The ringing of the phone woke me. I had previously been awake and moving around but decided to just lay back down for a few minutes. I could hear Anne talking on the kitchen phone and I could tell it was good, though I did not know why. Then I looked at my cell phone and had a message from Jon. Rosemary has been awarded a scholarship to cover her first year of college by the Kansas City Art Institute. She is presently completing her senior year at the Governor's School of the Arts in Greenville.
While eating my cereal and having my coffee I did some research on the Kansas City School of Art. From all indications found on Google it is a very good school located between two highly recognized art museums in Kansas City. It is fully accredited. I read enough to feel proud of her for choosing to apply there and even moreso for being accepted and being awarded a scholarship.
Before I could get dressed the phone was ringing again. This time is was Anne's aunt Doris calling to tell me that a letter I had written to the Greenville News had been published in today's edition. Rather than talk of the letter, I will attempt a copy and paste here.
Treat Immigrants with the Dignity they Deserve
In a recent article written by David Blanton, director of missions for the Union County Baptist Association, he spoke on what the Bible has to say regarding immigration. It is simply a matter of following the Golden Rule of treating immigrants as we would like for other to treat us. Blanton references the 25th chapter of Matthew which very clearly instructs on the treatment of all people, especially strangers and those less fortunate than ourselves.
With the millions of immigrants living among us we not only have the opportunity but also the obligation to treat them with dignity and respect. Currently our laws and our society are not living up to this obligation.
With the exception of the Native Americans we are all immigrants. We are a nation of immigrants. We should provide for the new immigrants the same opportunities that were given to our ancestors. This includes equal protection under the law as well as being allowed to work and pay their fair share of taxes. The argument that illegal immigrants work and take jobs away form our citizens does not hold up because these people are not allowed to have social security numbers so they can not hold regular jobs.
Many of our illegal immigrants are not here by their own doing. They were brought in as infants and children by parents who failed to do their duty by making things legal for their children. These immigrants only want a chance to fit into our society, to be able to support themselves, contribute to our communities, and pay their own way. Generally they do not qualify for welfare, and if by some chance they should qualify it is most often because our present system does not allow them the opportunity to pay their own way. Without proper identification their opportunities are limited and they are forced to face challenges that most of us could never understand.
My wife and I have befriended immigrants from four continents. All of them are here seeking a better life for themselves and their families just as were our earlier immigrants, by being allowed to work to support themselves and to give back to our community by paying their fair share as well.
We should examine our own conscience to be sure we treating everyone with the dignity and respect that we would like for ourselves.
They had changed form my origional title of Treating Immigrants with Dignity and Respect; otherwise the letter was exactly as submitted. I was pleased with the change.
The last paragraph was written midday. It is now almost midnight. I will only say the remainder of the day was rather uneventful, but the morning was totally awesome.. enough said...
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