Well, it seems the folks in Nairobi are figuring out what a lot of good, common-sense Americans have known for a long time: a nation’s first duty is to its own people. A wire story crossed the desk this week, telling us that Kenya’s president has ordered a crackdown on foreign citizens running small businesses, and, wouldn't you know it, the usual crowd is already wringing its hands, muttering about ‘xenophobia.’ It’s the same old song and dance, frankly, and it’s getting pretty tiresome.
You see, for decades now, we’ve been told by the chattering classes, the types who jet-set to Davos and summer on the Hamptons, that borders are bad, that national identity is old-fashioned, and that true progress means everyone can just move wherever they like and do whatever they please. It sounds mighty grand on paper, especially when you’re sipping champagne in a climate-controlled conference room, but down here on Main Street, or in this case, on the dusty streets of Nairobi, things look a good deal different.
When a government says, "Hold on a minute, our own people are struggling to make a living, and perhaps these opportunities should go to them first," that’s not xenophobia. That’s called common sense. That’s called leadership. It’s what Edmund Burke, a man who understood a thing or two about ordered liberty, would call a healthy regard for one’s own particular society. A nation isn't just a random collection of individuals; it's a shared heritage, a shared future, and a shared responsibility.
The article mentions "migrant communities" and "fear," and I don't doubt that there are individuals who are now in a tough spot. Nobody likes to see hardship. But let’s be honest: when you choose to live and work in another country, you do so under the laws and the will of that country’s sovereign government. Your primary loyalty, if you're a good citizen, is to your own nation. Expecting another nation to prioritize your economic well-being over that of its own citizens is, frankly, a bit rich.
These foreign traders, according to the report, are often involved in small businesses. And who do you think is trying to run small businesses in Kenya? Kenyans, that's who. They're trying to feed their families, send their kids to school, and build a life in their own homeland. When an influx of foreign-owned businesses starts to squeeze out the local entrepreneurs, whether through lower labor costs or different business practices, it’s not hard to see why a government would step in. It’s not about hate; it’s about economics and national self-preservation.
It reminds me of the arguments we hear right here at home. When American workers and businesses struggle against unfair competition or porous borders, the same voices pipe up, calling anyone who wants to enforce our laws or protect our industries "racist" or "nativist." They'll lecture us about globalism and interconnectedness, all while their own jobs are secure and their own communities remain largely untouched by the consequences of their utopian ideals.
So, while the pundits and the international NGOs might gasp and clutch their pearls over Kenya’s decision, I say good for them. It's a reminder that self-interest, when properly understood and applied within the framework of national sovereignty, is not a dirty word. It’s the foundation of a stable and prosperous society. Perhaps more governments, including our own, should take a page from Kenya's playbook and focus on putting their own citizens first, without apology, and without fear of being labeled by those who preach globalism from their insulated towers.
It's time we stopped letting the ivory tower crowd dictate what's "moral" and "just" for the working folks and small business owners trying to make an honest living, whether in Nairobi or Topeka. A nation that doesn’t prioritize its own people eventually ceases to be a nation at all. Kenya seems to understand this, and that's a lesson worth learning.