Uncle Sam Champions the First Amendment

Bravo Attorney General Alberto Gonzales! I commend your bold decision to launch the "First Freedom Project”. It is high time Americans were reminded by their own government that "Nothing defines us more as a nation and differentiates us more from the extremists who are our enemies than our respect for religious freedom," as you put it in your recent speech to the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention in Nashville, TN on February 20, 2007.

Religious freedom is listed first in the Bill of Rights and is a fundamental freedom on which so many of our other freedoms rest. "Our great nation was founded on these principles, and many of us today believe it continues to thrive because of, not despite of, them." added Attorney General Gonzales. Bravo again!

The department released a 43-page report touting its record, under President Bush, in defending religious freedom. “This area of law has not always been given sufficient attention by the federal government, but from its earliest days this administration has worked to increase enforcement of religious freedom laws, including those against religious discrimination. I am very proud of the report we're releasing today, because it describes a legacy of protection unequaled since the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964” said the Attorney General.

The project will include efforts to inform government officials, employers and ordinary Americans about their religious-liberty rights, but predictably, dissenters such as the Americans United for Separation of Church and State were not thrilled by the announcement releasing a statement on February 22 stating that the Attorney General’s announcement "reeks of hypocrisy." Expect more opposition from humanist and secularist across the land.

DOJ stated that the First Freedom Project was launched because many Americans are unaware that religious discrimination permeates all areas of public life. And so, among the main areas of focus where the DOJ will attempt to combat religious discrimination are education, employment, housing and lending, the use of private land for religious purposes, and public accommodations.


"What [we] have found out is that so often religious discrimination results out of ignorance of the law," stated Eric Treene, special counsel for Religious Discrimination. And so, Attorney General Gonzales added “We are initiating a program of public education, to make certain that people know their rights, and to build relationships with religious, civil rights, and community leaders to ensure that religious liberty concerns are brought to our attention. We will hold a series of regional training seminars for these and other leaders interested in religious liberty. The first will be in Kansas City, Missouri, on March 29, followed by events in Tampa in April, Seattle in May, and others to be announced later. We have launched a new website, firstfreedom.gov, with information on the laws we enforce and how to file a complaint. And we will be distributing informational literature to religious organizations, civil rights groups, and community leaders on how to file a complaint. President Bush declared his commitment to this issue last year by saying: "We reject religious discrimination in every form, and we continue our efforts to oppose prejudice and to counter any infringements on religious freedom."

In addition to the public outreach effort, the attorney general said the First Freedom Project will strengthen protection of religious rights by creating an agency wide Religious Freedom Task Force to review policies and cases. A public-education program will also include a dedicated Web site and literature on how to file a religious discrimination complaint.

"This initiative is needed and should make a real difference. When individuals find themselves in a confrontation concerning their free exercise rights, it helps to have the attorney general and the Department of Justice on your side." concluded Attorney General Gonzales.

The freedom from coercion in matters of conscience and religious expression must be recognized by all as a fundamental human right. Free religious expression is an elemental component of the social order and we are all accountable to preserve it, but mostly our government. I for one am grateful for the Administration’s efforts in this endeavor.

Daniel Garza is President of Council on Faith in Action www.confianow.com

Immigration Lessons from the Past

As long as there have been immigrants coming to America, there has been an anti-immigrant voice. The same sentiment has pretty much been around since the first non-native set his flag on the coastal seashore and claimed the American continent. Five hundred years later, nothing has changed. What is getting old though is that in today’s modern America, old world restrictions and xenophobic arguments towards new immigrants are still taking primacy over much-need practical reform.

History tells us that from 1820 to 1860, most of the immigrants came from Ireland, and western Germany. During the late 1800’s, the Scandinavian nations provided a substantial minority, and from 1890 to 1910, the majority of the immigrant nationals from Austria, Hungary, Italy, and Russia constituted more than half of the total. Each group faced resistance to their arrivals, and many were beset with hatred, discrimination and prejudicial treatment.

The first group of Jews who arrived in the American colonies in September, 1654 were not wanted, and many were forced to move on to Latin America to make their new home. Many more would come to America as “illegal aliens” until the early 1900’s. Today, it is hard to think of America without the contributions of the Jewish community.

During the 1800s, many Chinese made their decision to leave their homeland for America. But, what they found wasn’t what they expected. They were reviled and discriminated because they were “foreigners” who couldn’t speak English and were seen as taking American jobs with their willingness to work for low wages. Today, it is hard to think of America without the contributions of the Asian community.

Around the 1900’s all major cities had their "Irish Town" or "Shanty Town" where the Irish clung together. Irish immigrant ancestors were not wanted in America. Ads for employment often were followed by "NO IRISH NEED APPLY." Today, it is hard to think of America without the contributions of the Irish community.

Consider the following list of shameful policies of the past that were implemented to keep out prior immigrants from entering the United States based on their race or social class:
§ The first measure restricting immigration enacted by Congress was a law in 1862 forbidding American vessels to transport Chinese immigrants to the US.;
§ In 1882, The Chinese Exclusion Act was approved and prohibited certain laborers from immigrating to the United States.
§ Gentlemans's Agreement - A diplomatic agreement made in 1907 by the U.S. and Japan provided that the Japanese government would not issue passports to Japanese laborers intending to enter the US.; under the terms of this agreement, the U.S. government refrained until 1924 from enacting laws discriminating Japanese immigrants.
§ In 1917 Congress passed an immigration law that imposed a literacy test and created the Asiatic Barred Zone Act to shut out Asians. Aliens unable to meet minimum mental, moral, physical, and economic standards were excluded, as were other undesirables.
§ Emergency Quota Act - After World War I a marked increase in racism and the growth of isolationist sentiment in the U.S. led to demands for further restrictive legislation. In 1921 a congressional enactment provided for a quota system for immigrants, whereby the number of aliens of any nationality admitted to the U.S. in a year could not exceed 3 percent of the number of foreign-born residents of that nationality living in the U.S. in 1910.
§ McCarren Walter Act - In 1924, the basic immigration quotas were changed; the new law provided for annual immigration quotas for all countries from which aliens might be admitted. Quotas were based on the presumed desirability of various nationalities; aliens from northern and Western Europe were considered more desirable than those from southern and Eastern Europe.

In spite of all these discriminatory policies, we cannot help to marvel at the many immigrants who made their way to America. In the face of so much resistance and indignation, each wave of immigrants proved their detractors wrong and gave much, much more than they ever took to the collective American experience. Each wave of immigrant groups contributed a richness of intellectual talent, specialized skill, and low-skilled labor that made America the strongest and freest Nation on earth. And what can be said of the courageous defense and loss of life on behalf of a grateful Nation by many of the sons and daughters from these otherwise unwanted minority communities in countless battles abroad.

Many of today’s immigrant class continue to enter the United States border illegally, and are despised for their perceived indifference to American language, law, values and traditions. But this ignores the fact that the U.S.-born second generation experiences dramatic increases in English proficiency, educational attainment, and economic earnings. By the third generation most Mexican Americans no longer speak Spanish at all (note: attaining English proficiency is laudable, but the loss of a language is not something we should be celebrating).

The biggest flaw in our immigration system continues to be its lack of a sufficient legal channel for immigrants who are needed to meet the demand for low-skilled labor opportunities. The consistent chatter coming from the nativists ignores the wealth, prosperity and the high quality of life Americans enjoy because of immigration past. They ignore the economic and social benefit of legalizing avenues for temporary workers that will return more often to their originating country if we offer freedom of circularity instead of trapping them within our raised border walls.

Tamar Jacoby writes in a recent article for Foreign Policy “Between 2002 and 2012, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. economy is expected to create some 56 million new jobs, half of which will require no more than a high school education. More than 75 million baby boomers will retire in that period. And declining native-born fertility rates will be approaching replacement level. Native-born workers, meanwhile, are becoming more educated with every decade. Arguably the most important statistic for anyone seeking to understand the immigration issue is this: in 1960, half of all American men dropped out of high school to look for unskilled work, whereas less than ten percent do so now. Labor-force participation among foreign-born men exceeds that of the native born: the figure for illegal immigrant men is the highest of any group -- 94 percent. And immigrants are less likely than natives to be unemployed… According to estimates, two-thirds of illegal immigrants have income tax withheld from their paychecks, and the Social Security Administration collects some $7 billion a year that goes unclaimed, most of it thought to come from unauthorized workers.”

From periods of economic prosperity and tolerance to times of increased xenophobia and nativism, the U.S. repeatedly has enacted laws and regulations that reflect the prevailing sentiments of the time. Christian America must view immigration as sacred in the history of our families. I for one grow weary of politics trampling on sensible and compassionate immigration policy. Immigration reform has to address a range of economic, humanitarian, social and ethical dimensions, and not get lost in red herring discussions about the impending “loss of culture and values’ or building of scalable walls that will not work. Immigrants are people, not statistics. They are created in the image of God. Immigrants of all races, creeds and legal statuses have all proven throughout history they contribute richly to this blessed country by bringing strong family values and an enviable hard work ethic. We are the envy of the world because of they’re contributions.

500 years after the first immigrants arrived to lay claim on the treasures of the new world, we are still struggling with the immigration issue, by advancing restrictionist policies and classifying the immigrant as less than. I suppose it’s because it is easy to nullify or ignore the contributions of 14 million fellow human beings when they are “illegal” - it infers they shouldn’t really exist. But they do exist, and they very much want to preserve the American way of life, American values, and American democracy - legally.

In these defining times, it is important to remember the lessons and wrongs of the past so that we do not repeat them. I believe that immigration is the civil rights issue of the 21st century, and how we handle the immigrant will be judged by the Good Lord up above.

Daniel Garza is the President/CEO of CONFIA, www.confianow.com

Compassionate Immigrationism

The debate over immigration reform begins this week as Federal elected officials begin what are sure to be knock-down, drag-out, good old-fashioned donnybrooks over comprehensive immigration legislation that seek to address the legal status of an estimated 12 to 14 million undocumented workers now in the country. And while immigration reform hangs in the balance, Christians across the vast American firmament are coming to grips on how to reconcile the biblical mandate to show kindness and love for the stranger while maintaining strict law and order.

Throughout history, variegated cultural and social changes have influenced immigration trends so much that our current law is no longer applicable or workable, but I am convinced that new immigration reform can be a humane and effective expression of law even though t he current debate has affirmed for me that America's cultural and social priorities have so split the public order that many no longer seek to reinforce Christian values of compassion, mercy and love for our fellow man. I know this last statement will evoke feelings of exasperation from those focused on building walls, mobilizing the National Guard to the border, and deporting every undocumented person out of America because they sense I don't get it. Well I do. If you have paid attention, everyone agrees that the problem of illegal immigration in America needs to be addressed by a system that is secure, orderly and fair, and that our elected leadership need to put aside animosity and amnesty to advance comprehensive immigration. We must work to make America a lawful, economically prosperous and welcoming society. That also means we must be firm on border security as it is a basic responsibility of any sovereign nation to stop terrorists and criminals from entering its borders, and stop human trafficking and narcotics smuggling. But my brother, we must also be practical and merciful when dealing with those who have worked hard, supported their families, avoided crime and become a part of American life.

Sadly, I sense that our American society's public policies and laws are moving away from the basic commitments and priorities of committed Christian individuals who make up much of our body politic. In every effort of human endeavor we must always, always remember that we are our brother's keeper, and with that responsibility follows accountability before the very eyes of God Almighty. Micah 6:8 tells us to love mercy, do justice and walk humbly with our Lord – these words require us to show compassion, love and respect for one another. Other Scriptural passages such as Exodus 22:21 remind us of our own immigrant legacy, "Do not mistreat an alien or oppress him, for you were aliens in Egypt." What is important to point out is that these passages address treatment of the immigrant already in a country, and don't say anything about how they got into the country. These verses cry out across the vista of time to every American today to show fairness toward aliens and the immigrant desperately trying to improve their lot in life.

A society that was not long ago Christian is sadly now clamoring to be identified as predominantly secular. When seen through a historical timetable, the change was triggered in a blink of an eye. Hospitality to strangers and show of mercy to immigrants has been missing the advocacy of churches and Christian men and women (even when there is a compelling case to be made that our economy would benefit from such a reform). It has been replaced by angry calls for deportation and loathing of "illegals" and their children, even though the scriptures call on us to be particularly attentive to the voiceless and the defenseless. Surely the political status of a person does not exempt him/her from the benevolent grace of another Christian brother born on the privileged side of a geographic border. Is not the fundamental moral law of the Golden Rule still in effect in today’s modern times? When did we stop thinking that the aspirations of those who are less fortunate are equal to our very own? How about this one - I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me, found in Matthew 25:35?

And yet, migrant workers, specifically the parents, get dismissed as role models because of their social and economic status and are denied dignity and social standing. We cast blame at them when the economy goes bad; blame them for loss of jobs, bloated welfare rolls, runaway medical costs; and we have even voted in state referendums and initiatives to deny their children citizenship even when they are born on American soil to their undocumented parents. The irony is that they are doing much needed work that American employers need. They provide goods and services that make life easier for the rest of us. Yet instead of recognizing and appreciating their work, many people who suffer from the drawbridge syndrome smugly deny them the opportunity of a public life.

By a twist of historical fate and geographical coincidence, my ancestral hometown lies about 60 miles from the southern tip of Texas, past the Rio Grande and into the Mexican border. My parents, grandparents, great grandparents, and ancestors 400 years back were all born in their homes at or near the small provincial township of Garza Gonzalez, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. My father looked to the United States in much the same way that Woodie Guthrie described in a song he wrote about John Steinbeck's novel - "The Grapes of Wrath" - A book written about the travails and hardships of a migrant family from Oklahoma fleeing the dustbowl and the ravages of the depression. One of the verses of the song reads: "They stood on a Mountain and they looked to the West, and it looked like the promisedland. That bright green valley with a river running through, there was work for every single hand, they thought, there was work for every single hand." For years he traveled to California, Washington, Florida and would return to Mexico for the winter and spring months. Many from Garza Gonzalez also heard about the endless opportunities En los Estados Unidos and soon cast their fortunes to the north finding work as immigrant farm workers. They would talk of the inequality they encountered in the United States, and the mistreatment they received because of their social and cultural status. But they would also talk of the opportunities given to them by kind neighbors, new friendships they established with ranch-owners and farm bosses, how in Christian America hope and opportunity abounded. How they would cross the border penniless and return with the hefty earnings they made during the summer and fall months "en los Estados Unidos". As a migrant farm worker until I was 19, I felt privileged that I was fortunate to have lived half of my youth in Mexico and experienced the depth of its culture, its cities and its stunning landscapes; privileged to have been taught the beautiful Spanish language, and fortunate to learn of its history and enjoy its golden age of cinema. Privileged to receive the support and love of extended family and friends who looked to God for wisdom and redemption.But I was also privileged to have been born in the United States and to have spent the other half of my youth here. I was fortunate to inherit America's richness of values, opportunity, and its spirit of justice. Privileged to grow up in a nation where freedom and responsibility have equal weight, and where the son of a farm working family can grow up to work for the President of the United States (I served in the Bush Administration as Associate Director for the Office of Public Liaison at the White House from March 2004 to January 2006). I would not trade my dual-national experience for anything in the world. And maybe that is why the first wave of marchers during the recent immigration rallies were equally proud to raise the United States and Mexican flags. Pride. Maybe Manifest Destiny meant the expansion of the young and brash American Nation, or maybe it meant that the destiny of the Mexican people and the people of the United States would be eternally joined and appreciated by its peoples, brought together to help each other, to develop trade, increase commerce and create a mutual vision of a better world for generations to come. Times have changed in America. Many lessons have been learned and many people have paid a heavy price in the civil rights struggles of the not to distant past. As Americans, we should be able to better understand each other. As children of two nations tempered by a one-time costly and bitter war, we were brought together by a shared history and a geography marked by God's hand. Hispanics who call the United States their home have experienced the loss of their children in the battlefields of foreign lands in defense of our common values and shared patronage. No one can say we don't belong, and that we do not love our country when we have died to defend it. Unquestionably, America's Christian love and compassion has played an integral part in its development, and it continues to shape our future. We must avoid angry and hurtful rhetoric; immigrants from every part of this world have earned their stake to this great country. They are those hard working, honest people who send their sons to protect this nation, Christian men and women who also labor in the voneyards and give compassionately when someone is in need.

The House will soon follow after the Senate with a debate over immigration that will make the Senate sparring match pale in comparison. And then of course, if Senators and House members reach consenus after the conference process, President George W. Bush has said he will sign an immigration bill that offers strong security measures, a tough domestice enforcement program and a temporary worker component. As Christians, let's come together and call on our leaders to find practical and effective solution to their disagreements.

But let us not forget our brothers and sisters in need.


Daniel Garza is President of Council on Faith in Action www.confianow.com
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