It is both a right and a responsibility of a democratic society to manage immigration so that it serves the national interest.
Interpretation
Immigration management is essential for the well-being of a democratic society.
Barbara Jordan's quote emphasizes the dual role that a democratic society must play in managing immigration. It suggests that while individuals have the right to enter a country, it is also the responsibility of the society to ensure that this process aligns with and benefits the national interest, thereby highlighting the balance between individual rights and collective wellbeing.
In practice
During a public debate on immigration policy, this quote can be used to emphasize the need for a balanced approach.
Let's all understand that these guiding principles cannot be discarded for short-term political gains. They represent what this country is all about. They are indigenous to the American idea. And these are principles which are not negotiable.
We want to be in control of our lives. Whether we are jungle fighters, craftsmen, company men, gamesmen, we want to be in control. And when the government erodes that control, we are not comfortable.
What we have to do is strike a balance between the idea that government should do everything and the idea, the belief, that government ought to do nothing. Strike a balance.
My faith in the Constitution is whole, it is complete, it is total, and I am not going to sit here and be an idle spectator to the diminuation, the subversion, the destruction of the Constitution. It is reason and not passion which must guide our deliberations, guide our debate, and guide our decision.
Americanization means the process of becoming an American. It means civic incorporation, becoming a part of the polity - becoming one of us. But that does not mean conformity. We are more than a melting pot, we are a kaleidoscope, where every turn of history refracts new light on the old promise.
We cannot improve on the system of government handed down to us by the founders of the Republic. There is no way to improve upon that. But what we can do is to find new ways to implement that system and realize our destiny.
She laughed with thrilling scorn. "Sophisticated-God, I'm sophisticated!
Men live by intervals of reason under the sovereignty of humor and passion.
So, to say Barack Obama is progress is saying that he's the first black person that is qualified to be president. That's not black progress. That's white progress.
The gentleman is calm and at ease. The gentleman is dignified but not proud; the small man is proud but not dignified.
To whatever end. Where is the horse and the rider? Where is the horn that was blowing? They have passed like rain on the mountains. Like wind in the meadow. The days have gone down in the west. Behind the hills, into shadow. How did it come to this?
The critic is a prisoner to his own experiences and perspectives, erroneously believing his limited experiences are the sum of all truth
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