By Nicolina Vega and Timothy Harrison
On February 13, 2019, Holy Family University hosted “A Great Day to be a Tiger.” One element of the event was the two Tiger Talk sessions, modeled after the popular Ted Talks. Dr. Daniel Bramer, Assistant Professor of Philosophy in the School of Arts and Sciences at the University offered his opinion on the controversial immigration crisis in the United States of America, during his talk “The Problem with the Problem of Immigration.”
Dr. Bramer analyzed the arguments that both political parties bring to the table. The Democratic party claims that immigrants and refugees are entitled to an opportunity at a better life, while the Republican party states that illegal immigrants are taking jobs from Americans and also illegally trafficking contraband.
However, Dr. Bramer did not pick a side. In fact, he actually identified himself as a political atheist, meaning that he does not identify with any particular party. Dr. Bramer removed the politics from the immigration debate and focused primarily on the aspect of humanity, suggesting “invasion” would be the most effective solution to the immigration crisis. Not a militaristic invasion, but an invasion of love and dignity.
Dr. Bramer emphasized the importance of making a difference in another human’s life, regardless if you know them or not. His stance on immigration is about treating all people with dignity despite their ethnic background.
“I always have in mind, to make the world better for everyone I come in contact with,” he said.
Dr. Bramer’s mindset on the immigration crisis inspired the audience and left them feeling a certain way.
“We all have our credit cards to make a donation, but being able to physically go there to make a difference is more impactful. We need to view humans as humans and not think about the political sense,” said sophomore Christian Locante, a biology major.
Dr. Bramer said it best, “Humanity demands dignity.”
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