Here's the part of 'Illegal' I Don't Understand

What part of the word "illegal" don't I understand?

I don't understand the part about why coming to America should be illegal, or the part about why joining family members here should be illegal, or the part about why it should be illegal to work, even when no one else wants the job.

I don't understand the part about having a welcome sign at our country's entrance, saying, Give us your huddled masses, yearning to breathe free, but when they arrive, we tell them to seek their refuge elsewhere.

I don't understand how it is suppose to be patriotic to oppose these people when one of the reasons listed in the Declaration of Independence for declaring war is that the king was restricting immigration. 

I don't understand how one of the freedoms this nation once enjoyed was the freedom to come here, but now it is not.

I don't understand how locking people out has anything to do with freedom.

I don't understand the part about them being normal, simple, everyday people as long as they stay in Mexico, but if they drift too far to the north, they become fierce criminals, capable of destroying our nation if allowed to remain.

I don't understand the part about how poor people coming to America qualifies as an invasion.

I don't understand how it is that the Declaration of Independence speaks of certain inALIENable rights, yet the only people we won't grant those rights to are called, coincidentally, aliens.

No, I don't understand word one about it, and since there is only one word in "illegal," I guess that means I don't understand the whole of it. What part don't I understand? What part do I understand?!

Train Up the Prisoner in the Way He Should Go, and When He is Out, He Will Not Depart From It

The ways of dealing with children should be the ways of dealing with prisoners.

I think of the adage found in Proverb 22:6. "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Much of the reason that this is true, is that we are what we practice. If we do a thing over and over, it becomes a part of us. Just as a child can develop good habits through practice, so can a prisoner. The prisoner has no chance of developing good habits, though, if he is not taught them.

Having a criminal in prison should be seen as an opportunity to retrain the person. It is not only opportunity to redirect him away from whatever offense he committed, but to retrain him in being a good person, period. In some cases, the criminal never received this training while a child, and this becomes perhaps the only chance society has to go back and provide it after the fact.

So, teach them not to taunt others, not to gossip, and not to lie. In part, do this by monitoring their conversations with their visitors, a thing we do anyway. But, instead of keeping the prisoner on one side of the window and the visitors on the other, search the visitors well, then let them in to work or play or watch a good show with the prisoner. We have considered it part of their punishment that they cannot have such contact. Why not, instead, consider it their punishment that while they can have such interaction, they have to conduct themselves properly while at it? This way, they learn the life skills we want them to have when they get out of prison. Playing, and working, and learning together: They will be taught how to conduct themselves in the same activities they will be involved in once they get out.

And teach them and give them role models. Give them books to read that teach morals, and offer examples of people doing right. Limit their videos and movies to those that teach. If there are things they didn't learn as children, such as how to read, teach them.

We have in our hands a person who often lacks in such skills, and needs to be trained on them. They cannot be trained en for them moment. To some, it may seem we have no right to require a prisoner to do such things as speak kindly to everyone he deals with, at point of punishment. No taunting of others, no gossiping, and no lying allowed. Well, may the correction be given in a loving manner, not with spite. The prisoner is in jail for punishment, and has lost his rights while there
It might be a little much to say, "Train up the prisoner in the way he should go, and when he is out, he will not depart from it." You aren't beginning with a clean slate like you are with a child. You are retraining instead of training for the first time. Still, there is truth in the sentiment. If you get a prisoner doing good while in prison, he will be much more likely to be that person when he gets out.

Teach them and give them role models. Give them books to read that teach morals, and offer examples of people doing right. Limit their videos and movies to those that teach. If there are things they didn't learn as children, such as how to read, teach them those things.

If we really believe they can change, if we really believe they can rehabilitate, then we should be retraining them in the very same arts we train children in.

Not in all cases will this apply, for we deal with a clean slate when we deal with children, but it well might be that we will find it not so untrue to say, "Train up the prisoner in the way he should go, and when he is out, he will not depart from it."

If the process for training children is tried and true, and works, why would we not consider using it? if we are really going to retrain them, is there any other way as effective as how we train children?

Give that Prisoner a Job

Now, here's one of the ills of our society, something we sometimes do wrong.

Would you agree that prisons shouldn't be just about punishment; they should also be about rehabilitation? Would you agree that the things you want them to do once they leave the prison are things they should practice doing while in prison?

Every prison should have a work program, one that includes all the inmates. If work is something we want the person to do once out of prison, they should be doing it while in prison. They shouldn't have a free pass in life, just sitting in jail not working. I shake my head in mild amazement that we have prisons without work. Why have them practicing a life pattern of laziness? This is rehabilitation?

But pay the prisoner, for goodness sake, and pay him (or her) a fair and equitable wage. Many of our prisoners are providers for their families. Why take that away from them? Providing for a family is a good thing. It is something we want to engender in them. It is part of being productive members of society, which is what we want them to be.

They should be paid respectable wages for their work. From the wages they earn, have them pay for their lodging, same as we all work and pay for our housing. Prison housing being more expensive than normal housing, we should make sure how much they pay does not keep them from netting enough to give to their families. Supporting a family is a good thing. Let's let them do that.

Never a prisoner without work. Even the person who is in for life, we should want to become a better soul. 

Of all people in our society, these are those we should make sure are getting jobs. Many enter our prisons not gainfully employed. So, having them in prison becomes opportunity to teach them to work. If you want a person to be something, it is said, treat them as though they already are that person, and they will be much more likely to become it.

If ever our nation gets around to prison reform, this should be a part of it.

Love the Prisoner, or Face Him Again

    If you would change a person, you must love him first.
   What is that phase? I don't care how much you know until I know how much you care? And, what is it that all those studies on loving and hugging children show? That they grow up to be better adapted? Well, the need for love doesn't stop just because you are no longer a child. And, there is no part of society we should want to change more than those who are in prison. 
   So, where is the love?
   When our prisons are created -- when the functions of the prison officers are assigned and the programs are all set in place -- how often is the element of love even considered? Confinement is the concern. As long as we have confinement, we have a prison. To the large degree, it is punishment we seek for the criminal to have. Love becomes important, though, if we decide punishment is not enough, that we also want the criminal to be rehabilitated. Now, though we often do seek rehabilitation, I do not see love as being an integral element that we infuse into our correctional system when our jails are established.
   It should be. A correctional facility should not be master planned that does not address how the prisoner will receive love. In Utah, we are fortunate to have volunteers go to the state prison, and we are fortunate that the prison is located so close to our large population, so it is easily accessible to the volunteers and encourages them to come.
   Studies have indicated recidivism is reduced when the prisoner is loved. 
   Love the prisoner, then, or face him again.

Prison is Where Criminals Go to get Their Ph.D.

   Does our prison system unwittingly harden criminals, by bringing them all together in one place where they can interact with each other?  Do they come out more inclined toward crime than when they went in?
   If so, we should surely change our prison system.
   I ask, is it wise to put people together who are criminals? Shall we let them establish friendships that might be extended once they are out? Shall we let them discuss with each other their ideas for crime, sharing thoughts on what works and what doesn't? Shall we let them teach each other best methods? Yes, this is a wonderful little idea, putting them together so they can share trade secrets, network with each other, and come out new and improved, intensified criminals.
   To learn a life of crime, go to prison.
   Our prisons are incubators for crime. If a person wants to learn about science or law or journalism, or English or music or art, he can go to college. But, if he wants to learn about crime, he can go to prison. Prison is where the criminal goes to get his Ph.D.
   You are no better than the company you keep, it is said, and what we are rubs off on each other. So, why, if we really seek rehabilitation for the criminal, do we put them in with company we don't want them to keep? 
   It is a prison system that never was thought thoroughly through.

1 in 5 of Us Do Not Make it Out Alive

What if 41 percent of us didn't make it out alive? In New York City, it can be argued, 41 percent of everyone doesn't make it out alive.

Out of their mother's womb, that is, not out of New York City. (Although some are going to suggest I would be quite right to say out of NYC.) Forty-one percent of all pregnancies in NYC end in abortion, if statistics are accurate. That's means that out of all their babies, they trash almost half.

Nationwide, I believe, the mortality rate is about 20 percent. So, 20 percent nationwide "don't make it out alive."

  A Conversation With My Government

   "Hello, government. I'm calling about your decision to give those three sisters a year's stay here. You know, the three who were to be deported in a week."
   "Yes."
   "Yes. I need you to answer me some questions. I need to know which laws are being used, so I'll know if you're going about this all in the right way."
   I see. And, may I ask who you are?"
   "Well, I'm John Jackson."
   "Are you a member of the media?"
   "No, I'm John Jackson."
   "You've reached our media relations department. I'm afraid you need to be a member of the media if I'm to help you."
   "I see. Well, I looked through your website and you don't have anyone else I can contact. Yours is the only phone number the agency lists."
   "Yes."
   "I'm one of your stockholders, so I thought maybe it would be okay if I called, even if I'm not a member of the press."
  "What do you mean you are a stockholder? Actually, the government doesn't have stockholders."
  "Actually, it does. Well, maybe not in the strict sense, but this is my government and I run it."
  "I see. I wonder who appointed you to such a high position."
  "Abraham Lincoln did."
  "Abraham Lincoln?"
  "Yes, he was giving something called the Gettysburg Address and he said something about government of the people, by the people, and for the people. Well, that would be me."
   "I see."
   "Ever since then, I've pretty much thought of this as my government."
   "I see. Well, you're not a member of the press. Do you realize what a nightmare it would be if we tried to take calls from everyone in the public, answering every question they have? We simply don't have that time."
  "Make time. I'm one of your stockholders."
   "Have you filed a Freedom of Information inquiry?"
   "Too much paperwork. I'm a stockholder. I'll just call you up and you'll answer my questions. It's a lot simpler that way."
   "I see. If you were a member of the press, I'd be glad to help you."
   "What if I were a congressman, or a mayor or head of a government agency?"
   "Yes, I suppose I could help you then."
   "Well, those are my people. Think of them as my minions, if you will. I tell them what to do."
   "I see."
   "I don't like the way you think you only have to answer to them. And, I especially don't appreciate the way you think you only have to answer to the press."
   "Well, yes, like I said, we've only got time to answer to so many people. The press represents you in getting information."
  "I didn't elect them. I never gave the press permission to take anything from me."
  "And, what are they taking from you?"
   "My right to talk to you, to get some answers. You said you'd help me if I were a member of the press, but since I'm not, you're not going to help me."
   "But, this is media relations . . ."
   "The press doesn't run this country. I do. So, I'm going to have to ask you to quit answering so much to them and start answering more to me."
   At that point, the government hung up on me. I was left thinking that if government truly were government of the people, by the people, and for the people, then, yes, it would make information more accessible to us, the public.