Scripture tells us that: We shall not oppress a stranger, for we know the heart of the stranger. We were once strangers too.
In his speech to the nation on immigration yesterday, President Barack Obama pulled from the pages of the Bible to appeal the most devoutly religious on why mending the country’s immigration wounds is a necessity for the country’s future.
Realize it or not, the United States is a nation entirely comprised of immigrants.
“Our immigration system is broken, and everybody knows it,” declared the President.
Millions are harmed by this defunct system–those who entered the country and have subsequently had difficulties navigating the depths of its treacherous waters for non-citizens and undocumented immigrants. For those without citizenship, the US is a tough terrain where exploitation and underemployment are the norm.
Obama made it clear that immigrants to America, overall, do want to contribute meaningfully and responsibly to the country by making an honest living and paying taxes rather than living with uncertainty in the shadows and seeing their families split apart by deportation. “Let’s be honest, tracking down, rounding up, and deporting millions of people is not a feasible plan.”
“The number of people trying to cross our border illegally is at its lowest levels since the 1970s. And that is a fact,” Obama said.
Obama maintained that he will stand tough on the southern border, but he wants people who have been living in the US for some time to be able to settle and participate in the American economy, especially high-skilled and entrepreneurial-minded immigrants.
Obama declared: “Immigrants are a net plus for our economy and society… They did not come here in search of a free ride and an easy life. They came here to work.”
Obama was adamant the policy was not a move for amnesty, or forgiving undocumented immigrants for trespassing. Instead, the undocumented worker must be held accountable for breaking immigration laws, though he does not want them to cut the line, nor be granted citizenship, permanent residency, or the same benefits as citizens.
Rather he wants to keep families together and therefore immigrants who have resided in the US for more than 5 years and have children who are American citizens or legal residents, will have to pass a criminal background check, register, and pay taxes–be accountable to the American legal system–in order to stay in the country without fear of deportation.
However, Obama was careful not to bow to lawbreakers. He wants to deport anyone who is deemed to pose a threat to American life–criminals, gangsters, and felons.
But for the remaining majority of immigrants, he drew parallels to everyday citizens: “Their hopes, dreams, and patriotism are just like ours…They are a part of American life.”
Although there are a number of immigrant groups in the US who are, as we speak, forming queues to enter the pathway to stability, Latinos are unmistakably the focus of the policy.
The Latino vote has steadily increased with every presidential election cycle. After Obama’s push toward immigration reform, Democrats will likely have a stronghold on the Latino vote for the 2016 presidential election.
Obama asked: “Are we a nation that gives them a chance to make amends? Are we a nation that values families and works together to keep them together?”
While we strive to resolve immigration issues, we have to address other issues that perpetuate racial inequality in American society.
How many African American families are split because of the War on Drugs and its impacts on Blacks’ ability to obtain affordable housing and gainful employment?
Steps towards a new immigration policy is a confident move for the future.
Let’s continue that progress and explore how we can spread the benefits of prosperity and security to all the country’s inhabitants, to not oppress a stranger, black, brown, yellow or white.
We need to look no further than our private prisons to put that freedom-fighting wave into motion.
I am glad the issue of immigration has gotten the traction it deserves. But the War on Drugs/Black people is still ongoing, I haven’t seen that one gain any traction in Washington yet, though we claim we have Obama and we went out and voted for him in record numbers.
This is good for the country on Immigration, but when is our help with Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, etc. coming?
“Scripture tells us that: We shall not oppress a stranger, for we know the heart of the stranger. We were once strangers too.”
Oh year, the read that same Bible and still kept human beings in chains, sometimes they even kept their own children in chains. Quoting scripture does nothing to the people who continue to wave the flag of privilege and superiority complex in front of everybody.
Yes, now is the time to see some real change about cop killings of young Black men!
“Scripture tells us that: We shall not oppress a stranger, for we know the heart of the stranger. We were once strangers too.”
Here is another scripture for you Obama:
Exodus 32:27-29
Then he said to them, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.’ “The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people died. Then Moses said, “You have been set apart to the LORD today, for you were against your own sons and brothers, and he has blessed you this day.”(NIV)
For every quotation in the Bible about mercy – there is another about killing and violence. The scripture is a bad precedent, they have used it to enslave a whole people and continue to quote this scripture while they launch a War on Drugs/Blacks.
Grace, you need Jesus!
I am sure our great great grandparents needed Him when they were raped, beaten, maimed and ridden like cattle, I am sure they had Jesus then, who looked upon them while white men rampaged all over America. Oh, I am sure that our grandparents had Jesus then! Didn’t they?
Now this Jesus, what has he done for me lately? Except Trayvon Martin is dead and gone and Micheal Brown? We keep worshiping this ‘white’ Jesus, that’s what they told us he was, while they continue to show us that they have no respect for humanity.
Anybody who talks like you needs Jesus… that’s all I am saying!
Here is another violent text from the Holy Bible:
1 Samuel 15:3,8
Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.’ ” … He took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and all his people he totally destroyed with the sword.(NIV)
And while you are still at it here is a necessary scripture for your copious consumption:
Hosea 13:16
Samaria shall bear her guilt, because she has rebelled against her God; they shall fall by the sword, their little ones shall be dashed in pieces, and their pregnant women ripped open. (NRSV)
Here’s some scripture for Obama:
2 Chronicles 25:12
The sons of Judah also captured 10,000 alive and brought them to the top of the cliff and threw them down from the top of the cliff, so that they were all dashed to pieces.(NASB)
Tell white people that while they leave young Black men in the streets to die. The Bible is not enough for us. That Latinos attend the same Churches as we do has nothing to do with how and why conservative feel the way they feel about Black people and Latinos. Its just sad. Really?
Here’s another for Obama:
Judges 12:5-6
Then the Gileadites took the fords of the Jordan against the Ephraimites. Whenever one of the fugitives of Ephraim said, “Let me go over,” the men of Gilead would say to him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” When he said, “No” they said to him, “Then say Shibboleth” and he said, “Sibboleth,” for he could not pronounce it right. Then they seized him and killed him at the fords of the Jordan. Forty-two thousand of the Ephraimites fell at that time. (NRSV).
This Christianity is the foundation of the United States of America. And then we wonder why young Black men are forced into prison and killed on our streets for absolutely no reason?
Scripture:
Deuteronomy 3:3-6
So the LORD our God delivered Og also, king of Bashan,with all his people into our hand, and we smote them until no survivor was left. We captured all his cities at that time; there was not a city which we did not take from them: sixty cities, all the region of Argob, the kingdom of Og in Bashan. All these were cities fortified with high walls, gates and bars, besides a great many unwalled towns. We utterly destroyed them, as we did to Sihon king of Heshbon, utterly destroying the men, women and children of every city. (NASB)
Here’s another scripture the conservatives love:
Joshua 8:24-26
When the Israelite army finished chasing and killing all the men of Ai in the open fields, they went back and finished off everyone inside. So the entire population of Ai, including men and women, was wiped out that day—12,000 in all. For Joshua kept holding out his spear until everyone who had lived in Ai was completely destroyed. (NLT)
They don’t look over and see people. All they see is people to kill, slaughter and wipe out. That is who they are!
So if Obama doesn’t quote the Bible or say that Latinos go to the same Churches as we do, then these knuckleheads will not help? That’s primitive meen.