Six church leaders send Alabama governor letter seeking his support to repeal state

Six church leaders send Alabama governor letter seeking his support to repeal state immigration law

al.com
By Kent Faulk -- The Birmingham News
Updated: Monday, December 19, 2011, 9:17 AM

A half-dozen religious leaders this morning delivered a letter to Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley's office asking him in the spirit of the Christmas season to support the repeal of the state's immigration law -- the Beason-Hammon Act.

"We are writing to let you know that we are praying for you as you consider the multitude of problems caused by the Beason-Hammon Act," the letter states. "In this time when we celebrate the greatest of gifts, we pray that you will show great political courage and leadership and support the repeal of this unfortunate legislation that has brought such heartache to our State."

(Letter to Gov. Bentley: http://media.al.com/spotnews/other/L...%20Bentley.pdf )

The letter is signed by: Henry N. Parsley Jr., bishop of the Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Alabama; The Most Rev. Robert J. Baker, of the Catholic Diocese in Birmingham; The Most Rev. Thomas J. Rodi, archbishop of Mobile; William H. Willimon, bishop of the Birmingham area of the United Methodist Church; The Rt. Rev. Cletus D. Meagher, abbot of the Benedictine Society of Alabama; and Sister Janet Marie Flemming, prioress of the Benedictine Sisters of Cullman, Alabama, Inc.

Short of a repeal, the letter asks, "We pray that you and the other leaders of our State will work together to make much-needed revisions to an unjust and unfair law, bearing in mind certain principals upon which our country is based ..." and should respect the U.S. Constitution and federal laws on immigration.

"People of faith must be free to exercise their religious beliefs in loving their neighbors, whoever they are, without fear of persecution or prosecution," the letter states.

The group of religious are part of a lawsuit that was filed against the state this summer seeking to have the immigration law overturned.

State officials have said there are some things that may need to be changed about the law, but Gov. Bentley and others have not supported a wholesale repeal of the state immigration law.

Augusta Dowd, an attorney for the bishops, said the letter was sent to again let the governor know their views and is not meant to be confrontational.

"These leaders do not want to sit by the wayside and watch, as they believe was done in the 1960s (Civil Rights struggle)," Dowd said. "They will will not be a part of a letter such as was done from the Birmingham Jail."

Dowd was referring to the letter Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote while in the Birmingham Jail to local religious leaders in the 1960s in which he criticized them for not getting involved.


http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2011/12/...nd_alabam.html

Despite church leaders plea Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley will not support repeal of state immigration law

al.com
By Kent Faulk -- The Birmingham News
Updated: Monday, December 19, 2011, 11:14 AM

Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley won't support a repeal of the state's immigration law, despite a Christmas-time appeal letter by a group of religious leaders he received this morning, the governor's press secretary wrote in an email.

"Alabama's illegal immigration law will not be repealed," wrote Jennifer Ardis press secretary for Bentley. "Governor Bentley believes Alabama needs an effective illegal immigration law because the federal government has failed in its duties to enforce the law."

"Governor Bentley recognizes that changes are needed to ensure that Alabama has not only the nation's most effective law, but one that is fair and just, promotes economic growth, preserves jobs for those in Alabama legally, and can be enforced effectively and without prejudice," Ardis wrote. "He will work with the legislative leadership to make sure that everyone who lives and works in our state does so legally. As Governor Bentley said before, there is nothing unkind, unjust or unwarranted about asking everyone in Alabama to obey the law."

(Letter to Gov. Bentley)

A group of six church leaders signed the letter delivered to Bentley's office.

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2011/12/...s_plea_al.html