Dear Community UCC members and friends,
I received the following letter (below) from my colleague and dear friend, Rev. David Mateo, on behalf of La Mesa in Chapel Hill. He shares it with an appeal for neighborly support as well as to draw attention to the deportation crisis across our nation.
A Letter from “La Mesa"
I greet you on behalf of your Hispanic brothers and sisters, members of the United Church of Chapel Hill who are suffering the injustices, racism, and anti-immigrant climate of this country.
Since 1993, "Tent City" has been a Nazi style concentration camp for undocumented people. It was built by Sheriff Joe Arpaio in Maricopa County, Arizona. This “outdoor tent” jail, in the heart of the Arizona desert, was denounced by Amnesty International for the possible violation of human rights. From there, according to CNN, "He (Arpaio) was ordered to stop targeting Latinos for traffic stops and detention. He flouted the Constitution. He disobeyed court orders. "On July 31st, 2017 US District Judge Susan Bolton found Joe Arpaio guilty of criminal contempt." Two weeks ago, President Trump pardoned Arpaio alleging "ratings" reasons.
In 2014 President Obama proposed the Deferred Action for Parental Accountability (DAPA) program, an executive order to protect undocumented parents of children who were born in the United States. In February of 2015, Andrew Hanen, a Texas Republican Judge, stopped this order the day before its implementation. About five million (5,000.0000) people lost the opportunity to be protected.
Two weeks ago, again, President Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions also decided to cancel the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) program that protects DREAMERS, the undocumented children who have grown up in the United States. 800,000 people will be left unprotected unless something is done before six months. After these malicious actions, we ask, What is the message to our Hispanic community? But more important, What the good citizens of this country have to say and do about it?
Moses and Jesus were also DREAMERS in Egypt. Their lives and destinies eventually changed, but they received the support and compassion of many good Egyptians who supported them. Through history, there have been many good and bad "Egypts" and "Egyptians," and the USA is one of them. Here, we have received the help and support of many good US citizens who have shown us compassion and made us feel welcomed. Others have abused and exploited us, called us criminals, rapists, system abusers and many more.
Today, I appeal to the compassion and solidarity that characterizes every person who appreciates the human dignity, and the clean spirit and loving heart of the members of the United Church of Chapel Hill, so that you may be walking with us in this difficult time of our history as immigrants on the margins and in the shadows. Please, don’t let fear, disinterest, or the lack of knowledge about the topic be excuses to denounce the injustices and the trampling over the most vulnerable people who are members of our beloved church. As disciples of Christ, we cannot allow privilege to continue protecting privilege.
We are sure that your company in this journey as immigrants, will help us to find strength, faith, and hope that our sons and daughters will have a dignified life, as well as a place where they can feel welcomed and appreciated. The apostle Paul summarized it, "Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some entertained angels without knowing it."
Yours,
Rev. David Mateo, M.Div.
Associate Pastor for Outreach & Language Ministries
United Church of Chapel Hill