We're all immigrants. We're all tramping along in the caravan. None of us has birthright citizenship in the kingdom of heaven. We immigrate to Jesus's kingdom - by our baptism, our confirmation, and the choices we make in our daily lives.
But if we choose Jesus's kingdom, the gates are open to us. Jesus doesn't turn away anyone from his kingdom - in fact, he wants everyone to choose citizenship in his kingdom, and expects us to invite others to join the caravan.
I wish American Christians would reflect on this, when considering what our immigration policies should be. How much more ungenerous than Jesus are we permitted to be?
"(T)he land is mine, and you are but resident aliens and under my authority." -- Leviticus 25:23
ReplyDeleteWe ought to wonder where we would be today if Massasoit had unleashed bureaucracy, child kidnapping, tear gas, barbed wire and Wampanoag firepower at the Pilgrims instead of deciding to live and let live. He obviously did not have ego problems and the temperament of a 4-year-old. Plus real estate development hadn't been turned into a zero sum game yet.
You'd think tear gassing unarmed people (including children) would be a really bad optic. But apparently it hasn't caused too much outrage. I read one commentary that said this was Trump's way of softening people up to accept Nazi style concentration camps. But I don't give him credit for that much forethought. I think it was just his latest cruel stunt to impress his base. Things must be really, really bad in the places the refugees are coming from to make them want to come here. I don't understand how people can continue to say that Trump and his minions are pro life.
ReplyDeleteI see that John Kasich is considering a challenge to Trump for the nomination in 2020. Good, maybe others will start to abandon ship.
My husband was formerly in the military. So I asked him if he experienced tear gas in basic training. He said, "Yes." For the training all the trainees were in a big tent. They had to remove, and put back on, protective face masks. They made sure everyone got a really good lung full of tear gas. Eyes and noses were streaming, some people were throwing up. The training was actually for the purpose of demonstrating the proper use of protective gear in the case of worse stuff, such as nerve gas. But these were grown men, in good physical condition. I can imagine how tear gas would affect infants and children, or anyone with respiratory conditions.
ReplyDeleteCould we be doing a better job with asylum processing? Yes, of course we could. This is just typical Trump administration d!cking around, seeing how we can project a tough and mean optic.
Supposedly there is a deal (not officially verified?) with the incoming new administration of Mexico to process asylum applications on the Mexico side of the border. Which I actually don't think is a terrible idea. But we have to devote some resources and money to doing it right, and in a timely basis. And I can't think that Mexico is going to allow it unless there is something in it for them.
Even with tear gas, I suspect that incident is going to be a political victory for Trump.
DeleteI saw one report which said that the port of entry at Tijuana could only accept 60 applications a day. If that's true, it's a sign of purposeful incompetence. Our county courthouse can process more transactions than that in a day. They need more personnel and more resources. It's hard for me to see how demonstrating third-world class bureaucratic incompetence will be a political victory for Trump (are we tired of winning yet?). But I'm sure you are right. They called Reagan the teflon president. He didn't hold a candle to Trump.
Delete40% and they will vote.
DeleteIf he shoots someone (or sends a hit team to torture, kill and dismember someone) on Fifth Avenue at high noon, they will shout MAGA, MAGA, MAGA. There has to be a lot of hate to make them hang on like that.