Defending the Strangers in Our Midst: The Demonizing of Immigrants

Breakpoint with Chuck Colson ^ | 6/9/2006 | Chuck Colson

[Mr. Silverback]

Did you know that “95 percent of warrants for murder in Los Angeles are for illegal aliens?” Or that “75 percent of people on the Most Wanted List in Los Angeles are illegal aliens”? What’s more, “Over [two-thirds] of all births in Los Angeles County are to illegal alien Mexicans on [Medicaid] whose births were paid for by taxpayers.”

This is outrageous. Especially since none of it is true! Instead, it’s just one example of how, in some ways, we have gone beyond worrying about illegal immigration to demonizing the immigrants themselves.

This example came from a widely circulated e-mail that was posted on at least 130 conservative websites. It listed ten “facts about immigration” and gave as its source the Los Angeles Times.

Not only was the Los Angeles Times not the source of these “facts,” when the paper examined the alleged “facts,” none of them withstood scrutiny. Some of them distorted the data: For instance, approximately 62 percent of all births in Los Angeles County are to Hispanic women. But this number includes American citizens, legal aliens, Hispanics from countries other than Mexico, and has nothing to do with Medicaid.

The so-called “facts” about illegal alien criminality are even worse: They are deliberate misrepresentations or complete fabrications.

Unfortunately, this is only the tip of an often very ugly iceberg. The illegal immigration problem is often called an “invasion” that threatens the existence of the United States. Illegal aliens are depicted as part of an effort to “reconquer” the American Southwest. And it’s not only illegal immigrants: American citizens of Mexican ancestry are also regarded as part of this plot.

Now, there are a few fringe Latino groups that talk about “reconquista”—that is all they are, however: fringe. To judge all Latinos, including illegal aliens, by the words of these groups is as fair as judging all Christians by the actions of clinic bombers or Fred Phelps.

A concern for fairness isn’t the most important reason that Christians ought to oppose this demonization of “the strangers in our midst.” As theologian T. M. Moore recently wrote on BreakPoint Online, “God defends strangers. He has compassion for those who have left all and risked all to find new lives in a strange country.”

Moore reminds us that God expects His people’s “attitude toward the strangers and sojourners in their midst” to reflect His own concern.

Now, this does not mean that Christians ought not to be concerned about the massive lawbreaking, by both illegal immigrants and those who employ them. We must! The rule of law is a Christian contribution, coming out of the Reformation, and it requires respect for law, just as the Bible does. Nor does it mean that there’s one particular immigration proposal that Christians ought to be supporting.

What it does mean is that Christians must work to see that the immigration debate generates light instead of heat. We must insist that the illegal-immigration issue be addressed without treating millions of Americans, many of whom have died protecting our country, as a kind of fifth column.

That is the very least we can do if we are obedient to God’s command to welcome strangers. And that’s a fact I got from the highest possible Source.

[Mr. Silverback]

Ruh roh Mr. Colson, the mob will be after you now.

Well, they ought to be. The average person who wants to solve this problem with tough measures is not motivated by racism or fear, and he should know better.

[satchmodog9]

Funny you say that. Like you said, most people are not motivated by racism on the illegal issue. We are all cast that way, even by some of our so called conservative friends.

[Dane]

Well, they ought to be. The average person who wants to solve this problem with tough measures is not motivated by racism or fear, and he should know better.

If not motivated by fear and racism, then what motivates some people hating people picking food or building shelter.

[ckilmer]

The trouble is that no one quite sees that the very best thing we could do for Mexico is to send their now well trained citizens home.

Suddenly Mexico would have a skilled workforce who knew something about how a world class country worked.

Think these folk would propel a great leap forward for Mexico?

I do.

[Fruitbat]

Agree Silverback! Colson appears to be losing it to an extent, not so much in his basis, but in his reasoning abilities.

It was a decent article until I read this:

Now, this does not mean that Christians ought not to be concerned about the massive lawbreaking, by both illegal immigrants and those who employ them. We must! The rule of law is a Christian contribution, coming out of the Reformation, and it requires respect for law, just as the Bible does. Nor does it mean that there’s one particular immigration proposal that Christians ought to be supporting.

What it does mean is that Christians must work to see that the immigration debate generates light instead of heat. We must insist that the illegal-immigration issue be addressed without treating millions of Americans, many of whom have died protecting our country, as a kind of fifth column.

That is the very least we can do if we are obedient to God’s command to welcome strangers. And that’s a fact I got from the highest possible Source.

Since when have illegals "died protecting our country?"

He's also shooting himself in the foot in his line of reasoning. Which are you supporting Chuck, immigrants that break laws, many of which are criminals otherwise, or the laws of a nation founded under God.

As I see it, Christians (and everyone else) ought to be "supporting" whatever is in the best interests of the preservation of the same nation that enables them to worship freely and have religious freedom.

I wonder if Chuck supports the spread of Islam, a religion and socio-political ideology (all-in-one) that is entirely counter to Christians and Christianity. I wonder if he thinks that the Living God supports that.

I know of no Christian, conservative, etc. that is "anti-LEGAL Mexican immigrant." Not one!

Chuck's also sounding like Pat Robertson in that he seems to be under the delusion that God is speaking and interacting with him directly. That's never a good sign. The days of the prophets are gone!

Chuck appears to be more "political" than he is concerned with reality and the truth.

[ckilmer]

The trouble is that no one quite sees that the very best thing we could do for Mexico is to send their now well trained citizens home.

Suddenly Mexico would have a skilled workforce who knew something about how a world class country worked.

Think these folk would propel a great leap forward for Mexico?

I do.

[Sender]

Well you got me there. All of those crimes are commonly being done by illegals, true. And they should be deported for felonies, no argument.

I knew I would get some heat for my post but my intent is to keep things real; let's not give in to sensationalism and pretend that all illegals are MS-13 members or rapists. Anyone caught committing serious crimes here, including misuse of ID or stealing someone's SSN, should be booted over the border within 24 hours and his/her picture and fingerprints posted appropriately.

From personal experience, a lot of illegal manual laborers have been invited here knowingly by employers. I live in chicken country, and how many American citizens do you think kill chickens all day? About zero. Does anyone really think these simple illegals have pulled some masterful ID scam over on their employers? Absolutely not. They came here by the busload with a promise of steady work, no questions asked. If we get serious about enforcement of our laws, the price of chicken will go up, and a bunch of chicken**** managers will go to jail.

Dittos for a lot of "contractors" building homes today.

[hershey]

The longer we allow illegals to remain and work here in large numbers, the more we enable Mexico and other countries to go on, business as usual. No decent jobs, corruption, violence, etc.. Same thing as living with an alcoholic and giving him money to buy booze. What this does to Mexico is not good. Entire villages deserted, poverty growing worse. Fox telling the US we should 'invest in rebuilding Mexico's infrastructure so Mexicans will want to come home'. In a sane world that would be called exactly what it is, extortion.

[DH]

The article was woefully wrong in pointing out the percentage of illegial aliens who were criminals. It's just shocking that they would miss the true mark by such a wide margin.

The actual number of illegal alien criminals is 100%. After all, they are ILLEGAL aliens.....huh?

[Fruitbat]

As a Christian i want all people (including aliens and citizens of other countries) to be well fed, clothed, have good shelter, have security and safety for their families, and to know and love the Lord. my church sends a mission to Mexico every year, where the missionaries build homes and medical clinics.

As a Christian I also believe in the rule of law. I believe that all things, including our laws, are ordained by our Lord, and that Jesus, by word and deed, taught that our laws should be obeyed (render unto Caesar...).

They need to obey our laws and go back to their homes (yes, they all have a home country).

The illegal aliens should be treated hmanely and with compassion, but they all need to go back to their homes.

As Christians, we, and Chuck, should also realize that we are neither responsible for the evil the permeates the rest of the world or for correcting it all as that would be/is entirely impossible.

We'd all love lots of things including peace and security for all, but we are not God and therefore it is beyond our capability to alter that world wide.

[Mr. Silverback]

If not motivated by fear and racism, then what motivates some people hating people picking food or building shelter.

You are shoveling bovine waste products.

What we hate is an unsecured border in wartime. What we hate is violation of our sovereignty. What we hate is Mexico using us as a safety valve so they don't have to worry about reforming their corrupt garbage dump of a system. What we hate is having schools and medical systems that are collapsing under the weight of people who should not even be here. What we hate is that there are politicians who think criminality should not only be unpunished, but copiously rewarded.

I could go on, but you get the idea, and if cheap Mexican labor was really what makes our economy great, Mexico would be the richest nation in the world.

[calex59]

I would agree with the main point of this column in that the majority of immigrants, legal and illegal, are not here for criminal activity.

All illegal aliens are criminals. None of them are immigrants. They committed a misdemeanor to get here and a felony to stay(using forged documents is a felony), that makes 100 percent of illegals alliens criminals. Comparing legals and illegals is ridiculous, they are totally different.

One group, the legals, are a group, for the most part, of law abiding people who want to assimilate and whose utltimate goal is citizenship. The other group are a bunch of people, for the most part, who come here just to make a little extra money, send it home and reap the freebies that they can rip away from the American public with no thought of assimilating or becoming citizens. Anyone who thinks other wise is deluding themselves.

[Fruitbat]

As well, if Chuck's so concerned with legal immigrants of Hispanic origin, then perhaps he'd better pipe up on the side of enforcing illegal immigration much more than he appears to be doing. This cannot be good for legal hispanic immigrants as if anything, people cannot look at them and tell them apart just as we cannot visually inspect two muslims and determine which is the terrorist and which isn't.

[hershey]

And meanwhile the Bilderberg group is meeting in Canada, moving forward with the North American Union. A handful of obscenely rich men are dictating the demise of the US as a sovereign nation. The meeting in Canada is no accident, either. Canada's been sitting on the sidelines while Mexico depopulated itself, ethnically cleansing itself of the peasant class (for which read, brown faces, Indian ancestry, illiterate and unskilled.) Fox has told Canada to accept Mexicans as cheap labor. 'You need us'. So what will Canada do? They're busy with terrorist plots, but they'd better take a long look at the Bilderberg meeting.

[calex59]

Anyone caught committing serious crimes here, including misuse of ID or stealing someone's SSN, should be booted over the border within 24 hours and his/her picture and fingerprints posted appropriately

That would be 100 percent of illegals. The came here by breaking the law, they stay here by breaking the law. They all have forged documents.

[SaveUS]

Smoke and Mirrors. None of the data is true, yet he sees no need to show his version of a revised figure. Instead of breaking it down and including possible errors, lets just tell what we know. 11-12 MILLION people are here illegally. Many are hard working people. They are all however illegal. Therefore, they need to scoot on home until they can obtain a legal pass to be here. There are a few barfing points I am sick of hearing:
1. These illegal immigrants pay more taxes than Americans do. (That one is obviously aimed at Democrats, because no one else is stupid enough to believe it.)
2. These illegal immigrants just want to be Americans. (B.S.) If so, they would bring their families with them and stop sending anything they make back home. The only time the family comes along is when they need medical care, or are pregnant)
3. Our economy would crumble without them.(In the last 200 years, when have we had a recession due to lack of labor?) No, it may give us the opportunity to put the 4.5% of the unemployed back to work, or at least have an excuse to let them starve.

[Sender]

Hey, send them all back home. It's OK with me. My solution is to deny them employment so they will leave.

[trisham]

About once a year, I regret my commitment to posting Colson's commentary each day. This year, because of immigration, I've had cause to regret it at least twice.

**************

It's not one of his better efforts.

[Mr. Silverback]

My solution is to deny them employment so they will leave.

Bingo. Yes, we need to secure the border, but as one secure border advocate says, nobody stays at the amusement park after they shut off the rides for the night.

[DieHard the Hunter]

> we have gone beyond worrying about illegal immigration to demonizing the immigrants themselves.

At risk of getting FLAMED (remember: I am on your side) there is no such thing as an Illegal IMMIGRANT. Immigrants follow the rules for getting into your country legally. Illegal ALIENS are the problem. There is nothing wrong with Immigrants. But Illegal Aliens invade your homeland and are unwanted guests.

Terminology fuels this debate: ninnyhammer articles that perpetuate the myth of an "Illegal Immigrant" ought instead to focus on the Loch Ness Monster, or Bigfoot, or UFOs at Roswell: because ALL OF THESE DO NOT EXIST, yet it is only the latter three don't cause problems to your national security and social fabric.

Just a view from DownUnder
"DieHard"