Ironically, Father Gregorio’s latest article on Immigration — which comes under the heading — “On Behalf of Justice” — contradicts the very essence of our understanding of justice. Justice is rooted in truth and in law. The truth is that we live under the Constitution of the United States of America. The laws are designed by the freely elected people of this Democratic Republic. The implication in this article is that immigrants are no longer welcome in this country and that we have forgotten that we are a land of immigrants. Father Gregorio cites the Tea Party as an example of “nativism” as he terms it.
The Tea Party is a movement which provides a forum for people of all parties to peacefully allow their voices to be heard. The people that gather at Tea Party events are Democrats, Republicans, Independents and Libertarians. These are people who are proud of their immigrant ancestry and even more proud of the respect their ancestors had for this country and the laws of this country. Their concern is not that we continue to welcome more immigrants to our shores and borders, but that we welcome them legally.
The role of law is to find an effective way to deal with the problem of those who are already here illegally without being unjust to all those here legally — and to those waiting to come legally.
It is not only a dangerous thing for a Democratic Republic to ignore the law, it is perhaps even more dangerous for the Body of Christ to ignore the law. The only way our country can remain a safe haven for people from around the world is if it remains true to the principles upon which it was built.
Yes, even with all its flaws it is still the truest beacon of freedom out there. Just ask my husband who was born in Communist Russia. Being of German heritage, during World War II he and his parents were forceably evacuated to Germany by Adolf Hitler. They lived in a displaced persons camp until the end of the war. It took nine years of applying, waiting and undergoing many hardships before they were given permission to come legally. He was ridiculed in school because he could not speak English but he and his parents learned the language and obeyed the laws of the land because they appreciated the greatness of this experiment in freedom.
The church faces a serious dilemma. We have to minister to those in need with the compassion of Christ without injuring in any way the entire Body of Christ. “Render unto Ceasar the things that are Ceasar’s and to God the things that are God’s,” readily comes to mind. Perhaps, Father Gregorio, we should, as church, insist that the governments of these countries from which the illegal immigrants are coming create conditions which would enable their people to live in freedom and prosperity. Social justice is working to transform the globe into the land of the free and the home of the brave. It is not trying to relocate the entire world into these 50 states.
Mena Kramer
Cherry Hill
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