Today we witnessed another skirmish in the real "War on Christmas". As Christians all over the world celebrate the final weekend of Advent and prepare for Christmas in just one week, the U.S. Senate once more dashed the hopes of almost 2 million children and young adults, many of whom have lived in the United States all their lives. The Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act failed to pass a procedural vote today in the Senate. First introduced in Aug. 2001, the DREAM Act would allow the children of undocumented immigrants a path to legal residency by either going to college or enlisting in the military.
As the media prattles on about the so-called "War on Christmas" -- an ideological battle over terminology, at best -- people's lives hang in the balance. Actions speak louder than words. One way Christians can protect the place of Christmas in our society -- indeed, the credibility of Christianity more generally -- is by acting in harmony with its core principles: grace, welcome and hospitality.
But today there was no hospitality, no grace. I have no interest in the universal observance of Christmas in our religiously plural society, but for those who have placed their faith in Jesus, (and I assume some of our dissenting Senators are among them) Christmas took another blow. Those most concerned about preserving Christmas in our culture may want to take notice. Five Democratic Senators joined all but three Republicans in denying children brought to this country by their parents the chance to become legal residents by continuing their education or serving their new country in the military. This is as American as apple pie.
It is more than a little ironic that Jesus, within days of his birth, found himself immigrating to Egypt with his family to escape the tyranny of King Herod the Great who ordered the execution of all male children in Judea. Had he grown up in similar circumstances in our country, Jesus would have been the perfect candidate for the DREAM Act. Many of the children who come to this country without proper documentation, come for the same reason people have always come to the United States and for the same reasons Jesus fled to Egypt -- to escape poverty or physical danger (or both) and to seek better opportunities for themselves and their children. But it seems this Congress would sooner deport children in the name of securing our borders than give them a chance to contribute more effectively to the U.S. economy and a chance at the American Dream.
So this next week, as at least some of the 41 Senators who voted against the DREAM Act sing songs celebrating the birth of Jesus and shower one another with gifts they might bear in mind that Jesus lived and died for precisely the people who would most benefit from legislation like the DREAM Act. In fact, Jesus was one of those immigrant kids himself. Perhaps in the Christmas celebrations this week some might stumble across these words, recorded by Luke, on the lips of the Virgin Mary while pregnant with Jesus,
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty (Luke 1:52-53).
Meanwhile we will have to admit that in the United States of America there is still no room in the inn for folks like Jesus.
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1 Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see
I am not talking about worldy affections such American Citizenship, But Everlasting Citizebship like what paul talks about in Philippians 3:20 But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. I know it is difficult but we have Christ who overcame for us already. They don't want to help in anyway, shape, or form, but Jesus will and HE will connect you to what really matters.
But this DREAM act, there will be a better one next year, would not only "parden" the baby, but the other family members as well.
In other words, if you rob a bank with a baby, you go free!
Lesson, grab a baby and run for the border!
That can never pass. That will encourage more illegals to bring a child with them, endangering those children in the process. Many illegals die each year trying to enter illegally, men, women and children. The only way to stop this is by making the one sure way to NOT get citizenship entering illegally. Every time people are rewarded for entering illegally, many millions more try.
We let in about a million immigrants legally every year. And the country with the most legal immigrants is Mexico. But WE decide who comes and how. If you ever want to see illegal immigration stop, we must make sure the ONLY way to get citizenship is to do it legally.
It is just incredible that the Senate voted this down at this time of year.
Senator Kyle was right about one thing - the work that they did on this one is sacrilegious all right!
We already have granted status to folks on the promise of reform and security back in teh 80's under RR, and that never came about. You have things like not passing the DREAM act and AZ state law passing BECAUSE the feds refuse to do so or take up the issue of the border seriously.
Really, these people would be willing to risk there lives fighting for, or work hard to be educated in, a country that, based on what I've seen, doesn't want them.
I would never join the military. Ever. NEVER. And I was born here, naturalized at birth. i still wouldn't. But these people... they are willing to fight and die for us simply to be accepted in a country that is giving promises of hope.
Why do you hate those people?
Or maybe not.