People are People

The events in Paris, Nigeria and elsewhere over the past week have been horrible on their faces but worse for the overhyped reactions of otherwise rational people.

What is it with Presidential candidates and sitting state Governors actually calling for a halt to immigration of people from Syria?  Twitter feeds are littered with commentary of folks to block non-Christians from entering the country in general and from their states / localities in particular.

Do these folks actually believe that ALL people of Syria are threats?  Alternatively, do they believe that, by excluding everyone (including the 99+% of lawful immigrants) that the few troublemakers will be prevented from entering?

Do these folks really mean to say, to effect, I am here so it is time to bar the door?

Among several retorts, I think that folks should re-read the Constitution, particularly the parts about freedom of religion and about the USA NOT being a specifically religious country.  Baring that, perhaps folks should visit Ellis Island (in person would be best but even online works).

Maybe I am more odd than I know but I think about the friends, colleagues, and acquaintances that were born outside of the USA.  Today, without any effort, I can list friends born in Canada, England, Scotland, France, Spain, Belgium, Germany, Poland, Russia, Serbia, Croatia, Iran, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, Thailand, Peru, South Africa, Ethiopia, and elsewhere ...

My life is far better for these people.

As best I can tell, people are people and, more or less, all want the same things from life -- to be happy, healthy and to provide a better life for their families & children than they had themselves.  The  languages spoken and faiths worshiped, and definitions of what these things mean vary but the concepts are still the same.  

People are people.

uh oh

it may often start with an idea, a theory or a reaction...

A day to begin

I am always amazed at the amount of nonsense in the news, social media and the like.  This is not so much about whether I agree or not with a given position but more about the seeming total disregard for anything approaching something called "truth."

Over recent months it may have come from Congress, variants related to high profile police violence cases (Michael Brown / Eric Garner / James Blake) with very different fact patterns / cause & effect, to the latest "debates," i.e. circus acts for another 10 minutes of fame.  How does real discourse happen if one or both sides are actively / knowingly lying at worst, misinformed or presenting a point of view as fact, rather than just discussion the facts in and of themselves?

We all have ideas, issues, and agendas.

Interesting times.