Tag Archives: citizenship

Post 2024 Election Insights: Humility and Hope

As people celebrate or mourn the election results of last week, it is wise to consider the varied messages by the voters. Some really good news: there are no accusations or evidence of serious fraud or malfeasance by either party and the current Administration is committed to peaceful transition. Kudos to those elected and those leaving office for their commitment to our process.

Observations

The BIG news: American politics is complex, local, and voters do not always conform to economic, ethnic, religious, social, or political expectations. All candidates must listen to the concerns underneath the issues. The Republican victory is a response to real life problems that people of diverse classes and cultures think are important. The economy and work opportunities, safety, immigration, and cultural sanity were at the top of the list. At the same time, abortion rights were expanded in seven states, and many who voted for a Republican president voted for Democratic legislators.

The Democratic Party was playing catch-up the entire time as they had just a few months to present a new candidate to the nation. There was not time enough to move toward the political center which is where most Americans feel at home. The shift in voting patterns arose from particular concerns. and reflects voters’ resistance to elites badgering, condescending, and exhorting them to vote certain ways or be labeled as foolish at best and other epithets at worst. For example, the same groups that normally appreciate larger federal involvement do not appreciate being labeled and libeled for wanting to keep female and male sports separate. Many moderate to liberal religious people of all ethnicities and traditions grew tired of being considered ignorant or phobic.

Hopefully, Republicans will see this moment as an opportunity for prudential stewardship of the public trust, from shedding excess waste in spending, reforming and simplifying tax policies, moving toward energy independence, and finding solutions for crime and unchecked immigration. At the same time, Americans are generally hospitable to legal immigrants, generous to those in need, and depend on Medicare and Social Security functioning well. Working- and middle-class folks recoiled at paying off student loans, especially those that paid them off in full or worked their way through school.

A Place for Divine Providence

As a Christian, how do I see God at work in this moment? Three things guide my discernment. First, God’s providence leaves much room for human freewill and its consequences. Second, only a moral and spiritual awakening born of the Holy Spirit and touching all of life will reverse the idolatry, immorality, and injustice of the last several decades. This awakening is not a political movement, but a divine invitation to follow Christ crucified and risen. Third, there are moments of opportunity God grants to individuals, communities, and nations to alter course and move in the direction of, “doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly” before the Almighty (Micah 6:8).

President Trump’s uncouth methods and unwise words, and his intense promotion of election interference alienated many. The election of President Biden was seen as a move to moderation and civility. Instead of leading from the center, however, the Biden administration missed their opportunity and chose policies that alienated moderates and animated conservatives.

The second Trump administration has a chance to serve all Americans and promote policies that can unify a very divided and diverse nation. Leaving abortion with the states lets both sides persuade constituencies. Energy independence with proper environmental safeguards will help many economically. Creating a hospitable and secure border will have generational impact. Defending Israel’s right to flourish and make peace with her neighbors (expanding the Abraham Accords) is important. Standing for religious and political freedom around the world are morally wise positions.

Peacemaking Advice

As this transition occurs, may the new leaders eschew revenge and work collaboratively across the divides. Keep your promises with humility. Instead of mass deportations, register all undocumented residents and start the pathway to citizenship and residency. Deport criminals. Screen people at the border. Protect the vulnerable, especially children. Incentivize entrepreneurship. Streamline federal bureaucracies and return power to the states and municipalities where possible. Work with leaders of both parties and balance a budget. No life-altering drug treatments or surgeries for children confused about their sex. Stimulate fresh thinking on homelessness, with new ideas and resources for addiction and mental health treatments. Support law enforcement while holding them to high standards and winnowing out corruption and racism.

May those assuming power understand the gravity and hopefulness of this moment and walk forward with courage, love, and wisdom.

History and Hope: Renewing the American Promise Part Two: Toward Justice for All

The American Experiment in virtue-based liberty is never done…we are always aspiring to live up to the noble values of our Founders and Framers. In Part One, we looked at our nation’s foundations, find much to thank God for…and much requiring repentance and realignment with truth. In this essay, we explore events from the 19th century to the present as signs of blessing and judgment, with the hope that we can live more helpful and hopeful lives.

The decades before the Civil War (1861-1865) saw a nation divided over slavery, with the Compromises of 1820 and 1850 failing to appease of the passions of both abolitionists and advocates of slavery. The British and French preceded the USA in the abolition of slavery, even as Americans boasted about having a freer nation!

Tragedy and blessing: The Civil War officially started as a war for Confederate independence (Southern view) and a war to preserve the Union (Northern view). By late 1862 with the Emancipation Proclamation and early 1865, with the passing of the 13th Amendment abolishing slavery, President Lincoln and many others understood the war to be God’s providential judgement on three centuries of slavery. More soldiers were killed and wounded in this war that all other wars combined. The 14th and 15th Amendments, passed in 1868 and 1870, enshrined citizenship and voting rights for all people.

Tragedy: beginning in 1876 and lasting until 1964, segregation and second-class citizenship for African Americans and other minorities became normalized. African-Americans were the most impacted, while other minorities felt the sting if prejudice through restrictive immigration and outright bans from whole arenas of society.

Blessing: Full equality and voting rights for women were promoted by Abigail Adams and others in the 1780s and 1790s but fell on deaf ears until the late 19th century. Suffragette movements (often led by married women of solid Christian faith) gained ground in particular states before 1900. Finally in 1920, full voting rights were enshrined in the 19th Amendment. It would take several more decades and court decisions to allow full equality for employment and property rights.

Blessing and tragedy: Many Americans boast that we are a “land of immigrants” and that the Statue of Liberty welcomes all (legally). And there is much to celebrate as we think of the millions coming through Ellis Island in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. We are indeed a wonderful “salad bowl” (Historian Carl Degler) of diverse ethnicities and traditions. While we celebrate Ellis Island in New York and appreciate the opportunities afforded to so many, we must also lament the oppression of Angel Island in California and the severe restrictions placed on Asian (especially Chines) immigrants from the 1870s to the 1940s. The open doors of previous decades shut harshly after World War I.

We closed our doors to Jewish immigration and capitulated to severe antisemitism from the 1920s to the1940s, only changing course after seeing the full evidence of the Holocaust.

Blessing: After World War II, the momentum for civil and voting rights for all was unstoppable, though only in 1965 were full rights established. The movement led by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King was one of our last moments of unified advocacy with people from all backgrounds ready to help cash, “the promissory note” of the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution.

The past six decades are their own unique narrative, with bright moments of divine life and tragic moments subverting the values and visions of the Founders. May we delight in the providential progress of our history and humbly continue the journey toward justice so all can flourish.

Does My Vote Matter?

Yes. On many levels, each of our votes does matter.

Cynicism is always ready to win in our hearts as we see the machinations and manipulations of powerful elites, especially the influence of large donors. There are continual cries for better voting standards, especially demanding some kind of ID, citizenship, and periodically refining the rolls so only eligible people vote. These reasonable measures are called suppression by those that want no safeguards and maximal ability to influence results in the name of “access.” Conversely, others wonder if their votes matter in congressional districts or even whole states that are heavily weighted toward one party. These folks see the influence of big tech and social media and wonder if their mark matters.

Yes. Each vote matters. However imperfect, the USA remains a representative republic, and local and state candidates, propositions, and amendments have great impact on our daily lives. Here is a shocking reality: if only half of all eligible voters register and only half of them vote, it means that 13% of the adult voting population elects those in power! Please see this: 50% register…50% of them vote (25% of the eligible population) …and just more than half of these voters elect and approve measures (12.51%…rounded to 13%) …there is a big need for eligible voters to show up and make their voices heard. The percentages are a bit higher in many election years, but huge numbers of our neighbors are unengaged.

Please study the issues carefully and vote. Encourage your neighbors to vote, even if you disagree on some issues. Join with groups that ensure both access and reliability, citizenship and ID, and support both ID and registration drives so all citizens age 18 and older have a voice.

There will always be critics of every election and there will always be some corruption. Stand with reasonable leaders demanding integrity and be watchful for undue influence of large donors supporting what are supposed to be non-partisan efforts to secure the vote. At the same time, do not blindly follow every accusation made by personalities or groups from one side or the other. We are far too quick to accuse those we differ with and exonerate those we like.

Last week I spoke about having winsome voices in the public square. Voting is one way our voices are heard.

Solving The Immigration Crisis: A Call for Compassion and Courage

Hypocrisy is an ugly trait. It is one thing to fall short of one’s ideals and humbly aim to do better; it is quite another to profess virtue while willfully doing the opposite. It is not hypocritical to fail at times, if there is repentance and resolve to improve. It is hypocritical to present oneself as a paragon of compassion and then recoil when called upon to act in accordance with one’s ideals.

Political hypocrisy is on full display as hundreds of migrants are bussed or flown to sanctuary locations. None of the leaders of sanctuary cities complained when these folks were transported under cover of night to conservative suburbs or rural locales. But the moment a few dozen folks arrive in Martha’s Vineyard, suddenly such actions are now “inhuman” “Illegal” and even “akin to the Holocaust.”

Open borders serve no nation well. Neither does xenophobia. America has a wildly contradictory history of immigration law and practice and current systems are in need of reform. Before offering a way forward, balance is needed as we critique the current crises. Some Democratic leaders want a flood of people dependent on state help and they offer rapid citizenship so migrants will vote for their benefactors. Republicans have been unfairly portrayed as White Nationalists for simply wanting order and security at the border. But many Republicans are secretly happy with an endless supply of cheap labor.

How do we make progress? We must start with ending the “either/or” thinking that poisons reasonable policymaking. We can be hospitable and secure, creating pathways for citizenship and residency that welcome hard-working people from all nations. A secure border matters. The wall must be finished and many hospitality centers constructed on both sides of the border with Mexico. Criminals must be screened out and current undocumented felons must be deported. DREAMers deserve a pathway to citizenship while we eliminate incentives for anchor babies and the tragic separation of families.

Legal immigration is a mess. It is cumbersome and expensive and we can do better. Instead of reactive, symbolic actions (open borders, shipping migrants, etc.), Let’s gather people from all sides of the issue, keep the cameras outside (I know, that is impossible!), and forge real policy. For those in the USA illegally, offer a streamlined pathway to normalization with real accountability. ONLY citizens can vote. Apart from basic food, clothing, and temporary shelter, government benefits require registration and screening. Reform the whole system and while this is taking place, take the monies designated to the IRS increases and apply them to border security and compassionate care.

There is no place for racism and xenophobia in our policies. And there is a need for secure borders and screening for criminality and diseases (which can then be treated). Once our agitation propaganda is replaced by compassion and courage, there is hope for our nation and for millions we should welcome to our land.

“Solving” Immigration

USA immigration history is full of draconian and hospitable seasons. Our Statue of Liberty represents the best in our history as Ellis Island welcomed millions willing to brave the journey, go through the vetting and find a new home in a new nation. We have also had horrific seasons of xenophobia and racial injustice, from the suffering of the Irish in the 1840s to the anti-Chinese laws on the West Coast in the 1890s to the anti-Semitism of the 1920s -1940s. Dark chapters indeed. With huge borders with Canada and Mexico and relative economic prosperity from the end of WWII to the 1970s, comprehensive policies were not needed, and many found their way to flourishing.

With the open-door policies initiated in the 1960s and never refined since, we have crises of capacity and compassion, economics and social cohesion. People from nations other than Mexico or who are not officially refugees and follow the rules sacrifice much as they wade through the red tape and often pay thousands of dollars to get legal residency and eventually citizenship. Meanwhile, millions of “undocumented” pour over the border, use our services and find work. Billions of dollars are sent back over the border. Most folks are hard-working and want a better future. Some are felons and need permanent deportation. A few use our porous border to infiltrate as terrorists.

The solution comes in three steps: First, real reform that solves the genuine hardship issues of DACA and refugees, while allowing for screening out terrorists. Pathways for temporary work and long-term residency and citizenship need clear guidelines, fair application and a hospitable spirit. Reform must also not favor foreign students for college dollars and the undocumented for entry-level labor. Second, border security and ICE enforcement must be unimpeded by the misguided and sometimes hostile sanctuary movement. Third, current undocumented and temporary residents who are repeated violent felons should be deported and security personnel alerted to any attempts at reentry.

The above can be done in a matter of weeks with courage and wisdom; however, Democrats must stop vying for cheap votes and Republicans for cheap labor. Both parties are responsible for the mess and it will take people of conscience and intelligence in both parties for reform to work. Security on our borders and screening some from a handful of countries is not racism and xenophobia. Favoring the productive is good common sense and national policy.

Finally, a word to the compassionate: reasonable guidelines and enforcement of the law is not a violation of either the Bible of human pathos. If one feel certain laws are unjust – change the laws! Extreme positions of groups like La Raza must be rejected in favor of inclusion with integrity and a refusal to exchange one form of racism for another.