I sometimes hesitate to say certain things because I don’t want to alienate or offend people, but sometimes things need to be said. This is one of those times. I do feel I have some special qualifications to speak to this issue since I have had long careers of serving as a Christian pastor, and of teaching history and civics in a public high school. Simply put: Many of the anti-refugee sentiments being expressed in America today are both un-Christian and un-American. Often those sentiments are hidden behind the guise of protecting our safety and security, or of having a priority to respond to other needs. People certainly have a right to believe what they might, but make no mistake about this: closing our hearts to refugees fleeing terrorism is not Christian; and closing our borders to refugees in need runs contrary to our principles of being the land of the free and the home of the brave, and is a betrayal of our heritage of being a nation of immigrants.
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One of my favorite poems is "The New Colossus" by Emma Lazarus, 1883.
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame, With conquering limbs astride from land to land; Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame. "Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" In all humility, I admit that my ancestors came as immigrants to this land. I wish I could say that they were warmly welcomed and accepted, but their private stories have not been passed on to me. However, I do know that while there were men and women of compassion who welcomed them, there were also men and women with closed minds and closed hearts who rejected them. America has, as a part of its history, a long tradition of "Nativism". A dictionary definition of Nativism would probably say that it is an attitude, or policy, of protecting the interests of native-born or established inhabitants against those of immigrants. An irony of history is that those who are Nativists refuse to accept the historical label and refer to themselves as "Patriots." The poem by Lazarus expresses the openness and compassion that America embodies. An irony of this present moment in time is that there are Americans who are adamant about sending our warriors overseas to fight for American values and principles, but who then fail to see that we are called to live by those values and prinicples here. 1- I post and share writings, photos, articles, and links that I think are worthwhile for my friends to consider.
2 - I do appreciate it if you “like”, or give some positive feedback. 3 - I will not argue with a person publicly on Facebook. I consider it a sign of disrespect. 4 - If you choose to make a negative comment on my Facebook page, do not be surprised if it is deleted. After all, it is “my” Facebook page. 5- If you are open-minded about an issue, and truly want to discuss it (and not just to try to prove you are right) then you can send me a private message and we can have a private discussion. |
Time for Common Sense AgainCommon sense commmentary by Joel Kreger (unless noted and credited to a guest writer) Archives
November 2018
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