FILE - In this June 25, 2011 file photo, marchers leave a park in Birmingham, Ala., during a protest against Alabama's new law cracking down on illegal immigration. Now that Alabama has passed what's widely considered the nation's most restrictive state law against illegal immigration, mainstream churches, faith-based organizations and individual members are leading opposition to the act. (Jay Reeves - AP) Baseball’s All-Star Game in Phoenix produced a symbolic protest against Arizona’s anti-Latino immigrant legislation. Unable to get baseball’s commissioner to move the game, the protesters relied on white ribbons to dramatize the issue. Catholicism, as acknowledged recently in this space, has a poor track record in making revolutions. When it comes to creating symbols of support for causes, however, the Church has had more success. With an admirable track record in both symbol and substance for comprehensive immigration reform, this issue “belongs” to Catholic America the way that the Civil Rights Movement “belonged” to the historically black churches. I hope that our bishops will show as much energy in pushing lawmakers towards comprehensive reform as they did in trying to hold back legalizing same sex marriages. Immigration reform is actually more important.
I am among those who believe the Baseball Commissioner reacted badly to the request to transfer this game. After all, the Super Bowl was taken away from Arizona in 1993 because the state denied Martin Luther King deserved a holiday. What if the law allowed local Arizona police to detain Jews or African Americans under suspicion of being “aliens”? Remember that, if injuries had not kept players named Rodriguez, Pujos and Polanco out of the opening lineups, half of the All Star Game starters would be Latinos subject to the same challenges by local police. The anti-Latino Sheriff Joe Arpaio is paying $200,000 in court fines for violating the rights of U.S. citizens he “rounded up” in one of his raids on Latinos and Latinas. So not only have these draconian raids unjustly imprisoned innocent persons, authorities in Arizona like the sheriff have to be taken to court before admitting “mistakes,” and the Latino All Stars ran the risk of such arrests. I’m not arguing here that we should let down our guard about anti-Semitism or racial prejudice, only noting that we Latinos and Latinas have to work harder at getting public opinion to recognize our cause with the same revulsion as for other groups.FILE - In this June 25, 2011 file photo, participants bow their heads in prayer during a demonstration to protest Alabama's new law against illegal immigration, in Birmingham, Ala. (Jay Reeves - AP)
Today, the issue that – at least on paper – unites both the Retro and the Purpose-Driven Catholics of right and left political leanings is immigration reform. The Catholic Church counts on a series of important episcopal statements and continuing lobbying efforts to achieve legislation that would reform the unworkable policies of the present. The effort continues to strive for “comprehensive” reform, which includes, but goes beyond mere policing of the border and includes reuniting of families and a path to citizenship, especially for young people who committed no crime (The Dream Act). True to Gospel values, immigration reform is supposed to put people first and not hew to partisan politics. Our bishops have also rejected the simplistic notion that such human reform can only begin after all undocumented immigrants have been deported.
Symbolic support, while not the same as revolutionary social legislation, is nonetheless important. Its purpose is to rally Catholics for specific legislation that advances Catholic teaching. Invocations delivered by priests at public events and the use of crucifixes, rosaries and religious statues are arrows in our collective Catholic quiver. We have used them in the past to support farmworkers’ unionization and to oppose abortion -even merchandising the items online.
Symbolic support often influences non-Catholics and independents who are thus reminded that some political issues are relevant to an ethical society. In that sense, it is important to choose a proper set of religious symbols in expressing support, ones that will maximize and expand the circle rather than ones that shut out and reduce the supporters to a specific religious belief.
Compare, for instance, the religious symbolism invoked by Texas Governor Rick Perry in calling for a public rally entitled, “The Response.” As discussed by others in the On Faith forum this type of event leaves out Jews, Muslims, Agnostics, Buddhists and – if John Hagee is considered – also prejudices the Catholic faith. I will prefer the white ribbons at this All Star Game and hope that our bishops will adopt that symbolism as companion to intensive lobbying in Washington and a nation-wide education program directed at Catholics in the pews. Why don’t parishes and dioceses declare a “White Ribbon Sunday” for Hispanic Week in September and promote better understanding of Church teaching on this issue? Catholic America might yet hit a home run on this one.
By Anthony Stevens-Arroyo | 05:33 PM ET, 07/14/2011 .connect_widget .connect_widget_text .connect_widget_connected_text a {display:block;}#center {overflow:visible;}.share-icons-wrap {float:right;}
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