- 22 Apr 2008 02:08
#1513535
During his recent visit to the US, the pope made general statements that implied disapproval for recent efforts at immigration law enforcement and reportedly advocated amnesty in his conversation with the president. Various other Catholic clergymen, including Cardinal Mahony of Los Angeles, made the church’s hostility towards immigration law enforcement explicit during the pope’s visit.
In doing so, they carried on the legacy of John Paul II, who was outspoken in his view that “true acceptance of immigrants in their cultural diversity” was the duty of a Christian.
Rep. Tom Tancredo issued a stinging rebuke to the pope in a press release.
I called the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops today, and they told me that their department of Migrant and Refugee Services was the best contact for complaints about the church’s immigration policy. Please send the letter below or one of your own composition to mrs@usccb.org.
My sample letter is written from the perspective of a non-Catholic. If you are a Catholic, your letter will have much more impact. You should certainly include a statement that you are a Catholic and perhaps revise it in other ways as well. Additionally, all Catholics should send the letter to their bishops, archbishops, and cardinals. Contact information for these clergymen is here.
Thanks for doing your part.
http://inverted-world.com/index.php/act ... ation_law/
In doing so, they carried on the legacy of John Paul II, who was outspoken in his view that “true acceptance of immigrants in their cultural diversity” was the duty of a Christian.
Rep. Tom Tancredo issued a stinging rebuke to the pope in a press release.
I called the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops today, and they told me that their department of Migrant and Refugee Services was the best contact for complaints about the church’s immigration policy. Please send the letter below or one of your own composition to mrs@usccb.org.
My sample letter is written from the perspective of a non-Catholic. If you are a Catholic, your letter will have much more impact. You should certainly include a statement that you are a Catholic and perhaps revise it in other ways as well. Additionally, all Catholics should send the letter to their bishops, archbishops, and cardinals. Contact information for these clergymen is here.
Thanks for doing your part.
Dear Sir or Madam:
The views on immigration recently expressed by the pope and other Catholic clergymen were deeply offensive to me because they encourage disrespect for the rule of law and insult American natives.
During his visit, the pope reiterated the church’s long-standing disapproval of efforts to enforce immigration law when he said Americans should “continue to welcome immigrants… and help them flourish in their new home.” The pope is reported to have pressed for amnesty for illegal aliens during his conversation with the president.
Other clergymen also expressed the Catholic Church’s hostility towards immigration law enforcement during the pope’s visit. Cardinal Mahony, of the Los Angeles diocese, for example, complained of a roundup of illegal immigrants by federal agents:
“I just feel these raids are totally negative. I thought it was very inappropriate to do it in such a blatant way when the pope was coming, when he has been so outspoken in defending the rights of immigrants.”
In making these statements, Catholic clergymen undermine the rule of law and give divine sanction to anarchy and law-breaking. Regulating immigration is one of the essential functions of the nation-state. To say that enforcing the law against illegal immigrants is a violation of their rights not only hinders the state’s performance of its duties, but promotes a general disrespect for the law.
Furthermore, the pope insulted Americans when he urged that we fight “all forms of violence so that immigrants may lead dignified lives.” This statement falsely implies that mistreatment of immigrants is a salient problem in America and maliciously associates peaceful and responsible activism for immigration law enforcement with thuggery. As Rep. Tom Tancredo responded:
“I would like to know what part of our lax immigration policy is considered violent. I fail to see how accepting more refugees than any other nation and providing free health care, education, housing and social service benefits to millions of illegal aliens is in any way ‘violent’ or ‘degrading.’”
The Catholic Church lavishes compassion on immigrants, but I think the native population of the US deserves compassion too. Hispanic immigrants have overloaded our social services and brought gangs and a hostile culture to our country. Government statistics on crime, welfare usage, and educational attainment indicate that Hispanics are poorly suited to assimilate into American society and are destined to form a permanent and resentful underclass. Rather than insulting them, a church that felt compassion towards American natives would respect their right to enforce immigration laws in order to maintain their culture and their way of life.
Sincerely,
http://inverted-world.com/index.php/act ... ation_law/
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