Thread: As Pope spoke for illegals, U.S. arrested them

As Pope spoke for illegals, U.S. arrested them

Sunday, April 20th 2008, 4:00 AM

'NO SE DEJEN vencer por el pesimismo ("Do not allow yourselves to be defeated by pessimism)," the Pope, speaking in Spanish, told the crowd that filled the brand-new Nationals Stadium in Washington

His words were addressed to the thousands of undocumented immigrants who, hard as they try, cannot see any reason for optimism. People who, despite years of contributing to society with their hard work and ingenuity, now find themselves increasingly dehumanized and persecuted.

The President and the Pope were all smiles and mutual praise during the visit of the leader of the Catholic Church to the White House. The occasion was a historic one, although for immigrants in the U.S., it was not devoid of irony.

"At the same moment that Pope Benedict XVI was admonishing President Bush that the U.S. must treat immigrants with dignity and humanity," said Douglas Rivlin of the National Immigration Forum, "the Bush administration was rounding up immigrant workers in raids in at least five states across the country."

Rivlin was referring to raids conducted Wednesday by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Justice at poultry processing plants in five states. Close to 400 undocumented workers were detained.

Obviously, neither the Pope's presence nor his words were enough to deter federal authorities from raiding immigrant workplaces and homes.

Undocumented immigrants, though, are hoping for Benedict to miraculously revive such old-fashioned virtues as compassion and human solidarity - and real immigration reform along with them. But even if it does not happen, at least the Pope has raised his voice in their favor.

Speaking to 300 bishops at Washington's National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the Pope upheld the church's tradition of advocating for the foreign-born, asking them to welcome immigrants.

Also in Washington, the Pope went to the root of the problem. The only "solution," he said, is for people to be able to make a decent living in their own countries and not need to leave out of desperate poverty.

"The United States must help other countries develop themselves," the pontiff was reported to have said. To do so, he added, would benefit the whole world, the U.S. included.

At a time when the church, besieged by sexual scandals, is losing thousands of followers, a large number of devout immigrants, especially from Latin America, have kept the number of Catholics from dropping even more dramatically. And they welcomed the Pope's message.

One of them is a man from Guyana who came to New York 18 years ago. He's married with three children, and his whole family is undocumented except his youngest daughter, 15, who was born in the U.S. His name is not revealed for obvious reasons.

"Like every other immigrant, I came here for a better living for my family and myself, but it seems to be falling apart every day because I am illegal," he wrote in an anguished e-mail. "I get scared when I watch the news and it seems like I am going to die here like this. I feel like going back to my country sometimes, but then I start thinking about my kids and that thought goes away.

"I love this country and will do anything to get my green card, but it seems bleak at times. The Republicans, along with some Democrats, just don't care about humans in my situation, and the people on the right speak about family values. What a joke. ..."

Do not be defeated by pessimism, the Pope said. Good advice, but hard to follow in these times of unremitting hostility towards immigrants.

aruiz@nydailynews.com

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He need not worry, because while we were giving the future jumpers a ride back , we were also giving refugees from nations all over the world a ride in ,probably first class plane tickets .

1 mllion legals coming in a year, several million illegals , millions of refugees, visas ,green cards, work and student permits .

My old Nam vet cousin is planning to leave the south and go to a place where he will freeze just to get away form Georgiasthan /illegalville /blackracistAtlanta . I told him they will soon follow , so why bother to move to Utah ! He has nowhere left to run to, it's stand and fight now [ peacefully of cource ] .

I am from the once beautiful city of Atlanta before it was turned into a ghetto because of black racist leaders who used victimhood to destroy it for both blacks and whites . Suburbs are now asians or boat people and other 'refugees'.

He moved to the mountains in N.Ga to get away and raise his grandkid they were there waiting for him ! He better just rent next time because unless eople wake up, they will own us all .

If the pope likes illegals so much, he should have them come and stay with the arch diases in the Vatican. After they've trashed it and taken everything in site, I'll bet he'll feel a little different.

One of them is a man from Guyana who came to New York 18 years ago. He's married with three children, and his whole family is undocumented except his youngest daughter, 15, who was born in the U.S. His name is not revealed for obvious reasons.




Aw-come on. Whats his name?

"I love this country and will do anything to get my green card, but it seems bleak at times. The Republicans, along with some Democrats, just don't care about humans in my situation, and the people on the right speak about family values. What a joke. ..."

It is hard enough to aid and assist those who are here legally while you are stealing the jobs and the welfare from them and from native born Americans. Go to blazes or wherever you came from.

BAAAAA-BAAAAAA and so go the sheep. If you are illegal, GET THE HELL OUT! Work at making your OWN country a better place to live, if you don't care enough to do this, no one will.

I wish people from other countries (and that includes the pope) would but out of our business.

The Pope should instruct his south and central American priests to speak to their parishes about illegal drugs and immigration--that it is wrong to illegally enter another country, wrong to grow drug crops and wrong to support drug and human smugglers.

At the same moment that Pope Benedict XVI was admonishing President Bush that the U.S. must treat immigrants with dignity and humanity," said Douglas Rivlin of the National Immigration Forum, "the Bush administration was rounding up immigrant workers in raids in at least five states across the country."





And what does that tell you, Bozo?

Illegal aliens have no right to be here, they do not belong here, there is no justification for them being here and committing their endless string of crimes, we want them to go and so shall they go.

Too bad the Pope just didn't lead his flock right on outta here.

It's kind of like what my mother used to tell me "If you don't behave, you're going to get it, and I don't care if we have company or not"

The pope's recent statements in America illustrate the reason why there are so many ex-Catholics. Get your nose out of our business.