A Moral Crisis

TAKE BACK OUR COUNTRY
PROTECT OUR BORDERS NOW
ENFORCE OUR LAWS NOW

These three statements adorned signs at the end of my street as I drove past today.
I do not know who placed them, they were not identified.
I suppose anonymity is their right.
I cannot be sure of their meaning, although I believe they refer to the situation of the children coming from Central America.

I was unsure what to do.
My first thought was to tear them down.
That would go against my believe in free speech.
My next thought was to make my own signs, but I felt my signs might not stand there long.

So I write.

I agree we should take back our country, protect our borders, and enforce our laws.
I believe we should protect our borders from terrorists and enemies, not children risking their lives to flee hunger, poverty, and prosecution.
I believe we should enforce our laws, fairly, regardless of color, language, or country of origin.
I believe we should take back our country, from those who would steal FROM it, the very fundamentals it was founded on.

There is a moral crisis in this country, and the time is well past to sit quietly and allow it to continue.  Much as William Lloyd Garrison stated in 1831, "I do not wish to think, or speak, or write, with moderation. . . . I am in earnest -- I will not equivocate -- I will not excuse -- I will not retreat a single inch -- AND I WILL BE HEARD."
Garrison spoke of the great moral crisis of his time, slavery.
Today the moral crisis is one that says, "I have mine, get your own, I will not share."
It has lead to an unconscionable inequality in the distribution of wealth, that threatens to destroy our society.
It is contrary to the fundamentals of Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and most religions.
It is contrary to the thinking of people without faith who share the belief that mankind should live in peace.
It is contrary to the fundamentals on which this nation is founded, that all men are created equal, that we are a government of the people, by the people, and for the people, that we are a light on the hill to which others should look for an example of fairness, equality, and kindness.

It is what so many have died to protect since 1775.

If we fail to speak out in this crisis, then we are complicit in it.
We cannot afford to be.

We can disagree about individual political philosophies, but we should never tolerate a doctrine of hatred, of discrimination, or selfishness.
For someday we will all be asked:
When I was hungry, did you feed me?
When I was thirsty, did you gave me drink?
When I was a stranger, did you welcomed me?
When I was naked, did you clothed me?
When I was sick, did you care for me?
When I was in prison, did you visit me?

How will we answer? 
How will we be heard?