Michael Hayden was an Air Force 4 star general who George W. Bush appointed to head the CIA. The picture he posted on his twitter account this morning is Auschwitz.On Saturday, CNN reported that Senor Trumpanzee is using the outrageous and savage tactic of separating children from parents as a bargaining chip. He suggested the policy is "a negotiating tool to get Democrats to cave on his immigration demands, which include funding for a border wall, curbing legal immigration into the US, and tightening the rules for border enforcement.
Trump again falsely blamed Democrats for his administration's actions, and said they could put a stop to the family separations by working with Republicans in Congress. Nearly 2,000 immigrant children were separated from parents over a period of about six weeks in April and May, according to the Department of Homeland Security."Democrats can fix their forced family breakup at the Border by working with Republicans on new legislation, for a change!" Trump wrote in a tweet.According to reporting by the Washington Post, White House officials said President Donald Trump has calculated he will gain leverage in congressional negotiations by enforcing a policy he claims to hate."I hate the children being taken away," Trump said Friday morning. But Trump suggested Friday in an interview on Fox News' Fox and Friends he would not reverse his administration's policy unless Democrats agreed to his longstanding immigration priorities.
If you didn't guess the man behind the stealing children from their parents was psychotic Santa Monica neo-Nazi was Stephen Miller you haven't been paying close enough attention. This morning the NY Times reported that he was the man you persuaded Trump to separate fazmalies and blame it on the Democrats. Miller: "No nation can have the policy that whole classes of people are immune from immigration law or enforcement… The message is that no one is exempt from immigration law."Meanwhile the United Methodist Church zeroed in on one of their own: Jeff Sessions. In a statement, A shocking violation of the spirit of the Gospel the Church explicitly calls out Sessions as a "fellow United Methodist" and asks him to reverse the Trump administration’s decision to split up migrant families after he claimed the Bible justified it.
In recent weeks, we have watched with horror at the implementation of policies from the Department of Justice regarding the treatment of people migrating to the United States.In early May, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced a “zero tolerance” policy resulting in de facto family separation: children are immediately removed from their parents as they are apprehended after crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. And three days ago, the Attorney General also announced a policy reversing protections for asylum seekers fleeing domestic abuse and gang violence. Neither threat of violence is now considered grounds for asylum.Furthermore-- and in response to the ardent opposition from a wide array of faith communities-- the officials responsible for these policies have recently used Christian scripture to justify their actions.To argue that these policies are consistent with Christian teaching is unsound, a flawed interpretation, and a shocking violation of the spirit of the Gospel.Administration officials have used the Christian text of Paul’s Letter to the Romans-- his first and weightiest epistle-- to justify their actions. The ethical teachings of Romans 12-16 describe that consecrated Christian life requires the duties of love and hospitality. The commandment in Chapter 13 to “be subject to the governing authorities” is bracketed by preceding and following passages containing the command to “love.”Earlier verses detail what love looks like:Let love be genuine, hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord…extend hospitality to strangers. (Romans 12: 9-11, 13 NRSV, emphasis added)Subsequent verses further clarify the centrality of love and its comprehensive nature, stating that all the
commandment[s] are summed up in this word, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law. (Romans 13: 9-10 NRSV, emphasis added)We are reminded by Paul that love is the way.Jesus is our way, our truth, our life. The Christ we follow would have no part in ripping children from their mothers’ arms or shunning those fleeing violence. It is unimaginable that faith leaders even have to say that these policies are antithetical to the teachings of Christ.Christian sacred texts should never be used to justify policies that oppress or harm children and families.Those using the Bible to justify these horrific policies, should also read the prophet Isaiah:
Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees, to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people, making widows their prey and robbing the fatherless. (Isaiah 10: 1-3 NIV)The Trump Administration implemented these policies. They have the power to stop these horrific actions. Join me in calling on the Department of Justice, and especially on our fellow United Methodist, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, to immediately reverse these decisions.When you reach out, be sure to share with them the Social Principles of our United Methodist Church, which uphold the rights of immigrants, oppose family separation, and demand protections for women, children and men from violence.
Like Hitler, Trump and Miller have no religion-- other than Satanism and Mammon-- so this kind of argument will have no impact in and of itself... only if Christians and other men and women of good faith rise up in disgust against them. Let's not forget this in November when Trump's congressional enablers are up for election.
