Good Fences

"Good fences make good neighbors" -- Robert Frost

A few years ago I tutored a Mexican immigrant who believed that the borders of the United States should be wide open to all. No matter what I said I could not convince him of the dire consequences of such foolishness. And at least one of my liberal friends is also in the camp for open borders. I hope this is only because he has not thought this thing through.

I just read some accounts of interviews with the throngs of immigrants who are passing through Austria on their way to "open arms" Germany and the countries further north (Sweden, Norway, etc.) These mostly young men are seeking a better life from what they just fled ... and you can't blame them. And I don't believe a "better life" is just strudel and sauerbraten. It is a chance for a job augmented by the generosity of these welfare states. When these sinecures are accomplished then, I expect, these men will call for their families and relatives ... and relatives of their relatives ... until such abuse hardens the hearts of their benefactors ... at which point these immigrants will grow resentful and, possibly even violent (witness many of the North Africans in France.)

And there are billions of people around the world who want a better life.

So, are open borders a good idea? The best analogy I can conger up is an open houses. Imagine that your home was open to all strangers who wished to live there. Yes, these interlopers might perform some chores, but mainly would depend on your family for shelter, food and clothing. The bigger house you might have, the more of these squatters you would have to accommodate ... until overcrowding and other unpleasant disruptions occurred. Lots of social tensions would arise out of pressures of this situation ... petty thievery, arguments over responsibilities, slovenliness, too much noise, etc. The quality of life for your family under these circumstances would go down hill fast ... until you questioned your rationale for such generosity.

Is it hard-hearted not to open your home to anyone who wants to live there? I don't think so ... and I also don't believe that there are many who do. So why are open borders any different? I strongly believe that the degree of one's generosity should be left up to individuals and not determined by some third party or government who might have some other agenda in mind.

Prediction: President Obama will, without consulting Congress, soon announce that the United States will accept tens of thousands of these Middle Eastern immigrants.

Afterward: For some further disturbing insights, see: Infowars Posting.