Latino Evangelicals Question Loyalty to GOP

tinyb »

Thu Jan 31, 2008 11:46 am Agree: 1   Disagree: 2

I'll say briefly that I take issue with the "the Bible is clear on this" notion. My Bible has loads to say about welcoming the strangers and aliens. I'm glad that those who fought for suffrage and child labor laws and civil rights didn't just fall in line with existing laws. Sometimes laws are wrong, and in our democracy, we have the Constitutionally-guaranteed right to assemble and speak freely, and some even choose civil disobedience (or as I call it, divine obedience). I suggest pgcfriend reads MLK's "Letter from Birmingham Jail" for a great treatment of why it might not always be "Christian" to submit to the laws. He does a great job of chastising the white church for being more concerned about propriety than justice. Would God have us sit idly by while his children suffer? And maybe read the books of Leviticus, Amos, Micah, and the Gospels, too.

But that said, despite all my sadness and frustration at the evangelical race-to-the-bottom on immigration (upholding fallible human laws over human dignity and justice - I thought this was the group all about the sanctity of every life... unless, of course, someone is on Food Stamps or on death row or victim of the US's free trade agreements and thirst for global capital). But now, given news like that in this article, I say, "Please, Republicans and evangelicals, rush to denounce and show no compassion for 'illegals!' Alienate yourself from a key voting block! Help welcome in a Democrat to the White House and larger Dem majorities in Congress!"

Maybe then we can get some sensible comprehensive immigration reform passed (although I give Prez. Bush credit for getting one thing right - immigration), and while we're at it, reverse 7 years of unprecedented military spending while cutting quality social programs that help the poor and vulnerable. MLK also had a lot to say about spending on war and killing instead of loving and helping. So did good ol' GOP Pres. Eisenhower - "Bread, not bombs."