Thoughts, re: ICE / The Shootings of Alex Pretti & Renee Good

1. If you can be shot dead for lawfully carrying a holstered gun, you do not have "the right to bear arms."

2. Kyle Rittenhouse, a civilian, crossed state lines with a semi-automatic rifle and shot three people during a bout of civil unrest, and was hailed as a hero by the far-right. He even got to meet Donald Trump.

3. If an agency is recruiting on Facebook, using a still of Mel Gibson in "The Patriot" (no, really), and those agents aren't required to have even half the training of actual police, it shouldn't be a surprise when they fire panicky bullets at civilians. (It shouldn't be a surprise, but it should always be an outrage.) "We've lowered our standards." -John Sandweg, former director of ICE 

4. I'm ashamed of myself for not speaking out this vehemently until white people were being killed. I should have wrote or said more when the immigration crackdown eliminated due process, something which in itself is a galling injustice. Rest in peace, Keith Porter, Parady La, Heber Sanchaz Dominguez, Victor Manuel Diaz, Luis Beltran Yanez-Cruz, Luis Gustavo Nunez Caceres, and Geraldo Lunas Campos. Come home - to America - soon, Kilmar Abrego Garcia.

5. The fact that there are, at the time of writing, more ICE agents in Minnesota than states that have thousands more undocumented immigrants tells me this was never about protecting people or upholding laws, but about Trump's feud with Governor Tim Walz. Attorney General Pam Bondi's extortionate letter sent to Walz, suggesting federal presence could be decreased if Walz turns over the state's voter database and other information, solidifies this. 

6. Far-right Christian interpretation of Romans 13:1 - "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God." - is, "if my guy/party makes a law, you're wrong for opposing it." If the meaning of this verse was "don't question authority even if it imposes unjust laws," it would be a sin for Christians to protest abortion in states where it's legal, and Christians would have no right to lament the imprisonment of our brothers and sisters caught smuggling Bibles into countries where there are laws against it. 

photo by Nicole Neri

Y'know What? America Is Great!

Y'know, I'm no jingoist (thank you, Word of the Day app), but even in our country's present dismal chapter, I've had it with America bashing.
It disappoints me that, in the past several months, I've seen many people handling their/our social media access about as well as President Trump handles his. These are mainly people I respect for their intelligence and insight. But in burning anger and disappointment, much of it rightful, they've become just as impulsive and hasty in their words as the President when expressing their feelings online. It's very disheartening. During last year's campaign, I assigned most of the irrationality to the more rabidly conservative among us. In the time since Trump's inauguration, I'd say it's 50/50 for both right and left.

I suppose what got my goat the worst - other than the campaign slogan "Make America Great Again," as if it weren't already - was the lusty, bitter cry that "America is not great! It was never great!"

In the past several years, God has taught me to be grateful for my country and my rights, while being careful not to turn it into an idol - I bear the cross, not the flag, and the Scripture is God's word, not the Constitution. I can say I love my country, and not have to blindly follow or agree with everything that happens in it. But there's a difference between being grateful yet aware, and just being obnoxious, pretentious, and ignorant, impulsively denouncing anything "American," while stuffing its luxuries in my face.

I would have some nerve to bitterly claim America is not great, yet denounce the travel ban and immigration policies - if I think America sucks, why would I want anyone to come here? And it would be incredibly pretentious of me to curse my country, yet expect to be protected by the Bill of Rights. In America, you can be an ungrateful, ignorant jerk, and have the right to be one without fear of a firing squad. That's one of the reasons America is great. I fudging love this place. America is great! That's why I want people to come to here, especially those in need. George Washington once said, "America is awesome. Or my name isn't George Washington."

I saw many people bemoan the ugly parts of this country's history, saying they'd rather live in Europe...because no European country has eras of its history it would like to forget. I'm grateful I live in a country where so many wonderful people vow never to forget the hideous things others have done in our past and present, and strive to provide a future and present where their children won't know segregation, lynchings, unlawful taking of their property, and the myriad of other things that stain our history. I'm grateful to live in a country with so many who are willing to fight those who long to return to those ugly days. I'm glad Christ teaches me redemption, that what is impossible with men is possible with God. I'm grateful I can proclaim that I'm thankful for my country and can't wait to see what improvements we make together - I don't have to hang my head in shame and mutter "Well, I kinda like America..."

America will always have people and events that maim its image. But it's not America's "image" I'm concerned about - I'm concerned about those who have been hurt by the sins of my fellow countrymen. I'm glad to live in a country where progress is possible: I won't resign to hopelessness. 

God bless the USA, and God bless you and me.