By Marcus Brown
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Immigration has become a popular topic among GOP candidates in the coming election, and it has quickly digressed into a competition to adopt the most ludicrous, unrealistic, or offensive policies imaginable. Donald Trump has taken the lead by far in terms of inflammatory rhetoric and impractical proposed policy
such as effectively stripping down the 14th amendment and forcing the Mexican government to construct a large wall along the U.S-Mexico border. However, candidates Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie have put in extra hours this last week to close the gap and perpetuate the notion that deciding the potential leadership of the country should be based upon marginalizing portions of the population.
Christie proposed a novel approach to combating illegal immigration, the use of technology similar to that used by FedEx to monitor the location of packages in transit. In theory the use of this technology would prevent instances in which visitors who legally obtain visas stay illegally in the country once their visas have expired. In his defense, Christie appears to be aware that at some level treating humans like a Seinfeld box set or poly-blend cardigan is questionable and stated, “I don’t mean people are packages, so let’s not be ridiculous.” So that’s good. People aren’t packages. I’m glad that was clarified.
Setting aside the obvious leap into Big Brother territory Christie is suggesting for a minute, what is truly troubling is the way convoluted ideas such as these can cultivate a minority versus majority mentality that will only pave the way for inhumane treatment of individuals with no justifiable reason. It is a thin line between implementing policy to combat the legitimate issue of illegal immigration and instigating an ignorant mob mentality that will bring us back into the era of Red Scares, internment camps, and the like.
On the other hand, Walker has proposed constructing a border wall with Canada. Granted, a legitimate case could be made for improving security along the northern border, that was not the message being conveyed. The message he conveyed was that there are more illegal monsters under your bed than the other GOP candidates have warned you about. You should be afraid because there is a they and they are hopping every fence imaginable to take our jobs, increase crime, blow up our airports, or whatever irrational fear is being pushed by Fox News and friends this week.
There is a difference between proposing realistic policy that will protect the lives of the American people and spewing ludicrous ideas that are subtly or not so subtly interwoven with discriminatory undertones in hopes of appealing to the fear and insecurity of the American people. Candidates who has their platforms on the propagation of fear and turning the general public on a perceived minority is doing the country a disservice. Fear-mongering and division of the population is no way to lead a nation.
