Leaders need to experience the problem

Letter date: 
Saturday, July 19, 2014
Letter publisher: 
The Bulletin
Letter author: 
Jack Cook
Letter body: 

In Victor Davis Hanson’s commentary article in The Bulletin on July 13, he offered the idea of having “advocates such as Mark Zuckerberg or Michael Bloomberg offer one of their mansions as a temporary shelter for needy Central American immigrants.” I agree this would be a good start in addressing the problem, for these people feel no discomfort or personal expense in the influx of the thousands of children.

To expand on Hanson’s suggestion, I would require each member of Congress, and each senior member of the White House staff, to accept five immigrants into their home and provide food, clothing, shelter and medical support. At the end of 30 days, if proper immigration laws have not been enacted, then they would be required to accept five additional. Our vaunted representatives feel none of the personal stress and expense of the problem and take a detached view of any solution.

I challenge members of Congress, and the White House, to take this suggestion and share the burden personally, and act with dispatch to find the solutions. Most likely a means of securing the border would quickly be found and a means of deporting the immigrants would also be found. A nation without a secure border is not a nation. We welcome immigrants who go through the proper process to gain citizenship, but we should not provide comfort to those who do not.

Nations who dump their problems on us should receive no aid of any kind until their attitude has changed.

Jack Cook

Bend