Which way should we err?

Lovely cartoon by Michael Ramirez commenting on the recently enacted Arizona illegal alien law. Except that the boycotts that I’ve heard about aren’t being run by illegals, nor even necessarily Hispanics.

Though Ramirez doesn’t appear quite as Hispanic as his name may suggest, I wonder how comfortable he’d be living in a state where he had to carry his “papers” at all times just in case he was stopped by police because he looked vaguely Mexican.

This misguided law illustrates an essential difference between conservatives and liberals: Conservatives prefer to err on the side of getting all the “bad guys,” even if it means some “good guys” become collateral damage, while liberals prefer policies that ensure that no innocents are wrongly targeted, even if it means missing an occasional “bad guy.”

This philosophical difference is seen across a broad range of policy, from anti-terrorist measures to welfare. (Do we make sure every needy person is covered, or do we miss some with need in order to make sure that no “unneedy” person receives a handout?)

I think it’s clear where I stand on this issue, but my intent is to provide food for thought.

Jeff Ellingson

Liberty Lake