Tancredo to pope: Stop promoting amnesty

World Net Daily ^ | April 18, 2008 | unknown

[ovrtaxt]

Rep. Tom Tancredo – who vied for the Republican presidential nomination to make illegal immigration a priority issue – suggested in a House speech yesterday that Pope Benedict XVI is encouraging Latin Americans to come to the U.S. to bolster flagging membership in the Catholic Church.

[Missouri gal]

Somebody needs to educate the Pope about this issue. Coming from Europe, he just can’t imagine what a big, open land we have at our border. They can’t picture any country that doesn’t have a closed and well guarded border. I envision a conversation with him that would go something like this:
American: Do uninvited people occasionally try to get into the Vatican?
Benedict XVI: Yes, of course they do.
American: What happens?
Benedict XVI: They get turned away by the security people at the gate, because they don’t belong there and they don’t have any right to be there. Sometimes they get past the gate, but the guards locate them, and send them packing.
American: Oh yeah? Well, we have a similar problem, but we don’t have a secure wall with well guarded gates. See? Here’s a picture of our border (Show photo of open land at the border.) And here’s another picture of heavily armed drug lords driving freely across our border, see? Here are some sex slavers going over the border in this picture. Here’s a picture of some Muslims from the Middle East who got over our border illegally. And here, see all these people running across our land? And do you know how many murders and rapes and how much prostitution we have had in the last year by these folks? Do you know that they are depositing their sick at CATHOLIC hospitals which cannot legally turn them away? Do you know how many hospitals near our border have had to close their doors? Now how do you propose we deal with people like that?
Benedict XVI: Looks like you need a big wall, with a few gates and some reliable guards.
American: BINGO!

[endthematrix]

Some 20 Catholic organizations with national networks have come together to form Justice for Immigrants: A Journey of Hope. The Catholic Campaign for Immigration Reform.

Member organizations include United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB): Migration and Refugee Services, Catholic Campaign for Human Development, Domestic Social Development, International Justice and Peace, Hispanic Affairs, Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC); Catholic Health Association (CHA); Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA); Catholic Relief Services (CRS); National Catholic Association of Diocesan Directors of Hispanic Ministry (NCADDHM); National Council of Catholic Women (NCCW); National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA); U.S. Jesuit Conference; Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR); Conference of Major Superiors of Men (CMSM); National Association of State Catholic Conference Directors (NASCCD); Catholic Migrant Farmworker Network; Roundtable Association of Diocesan Social Action Directors; The Irish Apostolate, USA.

[buccaneer81]

The Church recognizes the right of sovereign nations to control their territories but rejects such control when it is exerted merely for the purpose of acquiring additional wealth. More powerful economic nations, which have the ability to protect and feed their residents, have a stronger obligation to accommodate migration flows.

If this endorsement of invasion doesn't give you a clue, then nothing will.

[Molly T.]

From your remarks, I'd say you're probably the “nasty little Man”. At least Tom Tancredo has had the backbone to stand up and continue to bring attention to a major problem facing this country...one that's being compounded by a bunch of inept and/or corrupt politicians from both parties who are intent on DOING NOTHING.

You may well call him a “one note charlie”...but that's what it's taken for the people of America to wake up to the mess at our borders...especially the southern one...a problem that should have been taken care of decades ago. I don't care how we do it...but BUILD THE FREAKING FENCE....or put National Guards every few feet along the border...better yet, put Duncan Hunter in charge of building the fence he designed and got the money for last Fall....there is no will in Washington to build the darned thing or to slow down the illegals that are overrunning our nation.

[Molly T.]

I don't think anyone here has a problem at all with immigrants....LEGALimmegrants. As for illegals, well, they seem to be treated quite kindly when they manage to slip into our country and manage to get on every social welfare teet there is....and they even have storefront lawyers, and so called “immigration centers”where they are steered toward every and any...wants they may have...free health care, schooling....and even in their own language....and the list could go on and on...and all on the American Taxpayers dime, I might add.

I don't have a problem with the Pope, but it would be refreshing if he would go down into Mexico and Central America and give those governments a few pointers and suggestions on CLEANING UP THEIR ACT and start taking care of heir people.

[Beowulf9]

“Such a nasty little man”.

He’s got more courage than you. He stands up for our country before the world using his real name.

[devere]

Tom Tancredo, as usual, is correct.

[ovrtaxt]

Now that’s about the only salient point against Tancredo made so far.

[ovrtaxt]

I don't have a problem with the Pope, but it would be refreshing if he would go down into Mexico and Central America and give those governments a few pointers and suggestions on CLEANING UP THEIR ACT and start taking care of heir people.

That's really the needed ingredient in this whole mess. Why politicians and leaders are so loathe to deal with it head-on is beyond me. Sad to see even the Pope shy away from the true injustice that these greedy dictators impose on their own nations.

[beezdotcom]

I certainly see room in that catechism for the Pope to come down hard against illegal immigration. I also see room in there for the Pope to encourage amnesty.

Perhaps Tom was overreacting - but the Pope knows (or SHOULD know) that every word he speaks is going to be viewed in a certain context. It is no secret to the world that illegal immigration is a hot-button topic in this country, AND that the major media often slants discussion simply by themselves dropping the word 'illegal'. It was an...interesting choice of topic for the Pope to address the relatively benign topic of LEGAL immigrants, without any comment on our huge ILLEGAL immigrant issue, don't you think?

And as I have said elsewhere on this thread, I don't think Tom scores any points by picking on the Pope - but that doesn't mean I think Tom is inaccurate.

[rob777]

"Can’t say that his lack of tact matters to me as much as the issue itself matters to me, though."


For me this is more than a simple issue of tact, it is a matter of personal maturity and character. It is one thing to jump into the sandbox with other politicians who constantly do the same thing. I do not like this either, but am a little more forgiving. It is a whole different matter to engage in such childish behavior with a serious moral figure like the Pope, who never would stoop to such nonsense.

[RepublitarianRoger2]

Sorry, but I fail to see what is “childish” and especially “nonsensical” about it. The immigration issue is clearly not nonsense. And regardless of what you think of the Pope — whether you regard him as your divinely anointed leader or as just another human — the fact is that the Church has been pushing their agenda on this issue, and Tancredo is not willing to stand idly by while it happens.

There was quite a bit of anticipation and expectation from the Hispanic community, and indeed from his own Hispanic Cardinals and Archbishops, as to the whether the Pope would address the “plight of undocumented workers.” There were many news articles prior to his visit that speculated on what the Pope would say on the subject.

http://news.ncmonline.com/news/view_article.html?article_id=bc04d3801d04b5574459878a6b83361f
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/nassau/ny-livoic115645806apr11,0,704875.story
http://www.ajc.com/living/content/shared/news/POPE_HISPANICS13_AUS.html?cxntlid=inform_artr

There are more, similar articles on the Net.

Also, a commentary titled “The Political Pope” that is worth reading:
http://www.webcommentary.com/asp/ShowArticle.asp?id=andersonb&date=080418

Finally, breaking with Vatican tradition, this time the Pope’s sermons were delivered in both English and Spanish.

You may think that the Pope is above criticism on this issue, because he is the Pope — and that any criticism of the Church’s agenda is “childish” and “nonsensical” — but the Pope needs to butt out on this issue, period.

[gidget7]

I really couldn't say. I can voice my opinion, which is that Tancredo misunderstood or misinterpreted. We must remember that the Pope is German, and English is not his native tongue. I don't believe he meant that the US should welcome all citizens of the world here, without exception, that would be ludicrous!

[RepublitarianRoger2]

Perhaps Tom was overreacting - but the Pope knows (or SHOULD know) that every word he speaks is going to be viewed in a certain context. It is no secret to the world that illegal immigration is a hot-button topic in this country, AND that the major media often slants discussion simply by themselves dropping the word 'illegal'. It was an...interesting choice of topic for the Pope to address the relatively benign topic of LEGAL immigrants, without any comment on our huge ILLEGAL immigrant issue, don't you think?

Oh, he was acutely aware of the political context of his words. After all, he had just gotten through speaking with Bush in private conversations in which, as reported, he had again pushed Bush for [in the Pope's words] the "humane treatment" of "immigrants." Guess what "humane treatment" means. Benefits? Amnesty? Medical insurance? Drivers licenses? A ban on deportation, even for illegals who commit crimes? Etc. etc.

[beezdotcom]

Oh, he was acutely aware of the political context of his words.

I would tend to agree with you.

[beezdotcom]

but he is not responsible for our immigration policy.

Of course not. However, he IS responsible for any impact his words have in providing cover for illegal immigration apologists.

[A.A. Cunningham]

Best that you see a transcript of what the Pope actually said rather than rely on lapsed Catholic/draft dodger Tancredo to interpret his remarks for you.

[A.A. Cunningham]

I’m sure he wouldn’t defend an ignorant deviant like you.

[mimaw]

So Beowulf9 is your real name?

[Norman Bates]

If you claim to be Catholic you are a great fool to reject the moral authority of the Pope.

I do not subjugate the judgment of the Holy Father to political formulae, whether conservative or otherwise.