A Wall, you Say?

            I semi-recently came across a video on Facebook headlined; “Build the Wall: The Best Argument You’ll Ever Hear”.  This video was posted by an individual I had previously never heard of; Charlie Kirk. In the video Kirk makes what proponents for a wall at the southern border might call a compelling argument by throwing out “facts”.  At first glance it is compelling, until you begin digging into it. So, I decided to take a look at these “facts” and test their accuracy.

“An illegal alien in AZ is 2 times as likely to commit a crime as a natural born citizen.”

            Presumably, this statistic was taken by Kirk from a report often quoted by former Attorney General Jeff Sessions in early 2018. According to the Washington Times, the report was prepared by the Crime Prevention Research Center (CPRC) and utilized data centering on illegal immigrants (Dinan, 2018). The CPRC was founded by oft-cited Dr. John Lott. It is worth mentioning that the CPRC is typically aligned with conservative media outlets, however their website declares that it is listed as a non-profit organization and accepts no funding from groups such as the NRA (CPRC, n.d.). The analysis stood out from its predecessors due to its look at crimes committed by those in the country illegally, rather than crimes committed by those here legally. Sequentially, these results challenge previous studies that determined immigrants on the whole committed less crimes than typical citizens. If you are interested you may download the full report HERE.

            In response to the CPRC study, the Cato Institute reviewed the findings. The data used for the study was provided by the Arizona Department of Corrections (ADC). In contrast to the CPRC, it should be noted that the Cato Institute reports itself as a “public policy research organization — a think tank — dedicated to the principles of individual liberty” (Cato Institute, n.d.). They claim they are funded primarily through private non-governmental donors. Reviewer and author Alex Nowrasteh at the Cato Institute determined the numbers were skewed due to a misinterpretation of how the ADC defined citizenship, and the variables surrounding that definition (2018). According to Nowrasteh, he was given a secondary data set that mimicked the sample used by the CPRC (from 1985-2017), and deemed it unusable due to the inability to properly define and separate the citizenship variable (2018).  

RESULT: Unconfirmed

            The data the CPRC presented is questionable. However, even if it were accurate, one must ask themselves for an individual (immigrant or otherwise, legal or otherwise) that has no qualms about breaking laws and committing crimes, would illegally crossing, or otherwise bypassing a border wall be a deterrent for entry into the U.S.?

“90% of all fentanyl and heroin is transported across the southern border”

            This statement is a favorite of President Trump, and likely where Kirk discovered the stat. However, that doesn’t make it untrue.  In fact, most news outlets report this statement as accurate (Lopez, 2019; Vesoulis, Law, & Martinez, 2019).

RESULT: Confirmed

            Although it seems most illegal drugs are entering from the southern border at present the idea that a border wall will stop this is thought of as a stretch by most experts. Essentially, drug traffickers usually employ legal means of entry to transport drugs into the U.S. across the southern border. Some experts have gone on record stating that there are far better investments in combating the opioid / drug epidemic than a wall (Specht, 2019).

“10,000 kids are sex trafficked across the southern border each year.”

            Personally, I could not find any reporting that delivered this precise of a figure specifically for children being trafficked. Yet, before I go further let me provide some background on sex trafficking itself. Human trafficking for both sex and labor is more prevalent in the U.S. than most Americans believe. In fact, some authorities have argued that with its resources the U.S. could effectively end human trafficking. One such way to impact trafficking would be if our government made it a priority through fighting for increased criminal penalties for traffickers and more strict repercussions with non-compliant nations as identified by the Department of State’s Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report.

RESULT: Undisputed

            While I would not dismiss the statistic used here by Kirk, I would offer that IF a wall were employed in combating sex trafficking into the U.S., and IF it were successful it does nothing for the enslaved victims on either side of the border, other than guarantee they are shipped somewhere other than the U.S. or Mexico.

“56,000 illegal immigrants are in our federal prison system”

                This is another factoid that fluctuates depending on the time of citation and the source. Some outlets have the DOJ reporting this figure as 57k, or roughly 26% of federal prisoners being illegal aliens (Center for Immigration Studies, 2019).

RESULT: Undisputed

                This figure seems to accurately capture the number of incarcerated illegal immigrants in our federal system. Kirk also goes onto mention that there are more uncounted immigrants within our state’s prison system as well, and there is no reason to deny this claim as inaccurate.

“$135 billion spent on illegal immigrants by American taxpayers”

            Illegal immigrants being housed by our justice system are just one aspect of federal spending that taxpayers are on the hook for to combat illegal entry into the U.S.  Unfortunately, this figure also proved compromised when the report it was based upon was critiqued heavily for glaring flaws, such as overestimating the number of illegal immigrants (Athey, 2018). A figure that by nature is near-impossible to accurately measure.

RESULT: Unconfirmed

            While you can dispute the dollar amount spent by taxpayers on illegal immigrants, you cannot dispute that there is, in fact an amount. Meaning, we as taxpayers are spending something on these individuals.

            However, from a cost perspective this discussion becomes moot when you realize that the cost of a border wall has been estimated at anywhere from $8 billion to $70 billion to build, with a fair estimate being gauged at around $25 billion, plus $750 million a year in maintenance (Vittert).

            If accurate, this means as a country we would recoup roughly $109 billion the first year following the wall’s completion. Following that, taxpayers would save a little over $134 billion annually, assuming that the wall was effective in completely ceasing illegal immigration, and related tax burdens, which as we’ve established, is unlikely.

“Fairness- It’s not fair…” (To other immigrants outside Mexico)

                To be fair, I did not endeavor to do a great deal of research on this statement as it is not quantifiable. Building a physical barrier to any border does nothing to guarantee equitable treatment of immigrants entering the country either legally or illegally.  

RESULT: Unconfirmed

            This line of speechifying highlights what is inherently wrong with having a discussion about a border wall in the first place: If what we really want to achieve is fairness for those wishing to become full-fledged citizens (or legally work here) then we should be discussing citizenship / immigration reform and efficiency. Vetting, and authenticating the will of an outsider is a part of that, but thinking that a wall will mete out some measure of fairness in any of this is absurd.

“Sovereignty- Our culture is much different than Mexico…”

            As this not quite two and a half minute video rolls, both the statistics and any trace of logic that are rolled out with them begin to break down (as is evidenced by the fact that they become less quantifiable, as with our prior example).

            In that vein, at around the two minute mark Kirk begins a diatribe about American culture versus Mexican culture claiming; “Our culture is much different and has outpaced them over the last 50 years.” Culture is not a competition. At its core, culture is based upon advancements in a particular area(s) that a society collectively values. These could be technological, economical, or conditional. It could also be community, quality of life or religion. It could also be any number of other areas of measure, again unquantifiable.

RESULT: Unconfirmed

            While you cannot argue that the United States has outpaced Mexico in terms of economic or technological growth, you cannot declare we have a greater sense of community or national pride than does Mexico. In fact, in the last two and a half years one could successfully argue that among 1^st world countries all things considered the U.S. is lacking in cultural depth due to our typically individualistic nature (DeAngelis, 2007).

FINAL CONCLUSION:

            Before I wrap up, I think it significant to add, I have nothing against Charlie Kirk, up until the 21st of January I had no idea who he was. Nor am I a geopolitical expert or a Facebook personality with any amount of measurable clout. I am is just a guy who can use Google. I am also against is rhetoric peppered with enough fact and scare tactics that it becomes palatable as fact, without actually being factual. This type of oratory pushes an agenda that offers no real solution.  

            Further, it can often be hard to wade through this rhetoric and dig deeper into a statistic, its source or a person’s agenda. The border wall, immigration and trafficking concerns are all issues that cannot be easily understood by a singular report or research group, regardless of their political affiliation, or lack thereof.  Moreover, the ways in which these reports are used are disingenuous, and often riddled with omissions, further supplanted by half-truths to prop up the agenda of one interest or another.

            At the end of the day the idea of a border wall as this magical cure-all for all of the ills outlined here is pure fantasy. However, after conducting some due diligence it is this author’s opinion that a border wall would guarantee two things:

1) More polarizing, divisive attitudes that our politicians on both sides can exploit for their own gain.

2) Ensure that traffickers (of people and substances) advance and alter their methods of transport to foil the very purpose of the wall.

Is there a problem with drugs and illegal immigrants entering the country at the southern border? YES

Will a border wall stop this phenomenon? NO

References

Athey, P. (2018, June 26). Does illegal immigration cost the United States more than $100 billion a year? Retrieved February 10, 2019, from AZ Central: https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/fact-check/2018/06/26/paul-gosar-how-much-do-undocumented-immigrants-cost-economy/691997002/

Cato Institute. (n.d.). About Cato. Retrieved February 10, 2019, from Cato Institute: https://www.cato.org/about

Center for Immigration Studies. (2019, February 7). Immigration Data Portal. Retrieved February 10, 2019, from Center for Immigration Studies: https://cis.org/Immigration-Statistics-Data-Portal

CPRC. (n.d.). About Us. Retrieved February 10, 2019, from Crime Prevention Research Center: https://crimeresearch.org/about-us/

DeAngelis, T. (2007, April). America: A toxic lifestyle? Retrieved February 10, 2019, from American Pyschological Association: https://www.apa.org/monitor/apr07/america

Dinan, S. (2018, January 26). Washington Times. Retrieved February 10, 2019, from Illegals commit crimes at double the rate of native-born: Study: https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/jan/26/illegals-commit-crimes-double-rate-native-born-stu/

Lopez, G. (2019, January 8). Trump’s wall won’t do anything about the opioid epidemic. Retrieved February 10, 2019, from Vox: https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/1/8/18174768/trump-wall-opioid-epidemic-heroin

Nowrasteh, A. (2018, February 5). The Fatal Flaw in John R. Lott Jr.’s Study on Illegal Immigrant Crime in Arizona. Retrieved February 10, 2019, from Cato Institute: https://www.cato.org/blog/fatal-flaw-john-r-lott-jrs-study-illegal-immigrant-crime-arizona

Specht, P. (2019, February 2). Would a border wall have prevented the opioid epidemic? Retrieved February 10, 2019, from Politifact: https://www.politifact.com/north-carolina/statements/2018/feb/02/ann-coulter/would-wall-have-prevented-opioid-epidemic/

U.S. Department of State. (2018, June). Trafficking in Persons Report. Retrieved February 10, 2019, from U.S. Department of State: https://www.state.gov/documents/organization/258876.pdf

Vesoulis, A., Law, T., & Martinez, G. (2019, January 8). Here Are the Facts Behind President Trump's Border Claims. Retrieved February 10, 2019, from Time: http://time.com/5497260/donald-trump-border-wall-fact-check/

Vittert, L. (n.d.). Trump's border wall -- how much it will actually cost according to a statistician. Retrieved February 10, 2019, from Fox News: https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/trumps-border-wall-how-much-it-will-actually-cost-according-to-a-statistician

Think it Through: The Critical Analysis of a Meme

Think Before We Believe                

            Take a look at the above photo and read the text carefully. Does it make you swell with pride? Does it make you proud to be an American? Why?

            Perhaps at first glance it does. However, let’s break this down.

            One of the early lines reads; “It fed a lot of families in Kentucky who built it.” It is true that a Corvette assembly facility operates within Bowling Green, Kentucky. Although, it is also important to note that the average GM assembly line worker reportedly makes $41,365 per year (Glassdoor, 2018).

            The next point made is regarding the tires: “it fed the people who made the tires”. Also true, and according to “Tire Business” one of GM’s top tire manufacturers is Bridgestone (Tire Business, 2017). Where the average salary of a technician responsible for the actual manufacturing/and warehousing work makes an average of $47,716 (Payscale, 2018)*.

            Let me pause to state both of these positions offer respectable, if not downright great compensation. But bear with as we continue to examine this text…

            The next two lines reference the wiring aspects including the hauling of said materials; “it fed the people who made the copper for the wires, it fed the people who make the trucks that haul the copper ore.” These positions bring in roughly $62,620 (John, 2018) and $43, 464 (Glassdoor, 2018) on average, respectfully.

How the Other Half Lives

            Now before we get to the final section of the text let me mention a fact. Of all the salaries quoted within this pece the mean is approximately $48,791- to reiterate, still a nice amount for a year’s work.  

            On the other hand, when compared to GM’s CEO, Mary Barra made a whopping $28.6 million in 2015(Rueters , 2018). How do you feel about that $48,000 now? Doesn’t seem so impressive does it? Also worth mentioning that the CEO’s total compensation is +/- 596 times that of the workers that came together in order to the get the Corvette on the sales floor to begin with.  

Welfare Mentality and the Concept of Dignity

            The short text wraps up with this tidbit: “That’s the difference between capitalism and welfare mentality. When you buy something, you put money in people’s pockets and give them dignity for their skills.” There is some truth to this. Conversely, an item that also needs considered is that a new Corvette carries a price tag of $84,445 (Chevrolet, 2018). This makes this vehicle prohibitively expensive to most that had a physical hand in its creation.

            Moreover, the notion that dignity is tied to “the money in people’s pockets” is irrational. If that were true the CEO’s self worth or level of respect would grossly outweigh that of the workers in this example.

            Finally, there is no such thing as “welfare mentality”. Virtually no one in society feels compelled to take handouts when there are other options available. Handouts are taken in order to make ends meet (Couch, 2014).

Thinking Critically About Success 

            As with anything else there is a spectrum for success and likewise the path to succeeding. On one end, there are those that have connections and advantages that enable them to almost effortlessly rise to the higher tiers of society. In contrast there are those who have disadvantages due to developmental issues, racism, classism, childhood upbringing, and many other factors. In the middle there are those that lack the drive to apply themselves, and much the same there are those in the middle that will give that extra effort in order to advance to a place better than what they were born into. Don’t be surprised if you can’t fit every person neatly into your box of assumptions.

Closing: Capitalism vs. Corporatism          

            Recall that there is a distinct difference between the merits of capitalism and corporatism.  

            The point of this piece is not to belittle the entrepreneurial spirit or to tell people how to spend their money. Nor is this a knock against GM, or Ms. Barra. Lastly, it needs stating that money (and the things that come with it) is not the end all be all of life satisfaction.        

            The point is to remind people that all of these social issues that seem so black and white upon first glance are in actuality complex concerns with many layers.

-- Oh, and I didn't even touch on this aspect ;)

*Note, this figure is an aggregate of the engineering and logistical staff positions responsible for typical tire creation and transport. $67,348 (Engineer) + 28, 083 (Warehouse Tire Technician) = $95,431 / 2 = $47,716.

These calculations are generalized salaries/positions for simplicity in order to match the examples given in the picture/text.

           

Works Cited

Chevrolet. (2018). Corvette Z06 Pricing. Retrieved June 16, 2018, from Chevrolet: www.chevrolet.com/byo-vc/client/en/US/chevrolet/corvette/2017/corvette-z0

Couch, R. (2014, May 09). Think Welfare Recipients Abuse The System? You Should See This Chart. Retrieved June 17, 2018, from Huffington Post: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/09/welfare-abuse-america_n_5289997.html

Glassdoor. (2018, May 10). General Motors Assembly Line Worker Hourly Pay. Retrieved June 2018, 2018, from Glassdoor: https://www.glassdoor.com/Salary/General-Motors-Assembly-Line-Worker-Salaries

Glassdoor. (2018, June 15). Salary: Truck Driver. Retrieved June 16, 2018, from Glassdoor: https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/truck-driver-salary-SRCH_KO0,12.htm

John, C. (2018). Miner Salaries. Retrieved June 16, 2018, from Chron: work.chron.com/miner-salaries-1463.html

Payscale. (2018, June 10). Bridgestone Tire Salary. Retrieved June 16, 2018, from Payscale: https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Employer=Bridgestone_Tire/Salary

Rueters . (2018, April 26). GM CEO Mary Barra Got a Huge Pay Raise. Retrieved June 16, 2018, from Fortune: http://fortune.com/2016/04/22/mary-barra-gm-pay-general-motors/

Tire Business. (2017, April 27). 4 tire firms among GM's top suppliers. Retrieved June 16, 2018, from Tire Business: http://www.tirebusiness.com/article/20170425/NEWS/170429969/4-tire-firms-among-gms-top-suppliers

Calling Out America

Originally Written 05/14/2013

This isn’t about being treasonous. This is about honesty. Let’s face it America needs someone to sit it down, tell it what it’s done wrong, and then put it into time out. The list of wrongs isn’t all that excessive. However, they have become interwoven into our psyche as individuals and its going to take a stern spanking to get them out. As citizens OUR transgressions are bold, in so far as they have become unconsciously routine.

This didn’t happen when we were standing together at the helm of the country, guiding it to a better tomorrow. This happened because we were doing something else entirely. We were in line getting our grande caramel mocha. This happened because we were busy keeping up with the Kardashians. We were distracted by the lights of the city…the depthlessness of the internet…the lure of self-gratification.

           

The first is a slap in the face of the strength this country was founded upon, for America has lost its will. At one time we were a nation of hardened people willing to traverse an unforgiving frontier in covered wagons. This was done without any guarantee of prosperity or profit. No one complained. When men went overseas to fight during World War II, women took up the mantles of the dingy and dangerous jobs they left behind. No one complained. Democrat and Republican alike held each other in mourning when John Kennedy was murdered. No one paused.

            Now we refuse to stand together on whether or not homosexuals can marry. The country complains about shit jobs being done by immigrants, which they themselves wouldn’t perform for 10 times the minimum wage. Today, our grease slathered rotund faces can’t find the energy to go to the gym for twenty minutes a day. We’ve lost our will. Our hunger to produce by need has been replaced with gluttony to consume by greed.

            Some would point the finger at religion for all of this. Claiming that belief in varying Gods, or no belief in God at all, has led us to this point. In a certain light that’s true, but not in the way that spending Sunday morning in a church pew is going to cure. Money is God and credit is His savior son. Therefore the truth is a growing number of people (survey says: all of them) worship every day, all day. But make no mistake; their focus isn’t a typical deity. No, America hasn’t lost its belief, merely shifted it. Once upon a time we believed in ourselves, now we believe in self.

            Americans serve themselves. We delude ourselves into satisfying our every whim. It’s just too damn easy. For several generations, we haven’t had to work hard, and those that do invest their time and money into the greatest commodity; themselves.

Finally, in a time where every side has an agenda, one can’t even tell who the bad guy is anymore. Worst of all is no one is even trying. Arguments made up of inaction of political rants fill our space; everyone that once cared or has the power and means to take action has lost interest.

For the past fifty years, America has claimed the Easy Street of the Earth as its residence. We do so as the rest of the world- a world that hasn’t had much of a view (let alone access) to the high and rolling hills on Easy Street- work harder and more efficiently with less.

            But don’t worry we’re Americans - someone else will pick up the slack.

           

(I'm Not) Valedictorian

            Sadly, I was not chosen as valedictorian and even with a 4.0 GPA. No one tapped me on the shoulder to ask me to speak at my upcoming graduation.  And no, I am not here to complain about that at all. What I thought would be interesting though is to write a speech as though I were addressing a teeming mass of young adults on the cusp of turning those tassels

            So ya, no one asked me to do it but yet here it is anyway…

            Hello fellow Sun Devils. Hello class of 2018. HELLO TO THE FUTURE!

            (Hold for applause)

            Ya know two years ago I gave up a lot to go back to school. I gave up seniority, money (Oh so much money!) and comfort of the known.

            However, what I found was much greater. I found my purpose. I found meaning in my life, and what I believe to be the lives of so many others.

            What is that meaning you ask? Helping those that need it.

            For you see, I have come to realize that not every addict is hopeless, not every homeless person is on the streets because they chose to be, and not every person with money is happy. The strange part about it is, inherently, I already knew all of that, it was as though I just needed to prove it to myself.

            And the beautiful thing about this is that standing here today; all of you have helped me. Because you see, a great deal of my cynical world view was fueled by the notion that no one else cared, so why should I?

            What I have witnessed during my time at ASU (hold for applause) is a generation of individuals who desire a change for the better. This has given me- once the most cynical of cynics on the earth- hope.

            The strength and determination that all of you have shown, and have shown me, has been my fuel when I thought I had no more fuel in the tank. It has reminded me that the evening world news is not necessarily representative of the world itself. 

            We social workers are taught not to give advice, however I am going to break that maxim just slightly for this one occasion…

             As you go out into the world following today, as you serve the populations that you hold dear- whether they be the elderly, those without shelter, the differently-abled, those in recovery, distressed and oppressed peoples- or simply those that have encountered a rough portion of road in life, please do one thing:

            Think critically as an individual, but think for the greater good.  

            Thank you! We now return you to your regularly scheduled graduation ceremony!

.

MISinformation

There’s are many things I dislike, among them; when men wear v-neck t-shirts, humidity, being said I “look like” any and every bald, white male celebrity.

Similarly, but limited to things that truly irk me, are occurrences I would place in the category of hate. At the top of these, is when I see people being bilked into believing that something is true, when it simply isn’t.

Truth be told, there’s been a lot of commotion about fake news lately. You all know where that came from, and so I will not spend time or precious words delving into that again.*

What I will say is I feel bad for anyone that gets convinced into believing outright falsehoods or half truths, just because the read a compelling post in their Facebook news feed.

I say this not as a Republican, not as a Democrat either. The only agenda I have is to help people do more to think for themselves. Therefore, I can freely say EVERYTHING in media has a slant to it. Every news agency, radio station, website, television network, blog (uh oh) has an angle. If that angle isn’t politically motivated, you can bet it’s motivated by something else; sales, donations, clicks, emotional response, or some other form of attention.  

I was moved to write about this today when I saw, more than one Facebook contact post the below. Essentially, it’s a post trying to fuel the flames of anti-refugee rhetoric via social media. As you might’ve guessed by now it’s not true, Snopes did a piece on this very thing back in 2015 (with an update in 2016), you can read it here. Note, that Snopes hasn’t called out this particular use of this post (at least as of my writing), but you’ll notice the pictures are recycled from the stories labeled as false on their previous reports.

Which brings me to my next point, think critically - what might the poster or originator of these types of items get out of you “liking”, or otherwise circulating their post? If you can answer that question without any skepticism, good for you. If not, I would suggest following some of the steps used to evaluate peer reviewed literature. Cornell University (which I have never attended) has a great guide available here, that can be applied to just about any item or source.

I’d also like to state that what bothers me most about these types of posts are the unfounded prejudices they perpetuate, and the dividing lines they are clearly attempting to draw. Let me also remind you that  ALL of us are in this together.

To conclude, if you are so inclined, you can choose to be republican, you can choose to be democrat, but please don’t choose to be ignorant.

Quality of Life

Introduction

I am currently enrolled in an ethics class. Within this class, which is online, we get to have "discussions" with classmates about topics presented from the textbook, or other related items of note.

What is shown below is my response to another student (who is a mother) that was advocating the aborting of a child if a disability had been diagnosed during pregnancy. Her point of view centered around how the "disabled" baby might not have an appropriate quality of life, and if the disability was too severe, the right decision would be to abort.

Gee I wonder which side of the argument I might be on, let's see...

Good day Moron,

            If I may let me add some perspective to your words around the abortion of a fetus marked with a “disability”.

            To begin, I agree with you the term “disability” can have a spectrum of meaning. Personally, I hate to harp on words, but I will say I despise the term. I like “differently abled” (and I realize how ridiculously liberal and PC that may sound, but hear me out). As someone with cerebral palsy on my right side I have personal experience with what it means to have a “disability”. In reality, because my CP predominately affects my right hand, I can do most anything any person can do, I just may have to perform the task differently or it may take longer. This does not impact my quality of life. In much the same way this applies to many people with “disabilities”, those individuals simply need to approach a task or problem in an alternative way in order to accomplish things. For instance, I would have you Google “Jim Abbott” – he was a Major League Baseball player born without a right arm. Merely watch a video of him pitching a no hitter game and you will see what I mean more clearly.

            Which leads me to my next point: Much the same as the term “disability”, so too can the phrase “quality of life” take on a variety of meanings. Even those with what onlookers might call “severe disabilities” can in fact be happy, content and enjoy life. Case in point; my work in a group home for the Division of Developmental Disabilities showed me that a fourteen year old boy who was blind, had cerebral palsy, was autistic and even confined to a wheelchair can enjoy life. How do I know this? Because I saw the way his face would light up when he heard music. By the way; B.B. King was one of his favorites.

            Doctors are fallible; likewise mothers and fathers are just as prone to off judgment, misinformation and mistakes. Who is to say what one’s threshold for quality of life should be in order that they may be allowed to exist? 

Photo credit: disabilitynow.org.uk