Op-ed: By the Way, You Have a Left & Right Hand

Guest Commentary: Lauren Hand, Class of 2018

A lot of controversy has sparked from mainly the right, but some on the left regarding the President’s most recent talks with Representative Nancy Pelosi and Senator Chuck Schummer regarding immigration reform, specifically DACA. For those of you who don’t know, never turn on your television, or go on Facebook, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, was put in place by former President Barack Obama by executive order to protect the children of immigrants entering the country illegally. These children, through no fault of their own, have made a home in this country and some are now college graduates and even veterans, which is why Obama made that decision to protect them.
The Trump Administration announced two weeks ago that in six months, DACA will be rescinded in its current form, but those already on the program will be given special consideration and will be reviewed on a case by case basis. Obviously, the White House sees the need for a program to be put in place to continue to protect those who fit the criteria of DACA; the challenge is not to the program itself but rather the way it was implemented. Hence, the president’s and vice president’s meeting with Congressional Democratic leadership occurred.
Being involved in political life in this city can leave me very sour sometimes and often partisan. The trick is to realize how special CUA is as a campus, because even though politics can divide us, it doesn’t mean we lose respect for each other.
Last year, during the general election, my roommate was a Bernie Sanders supporter. I, on the other hand, was definitely not a supporter of him. Even though my roommate had a completely different political ideology than myself, we were able to remain friends. That is because we knew each other as human beings and therefore afforded the inherent dignity given to each of us by God.
This is the trick with political fights we see on the news. Both Senator Schummer and Representative Pelosi come from very highly immigrant populated constituencies and, as a result, know a great deal about the issue first hand. Not to mention they have considerably more legislative experience than the President. So why shouldn’t he be speaking with them? No, the White House will not get everything it wants out of a “deal” nor will Democratic Congressional leadership, but that is the key to compromise.
Simply because Schummer and Pelosi have a different political ideology than the president, it doesn’t make them “the enemy” or “other.” The same goes for the ultra-left’s criticism of the President as a person. He’s a person and therefore deserves respect, which he should also afford to others, but that is another article for another day.
Schummer and Pelosi are people, with families and struggles in their lives the same as the president, vice president, and all of us. My roommate and I understood this. People I know on this campus who are politically active usually get this, so let’s influence everyone else. At the end of the day, we all have to answer to the same God, so let’s treat each other the way He would see fit. Keep talking and keep listening.