Love
of Country
“The
love of one's country is a splendid thing. But why should love stop
at the border? Pablo Casals
This
business of people streaming across our southern border creates a
genuine conundrum for most of us. On the one hand, it is difficult to
see children who have made the long and arduous trip hauled off to
interment camps. On the other, our nation is struggling to come back
from a decade of war and economic collapse, and the cost of keeping
and caring for them is staggering. I find it difficult to watch angry protesters standing in the street to turn the buses back. I know if I were a young mother of little children, I would do whatever is
necessary to provide them with a safe and plentiful life. And yet,
one can understand the little town that has undoubtedly borne the
cost of their medical care and the expense of their complicated
educational requirements.
As
a Christian, I am taught to welcome the stranger. Feed the hungry,
clothe the naked, release the prisoner. Having once visited Central
America, I have seen first hand the living conditions of the very
poor. Believe me, they are not accustomed to such luxuries as running
water, electricity, or schools. Complicating the issue is the fact
that the native Mayan people do not speak the same language as the
dominant culture. And sometimes they don't speak the same language as
other Mayan. There are many dialects. In some areas, the only water
is that which is running in the river, and the only roads are dirt
and dangerous. I can understand wanting a better life for one's
children.
Refugees
are a reality everywhere—think of Jordan and Lebanon where millions
of people have fled from the wars in Syria and Iraq. As Americans, we
should keep all these things in mind as we are trying to solve the
problem of porous borders. These are human beings, and this is a
complicated problem. Being reactive and hateful and angry is not a
solution, and only adds another layer of difficulty. I have
compassion for the children, as well as for the people who are trying
to find solutions. They need our support and our prayers. Let us,
each one, and all, search our hearts and minds for answers.
In
the Spirit,
Jane
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