One of the challenges with events that are prime to provoke ample emotion is that it\u2019s easy to rank aspects of what is\/is not occurring; it\u2019s instinctive to prioritize one angle over another, diminishing or dismissing what doesn\u2019t fit with any predisposed belief or past experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That\u2019s why where we get our news from matters. If there\u2019s anything we\u2019ve learned from the two most recent presidencies, news sources cover\/don\u2019t cover events in a way that fits with what they want us to believe. They don\u2019t cover all things equally nor accurately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What\u2019s also relevant is both the media and the masses (i.e. us) often see all or nothing \u2014 a black\/white approach suggesting all is clear in regard to what is right and what is wrong. We forget how two competing circumstances, narratives or emotions in need of attention and solution can exist at the exact same time. Current events are not so nice and neat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Many are watching what\u2019s taking place in California, in the current friction between law-enforcement and protestors \u2014 and resulting friction between state and federal authorities. The bottom line issue is with illegal\/undocumented immigration. Allow us to objectively elaborate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are persons in this country who are not here legally. Different descriptions are used by different people. Some call them \u201cillegal immigrants.\u201d Some people call them \u201cundocumented persons,\u201d and there are various, creative combinations. The reality is that both \u201cillegal\u201d and \u201cundocumented\u201d are accurate, as the terms describe persons who entered this country by means other than what\u2019s consistent with stated law. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
For years, legal immigration has been a challenge for our legislators to solve; it\u2019s not so nice and neat. The reality is that embedded within the illegal\/undocumented are so-called good people trying to come here for a better way of life; there are also people coming with evil intent, trying to destroy our way of life. Additionally, in this group, there are people earnestly wanting to work hard, earn a solid wage, and improve their family\u2019s future; there are also people coming who indeed want to improve their family\u2019s future but instead via a publicly assisted welfare state. True, too, is that there are parents and children \u2014 parents who entered illegally with children who were born here, making them U.S. citizens. All of the above are in the same boat. So who and what do we prioritize? Who and what do we ignore? And why?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Both our legislative and executive branches have struggled with this issue for decades, evident by the number of politicians who have contradicted their previous prioritizations. But I will give them some credit; it\u2019s difficult to solve an issue when one size so clearly doesn\u2019t fit all. So many angles must be considered in order to solve this issue wisely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What\u2019s happening in Los Angeles is thus hard to react to. The protests began as a reaction to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducting a series of immigration sweeps last Friday. While there has been significant violence, it is by no means a war zone, has been limited in scope and size, but now extends past downtown. Note once more the problem with where we get our news, as stated by Austyn Jeffs of the more trusted The Free Press:<\/em> \u201cThousands of protesters gathered in Los Angeles on Sunday to protest immigration raids, and news coverage of the protests painted two different pictures. On the right, media said the protesters were organized far-left antifa members and Mexican nationalists. On the left, the protesters were supposedly peaceful.\u201d Friends, neither is an accurate representation. The media makes things worse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When I try to find a wise angle to a complicated problem, I often go to what is one of the most poignant interactions I\u2019ve ever known to be true. Even if you are not a Christ follower, let me suggest we each consider, as I think this makes so much sense, and I believe it describes the tension now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Over the course of the life of Jesus, there was an incident where a woman is caught in adultery; adultery violated both legal and religious law. The woman is brought before a public crowd, with a venomous public adamant in stoning her; it\u2019s a just consequence for an illegal act. First, though, comes Jesus\u2026 initially quiet \u2014 maybe making some observations, taking all things in. Then he speaks. He starts by questioning the crowd \u2014 maybe even chastising them. He rebukes them for their lack of compassion and humility. Losing all self-grandeur, the crowd slowly, one-by-one, walks away. Jesus then moves toward the woman, speaking gently but firmly, mincing no words. She did something wrong; he adjures her to stop. And he and she both acknowledge and agree. They call the kettle \u201cblack,\u201d the spade a \u201cspade\u201d or whatever idiom we wish to insert. Jesus acknowledges the wrongdoing and has compassion at the exact same time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So much of the problem with current society is that we struggle with holding those two things. Sometimes our compassion blinds us to what\u2019s right and wrong. And sometimes our understanding of right and wrong obscures our compassion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Respectfully\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n AR<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" One of the challenges with events that are prime to provoke ample emotion is that it\u2019s easy to rank aspects of what is\/is not occurring; it\u2019s instinctive to prioritize one angle over another, diminishing or dismissing what doesn\u2019t fit with any predisposed belief or past experience. That\u2019s why where we get our news from matters. … <\/p>\n