The recent terrorist attacks in Paris led to dozens of state governors refusing to cooperate with federal resettlement of refugees — and they should have every right to do so.
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence blocked Syrian refugees from entering his state. In response, opponents have filed a lawsuit accusing him of violation of constitutional rights, laws and federal acts.
The basis for the argument in favor of taking in the refugees are the Refugee Act of 1980 and the Supreme Court case Hines v. Davidowitz in 1941. In the case, the Supreme Court ruled that the power over immigration, naturalization and deportation only rested with the federal government.
Obviously since the Supreme Court made a ruling it is constitutionally sound, right? Wrong! This is the same institution which also ruled in Dred Scott v. Sandford African-Americans could not be American citizens.
Dred Scott was ridiculously unconstitutional and I am sure glad this ruling isn’t held today. And for the Refugee Act of 1980, when have any laws or acts in the United States ever been completely constitutional?
I love my country, but I hate the federal government and the unconstitutional rulings that the Supreme Court has made since its founding. The court is nothing more than a political safety net for whomever is in control of the government.
The U.S. Supreme Court overstepped its constitutional authority countless times and will do so again if the lawsuit against Gov. Mike Pence reaches them. Opponents of the governor cite the Equal Protection Clause, but the joke’s on them.
Syrian refugees are a liability and are foreign combatants because there is no real way to verify their identities as civilians. They are not citizens of the U.S. and have no constitutional rights here.
This nation is suffering because of the federal government’s policy. The nation is torn apart on abortion, gay marriage, Syrian refugees and the crumbling economy. The best fix for the clash of beliefs is for states who would like to secede to do so.
The Constitution does not mention secession, but in the past, the Supreme Court has — guess what — ruled unconstitutionally on it.
States should leave if they feel threatened by national interest. If you don’t want to live in those states, then leave before they secede. No one is forcing you to stay.
A state’s unrightful desire to secede from the union is no different than saying the U.S. had no right to secede from the British Empire. The entirety of the Americas were under European colonial rule, so is choosing your own government wrong?
Look it up in the Declaration of Independence.
“When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another … whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government”
A free people should choose their own government. Our country was separated and created on the self-evident truths held in this document.
Free trade agreements between states could create a similar scenario to the EU but between smaller groups with similar interest. If there are states they don’t want trade with, border lockdowns will work effectively.
The U.S. military should be converted to a common defense force, where deployment must be authorized by the participating states. Individual states could build their own militaries out of necessity.
The U.S. can be fixed through the election of individuals who have a history and plan for repairing this nation. If not, the states who can survive on their own should have every right to leave the disaster this country will become.
Garrett Marcel is a 21-year-old petroleum engineering senior from Houma, Louisiana. You can reach him on Twitter @Gret419.