Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve noticed the topic of
immigration has resurfaced again through a variety of streams. There seems to be a new sort of harshness in
the voices of many. I’m conflicted about
what to think about the situation and a little troubled by some of the things
I’ve read by American Christians. I
don’t want to repeat a blog I wrote about a year ago titled Misericordia
Por Favor, which is translated “Mercy Please” in English, but I can’t help
but to resurface this discussion.
It strikes me as sort of funny that I’m thinking about this
on July 3, the day before we celebrate the founding of our nation and as I’m
preparing to teach on the letter of First Peter which carries the theme of living
as aliens throughout it’s entirety. How
should Christians respond to these children that our government is trying to
handle? To be honest, I’m not sure that
I know the answer.
I guard myself from getting political. We as Christians are called to submit to our
authorities. Thankfully in the USA, that
means we are encouraged to vote and voice our concerns to our
representatives. I’m not sure of all the
facts, but it seems something politically was said, or done, that is
encouraging people to send their children hundreds, really thousands of miles,
alone to enter the USA. Is it okay to
respond to our leaders about this situation?
Sure, I really don’t see a problem with that as a Christian.
However, as a Christian, as an American, I have concerns for
how these people are being treated by my fellow countrymen. I have never been in a situation where I have
wanted to flee from my homeland. I can’t
even begin imagine that I would ever load up my four children and send them to
another country without me. Take a
moment to ponder how bad the situation would have to be for you as a parent to
think sending your children away, possibly never to see them again, to another
country by themselves because there was hope of a better life. I can’t ever imagine being in this
place. It makes me sick to my stomach
just pondering being in a position where this would be the best option for my
family.
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1 comment:
Good thoughts; I have some of the same concerns as you. I do recall that the quotation you mention was a poem written after the statue was placed and, according to Paul Auster,"Bartholdi's gigantic effigy was originally intended as a monument to the principles of international republicanism, but the poem 'The New Colossus' reinvented the statue's purpose, turning Liberty into a welcoming mother, a symbol of hope to the outcasts and downtrodden of the world".
My other thought is that if doing good for the masses now renders the U.S. incapable of doing more good because of the high cost we are and will be paying, is it still good?
--Mary Alice
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