Saturday, May 1, 2010

THe USCCB Is At It Again--This Time It's Gays And Immigration Reform

According to the USCCB immigration reform must not include gay families


Catholic bishops strongly oppose 'marriage-like' immigration benefits prop
Washington D.C., Apr 30, 2010 / 09:03 pm (CNA).-

The U.S. Senate’s introduction of a proposed framework on immigration reform is “an important first step” towards a comprehensive measure, the U.S. bishops have said. They urged bipartisan legislation which “affirms the rule of law and basic human rights,” but also said they “strongly oppose” the idea of extending “marriage-like” immigration benefits to same-sex relationships. (In my mind, these guys are so bought and so compromised.)

The framework, developed by Sen. Charles Schumer (D-New York), has been endorsed by the Senate leadership, a press release from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) reports.

Bishop of Salt Lake City John C. Wester, chair of the USCCB’s Committee on Migration, spoke on behalf of the bishops with a Thursday statement endorsing the effort. (This choice of speaker has to be a message to the Mormon bros.)

He explained that the bishops support the “general direction” of the framework, including a legalization of the undocumented and improvements to the United States’ employment and family-based immigration systems.

However, he said the bishops “strongly oppose” the proposal to extend “marriage-like” immigration benefits to same-sex relationships. The proposal threatens to undermine the chance to create a “common solution” to immigration reform. (The price for the common solution is gay bashing. Hopefully Hispanics can see they are the new 'gay' for political gain in 2010 and not be diverted by the 'ostensible' support of the USCCB.)

The bishop also voiced concerns about the increases in law enforcement resources. He claimed that the U.S. has poured “billions of dollars” into immigration enforcement over recent years, arguing that this has not solved the problem but has led to the abuse of immigrants in some cases. (It's also led to the abuses of American citizens.)

Bishop Wester pledged support for the inclusion of provisions that address the factors that compel migrants to come to the United States, such as a lack of economic development. This would help prospective migrants “remain in their countries and support their families in dignity.” (Why don't you advocate for white Catholics and Mormons to pick tomatoes as an efficacious penitential practice which would serve the common good?)

“We call for a robust but civil debate. This issue can no longer wait and should not be politicized or held hostage to ideology. Our immigration system is badly broken and is in need of immediate repair,” his statement concluded. (I guess it's OK when the USCCB does it, it's not OK for anyone else.)


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I'll give the USCCB this much credit, they are so totally predictable. It's hard for me imagine Hispanic Catholics would work against their own dignity in order to stop the 'potential' for gays to bring their partners into the US. I certainly think Hispanics are astute enough to see that this is strictly a political move to shore up the Republican (cultural conservatives) party at their expense. This is exactly the same strategy the USCCB used in it's attempt to block universal health care because of the 'potential' for federal tax support of abortion.

It's amazing how those two cultural issues of gay marriage and abortion can be stretched to block important Democratic legislative initiatives. Where was all this USCCB advocacy when Bush was in office signing executive legislation to use embryonic stem cells or extolling the virtues of torture or committing US troops to a war of aggression? A war which prompted the military to ask Congress for a bill that would grant citizenship to illegals if they joined the Army--as long as they weren't gay I guess. Perhaps joining the military and fighting in US wars is the preferred strategy for becoming citizens. The article in the link states that recruitment of illegals could fill all yearly military recruitment needs. Of course those 'potential' numbers would be severely impacted if illegals were given other ways of becoming US citizens.

Yesterday I wrote about the control of thinking as being the fundamental issue for the Roman Catholic hierarchy. The USCCB is betting that their control of Hispanic thinking will propel Hispanics into voting against their own interests, their own families, to defend those defenseless families from gay immigrants. Somehow I don't think Hispanics are that thought controlled.

10 comments:

  1. The reason that the clerical structure is imploding with so much force is that they are attempting to make the unethical moral. This is once again pure hypocrisy and in the intermediate run will be understood as so. At vote and crunch time, they are attempting to apply political pressure on politicians that could be successful. The harder they try, the less ethical they become. I must ask again about this group, Are they even Christian? I find little evidence that they are. They are an ancient structure hell bent on a control that brings not only influence but infallible decision making. They will fail miserably in the intermediate run. I become nauseated watching these weak personalities at work against social ethics. dennis

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  2. Once again, it's the problem, of the Vatican claiming state status - presuming to hand over, as if via diplomatic channels - dogmatic pronouncements - and threats to legislators I might add. Are they the UN? To supersede the UN charter of human rights?

    So they're for human rights. Unless they're not!!!

    Whatever happened to sanctuary???

    Here is Gene Robinson, in tomorrow's WaPo:

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/30/AR2010043001102_2.html?sid=ST2010043001647

    Ok, trying to work on my anger here... Back to square one! (see my comment (#8) in prior blog.

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  3. Dennis, I agree. They are making me viscerally sick. This is not Christianity. This is theological fascism.

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  4. Colleen,

    Agreed and unfortunately, your use of the term Fascism is according to a correct definition of the word. See my comment about Mr. Garcia's use of the term.

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  5. I too am in agreement about Fascism. As a matter of fact, Spain used to be under Fascism, which was completely entwined with the RCC in Spain. The Opus grew up under Franco's Fascist regime.

    That "father" who misused the term (in case someone reading wonders, this refers back to Colleen's prior post to this one) honestly sounds almost delusional to me. And that's cutting him a bit of slack!

    Philosophy seems, to me, a method of trying to disentangle things. It doesn't really provide truth, so much as help one to cut the mental knots standing in the way of truth - in different way than meditation helps cut those knots (for in meditation they are personal, psychic knots we're cutting).

    I too was fortunate to go a Catholic College (Trinity in DC) - during the time of Vatican II actually - when we were urged to seek truth as well. To use our brains, to question.

    If an institution closes off questioning, that institution is unhealthy. Jesus never asked people not to think. He seemed to welcome questions. Certainly there is ample evidence that he questioned.

    Any path worth its salt must invite questions and urge others to its path via "experimenting" with it. The path too must be evident by its fruits. A holy person - even one - is like a sign post. That is how Jesus functioned, I think. That is why the disciples "left everything" and followed him. Holiness is the key. A holy person exudes hospitality/sanctuary. Has no boundaries in a sense. Or none to wield over others.

    Any of this is open to revision. Be my guest.

    I think we've become like a "work group". Peace to all! :-)

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  6. One comment about Hispanics. Deeply embedded in spanish culture is a bias against gays. Particularly among men. Mind you, that is obviously not true in current Spanish politics. But judging from Mr. TheraP, this was how one "grew up" as a spanish male in his day.

    So I'm not sure the church has to "appeal" to hispanics via some kind of "group think" - but it has to do with "machismo" - and it's like a "knee-jerk" emotional reaction.

    On the other hand if the bias against gays is coupled with "immigration reform" - there's no telling which one would prevail! It's like combining "2 devils" and I suspect hispanics will see that ANY hispanic denied rights threatens their own personal rights.

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  7. The USCCB has a few loose screws in their heads and their hearts, well, denying anyone benefits, excluding, rejecting persons is anti-Christ.

    Their consciences are malformed.

    They either want immigration reform or they don't. You can't have immigration reform and be excluding anyone who is an immigrant. It is craziness and ignorance from these US Bishops. What they want is like you say Colleen - to control everybody. They could really give a rats behind about immigrants. They have the same modus operandi in issue after issue and it stalls real change that people need NOW. They need to get off their fat rears and read the Gospels!!! It is sickening!!

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  8. You don't need the New Testament re how to treat "aliens" - just use the Old:

    Jeremiah 7:5-7

    Leviticus 23:22

    Deuteronomy 10:18-19

    But of course all the Vatican can think of is sex!

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  9. Sorry TheraP, Catholics are only allowed to proof text from Leviticus. In this particular case only one verse counts and it isn't about hospitality.

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  10. Dang! Can't get away with anything here! ;)

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