Re: Changing Rules & Cherry Picking Free Lance, July 4, 2025
Most people like to play Monopoly. It is a fun way to learn about the economy. One thing we learn is to stay out of jail. Jail happens when we land on the Jail corner. What if on the board game all four corners were “Go to Jail” corners?
That would be called changing the rules. Rules can not be changed when playing the game because it would be an unfair advantage to help a single player win more money over others. Just like in our game of living, the rules are changing.
Our rules to live by are our U. S. Constitution. Our Bill of Rights proclaim that all people have a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. A right to liberty prohibits us from going to jail. Liberty allows us to play freely by earning money and enjoying life. Liberty means that a person can pick cherries to earn a living, like buying enough food to eat and not be hungry.
Some countries do not have enough jobs for people; therefore they become hungry and poor. When people learn that our country has jobs and provides freedom to pursue happiness, they come to our country.
Unfortunately, when migrants arrive they discover that the rules have changed to take away their liberty. If they are already here they are playing by the old rules. Changing rules can uproot their lives.
Those calling themselves ICE, Immigration Control Enforcement, decide to break the liberty rule. They are creating fear among rule-abiding people who are picking cherries and apricots and paying taxes.
Those in our government changing the rules become the guilty ones liable for arrest, making the game no longer about liberty and freedom but of advantaging some over others.
It seems that we no longer have a unique country admired by the world.
Mary Zanger
Hollister
ICE- Immigrations Customs Enforcement