Category Archives: immigration

“Solving” Immigration

April 30th, 2018 | Dr. Charlie Self

USA immigration history is full of draconian and hospitable seasons. Our Statue of Liberty represents the best in our history as Ellis Island welcomed millions willing to brave the journey, go through the vetting and find a new home in a new nation. We have also had horrific seasons of xenophobia and racial injustice, from the suffering of the Irish in the 1840s to the anti-Chinese laws on the West Coast in the 1890s to the anti-Semitism of the 1920s -1940s. Dark chapters indeed. With huge borders with Canada and Mexico and relative economic prosperity from the end of WWII to the 1970s, comprehensive policies were not needed, and many found their way to flourishing.

With the open-door policies initiated in the 1960s and never refined since, we have crises of capacity and compassion, economics and social cohesion. People from nations other than Mexico or who are not officially refugees and follow the rules sacrifice much as they wade through the red tape and often pay thousands of dollars to get legal residency and eventually citizenship. Meanwhile, millions of “undocumented” pour over the border, use our services and find work. Billions of dollars are sent back over the border. Most folks are hard-working and want a better future. Some are felons and need permanent deportation. A few use our porous border to infiltrate as terrorists.

The solution comes in three steps: First, real reform that solves the genuine hardship issues of DACA and refugees, while allowing for screening out terrorists. Pathways for temporary work and long-term residency and citizenship need clear guidelines, fair application and a hospitable spirit. Reform must also not favor foreign students for college dollars and the undocumented for entry-level labor. Second, border security and ICE enforcement must be unimpeded by the misguided and sometimes hostile sanctuary movement. Third, current undocumented and temporary residents who are repeated violent felons should be deported and security personnel alerted to any attempts at reentry.

The above can be done in a matter of weeks with courage and wisdom; however, Democrats must stop vying for cheap votes and Republicans for cheap labor. Both parties are responsible for the mess and it will take people of conscience and intelligence in both parties for reform to work. Security on our borders and screening some from a handful of countries is not racism and xenophobia. Favoring the productive is good common sense and national policy.

Finally, a word to the compassionate: reasonable guidelines and enforcement of the law is not a violation of either the Bible of human pathos. If one feel certain laws are unjust – change the laws! Extreme positions of groups like La Raza must be rejected in favor of inclusion with integrity and a refusal to exchange one form of racism for another.

There are Answers: If We have Courage

April 2nd, 2018 | Dr. Charlie Self

This is the beginning of a series entitled, “There are Answers: If We Have Courage.” We will examine what many regard as intractable and unsolvable issues. We will fearlessly look at economic justice and the future of work, tax reform, immigration, Middle East policy, human identity, including gender, sexuality and transhumanism, racial tensions, religious freedom, academic and intellectual liberty, political polarization and principled compromise and global/local culture and life.

As always, we will distill insights from as many perspectives as possible – within the bounds of axiomatic principles and critical thinking. Conservatives may balk as the complexities of institutional transformation are evaluated. Liberals will worry that emphases on personal responsibility and certain enduring values will reverse gains in liberty. Good! We need deliverance from narrow ideological agitation propaganda.

In this essay, two issues foundational to all the rest will be examined: 1) the crisis of human identity/nature (anthropology); and 2) the crisis of objective knowledge and truth (epistemology). Without clarity on who we are and what we can know, all dialogue devolves into subjective opinion, with any critical comments deemed intolerant or a microaggression. Without such clarity, human freedom is confined to certain private experiences and life is increasingly controlled by a totalitarian state, since people “need help and cannot care for themselves.”

What does being human mean? Diverse philosophical and religious traditions answer this question in a variety of ways, from accidental evolutionary materialism to bearing the image of God. Are we merely highly evolved animals or divinely-crafted beings called to steward the rest of creation? Is human nature defined by physical processes alone or in there a unique interaction of body and spirit, brain and mind? In addition to our basic identity, are humans (like most of nature) either male or female or is there an almost infinite spectrum of identities?

Regardless of worldview, most people through most of history have not questioned the unique nature of human beings and the basic binary realities of male and female identity, albeit with a variety of opinions of erotic affections and actions.

Going forward, our American and global experiments in ordered liberty rooted in truth and virtue rest on humankind being uniquely endowed by our Creator with inalienable rights and responsibilities. Anything less than this and we devolve into arguments over blood and soil, raw scientism or fantastical speculations on human/machine singularity.

What about our foundations for knowledge? Until a half-century ago in the West, a basic correspondence theory of truth allowed for both cohesiveness and spirited debate, unity of essential facts and diversity of interpretations. No one argued whether certain events actually happened, though their impact and interpretation made for lively discussion. Today, we are told that there is no objective “there” – all we can do is interpret stories and hopefully find some convergence with shared narratives and opinions. Former President Obama’s two (!) pre-presidential autobiographies are perfect examples of ideological fabrication. Why do we need his “composite” portraits of friends and mentors? Why can we not have access to his records and writings? Why? Because history no longer stands on its own – it must serve the purposes of political advocacy. Beyond historical narrative, our epistemic crisis has fueled the same subjectivism for private and public morality, gender confusion and even allowed some to question full freedom of conscience and speech!

The uniqueness of being human and the knowability of the world are essential for grounding all arguments over justice and truth, love and human flourishing. Instead of marginalizing philosophical traditions, we should rediscover the wisdom of ancient texts and the goodness of contemporary research and synthesize these insights, so we can have a basis for social cohesion.

Our future as a nation – indeed as a human race – rests on this.

Positive Politics, Part 1

July 18th, 2017 | Dr. Charlie Self

Dear Democrats,
We need you as an inclusive, principled party, ready to debate and pass laws that benefit all Americans. Alas, your radical wing is obsessed with Trump and mandates that can never be funded.

You desperately need to recover the best of FDR-Truman-Kennedy-Humphrey if you are going to welcome many back in the fold.

Here are some tips:
Stop hating moderate to conservative Jews and Christians for their views on marriage and morality. If you welcome even more conservative Muslims, why exclude other principled religious adherents?

Demonstrate fiscal responsibility and bring a budget that leads toward less debt.
Agitation, protest and resistance are easy compared with governing. Clean out the corruption at the city and state level. Stop the class envy and offer economic policies that foster private-public partnerships. Be leaders of racial reconciliation, not the catalysts of more animosity.

Simplify the tax code, with special concern for those who are struggling. Hyper-progressive tax laws hurt the economy. Welcome pro-life social moderates back. End the campaign finance hypocrisy. You love “dark” money just as much as your opponents.

Welcome immigrants and create pathways to citizenship with reasonable security and the end of registering non-citizens.

Friends, we need civil debate and proximate justice.

A More Excellent Way: Restoring Civility in the USA

February 9th, 2017 | Dr. Charlie Self

There is “a more excellent way” through our hatred, polarization and violence. Please ponder the following:

Being conservative is not fascist, racist, sexist or xenophobic. It means limited government, free markets and certain traditional values. Being liberal does not make you an atheist, communist or hater. You are more sanguine about the role of government and long for international agencies to improve human life.

Violent and vocal opponents of liberty are stifling free expression, threatening the lives of any who will not tow a narrow ideological line.

There is a more excellent way – the way of agape love that is passionate and principled about human flourishing.

Love means wanting the best for all and thinking deeply and acting decisively for that goal.
Love means risking debate because freedom of conscience/religion is the first freedom and more precious than hurt feelings.
Love means listening to the stories of real people next door, not just passing on media memes.
Love means looking for the best in others while recognizing the worst in ourselves.
Love means self-discipline, especially of emotions and words and that can wound deeply.
Love engages in peacemaking, from college classrooms to war zones, from family disputes to economic and environmental issues.

Whether “alt-right” or “progressive”, Republican, Democrat, Green or Independent, let’s foster civility and honest debate and refuse to give in to intolerance. Let’s end the tired nostalgia of the Right – that somehow life was better in the 1950s or 1960s – before millions could vote. Let’s end the tired revisionism and fantasies of the left – that America is fundamentally evil and any traditions are suspect.

Let’s create a fresh history, humbly learning from the heroic deeds of our mothers and fathers and repenting of the injustices of others. Time for creativity, not collectivism, fresh thinking, not slogans, ethical service, not agitation.

A more excellent way is possible.

Immigration. Ellis Island 2017: 11 Principles for Shaping Compassionate and Principled Policy

Compassion and hospitality are compatible with the rule of law and national sovereignty.
Citizenship matters and voting is for citizens.
Violent felons should be deported and known gang and terrorist affiliations are reason to reject applications.
For all desiring legal status – from student visas to work permits to citizenship: the process can be streamlined and improved, with reasonable vetting and follow-through.
For the current undocumented residents: if you desire long-term residency, come out of the shadows and begin the normalization process, without fear of deportation (if you are free from criminal activity). Businesses will be penalized for failure to comply with the law. There must be a statute of limitations for welfare benefits and students must maintain visas. American citizens and legal residents will receive priority for scholarships and registrations in classes at colleges, universities and trade schools.
Enforce the Mexican border well and demand reciprocal cooperation against the drug cartels and governmental corruption. Reject all racism and revisionism from radical groups like La Raza that aim to subvert American values.
Anyone of any faith or none that calls for the subversion of the American government and human liberty is not welcome. Background checks and careful questions can help keep terrorism at bay.
Islamic leaders must reject violent jihad and the imposition of Sharia Law as a parallel system for their communities in all but the narrowest religious matters. Religious liberty is the first freedom…and it creates the ability for all people to commit to any faith or none without fear. There must never be “no go” zones for civilians or law enforcement and no suppression of non-violent free speech. A Christian evangelist or a Jewish Rabbi should feel safe in any neighborhood of Dearborn, MI.
Both political parties and business leaders must come clean and stop the dishonesty. Democrats are happy with more voters and swelling welfare rolls, increasing governmental reach. Republicans and some libertarians love the cheaper labor, from service to technology, thus un- or under employing millions of qualified citizens. E-verify and priority for American citizens as workers must be part of our policy.
No more sanctuary cities or campuses…there is no need if the system is reformed and people are welcome.
Finally, create Hospitality Centers along all borders and other points of entry and foster a welcoming and safe environment. Work with local and state governments, business and non-profit and religious groups to transition refugees to sustainable work so the welfare and medical systems are not overwhelmed.

We can create a new history of compassion and safety for both citizens and immigrants, residents and refugees. Let’s stop the shouting and get to work.

A Summer Letter to the Presidential Candidates

August 22nd, 2016 | Dr. Charlie Self

Dear Secretary Clinton and Mr. Trump,
Congratulations. The race is on.
You each must answer fundamental questions about America’s future:

What is your ethic of human dignity, from conception to coronation, and how do we treat the vulnerable?

Will you affirm without qualification the first freedom of the First Amendment – complete freedom of conscience/religion and repudiate all attempts at enforced theocracies of any kind?

Will you call on all allies everywhere to affirm human dignity and equality and freedom of conscience, repudiating all slavery and dhimmitude?

Will you outline a real strategy against ISIS and other terror groups that includes our allies?

What is a hospitable and wise immigration policy?

How will federal budgets be balanced?

What is our posture toward Israel and a Palestinian Authority still dedicated to her destruction?

How do we really heal racial divisions?

How do we balance the blessings of global free trade with concern for American workers?

How will you balance free enterprise with proper ethical oversight?

AND…What are the virtues that nourish true liberty and what are the responsibilities of every citizen?

Madame Secretary and Mr. Trump, Our times call for statesmanship, not gamesmanship. Our times call for conciliation and conviction, courage and humility, not ad hominem attacks. It is easy to label and libel – much harder to articulate the vision and sacrifices necessary to secure the future. Self-love and lust for power are the road to personal and national self-destruction. Please articulate a way forward that ensures the common good without a nanny-state and unleashes ethical enterprise and compassion for all.

Waiting for character and vision.