[December 02, 2014] Politicians in the United States have recently been twisting themselves into knots trying to make sense of how to deal with illegal immigrants within existing law. Tom Ferguson over at his blog Heart Matters brings to our attention that the debate over immigration is actually a debate being contested at several levels of leadership. Here’s the first one:
Our country’s heritage has always attracted those who wanted a new start and a better future. The reason for leaving their native country was because their leaders had failed architecture in the areas of misguided military conquests, poor macro economic models and religious or ethnic persecutions, for example.
Tom is telling us that people come to the United States because of its opportunities attract them into coming – legally or illegally – and their country of original pushes them out due to failed policies and actions. In other words, poor leadership in other countries. It’s the culture of other countries that do not meet the needs of its citizenry by failing to providing them the chance to advance their own interests.
He tells us in the second level of leadership that those wanting to immigrate to the United States understand that the United States is where opportunities are for people who are willing to make the journey and respect for those who can make it:
They left their families and abandoned lifelong possessions without certainty of success or guarantee of prosperity. I don’t think it’s a stretch to consider them as employees (citizens) of the nations where they chose to live. I’m reminded of the old cliché that people leave their current employment for more money. Yet, in reality, they leave for more respect and opportunity … which likely leads to more money.
Tom is saying that more than anything else, including money and family, it is those that sacrifice for their future are the ones most likely to be successful. This is what he calls “personal leadership” … making decisions in one’s own best interests. Often, he tells us, that this leadership is hidden under the glare of the media coverage of immigration.
He also addresses the allegation that “our immigration system is broken.” Tom believes that many of our politicians in the U.S. do not have an answer and yet they will tell us whatever it takes to vote for them. But it is the truth, according to Tom, that people know what is true, that this has been historically the land of opportunity. They will vote for the politician who tells them the truth:
… the truth is that years from now the public will vote for those who told the truth and have a better plan ( architecture ) during their term. People know the truth … for immigrants that’s what attracted them to come here. Right? They didn’t come here because of network or blogosphere spin or public opinion polls. They came here to be a part of our story … and their understanding came from hearing the story from those had come before.
Tom’s blog post is worth reading in its entirety.1 He has a good sense of how vigorously the debate over illegal immigration has become and how it easily overlooks the different levels of leadership that could be the source for a positive solution for everyone.
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[1] http://heartmattersinc.com/the-art-of-inspiration/immigration-leadership-subplots-vs-spin