Freedom, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are in direct synonymy with the Libertarian Party. Libertarians are strong advocates for civil liberties and the eradication of intrusive, big government. Uninformed persons retain the wretched habit of mistaking libertarian principles for anarchic ones. Erroneous assertions of open borders supporting libertarian values is a common ailment among people who are unfamiliar with American political ideologies. The state of open borders places any nation in peril and should not be mistaken for amicability or “tolerance.”
First and foremost, a nation of open borders is a nation of sitting ducks. Borders shield Americans from the Islamic State, Jihadists, and other terrorists who aim to annihilate our way of life. True libertarians champion for freedom and the civil rights which make America great. Without the proper protection, all of these liberties would be trampled on. For instance, we the people lock our doors at night to shield ourselves from potential danger. Imagine if we left our doors unlocked, or removed them all together. Rapists, murderers, and vigilantes would have access to our families, personal property, and other treasures. Secure borders shield our nation from foreign threats just as locked doors shelter us from domestic threats.
Those who advocate for open borders are not libertarians, nor should they refer to themselves as such. The flagrant notion of open borders appeals only to extreme leftists or anarchists. Leftists foolishly believe borders symbolize bigotry, xenophobia, and intolerance, although they might subscribe to a different philosophy if they were mandated to remove their doors from their hinges and remain in their homes. Anarchists endorse the absence of borders with the misguided credence that any form of government intervention is a detriment to freedom. The premier dissimilarity between libertarians and anarchists is while libertarians advocate for a small, limited government, anarchists promote the elimination of government.
Anarchists are woefully illogical and precariously misguided in their twisted beliefs. They fail to comprehend that absence of borders leaves America vulnerable to disease, terrorism, and other fatalities. The key flaw in anarchism stems from the belief that freedom is an offshoot of the absence of government. The idealized version of government is expressed in a quote from Rand Paul: “I want a government so small that I can barely see it.” Rand Paul is an outstanding politician and should have represented the Libertarian Party in 2016, instead of Gary Johnson.
The absence of government is equally as dangerous as an oppressive government; both systems result in the same outcome. An utter lack of government permits murders, rapists, pedophiles, and other sadists to run amuck without facing any consequences. If government is too powerful, then citizens are subjected to tyrannical dictators and criminals in expensive suits. The Horseshoe Theory is the most applicable assertion when discussing the relationship between a complete lack of government and an all powerful government. The Horseshoe Theory dictates that ideologies on extreme contrasting sides of the political spectrum are merely two sides of the same coin.
The need for secure borders in America is nonnegotiable. A plethora of policies are open for discussion and might even benefit from certain alterations, but national security does not fall into this category. We either have a country or we do not. Borders protect and enforce our cherished libertarian values. Freedom, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are only practical because of the American way of life, which rapidly deteriorates without borders.
Gabrielle Seunagal is a sassy and outspoken freelance writer. Her favorite hobbies outside of writing are working out at her local gym and traveling.
Image: Rob Osborne
Gabrielle Seunagal
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