Democrats are Twisting the Facts About the Wall!
January 18, 2019
As the debate over the border wall rages on, Republicans’ beliefs about immigration are being misinterpreted and misunderstood, often intentionally.
For example, if we say, “It’s time to secure our borders by building a wall,” they ridiculously interpret us as saying, “We don’t welcome people of other races and religions. We hate immigrants.”
Or, if we say, “America first,” they hear “Only America; nobody else.”They think you voted for your own prosperity at the expense of all others. They think we don’t care in the slightest about anyone else or other countries’ plights.
They are hearing us wrong or deliberately misrepresenting the truth. It’s time to clear up the myths!
Myth 1:We hate immigrants.
Wrong. Republicans are not against immigrants in general or scared of them. We do not think all immigrants are murders, rapists, and thieves! We know that immigrants have played an important role in America since our nation’s beginning and continue to make our nation prosperous. Immigrants are not all bad or all good—they’re just people, “ranging from the truly amazing to the truly despicable,” as Joseph Mussomeli of the Imaginative Conservative expresses.
An immigrant could be our country’s next Einstein, a valued employee, or a gang member, so we need to figure out who is going to be good for our country.As President Trump said, “we need great people. But we want them to come in on a merit basis…” If people are immigrating here by choice (versus being forced out of their country as a refugee), their arrival needs to be mutually beneficial.
And here’s the thing: a wall does not mean all immigrants must stay out. Rather, more secure borders can help immigrants get in, too. For instance, if our system and resources are jammed up by those coming illegally, what about those dreaming of coming here legally? What about refugees?It makes it harder for them to get in. For the sake of immigrants, we need better border security.
Myth 2:“America first” means “Nobody else matters.”
Nope—not what we mean. First off, it makes sense for the president to say, “America first.” He’s focused on America first because that is his job as president—his first responsibility is to American citizens, not to those trying to cross our border.
Okay, but what about when a normal Republican citizen says, “America first”? He or she does not mean “me first.” It’s not about making sure America comes first so that we can afford to buy everything on our Amazon wishlist. It means we want to look after our families first and the poor under our own bridges first before reaching out to the poor in other countries.
It might mean we need to take care of our country first so that we stay strong to help other countries. Maybe it’s like what flight attendants tell us on planes: in case of an emergency, put on your own oxygen mask first before helping others around you. You can’t help others if you stop breathing!
And once we’re “breathing” better, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the government’s role to then reach out and put the “oxygen mask” on other countries. Perhaps the American government’s role is to always put America first, and it’s the role of private citizens to help others in need around the world.
With the American government focusing on America’s own economy, the private sector can flourish and better afford to reach out and help other countries.“America first” in that case means the American governmentputs America first, but Americansshould help others around the world.
So, all that to say, Republicans actually do care about others! How can we prevent the Left from believing the myths about us? Perhaps it’s time to change our messaging so that our true beliefs can come across better. Our rhetoric often sounds harsher than we actually are, and if we change it, Liberals might better understand that Republicans do care about our neighbors, both citizens and immigrants.
In Service,
Colorado Citizens Coalition
Gary Gates started the non-profit Colorado Citizens Coalition because he has a passion for individual liberty and preserving the Constitution, and it’s a fight he’s engaged in with every facet of his life. He believes a coalition is needed because it takes all of us being actively involved to move our state and country forward. We as citizens must stay informed because We the People are in charge and must hold government accountable. Gary desires to provide Colorado citizens a free resource to get useful information about state government from a conservative perspective.