Friendly Borders
Greetings again, honored brethren, in the name of Clapton, Santana, and Bo Diddley. I come to you now after much labor and studying at the University, and it seems my return comes not a moment too soon.
I understand that legislation has just been passed that would allow the construction of a great barrier wall along the United States border with Mexico, and that currently, legislation to outlaw humanitarian aid to immigrants is being considered. I could say much in the way that the building of the wall is a foolish and expensive measure, and that the States have much larger concerns and better ways to spend their money, but I will speak no more on that line. The true injustice that Congress now ponders is that they wish to outlaw charitable action toward the less fortunate.
I should say now that, to conceal and shelter a confirmed, hardened felon is one matter. To aid a poor traveler whose only sin is the will to take desperate measures to keep his or her family alive is entirely different. An act of kindness toward such folk should merit deep respect, not the repercussion of law. And so against this grave injustice to the destitute, and this flagrant demoralization of truly moral actions, I now read from Bruce Springsteen's Across the Borderline.
[ahem]
There's a place, so I've been told,
every street is paved with gold
and it's just across the borderline.
And when it's time to take your turn
there's a lesson that you must learn:
You may lose more than you'll ever hope to find.
And when you reach that broken promised land
and all your dreams slip though your hand
you have learned it's too late to change your mind.
'Cause you pay the price to come so far
just to wind up where you are
and you're still just across the borderline.
Up and down the Rio Grande
a thousand foot prints in the sand
reveal a secret no one can define.
The river rolls on like a breath
in between our life and death,
tell me who is next to cross that borderline.
And when you reach that broken promised land
and all your dreams slip though your hand
you have learned it's too late to change your mind.
'Cause you pay the price to come so far
just to wind up where you are
and you're still just across the borderline.
Sadly, this country is not the land of hope and dreams that it once professed to be. Where once this nation encouraged the immigration of the less fortunate and the tempest-tossed, the so-called golden key has now turned in the lock, and it not only hinders immigration, but also has lately been grossly ungenerous in matters of foreign aid. Logically, it stands that, if we will not help other countries to stand on their own economically, then their citizens will flee to countries where they can better fend for themselves, and their families. It is a sad day when a government cannot or will not see or act reasonably.
Many immigrants find America not to be the promised land they once thought it was, but a place filled with ignorant fools who want to solve the immigration issue by turning the border into a shooting gallery. If not for the few charitable souls that would clothe and shelter them, the immigrant might stand no chance at all in truly providing for their relatives on the other side. I beg you, do not give in to Congress' stance. Do not be fooled by their laws and terminology. What we have here is the attempt to pass laws against kindness, against virtue, against sheer human decency. When these become outlawed in this form, it will become easier to outlaw other acts of charity.
My sermon ends now. In closing, I ask you, please, do not give up your kindness, no matter what law may tell you. When we lose our kindness, we lose one of the few saving graces open to us as human beings.
Amen.
I understand that legislation has just been passed that would allow the construction of a great barrier wall along the United States border with Mexico, and that currently, legislation to outlaw humanitarian aid to immigrants is being considered. I could say much in the way that the building of the wall is a foolish and expensive measure, and that the States have much larger concerns and better ways to spend their money, but I will speak no more on that line. The true injustice that Congress now ponders is that they wish to outlaw charitable action toward the less fortunate.
I should say now that, to conceal and shelter a confirmed, hardened felon is one matter. To aid a poor traveler whose only sin is the will to take desperate measures to keep his or her family alive is entirely different. An act of kindness toward such folk should merit deep respect, not the repercussion of law. And so against this grave injustice to the destitute, and this flagrant demoralization of truly moral actions, I now read from Bruce Springsteen's Across the Borderline.
[ahem]
There's a place, so I've been told,
every street is paved with gold
and it's just across the borderline.
And when it's time to take your turn
there's a lesson that you must learn:
You may lose more than you'll ever hope to find.
And when you reach that broken promised land
and all your dreams slip though your hand
you have learned it's too late to change your mind.
'Cause you pay the price to come so far
just to wind up where you are
and you're still just across the borderline.
Up and down the Rio Grande
a thousand foot prints in the sand
reveal a secret no one can define.
The river rolls on like a breath
in between our life and death,
tell me who is next to cross that borderline.
And when you reach that broken promised land
and all your dreams slip though your hand
you have learned it's too late to change your mind.
'Cause you pay the price to come so far
just to wind up where you are
and you're still just across the borderline.
Sadly, this country is not the land of hope and dreams that it once professed to be. Where once this nation encouraged the immigration of the less fortunate and the tempest-tossed, the so-called golden key has now turned in the lock, and it not only hinders immigration, but also has lately been grossly ungenerous in matters of foreign aid. Logically, it stands that, if we will not help other countries to stand on their own economically, then their citizens will flee to countries where they can better fend for themselves, and their families. It is a sad day when a government cannot or will not see or act reasonably.
Many immigrants find America not to be the promised land they once thought it was, but a place filled with ignorant fools who want to solve the immigration issue by turning the border into a shooting gallery. If not for the few charitable souls that would clothe and shelter them, the immigrant might stand no chance at all in truly providing for their relatives on the other side. I beg you, do not give in to Congress' stance. Do not be fooled by their laws and terminology. What we have here is the attempt to pass laws against kindness, against virtue, against sheer human decency. When these become outlawed in this form, it will become easier to outlaw other acts of charity.
My sermon ends now. In closing, I ask you, please, do not give up your kindness, no matter what law may tell you. When we lose our kindness, we lose one of the few saving graces open to us as human beings.
Amen.