Forgive me, father, but you're wrong – in what you said and where you said it.
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Tough words addressed to a cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church, in one of the largest cities in the country.
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Tough, but warranted, based on the Ash Wednesday homily of Cardinal Roger M. Mahony of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles about illegal aliens.
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Actually he called them "immigrants." He's wrong. He should be accurate. They're "illegal aliens."
An immigrant is someone who is in this country legally. A person who jumps the border is here illegally and is correctly called an illegal alien. Please, Cardinal Mahony, check your dictionary.
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Not only was what he said wrong, but he encouraged Catholics to support the lawbreakers. Hmmm, interesting mandate from the Church.
On top of that, he insulted every person who has immigrated to this country legally and become a citizen by following the guidelines and obeying the law.
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That's shameful.
I don't know if his family came here legally, but both sides of my family came through Ellis Island legally, with nothing but small suitcases. They learned the language, worked hard, never asked for a handout, became Americans and made a new life.
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How dare the cardinal insult them and millions of others who had respect for the law and for the borders of our sovereign nation?
President Bush says – and he's right – "America is a nation of immigrants. We're also a nation of laws."
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It appears Cardinal Mahony, who leads a church filled with people who pick and choose which teachings they prefer to follow, is now applying that mentality to the laws of the land.
In that, sir, is anarchy. Inasmuch as your own church is roiled by such activity, it seems to me hat caution concerning the laws of the land is advised.
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I suspect he thinks that because of his church rank and status he would never be held responsible for breaking the law and inciting others to do the same.
The media have described his words as "lashing out" at anyone who wants to restrict the rights of illegals in this country and, in fact, anyone who believes that illegals are lawbreakers who have no right to be on this side of the border, demanding and getting the advantages and privileges of citizenship.
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Mahony calls it an "anti-immigrant" sentiment.
Wrong again.
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It's an anti-illegal sentiment.
The cardinal said he wants Catholics to help "immigrants" and that the Church will continue to serve them even if it's illegal. He called the law stating that anyone who aids an illegal faces penalties "blameful" and "vicious." He said the Church will not "be immigration officers," and that even if Congress says it must be done, his church will refuse.
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His church?
He raised the absurdity of asking immigration status before distributing communion – that's not going to happen. But, the new legal restrictions would affect churches providing "sanctuary," which is – no more or less – than a safe-house, a haven for lawbreakers. It would affect churches (not only Catholic) providing jobs for illegals, housing, education, medical, transportation and even money – essentially providing them with all it takes to begin a new life.
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That's pathetic. If Mahony does this, he'll be enabling people to begin a new life on a lie. It's like building a new house on a foundation laid in quicksand. It won't last. Nor should it.
The good cardinal lives in a dream world, asserting that 9-11 spurred security fears and caused the country to be swept by an "hysterical anti-immigrant attitude." He lambastes the Minuteman Project as "misguided" because, he says, terrorists aren't going to walk across the border.
How does he explain the Qurans and prayer rugs and Arabic books found along illegal trails in Arizona?
More proof of his dream world, Mahony says people are afraid and feel impotent due to the security threat and use illegals as a scapegoat. He says the "bad economy" fuels anger and the only reason the issue gained momentum on talk radio is that people are hurting economically.
Corrections: (a) The illegal issue was a problem long before 9-11. What's different now is that Washington is paying attention; (b) The economy isn't bad; and (c) It's clear he doesn't listen to conservative talk radio – a pity, since he might learn something – because the illegal problem was discussed long before 9-11.
Agreeing or disagreeing with Cardinal Mahoney is one thing, but there's a more important issue. Mahony used the authority of his position as a priest and cardinal to distort the reality of illegal aliens, to involve other Catholics in his blatant declaration to flout the law and, to not-so-subtly intimidate Catholics into believing that what he says carries the authority a Church mandate.
He can bury it in piety, cover it in religiosity and layer it with Catholic guilt, but none of that changes the fact that he's wrong about illegal aliens and the obligation of the Church and Catholics.
One wonders what he thinks as he looks at himself in the mirror each morning but he did say that God wants Catholics "to see in others the face of Christ – not to see a threat or an alien."
I would have expected more reasoning ability of a Catholic cardinal. No one has ever said those people are not human, and if one believes their face is that of Christ, so be it. But that does not change the fact that they are in this country illegally, have broken federal law, and are not entitled to the benefits of citizenship.
His inference is that all Roman Catholics are obligated to ignore that illegal aliens have broken the law and that when they take – and often demand – rights equal to the privileges and benefits of citizenship, Catholics must support and encourage them.
And, of course, pay for it all. But he neglected to speak of that.
The inference, for traditional Catholics, is that by not supporting and condoning the illegals, they're breaching the rules for being a good Catholic and are likely committing a sin.
Now, while the concept of "sin" has virtually faded from the lexicon of the feel-good, progressive, cafeteria Catholics of the American church who pick and choose which teaching best suits their lifestyle, this "order" from the Mahony pulpit is simply more ammunition to put it to the man (the government) and to conservatives (Republicans and others) who are old-fashioned enough to think that protecting our borders from anyone who would cross illegally is actually important and, in fact, should carry the force of law.
What a concept!
Now, when it's proposed that the violation of crossing the border – which now, surprisingly, is a misdemeanor – be changed by federal law to a felony, the illegals and their supporters brazenly mass in the streets in cities like Los Angeles, Phoenix, Atlanta and Chicago, demanding that their lawbreaking be ignored, forgiven and that they be given all the benefits and protections of citizenship.
That these demonstrations took place after Mahony's declarations of his "official" church teachings, that they were very well organized and that the turnout was big enough to capture the fancy of the media – who also love to put it to the government and the GOP and conservatives – indicates that none of them happened by accident.
Whether Mahony knew of the plans or whether the pro-illegal groups took advantage of his statements isn't important. What is important is that his imprimatur of the "illegal status" has gained political currency and given impetus to the pro-illegal movement. No doubt, all those people in the streets have politicians shaking in their boots.
Here comes Election Day. There's goes our border. Say bye-bye to our sovereignty.
Where's God when we need Him?