 PART I An Open Letter to… Senator John Cornyn & Senator Ted Cruz And to the 118th United States Congress Members of the House & Senate “We can succeed only by concert. . . . The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise — with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew, and act anew. We must disenthrall ourselves, and then we shall save our country. Fellow-citizens, we cannot escape history. We of this Congress and this administration, will be remembered in spite of ourselves. No personal significance, or insignificance, can spare one or another of us. The fiery trial through which we pass, will light us down, in honor or dishonor, to the latest generation.” — Abraham Lincoln's, December 1, 1862, Annual Message to Congress. Congress must act to pass immigration & asylum reform and enhance border security significantly. Both efforts are critical. It is time for Congress to work together in a bipartisan fellowship to address this issue. It is past time. Do not let the ugly partisan politics of the day or moment discourage you from this cause. Reasonable minds must take appropriate actions; the harsh rhetoric and dysfunctional politics must stop in Congress. In a bipartisan effort, CONGRESS must now take up immigration & asylum reform and border security to manage the latest humanitarian crisis. Unfortunately, members of Congress across both parties have used immigration issues for decades to gain political points. It has become unreasonable not to consider reasonable bipartisan actions. Congress must act. Democratic and Republican lawmakers have failed for decades to create a functioning immigration system. The inflammatory rhetoric, ugly speech, open hostility, and enmity must cease. You must meet upon the level and the square to do your best. Please do what you were sent to Washington to do: legislate and govern. The Department of Homeland Security is straining to manage a new influx of migrants. They need more funding, resources, technology, and facilities that only Congress can approve. Congress needs to act immediately. They can no longer ignore these issues out of political inconvenience, passing on the responsibility to each Presidential administration and blaming whoever sits in the White House or DHS from either party. American citizens deserve better governance from Congress. As a whole, Americans must seek the support and action of Congress and hold them accountable for any inaction. We need effective and responsible leaders to step up and lead through bipartisan efforts that take the country beyond all political motivations. Building walls along the border will never work in a world where mass migrations are driven by economic inequity and climate change. Walls will not stop the flow of illegal drugs causing an epidemic of deaths across America. Instead, we need a higher level of sophisticated technology and more resources to protect the border. In addition, we need to make Marshal Plan investments in the home countries of migrants so that they can live safely and securely within their country’s borders, offering them opportunities at home. And we must write and pass reasonable legislation to address immigration and asylum reform. Finally, we must create a path for Dreamers, educated in America at American schools, colleges, and universities. The talents of Dreamers must not be wasted and lost; they are Americans and part of America's future. For the nation's sake, you must act now, for taking no action is unacceptable to the nation. Nor should the last administration's intentionally cruel policies and actions be repeated; they are anathema to who we are as a people of faith and as Americans. We must disenthrall ourselves from this past. Sincerely, Ron Starbuck Publisher – CEO Saint Julian Press, Inc. Houston, Texas 77008 http://www.saintjulianpress.com/index.html George W. Bush Institute on Immigration The EconomistComments are closed.
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Publisher's BlogRON STARBUCK is the Publisher/CEO/Executive Editor of Saint Julian Press, Inc., in Houston, Texas; a poet and writer, an Episcopalian, and author of There Is Something About Being An Episcopalian, When Angels Are Born, Wheels Turning Inward, and most recently A Pilgrimage of Churches, four rich collections of poetry, following a poet’s mythic and spiritual journey that crosses easily onto the paths of many contemplative traditions. Archives
August 2024
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