There are two main issues that I care about: Dealing with the economy and handling terrorism. Donald Trump promises to do both. Certainly Trump is a controversial candidate, but there’s been more than enough of “safe” candidates.
People are tired of the establishment, and in that regard Trump is a breath of fresh air, which may be why he’s so popular.
Some of his policies are extreme, but would you prefer a repeat of 9/11? He’s not planning to bar Muslim immigration, just immigration from countries with strong terrorist/extremist presence. That doesn’t sound like something to get incredibly upset over.
Many countries in the Middle East have low immigration quotas compared to other countries already. To me, blocking immigration from countries with strong terrorist history makes sense and isn’t a horrendous violation of basic rights. And they’re not Americans, so technically speaking we don’t owe them anything.
The Syrian refugees should be processed thoroughly, but there will almost certainly be terrorists among them and thus the standards for deportation should be low.
Compassion is well and good, but it won’t remove the danger posed by religious zealots. A random person off the street can be dangerous if they’re devoted enough to a cause. Innocent people will definitely be caught up in it, but we should care more about our own citizens than people who are from another country entirely. If you consider them equal, then 330 million people should be worth more than less than 1 million.
If terrorists believe they can use innocent civilians as shields, then they’ll never stop. Hostages would become a routinely-employed part of terrorist plots in order to make people hesitate. Even if you think we should allow all the Syrian refugees in, you can’t deny that there is a risk of terrorists hiding among them, probably hoping to take advantage of our kindness to enter the country all but unmolested.
Trump has proposed an effective ban on Syrian immigration. Drastic, you may believe, but it beats the alternative risks. Getting bombed or shot is not worth it. The refugees could very well be completely innocent, but we can’t take the chance that they all are. Last week alone, Brussels was bombed by ISIS militants. There are over 30 dead and even more severely maimed. Security should be our number one priority.
The economy, on the other hand, might well be more complicated. Certainly there’s much less moral grayness to what should be done, but the very nature of economics makes predicting the exact impact of any stimulus program or the effects of government aid almost impossible. They may achieve their general goal, but there’s no telling if they’ll accomplish more or less, or perhaps make things worse.
Trump has a great deal of business experience, as he likes to tell people regularly. Billionaires don’t come about by accident. Even if you hate Trump, you can’t deny that he’s a good businessman. Leadership matters.
Andrew French, 18, is a student at Conant High School. He lives in Peterborough.