Well written and a source for deep thinking and soul searching. Insofar as we have mass legal and illegal immigration on a scale never before seen in American history during peacetime, I think that's coming to an end as the Trump administration reviews changes to immigration law that will encourage those who can contribute, not guarantee a whole family entry on the coattails of one desired immigrant, and the already in process deportation of illegals already here. We'll have to see what SCOTUS says about birthright citizenship, but my understanding of the intent of the 14th Amendment was to guarantee citizenship to ex-slaves, not foreigners who come specifically to get citizenship for their offspring. Hopefully SCOTUS will agree with me. We've already seen a reduction in applications for sanctuary, and re-introduction of waiting for a decision outside our borders will help as well. Your last point, the progressive ideology is, thankfully, showing signs of wear. Young men in particular are returning to religion and church. That doesn't guarantee they will become conservative or MAGA, but it's better than spending your spare time demonstrating against what makes this country great. I believe our problems mimic those Rome had, and I'm not sure we're doing any better than they did. Time will tell.
Jack, thank you! This is one of the more serious and worthwhile comments I’ve received on the series so far.
You’re right that we’re dealing with immigration at a scale and speed that has no real precedent in American history. That scale matters. When the polity (the body of citizens who feel they own the country and bear its burdens) begins to feel that the benefits of membership are being extended faster than the responsibilities and cultural integration can keep up, trust erodes. That’s the core tension I’m exploring in this series.
On the 14th Amendment point, I think your reading is historically sound. The Amendment was passed in the immediate aftermath of the Civil War with the clear primary intent of securing citizenship for freed slaves. The idea that it was meant to create automatic birthright citizenship for children of illegal entrants or temporary visitors was not part of the congressional debate. It is going to be interesting to see the outcome of the SCOTUS case. It could end up being a Landmark case. Thomas and Alito, for sure, will look beyond the words to what the Framers’ intent was.
The cultural piece you mention (young men returning to religion) is, to me, one of the more hopeful signals. A polity needs shared values and some sense of transcendence to hold together over time. If that trend continues, it could act as a partial counterweight to the fragmentation we’ve seen.
I agree we’re facing problems that rhyme with late Republican Rome. But, the specifics (mass migration + elite overproduction + cultural disintegration) are our own. Whether we handle them better than they did remains an open question.
Appreciate you taking the time to engage at this level. Looking forward to how you feel about Part 3 and 4 as they come over the next week.
Well written and a source for deep thinking and soul searching. Insofar as we have mass legal and illegal immigration on a scale never before seen in American history during peacetime, I think that's coming to an end as the Trump administration reviews changes to immigration law that will encourage those who can contribute, not guarantee a whole family entry on the coattails of one desired immigrant, and the already in process deportation of illegals already here. We'll have to see what SCOTUS says about birthright citizenship, but my understanding of the intent of the 14th Amendment was to guarantee citizenship to ex-slaves, not foreigners who come specifically to get citizenship for their offspring. Hopefully SCOTUS will agree with me. We've already seen a reduction in applications for sanctuary, and re-introduction of waiting for a decision outside our borders will help as well. Your last point, the progressive ideology is, thankfully, showing signs of wear. Young men in particular are returning to religion and church. That doesn't guarantee they will become conservative or MAGA, but it's better than spending your spare time demonstrating against what makes this country great. I believe our problems mimic those Rome had, and I'm not sure we're doing any better than they did. Time will tell.
Jack, thank you! This is one of the more serious and worthwhile comments I’ve received on the series so far.
You’re right that we’re dealing with immigration at a scale and speed that has no real precedent in American history. That scale matters. When the polity (the body of citizens who feel they own the country and bear its burdens) begins to feel that the benefits of membership are being extended faster than the responsibilities and cultural integration can keep up, trust erodes. That’s the core tension I’m exploring in this series.
On the 14th Amendment point, I think your reading is historically sound. The Amendment was passed in the immediate aftermath of the Civil War with the clear primary intent of securing citizenship for freed slaves. The idea that it was meant to create automatic birthright citizenship for children of illegal entrants or temporary visitors was not part of the congressional debate. It is going to be interesting to see the outcome of the SCOTUS case. It could end up being a Landmark case. Thomas and Alito, for sure, will look beyond the words to what the Framers’ intent was.
The cultural piece you mention (young men returning to religion) is, to me, one of the more hopeful signals. A polity needs shared values and some sense of transcendence to hold together over time. If that trend continues, it could act as a partial counterweight to the fragmentation we’ve seen.
I agree we’re facing problems that rhyme with late Republican Rome. But, the specifics (mass migration + elite overproduction + cultural disintegration) are our own. Whether we handle them better than they did remains an open question.
Appreciate you taking the time to engage at this level. Looking forward to how you feel about Part 3 and 4 as they come over the next week.