Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor

It seems that immigration and border regulation matters comprise an on-going push button issue these days. It's a complex matter, I know, involving social services, economics, politics, potential terror threats, etc. Lots of people on all sides of the discussion stand ready to explode with passion about it. (I listened a little bit to Rush Limbaugh yesterday, and I thought he was going to have a coronary on the air, he was so upset about administration immigration policy.) I don't pretend to understand it all or have any answers. However, there is something that confuses me some.

As a child, I was taught to value the sentiment associated with the Statue of Liberty: "Give me your tired, your poor; your huddled masses learning to breathe free..." My parents and my teachers told me that was an important part of our country's identity and the ideal of freedom. (My dad would point at that, at one time or another, all of our ancestors were those "huddled masses.") I learned that the anti-Irish-immigration sentiment of the 1800's was a negative and bigoted thing; contrary to the values that make our country great. Every four years I watched with pride as Olympic athletes from the United States came in all colors, ethnicity, and national origins. I grew up believing that part of being American was living in a country that would find a way to absorb and value those who came here, for whatever reason. Therefore, I don't get the rhetoric of some of the extreme voices.

I'm not trying to land in any camp, and there are good arguments on all sides. It's just that in my faith system, that of being a Jesus-follower, we have a long-standing belief in extending hospitality to strangers. Recognized or not, it is deep in our value system demanded by our God. As such, even if for sensible reasons, I guess I'm always going to have trouble with posting, "We don't want you," messages where there should be welcome signs.

I'm not trying to make a big point; I'm just wondering out loud. I'll see you around the next bend in the river.