Thread: Opening up to immigrants (Boo Hoo)

http://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/col ... 2455c.html

Opening up to immigrants

By ROGER MAHONY, The Los Angeles Times

LOS ANGELES -- It appears fashionable these days, and almost politically correct, to blame hard-working immigrants, especially those from Mexico and Central America, for the social and economic ills of California and our nation. Anti-immigrant fervor on TV and radio talk shows, citizens attempting to enforce immigration laws and the enactment of restrictive laws, such as the Real ID Act, are evidence of this trend. Some of our elected officials are joining the parade, going so far as to call for the closing of our southern border.

This growing hysteria is nothing new: Similar scapegoating has occurred at other troubled times in our nation's history, most prominently against Asian and European immigrants during the late 19th century and during the two world wars of the 20th century. By and large the United States has been able to resist the temptation to close its doors to the world, but not without unjust victimization of "foreigners."

Now we find ourselves in another period of national self-doubt. The war on terrorism has made national security a legitimate concern, and a rising deficit, changes brought on by globalization and even the price of oil have thrown the nation's economic health into question. But as Congress prepares to engage in a debate on immigration reform, we must again resist punishing immigrants for problems that are not of their creation.

Despite the assertions of some, immigrants -- including those who are here illegally -- are a benefit to this country. They work hard at difficult jobs in important industries. Most analysts would agree that if all the undocumented immigrants in California were deported in one day, our state would experience a severe economic downturn. This does not even consider the many cultural and spiritual gifts these immigrants bring to our state and nation.

• • •

To be clear, the church recognizes the right of our country to control its borders, and it does not condone undocumented migration, which serves neither the interest of the migrant nor the respective countries. Immigration should be enforced in a proportional and humane manner.

But the church also does not condone a broken immigration system in the United States, one that too easily can lead to the exploitation, abuse and even death of immigrants. In this land of opportunity, it is unacceptable that immigrant workers labor in unsafe conditions for wages insufficient to support their families. And it is unacceptable that already this year immigrants have died by the dozens in the California desert or in other parts of the Southwest.

• • •

Rather than accept an immoral status quo, our elected officials in Congress should reform, in a comprehensive manner, our legal immigration system. Such reforms should include an opportunity for long-term illegal residents to come out of the shadows -- not to be handed amnesty but to work toward permanent residency. They also should feature a temporary-worker program with worker protections that would deal with the many undocumented workers who cross and recross the border. Finally, it should reform the backlogged family reunification system.

Providing a clear route to legal status for longtime residents and providing legal entry to migrants would not only help cure the excesses of a flawed system but ensure that our nation benefits from the contributions of immigrants participating as full members of their communities. Although some in the public square consider any such rule changes a reward for lawbreakers, we should look at the issue holistically and realistically, and understand that the current law is unjust and must be changed.

Legislation recently introduced by Sens. John McCain of Arizona and Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts offers a blueprint to make these necessary changes. President Bush, who should be commended for placing immigration reform on the national agenda, should work with the bill's sponsors and members of both parties to enact a comprehensive remedy to our broken immigration system.

Our country stands at a critical point in its history. Our heritage as a nation of immigrants is at stake. We should not attack undocumented workers for our broader problems at the same time we accept their talent, toil and taxes. We should not blockade our border at the same time that we depend upon the labor of the immigrant nanny, janitor, busboy and agricultural worker.

As we have in the past, we should embrace our immigrant roots and recognize that newcomers to our land are not part of the problem, they are part of the solution.

(Cardinal Roger Mahony is the archbishop of the Roman Catholic archdiocese of Los Angeles.)

All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be published, broadcast or redistributed in any manner.

Contact
http://www.newsobserver.com/member_center/help/contact/

Cardinal Roger Mahony should keep his mouth shut. He has zero credibilty left, and is unfit to serve as a Cardinal, or in any other capacitiy with the church. This is a guy that protects pedophiles. Do a search on this guy to find out what kind of scum he really is. I posted a small sample below.



http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/05/ ... 8312.shtml

Church Coverup Scandal Hits L.A.
LOS ANGELES, May 16, 2002


In recent weeks, Cardinal Roger Mahony has insisted the Los Angeles Archdiocese does not protect abusive priests.

"We've been very forthcoming to law enforcement," he said on April 26. "You see, I don't want in the church anyone who's abused a child, so the last thing I want is to cover that up."

But Father Michael Baker told the Los Angeles Times that in 1986, after he informed Cardinal Mahony that he had molested children, he was at a meeting where an archdiocese lawyer asked the cardinal, "Should we call the police now?"

Mahony's response: "No, no, no."

In a letter sent to the Times on Thursday, that lawyer denies he suggested calling police and says, "I have never met Michael Baker. I have never attended a meeting with him."

Mahony admits he knew about Baker's problems, but for the next 14 years assigned him to different parishes where he had access to children.

Earlier this week, Mahony faxed a two-page letter to 1,200 priests in his archdiocese, acknowledging that he mishandled Baker's case.

"As your archbishop, I assume full responsibility for allowing Baker to remain in any type of ministry during the 1990s," Mahony wrote. "I offer my sincere, personal apologies for my failure to take firm and decisive action much earlier."

When a lawyer for some of Baker's victims wrote the archdiocese two years ago and told them Baker had confessed to her as well, the church settled quickly.

"Cardinal Mahony did what any other head of a big corporation does," said victims' attorney Lynne Cadigan. "He's going to clean up, cover up and pay off."

Now more alleged victims are coming forward, reports CBS News Correspondent Vince Gonzales.

"It seems to me that the cardinal and the church are protecting its own," said alleged victim Matt Severson.

Late Thursday, the Los Angeles County district attorney told Cardinal Mahony to turn over all documents on abusive priests or face a grand jury.

In other developments in the church sex abuse scandal:


A Baltimore judge denied bail and ordered a psychological evaluation Wednesday for a man accused of shooting a priest who he claimed fondled him as a teen-ager. Dontee Stokes, 26, told police he shot the Rev. Maurice Blackwell Monday after the priest refused to talk to him. Stokes was charged with attempted murder, gun violations and assault.


A retired priest was indicted in Salem, Mass., on three counts of rape of a child. Ronald Paquin, 59, has admitted molesting boys. He was indicted Wednesday on charges he repeatedly sexually abused an altar boy, sometimes in a cemetery. Paquin was being held on $100,000 cash bail pending his arraignment.


The Archdiocese of New York, in a departure from earlier policy, said Wednesday it will report sexual abuse allegations directly to prosecutors, without first conducting an internal review.


The Archdiocese of Louisville was sued Tuesday by five more people claiming they were sexually abused as youths by priests and that the church concealed the misconduct. The latest plaintiffs include four men and one woman. The filings bring to 54 the total lawsuits against the archdiocese since April 19.


A judge ordered Tuesday that all but three pages of medical records concerning retired Boston-area priest Rev. Paul Shanley be made public. The records had been sought by the family of Gregory Ford, 24, who says in a lawsuit that Shanley repeatedly raped him when he was a boy. Ford filed suit against Boston Cardinal Bernard Law, accusing the cardinal of negligence in failing to protect him from Shanley.