This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
I'm amazed at the misplaced outrage and emotion over the presence of illegal immigrants and Utah's new guest worker law. A lot of the energy and stress seems dedicated to a futile and unattainable ideal over which opponents have no control.
Everyone, breathe in. Breathe out. Be silent. Then meditate on Reinhold Niebuhr's famous "Serenity Prayer": God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference."
When it comes to immigration, we cannot significantly change the undocumented immigrants who are already here; they are going to stay here. To fret about their existence and to plot to remove them is unproductive.
We can change, to some degree, who else comes here. To a small degree, by higher walls and more aggressive border policing. To a larger degree, by reducing demand for illegal immigrants by punishing employers who hire undocumented workers.
However, one thing that is in our power to change for the better is the experience of the undocumented workers already here by making them legal and part of the American way. Let's focus on the positive acts that make our society better.
Tom Barron
Salt Lake City