'Vapid' column was disservice on immigration

Intrigued by the headline (despite the vulgarity - thank you, Donald Trump), I read Georgie Anne Geyer's opinion piece published on July 23. It was such an astoundingly vapid column that I question the editorial board's vetting process.

Geyer's CHILDISH use of all caps to draw emphasis where she cannot effectively make a point is the stuff of a fifth grader's text message. Her theme - "illegal immigration corrupts everyone and everything it touches" - is a hollow proclamation that Geyer does not explore, support or analyze.

I certainly am troubled by illegal immigration, because I believe that our nation's greatness is in large part due to our adherence to the rule of law and institutions that place no one above the law. Breaking the law must have consequences.

That said, if we were to welcome self-selected individuals seeking work in the United States (whether they be Ivy League PhD's forced out to create businesses in China rather than here, or unskilled labor eager to pick crops in hot fields thus filling jobs that cannot otherwise be filled) our society would benefit enormously.

This complex issue deserves thoughtful analysis and debate to find an intelligent path forward. Empty sound bites by the likes of Trump and Geyer do not benefit our society.

I call on the Herald to respect the intelligence of its readers by improving the selection of opinion columnists.

Scott Graham

Arlington Heights