Arguing Over Nothing

IN A TINY TOWN in the middle of nowhere, Homer, Alaska, a civil war of words recently erupted, seemingly out of nowhere. The quarrel was over immigration, standard American issue, and everyone took a stand. All over the country the arguments are the same,,, and if cooler, heads prevailed, there would be no controversy. We want immigration, but we want it organized, under control. That's reasonable. It makes perfect sense. The devil is in the details. So why all the arguing? The illegals already here need to either be put on the path to citizenship, or deported. The border should be protected by the military. What else is the military for? In the future, international borders may fade away, as more enlightened forms of planetary government evolve. Who knows. Homer, Alaska hasn't seen an illegal immigrant in decades. People sneaking across the Rio Grande never make it all the way up to Homer, Alaska. The townspeople are arguing entirely about abstractions, and not about anything real. Maybe they have too much time on their hands. Maybe they spend too much time watching mainstream American television. that's enough to make anyone unstable, angry, combative. The level of anger across America is palpably elevated. you can feel it, both inside yourself and emanating from other people. You wonder whether all this microwave cellphone radiation has anything to do with it. Please notice that almost anytime the American president says or tweets anything, it is an angry message. The American leader is an angry man, and supporters are angry too. And lest we omit anyone, those of us who oppose President Trump like the plague are not exactly jumping for joy. I'll remind myself to choose my battles, and not argue over or oppose minor matters. Anger never has been, and never will be a better behavioral influence than reason.