A while back, Slate‘s Bushism of the Day started providing links so that readers could see the context surround the quote. Unfortunately, they didn’t do it with today’s item:
“Those who enter the country illegally violate the law.” — Tucson, Ariz., Nov. 28, 2005
I’m pleased, though, to step in and fill the gap:
America has always been a compassionate nation that values the newcomer and takes great pride in our immigrant heritage; yet we’re also a nation built on the rule of law, and those who enter the country illegally violate the law. The American people should not have to choose between a welcoming society and a lawful society. We can have both at the same time. And to keep the promise of America, we will enforce the laws of our country.
Does Bush’s statement seem quite so silly / funny / whatever in context as it did out of context? Sure, there’s a good deal of redundancy here, but such redundancy is often rhetorically valuable. And that sometimes includes stating the obvious, especially when it’s an obvious point that one’s adversaries often try to deemphasize. Might it have been helpful to provide the quote in context? Or at least to have linked to the context, for the benefit of readers who want to look further?
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