Lazy and cowardly politics

This morning, as I gaze upon the world's political scene, I find myself drawn to a number of passages, quotes and thoughts.

The first comes from the poem 'New Colossus' by Emma Lazarus - a passage found on Ellis Island on a statue that once signified a proud nation and the hope of a new life for many:
"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free."

The second comes from Edmund Burke; it is a passage that so often I find myself repeating on Holocaust Memorial Day (27 January) as I talk to children about the penalties of letting self and selfishness rule our hearts, actions and nations:
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."

Moving on, in the silence around me I find the words of Leviticus 19 echoing in my ears:
"When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God."

As I pray I find the words of Micah adding weight to my thinking and they lead me to a place where I have no wiggle room; a place in which the moral high ground is obvious and assured:
"And what does the Lord require of you?
  To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."

On the 27th January 2017 - Holocaust Memorial Day - the United States, through an Executive Order  made by the President, effectively negated those words on the Statue of Liberty and the question has to be: "What will the good people of the United States do?"

The only 'true' American is the Native American - and I think history shows how they have fared in their own land at the hands of invading foreigners - for this land of imported people appears to be  populated by jingoistic immigrants led by a man who appears to stand for everything that America used to claim it didn't.

The 'Land of the free' has always been a bit of a misnomer as in fact it has always been a land where money talks and the thin veneer of civilisation is almost nonexistent in places. Another (mis)quote, this time from the pen of George Orwell (and the lips of Napoleon - the eventual leader of the world that the animals create):
"All men are born equal, but some are more equal than others!"

This observation is made as a reflection on the failure of the ideals of social justice, equality, and cooperation that is Communism and yet, are these not these words perhaps the epitaph for America as it formally puts aside the 'land of the free' label and instead takes up the always been there reality of the land of the self-serving, self-interest, and self-absorbed?

On Holocaust Memorial Day 2017, the signing of an Executive Order on immigration finds resonance with the Germany of 1933! Now don't get me wrong, every nation has the right, No - the responsibility, to protect its mationals from terrorism and attack, but this should be done by use of intelligence (a word that doesn't always sit well alongside 'American') and compassion married together.

The problem is that this costs money and takes commitment and Trump, in his 'making America great again' is looking to do it on the cheap whilst creating something jingoistic and worthy of a tin pot nation. Being great at the expense of those around you, building walls of brick and rhetoric, seeking to create 'third world' conditions in other nations; ignoring the plight of the oppressed, the poor, the marginalised - well that's the legacy Trump has (subliminally rather than explicitly stated) inherited and seeks to formalise.

And will our government kowtow to the bully like school kids trying to befriend the big kid in the classroom?

You know, I think it will. I really fear that our Prime Minister and her supporters in Westminster would rather have  'friendship' at any price than integrity at the cost of a 'special relationship' that ain't that special or real anyway.

For a nation that can so easily (apparently) walk away from the strength of a united Europe and look to being 'great' again, it seems there might be little to separate us from the US on many more levels that is comfortable or right; and the belief that we are a nation who stands for what is right might just about to to be shown up for the lie that some fear it might always have been.

I'll leave the last word to Larry Norman and some of his lyrics as he reflected upon the United States he saw:

I was born and raised an orphan in a land that once was free 
In a land that poured its love out on the moon; 
And I grew up in the shadows of your silos filled with grain, 
But you never helped to fill my empty spoon. 

And when I was ten you murdered law with courtroom politics, 
And you learned to make a lie sound just like truth; 
But I know you better now and I don't fall for all your tricks, 
And you've lost the one advantage of my youth. 

You kill a black man at midnight just for talking to your daughter, 
Then you make his wife your mistress and you leave her without water; 
And the sheet you wear upon your face is the sheet your children sleep on, 
At every meal you say a prayer; you don't believe but still you keep on. 

And your money says in God we trust, 
But it's against the law to pray in school; 
You say we beat the Russians to the moon, 
And I say you starved your children to do it. 
You say all men are equal, all men are brothers, 
Then why are the rich more equal than others? 

Father, forgive us, for we know exactly what we do

 Interestingly, someone else has pointed to another Larry Norman song, which seems als to (sadly - as the 'Doomsday Clock' has its countdown deceased) fit the situation before us:

Life was filled with guns and war and everyone got trampled on the floor 
I wish we'd all been ready
Children died the days grew cold, a piece of bread could buy a bag of gold 
I wish we'd all been ready 

There's no time to change your mind - The Son has come and you've been left behind 

A man and wife asleep in bed, she hears a noise and turns her head he's gone 
I wish we'd all been ready 
Two men walking up a hill - one disappears and one's left standing still 
I wish we'd all been ready 
There's no time to change your mind - The Son has come and you've been left behind 

Children died the days grew cold, a piece of bread could buy a bag of gold 
I wish we'd all been ready 
There's no time to change your mind - The Son has come and you've been left behind

The Father spoke the demons died, how could you have been so blind ?
There's no time to change your mind - The Son has come and you've been left behind

UKIP and Immigration: A conversation

I happened across an image of the UK with the words I have added to my version below from UKIP which was accompanied by the words in the caption:

NHS, schools overcrowded, 2.2million jobless, 

wages depressed, houses unaffordable 

CONTROL IMMIGRATION 

My response to this was:

Immigration: Something we ought to have though when we ruled the waves - poor show to waive the rules now!

Enough is enough, at the point of being overwhelmed, there now ceases to be a host community to integrate into.

Guess you're not a Londoner! 
I'm not happy with economic migration but where place of safety is required then we've a moral duty and since we've joined EU, until we leave, transfer of workers is part of package And so I guess the cultures that make our society what it is will have to remain to come, and remain, too!
But what do I know, I'm only fourth generation Cockney :-)Pax

The following questions were asked, but time, space and other factors meant that I copied them and will try to address them here:

Why do Muslims seek "a place of safety" in UK EU US and then seek to change these societies fundamentally?
Throughout the history of our nation we have become home to a number of nations ranging from Jews during the European diaspora past Wirurush and passing the  Bengalis of the 70's  and the Eastern Europeans of today. Each brings their own culture and each gathers into small enclave of national identity at times - and then they integrate into the society and dilute the concentration.

I can understand the concern you have with the issue of Islamic migrants because of those who despite being born here see themselves as something other than British and the discomfort felt when those who reside here speak of conquest and islamification of our land. 

The actions of ISIS militants against Christians and other 'infidel' in Iraq and the radicalisation of those who come to this land from the islamic faith are indeed issues for concern but they need to be addressed in a rational, measured and  open-handed manner - avoiding the developing of racist and antagonistic mindsets that mirror closely the fascist approaches of the thirties (and we know where that led don't we?).

Immigration is a reason for supporting @UKIP every nation has the moral duty of putting the welfare of its own people
Totally right. Every nation has a duty of care towards its citizens - it also has a duty to provide places of safety for those who need them and to welcome workforces from places who will come and work, pay taxes and contribute to the well-being of the nation in which they reside. Those who come and add to the burden that welfare and health care presents with nothing but the view of gaining benefits and healthcare and abusing the system should be dealt with accordingly. But again, the issue of balance and reason have to come to the fore and be presented in ways that do not encourage xenophobic attitudes.

Immigration is a mistake to believe we are in a condition of equilibrium as far as immigration we ain't seen nothing yet?
Now this is one I struggled with as 'equilibrium' in this setting means (I reckon) that we have similar numbers entering and leaving and so the population is run with some status quo situation. I'm assuming you think we will be seeing many more coming in than leave (regardless of nationalities) and  are in danger of being swamped. I can but agree that we do need to rationalise this situation - so how do we put barriers up so that, car park like, every time someone exits the bar is raised to admit another?


Immigration is a real question of justice to the host communities worldwide people do not have a human right to trespass
Again I agree - the right to migrate to another nation is an issue of balance and mutuality and to assume that you have the right to set up home where you like is something that will leave you rather disappointed (I know, I've been looking at how picky some nations are when it comes to letting people settle in their country). The issue of justice is one of great concern to all and not one to be taken lightly.

And there it is, my responses to the immigration issue as it hit me yesterday.

It's a kneejerk response rather than something read about and developed (which I will now do) and is something I think ALL Christians need to have a view on. Here begins my journey.

Pax

Getting our minds right about immigration

Many years ago I placed a poster on the staff noticeboard advertising a meeting for those who wanted to support a 'Britain for the British' group of which I, with my Dutch name, was the Chairman. The Secretary was a chap with a German name and the Treasure was a bloke of Polish extraction.

Few got the joke at first but the point, from our side at least, was clear - three European names attached to three people who couldn't be more British (Cockney, East London and West London respectively) if they tried. Yet there they were, the National Front types, making their claims that immigration was the curse of our nation.

Today I have heard the same views (from a different, sanitised, party) and heard about how it is in the national interest to restrict access - and I don't disagree that when it comes to economic migrants there is merit in this thinking, especially when it means that those whose lives are threatened or are disadvantaged.

In my reality, ever since Windrush's West Indians started arriving, there has been disapproval for those people who, 'Were coming over here and taking our jobs!'  This is what I knew to be the case (as a ten year old) and it was reinforced by Powell's 'River of Blood' (and who knows, perhaps he will be proved right one day I guess) speech and the resultant (1971) Immigration Act (where access for dependent's was restricted) and it is confirmed again today by UKIP (what a fine and upstanding political party they are) and the poster below:

Nothing like the bigotry of days gone by at all:

What does the Bible have to say about it all I wonder? Leviticus 19 says:

“When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God."

Zechariah 7 has something to add too:“Thus says the Lord of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.”

The presence of people from other lands has made my birthplace (London) the wonderful place it is. From the Hugenots and the Jewish settlers (Old Jewry in the city has a wonderful synagogue) through to those from other places today. All that we should ask is that whilst bringing their cultures they embrace, and live within, ours with respect and that we return the compliment.

It is to our pride and credit that we, as a nation, have sent our men to battle for the weak and oppressed and opened our arms to them. 

Please do not support unfair attitudes to immigration - use your brains and hearts the way God intended.

Age, health and language

A couple of days ago I was listening to a programme which ran a piece on immune systems and subliminally made note of the fact that our immune systems cope well with various attacks until we get towards being eighty. It seems that passing seventy is the benchmark that leads us into the reappearance of chickenpox, in the form of shingles, and other ailments that until then have been effectively repressed. Subliminally, somewhere deep inside what passes for a mind, I thought to myself, "Wow, that's the three score and ten bit then. Perhaps after that we're potentially out of warranty!"

Now, looking at my system, the many hundreds of funerals I have conducted yield an average age of 87 and so it seems that the machine is so well designed that, like the old washing machines (some of which I still see in homes running as well as they did thirty years ago) we can just keep on going even though some of the lights no longer work and we leak a bit!

A new item this morning regarding Rashida Chapti, a British citizen, and her husband, Vali. Rashida wants her husband to come and join her but he cannot do sio unless he learns some basic English (an immigration rules requirement). Now this move is being branded 'racist' and Rashida says that her husband, being 57, is too old to learn a new language. Not only that, but (according to the Councillor who is supporting this case, whilst, "There's nothing wrong with speaking English," apparently it isn't necessary.

Now I can understand that perhaps culturally the learning of English is difficult but the reason cited, being 57, seems a bit hollow. Rashida also points to the fact that living in a rural community the forty to fifty hours of teaching required is cost prohibitive (perhaps a better reason than age). Apparently Vali doesn't need to speak English for he could have a job working in the same factory as his wife, but that doesn't resolve the immigration law requirements does it? This is not about age but the cultural, geographic (rural) and societal stuff and to to focus it on age as this morning's piece did is likely to win little support amongs many (especially those in their late fifties).

This is a mixed reaction issue for me, for having living in non-English speaking places (i.e. Southall) I am aware that people do come and settle here and live adequately within their own communities without a word of English (and they weren't just the older folk). I am also aware that across the world you will find Americans who never learn the language of the place in which they now live (including many missionaries who never spoke a word of the local or national languages even though they'd been there for twenty plus years - Brits on the whole at least appear to try).

The problem is that in Hounslow and Southall, it was very much a them and us situation because of the cultural and language barriers. Many of the locals resented the street signs in multiple languages and the fact that the community was one people divided into many because of the language and cultural issues.

Basically I think the immigration law might be correct but it, like all laws and policies, looks harsh and uncaring when it is personalised. There is of course a very simple resolution to getting them reunited, but it won't be popular, in that Rashida could of course just decide that it's time to return home and settle down with her family there. Throughout the discussion this was never offered as a solution - think I might be under-rated!

I see this as a story of desire rather than age and can see many making capital out of this for all the right and wrong reasons. Interestingly, before the new law came in Vali wouldn't have been eligible under the old laws either - so just moved the focus onto something that is 'racist' from something that would most likely also have been labelled such anyway.

Hey ho - life is always difficult when it becomes focussed on individuals!

Pax