When people try to pick and choose from commonly held conservative positions, it often leads to significant logical inconsistencies. For instance, someone might say that they believe in what conservatives say about strong schools that focus on core subjects, but they don’t agree with conservatives on immigration. Yet, illegal aliens are overrunning border state schools, and few in power are bringing attention to this huge problem. The contentious debate on how our schools ought to be run does not mean much if schools are drained by this massive influx of illegal immigrants.
Others might say that while immigration isn’t their issue, conservatives are right when it comes to national security. With no way to vet migrants hailing from all over the world, terrorists like those who massacred innocent civilians in Israel are slipping across our open border, waiting for an opportunity to strike Americans here. This is no mere speculation. Just look at the data released every year by Homeland Security. Known terror suspects are detained every year trying to cross the southern border, and loose immigration policies make it harder and harder to keep Americans safe from these brutes.
People like to sound smart and nuanced when they talk about politics to avoid coming across as someone who just toes the proverbial party line. However, logical consistency demands that we acknowledge the link between education, national security, and immigration policy. We call that connection a “worldview.” If you hold the traditional Judeo-Christian worldview, it is hard to pick and choose which conservative policies you believe in.
Of course, this is not to say that every conservative has to fight on every issue all the time. Different activists have different issues that are a particular passion, and there is nothing wrong with that. Even the great Phyllis Schlafly, who spoke and wrote on just about every issue in American politics, used certain seasons of her life to focus on one issue or another. However, to support liberal policies on immigration while claiming conservative principles on other issues will almost always lead to disaster.
This post originally appeared at https://www.phyllisschlafly.com/national-sovereignty/border-security/keeping-a-consistent-worldview-on-immigration/
