In Japan (as in the U.S. and other countries), a crime committed by a foreigner/outsider seems to generate greater notoriety than the same crime committed by a person viewed as an insider. Even more insidious, however, is a crime committed against an outsider by an insider, which generates lesser punishments than a crime committed by an insider against an insider. Worse yet, is an outsider’s crime being used by politicians to generate outrage and hatred against all outsiders.
This is happening in Japan, right now. An ex-marine and now-civilian contractor is charged with rape and murder. This incident is renewing Japanese fervor to rid Okinawa of its foreign interlopers: the U.S. and its military base located there. Is there legitimacy to some of their arguments that it’s time the U.S. left? Yes. Are there arguments to the contrary? Yes. Does the crime have any direct connection to the issue? No. It is not a legitimate link. We, nor the Japanese, are responsible for the crimes committed by Japan’s citizens that vacation and do business here, nor the crimes our nationals commit there.
Nevertheless, Mr. Trump, and others, are using the crimes committed by foreigners, or alleged outsiders, to generate outrage and hatred against all outsiders. Is there legitimacy to their arguments that its time the U.S. had more control over its borders? Yes. Do the crimes have any direct connection to the issue? No. It is not a legitimate, direct link. The Mexican people are not responsible for crimes committed by its citizens who come here, and we are not responsible for crimes Americans commit while on vacation and doing business in Mexico.
“But, hold on!” you say, “If an undocumented person commits a crime in the U.S., wouldn’t that crime have been prevented if that person had been prevented from entering our country?” My answer is yes. However, that one incident has no connection to the overall problems of population growth and immigration. It will always be true that population growth (by birth or immigration, and travel among people) will put criminals in contact with all societies to commit crimes. But this has no bearing on whether or not any of these dynamics should be regulated.
For instance, do we stop allowing people to vacation in the U.S., because a German, or a Brit, or a Canadian commits a crime here? No. That individual incident has nothing to do with the overall visa policies for vacationers and those engaged in commerce.
No-gun-control advocates argue that if you ban certain weapons, only criminals will have guns. Similarly, even with the best border control, criminals will get in – just like U.S. criminals have gone to live in the South, to escape our criminal justice system. Does that mean we stop discussing the issue? No. We just need to stop sensationalizing it and pretending there’s a problem with those "Mexicans," or those "Ex-U.S. Marines." There’s not a problem. Crime is a human problem. Love, rationality, and the rule of law are a Japanese, U.S., and world-wide solution.
Loren M. Lambert © June 19, 2016
This is happening in Japan, right now. An ex-marine and now-civilian contractor is charged with rape and murder. This incident is renewing Japanese fervor to rid Okinawa of its foreign interlopers: the U.S. and its military base located there. Is there legitimacy to some of their arguments that it’s time the U.S. left? Yes. Are there arguments to the contrary? Yes. Does the crime have any direct connection to the issue? No. It is not a legitimate link. We, nor the Japanese, are responsible for the crimes committed by Japan’s citizens that vacation and do business here, nor the crimes our nationals commit there.
Nevertheless, Mr. Trump, and others, are using the crimes committed by foreigners, or alleged outsiders, to generate outrage and hatred against all outsiders. Is there legitimacy to their arguments that its time the U.S. had more control over its borders? Yes. Do the crimes have any direct connection to the issue? No. It is not a legitimate, direct link. The Mexican people are not responsible for crimes committed by its citizens who come here, and we are not responsible for crimes Americans commit while on vacation and doing business in Mexico.
“But, hold on!” you say, “If an undocumented person commits a crime in the U.S., wouldn’t that crime have been prevented if that person had been prevented from entering our country?” My answer is yes. However, that one incident has no connection to the overall problems of population growth and immigration. It will always be true that population growth (by birth or immigration, and travel among people) will put criminals in contact with all societies to commit crimes. But this has no bearing on whether or not any of these dynamics should be regulated.
For instance, do we stop allowing people to vacation in the U.S., because a German, or a Brit, or a Canadian commits a crime here? No. That individual incident has nothing to do with the overall visa policies for vacationers and those engaged in commerce.
No-gun-control advocates argue that if you ban certain weapons, only criminals will have guns. Similarly, even with the best border control, criminals will get in – just like U.S. criminals have gone to live in the South, to escape our criminal justice system. Does that mean we stop discussing the issue? No. We just need to stop sensationalizing it and pretending there’s a problem with those "Mexicans," or those "Ex-U.S. Marines." There’s not a problem. Crime is a human problem. Love, rationality, and the rule of law are a Japanese, U.S., and world-wide solution.
Loren M. Lambert © June 19, 2016
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