In 1858, in what became known as his “House Divided” speech when he accepted his nomination for the U.S. Senate, Abraham Lincoln said, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” Although Lincoln was referring to the U.S. on the brink of Civil War that would eventually hinge on the issue of slavery, his words are chilling for us today.
As a country we cannot continue to divide ourselves against each other. We need reconciliation and understanding of the issues that threaten to heighten the extreme polarization in this country.
Immigration, which has long been a point of contention in the U.S., is at the center of intense debate, conflict, and even violence that has resulted in deaths. Clashes have erupted in many U.S. cities—most notably in Minneapolis. I encourage all of us, regardless of political persuasion, to take a moment to grieve the loss of life.
In writing this blog, my objective is not to argue with one side or the other. Rather, as I do in all my teaching and presentations, I am hoping to convince people to pursue a balanced perspective, which is one of my principles of values-based leadership. I am aware that many people will disagree with this approach, mostly because they have positioned themselves at one extreme or the other and have no interest in exploring any common ground.
“A house divided against itself cannot stand.”
As my grandfather said to me when I was a young boy, “Harry, life is much simpler when you only understand your side of the story.”
On a flashpoint such as immigration, maintaining a balanced perspective may seem impossible. However, the more strongly we hold our own views, the more important it is to take the time to understand multiple viewpoints, whether we agree with them or not.
At the risk of oversimplifying things, I’ve heard from people on both sides of the immigration issue.
On one side are those who support I.C.E., believing these agents are “just doing their jobs.” They believe there are “many criminals among illegal immigrants,” including those who have committed violent crimes such as rape and murder. As for the media reports about protests in cities across the U.S., they believe most protesters are “paid agitators” and not concerned citizens.
On the other side are advocates for immigration rights, who deplore I.C.E tactics as extreme and violent. They believe many people being targeted have no criminal records (other than being in the U.S. illegally) and have lived in the U.S. for many years. They also point to examples of U.S. citizens and documented immigrants being detained as well as children held in custody. Many of them (including several of my family members and friends) attend protests and rallies to let their voices be heard.
Further rehashing these arguments will not serve any purpose here. Those reading this blog know exactly what they believe on the issue and why.
The only opinion I will share here is my hope that our elected officials will make a concerted effort to address immigration productively and proactively. The U.S. needs a clearly defined immigration policy—ideally one drafted by a nonpartisan committee.
Instead of deporting millions of people who have no criminal records, we need to establish a path to citizenship consistent with the values and behaviors that have made this country a special place over the last 250 years.
What I would also suggest is that we all strive to read more widely and double-check what’s reported as facts by those on both sides of the issue. That means:
- Purposefully reading and listening to news from a variety of sources. If you usually listen to Fox, tune in to CNN—and vice versa. If you read the New York Times editorial page, also read the Wall Street Journal opinions.
- Listen to interviews with politicians on both sides of the immigration debate (and on any other political issue, for that matter). What are they saying, in their own words—whether you agree with them or not?
- Temper your own thoughts and words by keeping “hate” out of what you do and say.
If we focus only on what we want to believe, no progress gets made, and we continue to live in crisis. Only by trying to find some common ground can we keep our house from becoming even more deeply divided.
Header photo by Frank Kastle on Unsplash
Harry terrific piece! Hold the middle! You call for responsible immigration policy which is the work of Congress has not been done for the great good and to calm partisanship and call Congress to what we elect them for good government!