Isn’t it wonderful how nations can pass laws to establish administrative procedures, replace old customs and unwritten rules, and bring some order to chaos, as was the case with the U.S. Constitution?

The law and constitutions are noble documents. They also allow us, with good conscience, to abandon all human morals, integrity, ethics, honor, principles, right and fair sentiments, and whatever else distinguishes us from non-rational, non-emotional creatures.

Mr. Clemons feels that the Obama administration breaks the law by giving assistance (food and drink and temporary shelter) to children crossing the U.S./Mexican border (“Obama is ignoring the Rule of Law,” page A5, July 11 Herald).

Prior to World War I, the U.S. faced a similar problem. International organizations tried to find countries willing to accept Jewish children. Great Britain waived its immigration requirements and accepted 10,000 children from the first “Kindertransport” the Nazis let leave Germany. The U.S. State Department made it difficult to get an entrance visa and eventually was shamed into allowing 1,400 Jewish children in. You see, Mr. Clemons, we study history to learn from it. What lesson did you learn?

The present conditions are not the same, but the moral issues are very similar. The children need help. A good Christian would ask himself, “What would Jesus advise”? I do not have the answer, but to talk about “invasion” and quote a law written more than 200 years ago as justification to refuse to help is not what we are all about. I hope.

Mr. Clemons looks at these children as “65,000 new Democrats.” Well, I’ll be … never thought about it this way. That is a danger, and there is no law that prevents immigrants from voting for the Democratic Party. What a dilemma! But, we could pass a law that requires each immigrant to be injected with Republican genes, and we can then, in good conscience, support what seems to be morally questionable, because it is the law.

James Behrend
Bainbridge Island