, I can not be allowed to ignore laws of my choosing. Yet, we are allowing a segment of our society along with outsiders to do just that when it comes to illegal immigration.
There is a lot of validity to the argument against ignoring immigration law that goes something like, “What about ‘illegal’ do you not understand?” We simply can not choose the laws we wish to follow and not follow. That does not work. If you disagree with a law then work to change the law. If you work to change the law but you are unable to change it then the law should not be changed. That is the challenge of living in our constitutional republic; we have a process for changing law that is meant to be difficult. The role of our Constitution is to protect the minority from the majority; the masses. The Constitution’s role is to enforce deliberation as opposed to feverish, hasty action.
There is no question in my mind that We the People need to reform our immigration laws to allow far greater numbers of immigrants to enter our nation. The simple fact of demographics is that we need those people, particularly the young ones. Further, I wholeheartedly believe that We the People need to maintain this nation as a symbol of hope and freedom if the world is ever to be safe for democracy.
Understand however, that there is a difference between reforming the law and ignoring the law. That difference is significant. That difference is the fundamental respect for Rule of Law; the fundamental that guarantees me the right to write and post this article, guarantees you the right to read it in peace, and all of us to the rights express differing opinions, hold different approaches to God, to not be arrested without just cause, and many more. Note that there is no law that protects illegal immigrants from the consequences of their illegal act.
We the People must insist that our laws are followed and not ignored, or one day the laws that get ignored may be the laws we need for our own protection.
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It’s a fair point, but where are your postings on drug laws (Use anybody else’s prescriptions? Do any recreational drugs in college?), labor laws (Paying payroll taxes for your babysitter, landscaper, and house cleaner?), tax laws (I’m sure all those deductions are completely documented!), copyright laws (Any illegal downloads on your kids’ ipods?) and all these other laws that are routinely ignored? Sure, we shouldn’t get to ignore any laws, but the “what part of illegal don’t you understand?” argument strikes me as hypocritical. People ignore laws where enforcement is lax, the chances of getting caught are slim, and the benefits outweigh the penalties. Our immigration laws are inforced in a lax manner because our economy depends on illegal labor. Fine, fix the laws, and then enforce them!
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