Opus 2012-120, The Rights of Citizenship

There are times when I feel like American citizenship is meaningless.  This thought is in the context of court decisions that have declared that even illegal aliens are to have the same protections granted by the Constitution that natural born citizens enjoy.  Somehow that doesn’t feel right.

Historically it is an aberration.  Most cultures in history have given their own people an advantage.  The Romans for one had special privileges that were granted to citizens.  One example is found in the book of Acts.

(Acts 22:24-29 NAS77)  the commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks, stating that he should be examined by scourging so that he might find out the reason why they were shouting against him that way.  And when they stretched him out with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, "Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman and uncondemned?  And when the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and told him, saying, "What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman."  And the commander came and said to him, "Tell me, are you a Roman?" And he said, "Yes."  And the commander answered, "I acquired this citizenship with a large sum of money." And Paul said, "But I was actually born a citizen."  Therefore those who were about to examine him immediately let go of him; and the commander also was afraid when he found out that he was a Roman, and because he had put him in chains.

Paul was scheduled to be scourged, brutally whipped, but when they found out he was a Roman he was released.  They were even afraid because they had tied him up.  You did not treat citizens that way.

Is that the way a society should be structured?  Let’s take a look at what the Bible has to say about this.

(Leviticus 19:33-34 KJV)  And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him.  But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

It would seem that the Bible tells us to treat foreigners the same as natural born citizens.  I guess in this case the courts have agreed with the Bible.  Don’t let them know, it would ruin their day.

I guess I will need to rethink my feelings on this issue also.

homo unius libri