Ministers to Protest AZ Immigration Law
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
This Thursday, as the new Arizona law immigration law goes into effect, faith-based leaders in Rhode Island will be holding an event entitled "A call to Prayer & Power on a Day of Danger." The event will start at 12:15PM at the doorstep of Gov. Don Carcieri on the 2nd floor of the State House.
Two of the event organizers - Rev. Duane Clinker of the Open Table of Christ Methodist Church and Rev. Santiago Rodriguez at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church - were part of a Rhode Island delegation to Arizona. Here's what they state as the reason for the event:
"Under the law, more people will be encouraged to turn on each other. More fear will build and be used by politicians and others to save or to start their careers. On both sides of the divide, hard working people will be encouraged to blame each other. Faith groups who attempt to live out scriptural commands to ‘welcome the stranger’ will be increasingly targeted. Discussion and honest questions among people will be discouraged and more rage and anger will be encouraged, as less attention is paid to the systems and people of power more responsible for the actual hard times in both the United States and Mexico and other countries."
"The more ancient spiritual ways tell us of a different way. We can respect all. We can welcome the stranger. We do not have to live in bondage to fear. For people who are trying to walk in these more ancient ways, taught by Jesus and others, this day is an important moment - a chance - of witness and prayer and power."
"We will join hands and we will pray... confessing our own shortcomings in justice and in our lives, praying for the governors and others in positions of authority, praying for the oppressed, and for all workers on any side who are living in fear, praying for the courage to stand and act for mercy and justice in these days of crisis and celebrating in God’s power to act through ordinary people."
Note that one of the ministers involved in this protest - Rev. Clinker - was one of the ministers who was arrested at the State House in 2001 for a "prayer in" against $5 million worth of cuts to affordable housing.
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