On America’s Continued Legacy Of “Dumb White Men”
By: Marcus K. Dowling
Tags: America, Immigration, Donald Trump, DACA, England

Fast forward 230 years, and well, we’re in a place in America where either James Wilsons and Roger Shermans don’t exist, or more likely, we’re too ashamed that the idea of pursuing partial legal personhood for our immigrant communities is something that, 230 years later, still makes sense to do in America.

After five years in service and over 800,000 people positively effected, the Barack Obama-signed Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Act was recently rescinded, as have many measures Obama championed while president, by current American president Donald Trump. DACA allowed for those who entered America illegally as minors to receive a renewable two-year period of deferred action from deportation, as well as eligibility for a work permit.

Prior to being rescinded, data showed DACA increased immigrant wages and labor force participation, which allowed for a reduction of the number of unauthorized and impoverished immigrant households. But, in a country wherein Trump was quoted as saying in a manner intended to convey his honest human opinion to curry electoral favor, that Mexicans who immigrate to America are largely drug trafficking criminal rapists, well, the data — no matter how it may appear to denote otherwise — just seems irrelevant as compared to the sociopolitical weight of the now president’s then very racist sentiments.

America in 2017 lacks what was a sense in 1787 that so many of the -isms that define modern America were more means to very unjust ends than absolute laws that demanded to be followed. Instead of those like James Wilson and Roger Sherman rising to aid the cause of compromise, there’s people like House of Representatives member from Virginia and House Judicial Committee Chair Bob Goodlatte, who the New York Times notes that “criminal alien gangs and border security” are his next greatest issues of concern before even considering any legislation to protect the rights moving forward of those who were protected by DACA.

While yes, it’s certainly embarrassing and shameful that we’d need to consider a three-fifths compromise to keep immigrants’ rights safe, as compared to 800,000 people who could be significant contributors to America’s economy being denied that chance, it’s precisely emblematic of the strange place we’re at as a country where after 241 years, and for 500 years of “dumb white men” haven’t evolved to a place where granting someone 60% citizenship — if not for legislation and taxation, but in this case for kindness and decency — is a valid and necessary bargain.

500 years ago, “dumb white men’s” “dumbness” could be directly linked to society’s level of “modern sophistication” and social awareness being directly linked to a world that lacked the trains, airplanes, cars, refrigeration and indoor plumbing that bring us all closer together. Because of this lack of technology and industrial evolution, we were a society of inconvenienced and isolated people who sparingly interacted with neighboring cultures, these interactions oftentimes leading to the brink of, or eventual violence.

In 2017 we have trains, airplanes, cars, mobile devices, entertainment innovations, digitally connected and fully automated homes. In a society defined by never before experienced over-convenience of travel, over-connection and inter-relation via the internet and hyper-evolution of society as a perpetually multicultural space, the idea that “dumb white men” are still “dumb” is astounding. Yet, this is entirely where we are, and we’re guided by a white man who on some level could be the “greatest dumbest white man” ever.