From the program handed out during the evening of the panel I beleive sums up the panel and it's purpose from the Methodist church's viewpoint very well:
Faith & Politics: U.S. Immigration Policy
First United Methodist Church
Panel Discussion September 10, 2008
Many leaders, citizens and advocacy groups are calling for immigration policy reform. Estimates of the number of illegal/undocumented immigrants range between 12 to 14 million with the majority coming from Mexico and Central America. Approximately 40 percent live in California. Modesto of these immigrants is employed in low-paying jobs that citizens seem unwilling to do and have become vital to our economy. The Biblical mandate of radical hospitality encourages us to welcome strangers and aliens as citizens and neighbors. Many people of faith have led protests against deportations by ICE (Immigration & Customs Enforcement) as Homeland Security has increased the enforcement efforts. Yet, general concerns for security have increased since 9/11. On October 26, 2006 President Bush signed into law the "Secure Fence Act of 2006", which authorized the construction of a 700- mile wall along the border between Mexico and the U.S. debate has shifted from a focus on whether this decision was wise to how we can fund a wall for the remaining 1,400 miles. Congress is debating the SAVE act (Secure America through Verification and Enforcement). Californians are struggling to balance a budget and are concerned about how many resources are used for undocumented immigrants.
The General Board of Church & Society of the United Methodist Church calls for reform, which will allow for five priorities:
Guest worker visas with a path to citizenship
Protect workers
Reunite families
Restore the rule of law
Enhance security.
Tonight we listen and learn from three panelists who have been involved in thinking about immigration issues to help us as people of faith to sort though the many complex issues.
Stanford:
For the complete story in the Modesto Bee that sums up the forum VERY WELL – please visit this link:
http://www.modbee.com/local/story/425980.html
And then the reflections on a clique:
I had mistakenly thought that the forum was the previous night, and had showed up for it, fortunate enough to walk in on what appeared to be a board of director’s meeting of the church. They politely informed me that it was the following night. Having just gotten off of work, I had not had time to change and was still dressed in business attire with a tie.
Last night just before the panel speaking with one of the persons that were present when I walked in on their meeting – she said to me that when I said that I was an activist, she seriously thought that perhaps she should tell me that rather than it being held the following night that she should have told me it was held a few weeks later, so that I would miss it all together. The reason for her doing this, she said, was that when I informed them that I was an activist, after they asked if I was one of the panelists, this conjured a vision in her mind of radical chest beating and outbursts – something that the church that organized the event were fearful of when dealing with such a controversial subject.
The Panel was fantastic, particularly Solange Altman – She was also a member of the Charter Review Committee for this latest decade and I have slammed her on the Bee Hive Blog for cutting Latino populations and being obstinate about using census data as a sole base of numbers – it all came down to a numbers thing.
When I approached her during the break, I could tell that she was not terribly happy with me, and this is probably with good cause. But it got me to thinking about other people that I interact with and attack verbally, in print or what have you.
It gives substance to the common definition of being thick-skinned. I do not know precisely what Ms. Altman thinks of me. Though through vast experience of similar situations, I believe that she thinks that I am probably only looking to see what is in the issues for me and that I have no substance to my arguments – including attacks, in print, on-line, etc.
I have never had more than a moment or two of conversation with this person. If all she knows about me is from the Hive, the press, television and side articles in small press papers, I would think that she actually would not have a clear picture of who I am in a professional sense, much less ANY personal sense. But it is obvious that SHE DOES NOT LIKE ME.
And why should it matter? It matters to me because I admire her. After a Modesto City council meeting one night, in which I declared that I had no confidence in the current charter review committee and stated why, pretty much based on the numbers and referring directly to Ms. Altman as having stood fast with using a 10 year old census to justify a 50 percent under estimate of our Latino population, she caught me close to the lobby of the chambers and said, "Hey, you were picking on me…" to which I replied, "Hey, I’m just doing my job.." and cut her off rather abruptly I believe in favor of doing some more of my job and palm pressing people I was a shmoozin’ with.
But it was true. It had nothing to do with attacking her professionally; it was only my resentment over the use of her data to gauge the City’s Latino population, directly as I felt that it applied to District Elections. I felt that it was my duty to point this out and make a big deal about it, because otherwise, no one else would even give it a second thought. And of course with King Maker, Robber Baron George Petralukas at the helm of the charter review committee, nothing I said ever had any bearing on their decision or recommendation. It was all tossed aside. I was given the same respect these same people pay to Carmen Sabatino. And was even compared to him in the most negative way by another one of the charter review committee members.
Throwing the baby out with the bath water. I would not refer any clients to her for legal immigration assistance because I fear that she would retaliate against me by hurting them. That is a fear I have that has no basis in any fact and is a fear of the unknown, because I do not know her. I know more about her, then she does about me. I do not believe that she has any idea of what I do, or the role I play in the community. She may know more than user Activist1, Linda Taylor, but not by much.
Further, though I have no evidence whatsoever, I believe that she would be inclined to use the same tactics that Activist1 uses, in that she would try to discredit me just as she and others try to discredit Carmen Sabatino.
If I had the opportunity to have coffee with her for a couple of hours and explained to her what my primary goals were and what I did on a daily basis – I believe that she would completely change her mind about me. If she could set aside the one point regarding Latino population – though she would probably try to council me on how that would have been better handled, I believe that she would do so to help me.
I think the world of this woman. But I had to call her out on the numbers. No one else would – I had to be the bad guy. But other than that – I think she is great and I admire her very much.
At the panel last night, I could see why.
During the break, I knew that I had done my job – because I never kissed her ass.
What does all of that have to do with immigration – everything – if you don’t see the connection – you don’t know very much about me, nor my activism.
The bits and pieces that I attempt to throw out – do not do justice to the scope of what I do.
Robert Stanford
Community Advocate
No comments:
Post a Comment