A Plea to My Fellow Parenting Advocates

"Each of us must come to care about everyone else's children. We must recognize that the welfare of our children is intimately linked to the welfare of all other people's children. After all, when one of our children needs life-saving surgery, someone else's child will perform it. If one of our children is harmed by violence, someone else's child will be responsible for the violent act. The good life for our own children can be secured only if a good life is also secured for all other people's children."
~ Lilian Katz

Being a parent means that I care more about everything.  It isn't just about things that affect me, or even anything that affects my children, but things that affect anyone's children.  We all have our hot button issues, of course.  For me, peaceful parenting and breastfeeding are two biggies.  However, I also care very much about circumcision, vaccination risks, car seat safety and several other topics that I don't blog about as much (which is one of the reasons for my Facebook page--to share more links!).  I am grateful to all the bloggers and writers who take time to advocate for children.  While you may choose to highlight different topics than I do, we are in this fight together to make the world a better place for our children.  Now I am pleading with my fellow advocates here in the US to consider a new topic that few are writing about:  the DREAM Act.

There are millions of undocumented children in the US who have been forced into a shadow life.  These are children who did not make the choice to come here, and often are not even aware of their undocumented status until they want to get a job or attend college.  Then their world comes crashing down.  They don't know any home other than the US (they can't even visit or else they wouldn't be able to come back to the US).  They often don't speak any language other than English.  They are ethical, hard-working, responsible kids who want to be productive citizens of the United States.

Once they graduate from high school, though, that becomes nearly impossible.  If they are caught, they will be deported.  Can you imagine the terror of being deported to a country you don't remember, that speaks a language you don't know, with no prospects?  So they are forced into hiding their status and praying that they never get caught.  But not getting caught means that they are also denied their potential.  They can't finish school or achieve their dreams.  Regardless of how moral and ethical you are, it is pretty tough to stay away from crime when your only other option is deportation.  Some lose hope and commit suicide.  Some are sucked into gangs and other criminal activity.  Most do their best to be good people and just stay under the radar any way they can.

I understand there are strong differences on both sides toward illegal immigration and how to fix our entire system.  I am not trying to get into that now.  The thing is, regardless of what you believe the consequences should be for the parents, these kids did not choose to come here illegally.  Denying them the chance to become legal citizens is immoral, unjust, cruel and just plain stupid.  It does nothing to help our country or the citizens of the US.  It actually hurts us all.  There is a lot of xenophobic vitriol spewed that is full of misinformation (just like with vaccines, circumcision and other topics).  This isn't an automatic amnesty bill--the requirements are rigorous, and all it does is give them a chance, not a guarantee. 

I don't care what your political views are in general.  This is just a human rights issue.  If you haven't yet become informed about the DREAM Act, please check out some of the links at the end of this post.  Despite the recent defeat, there are many DREAMers who are not giving up.  Read the stories.  Read the legislation.  You have made a difference already by speaking up for children who do not have a voice, or whose voice is too easily drowned out.  There are more children calling for hope, for a chance to reach their potential and give back to the country they love.  Will you please speak up for them, too?

Some of their stories

Fact sheets

DREAM Act Portal

More info

Photo from Pamhule on flickr

A DREAM or a nightmare?

I think that regardless of where you stand on immigration, you probably agree with me that the current situation is a mess. It is a very intense, personal topic for many of us. There is an area where I hope that we can find common ground: the DREAM Act.

Did your parents ever move when you were a child? Mine did. They left Mexico and came to the USA. I didn't get a vote in that decision. Nor did I have anything to do with our legal status or citizenship. Once we were here, I began to forget Spanish and adjust to English. I went to school and was excited about the prospect of college. I obeyed the laws of the US and tried to be a good citizen. Thankfully, my family is here legally. However, there are many, many children who had the exact same choices and opportunities that I did whose parents are not here legally, and they are caught in a never-ending nightmare.

Even though they had no choice in coming here or their legal status, even though they may not even speak the language of their country of birth, even though they may have worked hard academically and have done everything in their power to respect the United States, they must live in constant fear of deportation. There is nothing whatsoever that they can do to fix the situation, no way for them to become legal. Instead, they must abandon their dreams of further education and living their full potential as members of our society and hide in the shadows.

That doesn't benefit our country. It is a squandering of one of our greatest national resources. There is no moral justification for it--these kids were innocent bystanders. Imagine if your parents were from another country and you were in this situation. It could easily have been me. It could easily have been you.

We can do something about this. We can vote. We can encourage our legislators to pass the DREAM act now! Every day that goes by is too late for some. Will you please speak out so that others can get out of the nightmare and live the American Dream? http://dreamact.info/

Blue Christian's Blog

I am so excited to be able to share with you a new blog by a dedicated believer and Jesus-lover who is not a Republican. I think you will find his posts articulate and thought-provoking. Here is the addy: http://bluechristian.wordpress.com/Blue Christian's Blog

Patriotism and Piety

Photo credit Mcwont

As usual, I'll post a disclaimer. I know that this post will likely be offensive to some readers, although that is not my purpose in posting it. I actually waited awhile after all the election stuff so that emotions would not be quite as high (or at least, so I hope).

During election season my inbox was regularly flooded with emails that connected American pride, especially military pride, with Godliness. Furthermore, we (USAns) are the Good Guys, and people from other countries are the Bad Guys. I've seen the sentiment too many times now to dismiss it as a fluke, but it still puzzles me. Maybe because I was not born here, or because so many of my friends are from other countries, I don't see U.S. citizenship as any indication of one's relationship with God.

Don't get me wrong--I think that the U.S. is a great country, and I am happy to live here (although, in all honesty, I think I could be just as happy living in other countries, too). I appreciate all that the members of the U.S. military have sacrificed (although I have also wished that our leaders wouldn't sacrifice any of our servicemen and women unnecessarily).

It just seems to me that somehow, Christianity has become synonymous with nationalism, at least in the minds of some people, and that disturbs me. The Bible actually seems to be quite strongly against nationalism. Over and over we are told that there is no distinction between Jew and Greek in Christ. We are aliens and strangers here. Our citizenship is in Heaven.

Historically, nations arise, enjoy power, then decline. I've had many believers suggest to me that any tragedy that occurs in the U.S., or any waning of our power, economically or militarily, must mean that we are in the Great Tribulation and the End is Nigh. My eschatological views are different, anyway, but I am not convinced that the U.S. is the most important point in the universe, or that God cares more about lives in this country than in China or the Sudan or anywhere else.

What if all of the believers here began to see themselves as citizens of Heaven? If our status on Earth was simply that of Temporary Resident, and the peoples of other nations our brothers and sisters in Christ, would we do anything differently? Would it change our views on consumerism? Would we feel as entitled as we do now to the resources we use? Could it affect our views on immigration policies or how foreigners are treated? Perhaps even our view of military involvement?

As always, if the shoe doesn't fit, don't cram it onto your foot. But I think the questions are still worth asking.

Pro-life, pro-Obama

There is some very good information on this site that is worth checking out:

http://www.prolifeproobama.com/plpo_abortionfacts.htm

Email FWD and Reply--thanks, BIL!

I am pretty sure I am not alone in having an inbox deluged with political forwards. Most of the time I just delete them, but when the religious ones are full of lies or racism, it bothers me a lot. My brother in law shares some of my feelings, I think, and after we both received the following forward, he responded to it and gave me permission to share his reply:

-----Original Message-----

Subject: Fw: Barack, Sarah and the Bible


----- Good morning folks,

I received this email today & thought it was very interesting. I know we all
have been receiving hundreds of emails regarding the Presidential campaign,
however, what I found most interesting were the comments about the Roman
columns and praying to false gods and the meaning of Sarah Palin's name.

Let us seek the LORD while He may be found and pray for mercy for our
Nation. We have become a sinful Nation & we must truly repent and seek
God's face and His favor.

God bless,
[***Dulce's friend, who may not be aware of Dulce's political views]
>
> >>
>>
>> Barack,
>> Sarah, and the Bible"
>> >
>>
>> Barack Hussein Obama has taken the nation by storm. From obscurity, with
>> zero executive experience, or much of any kind, he has vaulted into the
>> position of Presidential frontrunner. It is stunning. On the
>> surface, it appears attributable only to his eloquent oratory and his
>> race. But an invisible factor may be a strong spiritual force behind
>> him, causing some people to actually swoon in his presence.
>>
>>
>>
>> I have been very concerned that he has publicly said that he does not
>> believe Jesus is the only way to heaven. This makes both the Bible
>> and Jesus a liar, and it means that Christ has died in vain. A person
>> cannot be a true Christian who believes that there are other ways of
>> forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life with God. Only Jesus has paid
>> the price for that.
>>
>>
>>
>> Therefore, there is, indeed, another spirit involved. And this
>> spirit has come into our national life like a flood. Last week at
>> Obama's
>> acceptance speech, that spirit exalted itself in front of a Greek
>> temple-like
>> stage, and to a huge audience like in a Roman arena. Obama was
>> portrayed as god-like. His voice thundered as a god's voice.
>>
>>
>>
>> At the end, Democratic sympathizer Pastor Joel Hunter gave the
>> benediction
>> and
>> shockingly invited everyone to close the prayer to their own (false)
>> gods. This was surely an abomination, but it was compatible
>> with Obama's expressed theology, and Hunter's leftist leanings.
>>
>>
>>
>> God was not pleased.
>>
>>
>>
>> And God says, "When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the
>> Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him." (Isaiah
>> 59:19)
>>
>>
>>
>> Enter Governor Sarah Palin. With incredible timing, the very next
>> day, Sarah Palin also appeared out of nowhere. Her shocking selection as
>> John McCain's running mate stunned the world and suddenly took all the
>> wind
>> out of Obama's sails.
>>
>>
>>
>> We quickly learned that Sarah is a born-again, Spirit-filled Christian,
>> attends church, and has been a ministry worker.
>>
>>
>>
>> Sarah is that standard God has raised up to stop the flood. She
>> has the anointing. You can tell by how the dogs are already viciously
>> attacking her. But they will not be successful. She
>> knows the One she serves and will not be intimidated.
>>
>>
>>
>> Back in the 1980s, I sensed that Israel 's little-known Benjamin
>> Netanyahu
>> was
>> chosen by God for an important end-time role. I still believe that.
>> I now have that same sense about Sarah Palin.
>>
>>
>>
>> Today I did some checking and discovered that both her first and last
>> names
>> are biblical words, one in Hebrew the other in Greek:
>>
>>
>>
>> Sarah. Wife of Abraham and mother of Isaac. In
>> Hebrew, Sarah means "noble woman" (Strong's 8283).
>>
>>
>>
>> Palin. In Greek, the word means "renewal."
>> (Strong's 3825).
>>
>>
>>
>> Only God knows the future and how she may be used by Him, but may this
>> noble
>> woman serve to bring renewal in the land, and
>> inspiration.
>>
>
>
The response from Dulce's BIL:

There are several things that stand out to me about this e-mail and the
author's spurious assertions. First, only Barack Obama's middle name is
mentioned. That is not an indication that Sarah Palin has no middle name.
But, it is a classic attack, guilt-by-association. Barack has the middle
name Hussein. This is supposed to make us think that he is somehow linked to
some middle eastern terrorist, like Saddam Hussein.

Let's spend a minute looking at the names Barack Hussein to discern their
meaning.

Barack is a Kenyan form of the Hebrew Baruch, which means "blessed." The
name Hussein means "little beauty" or "little handsome one." The name
signifies the great depth of love the parents have for their child. An
English equivalent, one that comes from my ancestors the Irish, is Kevin,
which also means handsome beloved one. So, I'm supposed to think ill of
someone whose first two names mean "blessed, little handsome one." Oh,
that's so sinister!

Another thing that stands out is the comment that Barack Obama's frontrunner
status comes in part from his race. To be quite clear about this, according
to a study by CNN/Opinion Research Corp, Obama would receive at least 6
percentage points more support if there were no racial prejudice among
voters. (See
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/22/race.politics/?iref=mpstoryview for
more information). The truth is that Barack Obama is leading in the polls in
spite of his race, not because of it.

The next thing that is interesting to me is the notion that Barack Obama's
power of speech causes "some people to actually swoon in his presence." I
haven't found the video on YouTube yet that proves it, but it's a
fascinating idea nonetheless. Ronald Reagan was considered to be one of the
most eloquent orators in American Political history. What does he get
called? "The Great Communicator." In contrast, what does Obama get called?
An elitist that is out of touch with mainstream American values.

The second and third paragraphs of the message are an indictment of Obama's
faith. The article most used to indicate that Obama is not a traditional
evangelical Christian can be found at
http://www.suntimes.com/news/falsani/726619,obamafalsani040504.article. In
this article, Obama's Christian faith seems immature since he is not
convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that he will go to heaven, and he is
concerned that he does not have a lock on the truth and thinks that perhaps
people of other faiths are worshipping the same God and might also go to
heaven.

But in the same article, he states unequivocally that he has a "personal
relationship with Jesus Christ." And, as a sign of that relationship, he
publically accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior when he walked down the
aisle of Chicago's Trinity United Church of Christ in response to the Rev.
Jeremiah Wright's altar call one Sunday morning about 20 years ago.

I personally do not agree that all faiths lead to salvation. And I believe
that I am going to heaven and do not have doubts. But, it is simply wrong to
claim that Barack Obama is insincere in his confession because he does not
believe exactly like I do. Syndney Omarr, a prominent astrologer, was
consulted by Nancy Reagan on behalf of the Reagans before making major
decisions that affected the entire world. But, today Ronald Reagan is
considered to be a person of faith who even based his policies on it. Do we
as evangelicals repudiate the Reagans for their rather confused take on
astrology? No, but we do pass e-mails back and forth questioning Obama's
faith.

I was one of the 38 million people who watched Obama's acceptance speech. I
didn't get the satanic Greek temple vibe that the writer seemed to feel so
strongly. The architectural design for the set was actually Greek Revival,
which was the first truly national architectural style in the United States.
Greek Revival buildings can be found in all regions of the country and were
popular due to an association with classical tradition and democracy. And we
all know that democracy is a bad thing, right?

Since it's old news to try to associate Obama with Jeremiah Wright, the
author goes on to try to claim that somehow Pastor Joel Hunter's leftist
leanings are shared by Obama. Hmmm. Has the author ever read the Hunter's
Northland Church Statement of Faith? You can at
http://www.northlandchurch.net/about_us/What_We_Believe/index.html. This is
a solidly evangelical statement of faith. Again, if the author has an issue
with Hunter it must be because of legalistic reasons, not theological. I
guess since I don't agree with the author in everything he or she writes, I
must not be a Christian either!

Sarah Palin may be a born-again, Spirit-filled Christian who attends church
and has been a ministry worker. However, she apparently suffers from some
interesting character issues that also plague the Bush administration.
First, she values secrecy while proclaiming an open, transparent governing
policy. This is made very clear by the fact that she conducted state
business using a personal e-mail account hoping that no one could request to
see the e-mails using a Freedom of Information Act subpoena. If she is
acting as a Christian in all her governing activities, she would have no
need to conduct any business off the record.

I could go on about appointing unqualified, but loyal friends to high
government positions, how she characterizes anyone who disagrees with her as
"haters," how she has tried to get perceived enemies fired or removed from
political positions, or how she could not answer the question, what is the
Bush doctrine. But, this response is about how the author has painted a
negative, racist, hateful portrait of Barack Obama. Supposedly while trying
to share with us truth from God.

Finally, I'm not sure where the author get's their facts from, but the
according to most scholars, the word "palin" in Greek is a preposition which
means "again" or "backward." See this web page for example:
http://www.drbilllong.com/GrLaRoots/lysis.html.

If there's something in a name, then I'm all for a "blessed, handsome one"
over Bush "again." With our economy the way it is, I want to go forward, not
"backward."

[***Dulce's BIL***]
Obama Biden 2008