Immigration Misconception #1: Open borders are anarchic.
A misconception is a misunderstanding, one that probably leads to a misuse of language. We finally come to a misconception about immigration in this series on myths, fallacies, and misconceptions about immigration.
As a term, open borders is misused in two main ways, both of which come from the dishonesty inherent in our nature and in our political discourse. As this blog likes to emphasize, everything eventually comes down to language. Most people simply do not understand what the term open borders means, or they abuse it. Although it is fine for us all to use terms according to common usage, it is ethically suspect to turn them into rhetorical weapons and twist what others mean by them. Open borders, as well as words like evangelical and socialism, is one of those unfortunate linguistic constructions that we could call Frequently Abused Terms (FATs). How is the term open borders misused?
Open borders ≠ anarchy
Contrary to most conservative popular opinion, open borders do not equal anarchy. Nor do open borders lead to anarchy. Anarchy, according to one dictionary, is "the absence of government," or if you want a more negative definition, "a state of lawlessness or political disorder due to the absence of governmental authority." While these definitions avoid the fact that anarchy is also a serious political philosophy, in regard to open borders, the intent is clear. The fear-mongering politicians (or the ignorant public) who say that open borders lead to anarchy need to be corrected. No open borders advocacy organization that I know of advocates for the overthrow of all government. (Such an organization may exist, but you get the point.)
Open borders ≠ no borders
Also contrary to most conservative popular opinion, open borders do not equal no borders. That is, an advocate of an open borders policy is almost certainly not promoting the abolition of international borders. This is a very common misconception, one that results from failing to listen to open borders advocates or think through the probable meaning of the words themselves. The term open borders implies in its very nomenclature that borders exist, and that they are open (i.e., not closed). It can thus be definitively asserted that advocates of different open borders policies are advocating something other than the abolition of borders, the surrender of national sovereignty, or the removal of all immigration controls and personal documentation.
What are open borders?
Unfortunately, in common parlance, those who think that they oppose open borders use the term (incorrectly, in my estimation) to refer quite simply to less draconian immigration measures than they want. What is so evil or subversive about desiring humane immigration laws? In the U.S., the borders are not open and have not been open for more than a century. Furthermore, almost all border or immigration bills at the national or state level have to do only with stricter or less strict immigration controls and border protection. Open borders, as a policy, is not even on the table.
That still leaves the question of just what a policy of open borders advocates. For that, check out the next post!
As a term, open borders is misused in two main ways, both of which come from the dishonesty inherent in our nature and in our political discourse. As this blog likes to emphasize, everything eventually comes down to language. Most people simply do not understand what the term open borders means, or they abuse it. Although it is fine for us all to use terms according to common usage, it is ethically suspect to turn them into rhetorical weapons and twist what others mean by them. Open borders, as well as words like evangelical and socialism, is one of those unfortunate linguistic constructions that we could call Frequently Abused Terms (FATs). How is the term open borders misused?
Open borders ≠ anarchy
Contrary to most conservative popular opinion, open borders do not equal anarchy. Nor do open borders lead to anarchy. Anarchy, according to one dictionary, is "the absence of government," or if you want a more negative definition, "a state of lawlessness or political disorder due to the absence of governmental authority." While these definitions avoid the fact that anarchy is also a serious political philosophy, in regard to open borders, the intent is clear. The fear-mongering politicians (or the ignorant public) who say that open borders lead to anarchy need to be corrected. No open borders advocacy organization that I know of advocates for the overthrow of all government. (Such an organization may exist, but you get the point.)
Open borders ≠ no borders
Also contrary to most conservative popular opinion, open borders do not equal no borders. That is, an advocate of an open borders policy is almost certainly not promoting the abolition of international borders. This is a very common misconception, one that results from failing to listen to open borders advocates or think through the probable meaning of the words themselves. The term open borders implies in its very nomenclature that borders exist, and that they are open (i.e., not closed). It can thus be definitively asserted that advocates of different open borders policies are advocating something other than the abolition of borders, the surrender of national sovereignty, or the removal of all immigration controls and personal documentation.
What are open borders?
Unfortunately, in common parlance, those who think that they oppose open borders use the term (incorrectly, in my estimation) to refer quite simply to less draconian immigration measures than they want. What is so evil or subversive about desiring humane immigration laws? In the U.S., the borders are not open and have not been open for more than a century. Furthermore, almost all border or immigration bills at the national or state level have to do only with stricter or less strict immigration controls and border protection. Open borders, as a policy, is not even on the table.
That still leaves the question of just what a policy of open borders advocates. For that, check out the next post!
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