Illegal immigration and Middle East profiling - Essay Example

?Illegal immigration and Middle East profiling Illegal migration refers to an activity where a populace moves or relocates from their countries of origin and gain entry to another country, albeit illegally in search of, among other things a better life in terms of job opportunities, educational facilities, medical reasons, and better housing among other available amenities. United States is one of the major destinations experiencing this influx. Middle East profiling is a more recent and emerging trend where there have been heightened security checks on people of Middle East origin, justified by increased extremism, leading to heightened fear of terrorism threats. There is this dictum about all Islamic extremists being Muslims according to Cohen and Fermon (113). Turning to positions various political philosophers would have taken on these two global phenomena, we need to closely scrutinize their thoughts on citizenship, liberties, freedom, and human rights. Focusing on Aristotle, his idea of citizenship is equated with virtue. That there is more to citizenship than living in a particular place or sharing in economic activity or ruling under the same laws. He contends that it is a great privilege to be a citizen and had a set of duties. He has certain freedoms that non-citizens do not have and obligations like political participation and military service. In his definition and subsequent argument, he refers to illegal migrants as the vulgar, that is, those who are incapable of citizenship, which leads to virtue. More importantly, those migrants are actually migrating in search of work or rather to become laborers. According to Aristotelian thinking, it is impossible to pursue virtue when one is a laborer. Laborers exist like slaves for the benefit of male free citizens now that citizens are similar in stock and free (Cohen and Fermon 114). This would be taken to mean that he does not advocate for non- citizens mixing with citizens, and in any case, therefore, the migrants who are laborers will always remain inferior to citizens and would not enjoy equal rights and liberties. In his argument of a good citizen, he contends whether the virtue of the good man and the excellent citizen is to be regarded as the same or as not the same. That a good man is the one who lives in accordance with virtue and finds happiness in doing so. The Middle East profiling is as a result of evil deeds that have informed such scrutiny. His position would then be that a virtuous person should be protected from the evil one and thus my posit is that, he would support such profiling, but as is typical in his ideas, in moderation. Saint Augustine of the city of god fame is on the worldview that we have a sinful nature and only by the grace of God that we can be saved. His philosophy is closely intertwined with the bible and God as the focal point. That we must obey governments to restrain us from being sinful (Cohen and Fermon 141).He believes in giving everyman his due. From this discussion therefore, illegal migration is sinful and like all other sins, evil. In the case of Middle East profiling, it is also sinful because God would not allow it, as we should all remain co-equals and colleagues. Rawls philosophy is anchored on reasonable pluralism. That is, he is more accommodating to divergence. He contends that, stability of society is organized around justice and he believes in respect for human rights. He postulates that, societies and countries lacking the conditions necessary for a decent or just regime should be assisted to realize it. By assistance, he does not recommend intervention, rather, to necessitate that country to achieve a just regime. These principles, he posits, should govern one nation in relation with the other. His position in regards to illegal migration would then be that they should be accommodated, and their countries be assisted to achieve conditions that would enable citizens to be comfortable in a just regime which would restore peace and get into the path of economic progress. The same can be said on Middle East profiling, in justice for all and being accommodative. In the Publius federalist papers, he propagates the idea of protecting liberty, constitutionality, and encouraged diversity. So illegal migrants’ liberties would be protected under Publius and profiling of Middle East population would be neutered as is in the case of his idea on diversity and constitutionalism. Luther represents modern political thought hinged largely and wholesomely on Christianity. He has a strong faith in Jesus Christ as the redeemer. He advocates for Christian values that are love, patience, charity, freedom and trust in the lord. He would, as he posits, allow and support war on evils just like today’s terrorism such that efforts aimed at curtailing their activities, including and not limited to profiling, would be enhanced. Illegal immigration would also be on his list of sins. To further support his position, in his later years, he became increasingly intolerant with Jews, a position justifiable to anti-Semites. Aquinas developed a system often understood to be simply a modification of Aristotelian philosophy with emphasis on nature of the divine, the human soul and morality. Granted that the whole world is ruled by divine providence, the whole community of the universe is governed by divine reason (Cohen and Fermon 146).Without delving too much on his political philosophy, one can comfortably assign him a position that, illegal migration is unlawful and profiling is against the will of Gods law, which is eternal. Whereas the natural law does provide certain general standards of economic justice, it does not give a preferred form of currency. The human law, as he postulates, should give details on how for example, illegal migration and Middle East profiling, and other acts deemed unlawful, should be dealt with in pertinence. This human law is necessary to enforce moral and political requirements of natural law. In essence therefore, the pursuit of peace must include the option of fighting to preserve it in the long term such that, if Middle East profiling is necessary to preserving peace in the long term, then such actions could not be preemptive, but defensive, so as to restore peace. According to Aquinas, war, and in this case, illegal migration and middle east profiling, must occur for a good and just purpose rather than for self gain or sheer exercise of power. Again, just war must be waged by a properly instituted authority, of course to mean by a state. Lastly, peace must be a central motive even in the midst of violence. For him, the end will justify the means in the specifics of this case. Of all these philosophers therefore, each and everyone has strong arguments on their political philosophies and worldviews, but I largely concur with Thomas Aquinas on end justifying the means, and use of legitimate authority of the state to deter, defend and preempt death, destruction and chaos. Middle East profiling may or may not be justified. But on one hand, it is justified because, while not all Muslims are extremists, all extremists are Muslims (McKenna and Feingold 65).while not all Muslims are terrorists, notwithstanding their teachings on infidels and jihad, all terrorists have manifested terrorist tendencies. While every human being is justified to pursue happiness, illegal migration might just be not the way to go, and the law and procedures needs to be followed to gain a legal migrant status. These rules should also be relaxed by governments especially the United States and the European union, as how they stand today, can be really stringent. Works Cited Cohen, Mitchell and Fermon, Nicole. Princeton reading in political thought. Princeton University Press. New Jersey. 1996. Print. McKenna, George and Feingold, Stanley. Taking sides, clashing views on political issues. 7thedition.McGraw- Hill Higher Education. 2011. Print. Read More