There’s an idea in psychology in which a person has two mutually exclusive beliefs, goals, or motivations that, because they’re mutually exclusive, cause the person extreme stress. This is sometimes called a double bind.
An example of this is a meme that I saw recently which, showing the intro image from an episode of The Twilight Zone, says, “Imagine if you will… an atheist stuck at a green light behind a car with a ‘honk if you love Jesus’ sticker.'”
After you’re done laughing at that one, consider that it’s the double bind that the hypothetical atheist is in that makes that meme funny.
And a recent court case in Iowa could put those on the political left in a double bind, too.
Now, you may recall this situation. We talked about it a few months ago. It’s the situation of a man who is in the U.S. illegally and was running a school district in that state. But there are some details about the case that are especially interesting. Hannah Fingerhut writes,
Roberts was in his school-issued vehicle when officers stopped him on Sept. 26 in a targeted U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation. He allegedly fled before he was located with the help of state troopers. Authorities said a loaded handgun was wrapped in a towel under the seat and $3,000 in cash was in the car. Three other weapons were recovered during a search of his home.
Notice that he was in his school vehicle with a firearm. It sure sounds like he is in favor of school employees having firearms in school facilities.
Which, of course, is something that those on the political left oppose. At the same time, that same political left tends to support illegal immigrants staying in the U.S.
So, in this situation, would they condemn Roberts for having a firearm, especially on/in school property (his school vehicle)? Or would they support Roberts staying here and having a firearm because he is an illegal immigrant?
I don’t know the answer to that, but it would seem to be a mutually exclusive situation for them.
Which do you think that they’ll choose? Tell us below.