Posted on 03/05/2012 11:12:02 AM PST by moonshinner_09
The recent article about the expansion into Baltimore of the Department of Homeland Security's program to crackdown on illegal immigrants ("Immigrants, city fear divide over status checks," Feb. 26) makes clear the need for real immigration reform. Programs such as Secure Communities, regardless of aim, are succeeding in spreading fear and division and in threatening the stability of the family. Moreover, the program is altering the relationship between federal immigration enforcement and local law enforcement.
The Catholic Church's concern for the welfare of migrants stems from its belief that immigration is ultimately a humanitarian issue because it impacts the basic human rights and dignity of the human person. The Church believes this dignity is undermined by this program's alleged channeling of immigrants into the criminal justice system through racial profiling and pre-textual arrests for the purpose of vetting them for their immigration status. Because Secure Communities is operated at the point of arrest, rather than post-conviction, it casts a wide net over virtually any immigrant who has come into contact with the criminal justice system.
In other parts of the country where Secure Communities is being operated, some law enforcement officers have denounced the program because it creates a lack of trust between immigrant communities and local police, affecting their ability to investigate crime, assist crime victims and ensure the safety of those communities
(Excerpt) Read more at baltimoresun.com ...
I attended Mass at four different Parishes in 3 Dioceses in 2008, and heard implicit calls for Parishioners to vote for Obama. Keep out of politics.
You may PREFER a federal and/or state policy of vigorously enforcing the border and keeping undocumented Latinos and others out of the USA. Your PREFERENCE as to public policy does not begin to rise to the level of an asserted "natural right" of yours. Arrogant Bustard is right (as is quite customary) and you are not.
Also, in response to your #18: Leaders of the Roman Catholic Church or any other church for that matter do not check their personal rights at the door when assuming ecclesiastical responsibilities. They have the same right to freedom of speech, press and assembly as you or me. If you would access Thomas Jefferson's very famous letter to the Baptist Congregation at Danbury, CT (1811) on the subject of the rights of churches under the First Amendment, you will find Jefferson's opinion that the amendment exists to get government off the back of churches while scrupulously preserving the right of the churches and their leaders to give unshirted hell to political leaders and to hold them morally responsible. When the letter was written, Connecticut was an exclusively Congregationalist state and denied to anyone not Congregationalist the right to vote or to own real property. Connecticut gave up that position in 1818 proving Jefferson right and the Congregationalist previous position wrong in the eyes of history if not law (until the 14th Amendment was enacted and became effective).
Giving the morally slimy politicians like Obozo and his supporters unshirted hell is precisely what the Catholic hierarchy is doing on the subject of forced provisions for abortion and contraception in "health" insurance policies under Obozocare. They do not have to trade their free speech rights in to get freedom of worship. Like the rest of American mankind, they have both as a matter of right.
Attempting to push through immigration reform legislation is not a true first amendment issue. It's political activism and that's a separate, distinct issue. Once the Church takes step to force the issue upon the rest of America through legislative dictate or fiat the whole game changes.
Such activism is forcing their beliefs upon others, just like it was with abortion, DADT and gay marriage. The Church is being hypocritical on this issue.
...there's a real irony in American citizens objecting to the US Government violating their constitutional right to religious liberty, while at the same time exercising their constitutional right to free speech.
You can believe that ArrogantBustard is right all you want...I really don't care. I disagree with the premise he is presenting.
They do not have to trade their free speech rights in to get freedom of worship. Like the rest of American mankind, they have both as a matter of right.
So what gives the Catholic Church the authority to tell me, Congress and the rest of America that we all have to conform and accept their vision of "social justice" via legislative fiat?
That is complete and unmitigated nonsense. Speech in favour (or against) some government policy or proposed policy is most definite protected by the first amendment.
Members of the Catholic Church, even bishops, enjoy the same God given and Constitutionally protected rights to freedom of speech and freedom of the press as you do.
Tell me, philman: What other American Citizens to you wish to silence?
I read your posts and smell the sulfrous stench of totalitarianism.
Political activism is not freedom of speech...it's political activism.
Freedom of speech is the counter to enacted legislation derived from political activism.
What gives the Catholic Church the authority to tell me, Congress and the rest of America that we all have to conform and accept their vision of "social justice" via legislative fiat?
You're willing to grant some people (members of the Catholic Church) their rights while denying others (those who oppose the forced implementation of "social justice") their rights.
You should be embarrassed to have posted it.
very one of them ios a criminal, capture and deport every last one of them.
Make it illegal to hire them with heavy fines for the employer.
What gives any human person the right to express his opinion?
That right is God given and Constitutionally protected.
So, you don't like the way somebody else is exercising his rights.
Tough.
That's your problem ... in this (still, more or less) free country, you'll just have to learn to live with people disagreeing with you.
That, or you can continue to look stupid.
That's "Step Two".
Step One is cutting them off from welfare and public schools, driver licenses, and any other government benefit.
Some businesses are bad offenders, but government is far worse.
They're wanting to force upon others their vision of "social justice" through political activism, not the freedom of speech, and legislative fiat without the consent of those others!
Some cynically minded people might even go so far as to say that they're blackmailing the political parties into enacting this BS for nothing more than votes in the upcoming elections.
BFD.
That's what anybody who advocates for or against any legislation or policy is doing. And yes, our freedom to do so is God given and Constitutionally protected.
If you can't handle that ... if you can't handle people who disagree with you exercising their freedom of speech ...
You might find North Korea more to your liking.
Some cynically minded people need to get their heads out of their asses.
That's what anybody who advocates for or against any legislation or policy is doing. And yes, our freedom to do so is God given and Constitutionally protected.
But that "freedom" is not derived from the First Amendment.
It's not that hard to get a bill presented and it doesn't even have to be written by Congressional members.
...if you can't handle people who disagree with you exercising their freedom of speech ...
Are you being intentionally obtuse? I don't have a problem with people exercising their freedom of speech.
I can't handle people using the heavy hand of government through the enactment of legislation garnered by nothing more than political activism to force their personal religious beliefs on me against my will.
You might find North Korea more to your liking.
It sounds as if you might find it more to your liking than I.
Some cynically minded people need to get their heads out of their asses.
It's a good thing I'm not a cynically minded person.
I attended Mass at four different Parishes in 3 Diocees in 2008, and heard implicit calls for Parishiners to vote for Obama in each one. Keep out of politics.
Tucson Bishop Kicanas Testifies Before Congress, Urges Federal Action on Immigration Reform (USCCB)
First thing you posted right. They SHOULD shut up about that vis-a-vis the law/govt. They SHOULD enforce the Church's law in their own purview - the congregation.
They give communion to people who publicly support abortion. They are hypocrites. They are doing this (illegal immigration support) because the peasants from south of the border go to their churches and give them money.
Nice ... thanks for the honesty.
What OTHER American Citizens would you like to silence?
Your attitude is disgraceful.
Baloney. Your entire presence on this thread has been a bitchfest against people you don't like exercising their freedom of speech.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.