I’ve had that argument presented to me and gone with “you would rather they suffer? Maybe die?”
If they’re nominally Christian it’s kind of an easy shot (good Samaritan, sheep and the goats), but I have to avoid making them feel like shit (because their position is shit and they deserve to feel bad). But by framing us as both believers in some of jesus’ teachings, they can see me as in-group and might actually listen. I’m not really a Christian scholar though so I’d probably lose an argument with someone who’s ready to bring down some prosperity gospel or actually knows any scripture.
Even without Christianity, engaging on “why should they suffer and die over the happenstance of their birth location? If the situation was reversed, what would you prefer happen to you?” Making it about them is usually a good move.
I hear the “why should I pay for them” from second or third generation immigrants where “them” refers to people from their own parents’/grandparents’ old country.
I’m a naturalized citizen and honestly? I couldn’t give a shit less if my tax dollars help out an illegal immigrant, and I’m really tired of rationalizing it to others.
Seriously. I would 1000x prefer my tax money to go to health care for literally anyone rather than it be used to turn children in a foreign land into skeletons and there seems to be plenty of budget to go around for that
I’ve had that argument presented to me and gone with “you would rather they suffer? Maybe die?”
If they’re nominally Christian it’s kind of an easy shot (good Samaritan, sheep and the goats), but I have to avoid making them feel like shit (because their position is shit and they deserve to feel bad). But by framing us as both believers in some of jesus’ teachings, they can see me as in-group and might actually listen. I’m not really a Christian scholar though so I’d probably lose an argument with someone who’s ready to bring down some prosperity gospel or actually knows any scripture.
Even without Christianity, engaging on “why should they suffer and die over the happenstance of their birth location? If the situation was reversed, what would you prefer happen to you?” Making it about them is usually a good move.
“Well I’d go through the proper channels”
“Cool. Your asylum claim is denied. Now what?”
I hear the “why should I pay for them” from second or third generation immigrants where “them” refers to people from their own parents’/grandparents’ old country.
I’m a naturalized citizen and honestly? I couldn’t give a shit less if my tax dollars help out an illegal immigrant, and I’m really tired of rationalizing it to others.
Seriously. I would 1000x prefer my tax money to go to health care for literally anyone rather than it be used to turn children in a foreign land into skeletons and there seems to be plenty of budget to go around for that