Rights and the Refugees

         

 

 

  Comments.    Considerations.     Questions.

                

 by Kenneth Bagnell

                       

   

                 

 

 

 

 

          It must be almost half a century since I interviewed an American minister and journalist named Kyle Hasleden, described upon his death in 1968, as “one of the nation’s most distinguished ministers”.   He was also a journalist and at the time of my interview he was editor of the country’s – maybe the world’s -most respected theological journal, The Christian Century. One answer he gave me was the most succinct and candid answer of my now lengthy years as a journalist with a theological background. My question was this: “What is the major prevailing religious perspective of the United States.”  Instantly he replied with one word: “Syncretism.” He meant that, despite all its religious rhetoric and high flying evangelicals, the actual American religious ethic is a melting pot of free enterprise, private affluence, self-fulfillment all blessed by a theology which virtually ignores the social gospel in favor of a God who will enrich them and, of course, save them. The most vivid revelation recently of all this was the preacher in Georgia who asked his congregation to bless him with a private jet, one that would cost over 65 million dollars.   (He preached what’s called “the prosperity gospel.”) Can you imagine that happening elsewhere? How about England? How about Nova Scotia? That’s it in very brief form but it’s enough.

     Why am I writing about it? Because the self-centred nature of its syncretism is now on display to the world.  As I write, over half of the US state governors have made it clear that they will not accept the desperate refugees of Syria. While they don’t have the final say on the matter — President Obama has — the fact that over 30 states have taken that position is a major disappointment. They aren’t shy about stating it.  Mississippi’s governor proves that. “I will do everything humanly possible’” he says, “to stop any plans from the Obama administration to put Syrian refugees in Mississippi.” The country’s national council on the matter is understandably indignant since the governors have no authority whatsoever to block the acceptance of refugees. It rests with Washington. Hence the Council on American-Islamic Relations commented a few days later:  “Governors who reject those fleeing war and persecution abandon our ideal and instead project our fears to the world….”  Nonetheless, the States have set up a real obstacle, since they can sit on their hands and do nothing in terms of cooperating. Then what? Moreover, it’s discouraging to look on the map and see not just the expected Alabama, Arkansas and so on, but states such as  Massachusetts,  Michigan, even Maine and New Hampshire, states I thought were not defensive arch-conservatives. All national efforts to assure them of competent thorough security checks – which the US knows a lot about – are simply denied or dismissed. A final note on the US: the governors are not unanimous by far.  New York’s Mario Cuomo puts it succinctly and candidly:   “The day America says ‘Close the gates, build the wall ’ then I say take down the Statue of Liberty; because you’ve gone to another place.”  His father could not have put it better.  In any case, Obama is in charge. A 1980 law affirms that the President has explicit statuary law to accept refugees. The governors can shout all they want – it may be good politics where they live – but, to repeat, the decision is Obama’s.      

     Canada is not without its skeptics who naturally base their skepticism on security issues. Well, like everything else in life, our country is not 100 percent perfect.  Nothing ever is. Canada is, as history shows, for the most part, a tolerant and reasonably welcoming culture, but it’s human. Hence over the years it’s had its share of prejudice to immigrants. Remember the book “None is Too Many: Canada and the Jews of Europe.” We turned many Jews away to go to their deaths. Today that level of prejudice has, for the most part, left us. As for our national security, I take the assurance of the experts. Many have made it clear we are as professionally secure as humanly possible. The long experienced men of Canada’s military have said so:  Romeo Dallaire, Rick Hillier, Lewis MacKenzie.  Are they perfect? Is anyone? Will Prime Minister Trudeau be able to bring it about before December 31? I doubt it. But one thing I know: they will do the very best they can. That’s all we can expect. Yes, I think it will take longer. So be it. Let’s do all we can realizing that’s all we can do. I mean, give to your church or other group sponsoring families as we’ve done on more than one occasion. History’s record reveals that Canada has hugely benefited by the emigration of the mid and late 20^th century.

        One glowing example comes from the Italian immigrants. In the mid 20th century hundreds of thousands of them migrated to Canada, settling in every province in the country. One example of the Italian migration will suffice: their founding of a social service agency in Toronto called COSTI.  It hasn’t just helped Italian-Canadians; to every ethnic group in Canada, it’s ready to help in every way including teaching language skills. It even provides professional mental health service for any who need it. It can provide help in 100 languages.  Now in this crisis, the Italian-Canadian organization has five Arabic speakers in its employment, and a huge number of short term housing arrangements with local motels. It was founded in the 1960’s, mostly by two Italian men who chose Canada: Charles Caccia, (who later became a federal cabinet minister) was its inspiration, and with Lino Magagna, (who had no English when he came to Canada but learned it to earn a Ph.D) have shown what marvelous achievements can take place by helping migrants of every ethnicity. COSTI has been a boundless blessing to Canada.

       In any case in general it’s arch-conservative religionists, mostly American, who are spooked by the Muslim immigrants and have large megaphones and very loud mouths.  Most are right wing Republicans in a big way just as some Canadians were in the now humbled rigid Conservative party. One American, a Senator named Ted Cruz has been as quick as he is unreasonable: “If we continue to allow Muslim immigration, we’ll see more of what happened in Paris – it’s on our doorstep.” A Republican named Michael of Texas put it in coarser terms: “I can’t support a policy that would allow a jihadist pipe line into the United States.” Ridiculous.  Here’s the fact: this loudmouth rhetoric does not reflect the majority of Americans. Or Canadians. On the contrary consider the huge National Council of Churches in the US.  It reflects the views of roughly 45 million people in over 100,000 congregations. They come from 40 denominations, including for example, The National Baptist Convention, The United Church of Christ, The United Methodist Church, The Presbyterian Church USA, The Episcopal Church, The Ecumenical Catholic Communion and a great many more. The Council has put forward the view that the US should allow 100,000 Syrian refugees into the United States. That’s significant. Moreover the council also advocates that another 100,000 refugees “from other parts of the world” be given resettlement in the US.  It’s too bad that the resistant, probably racist, conservatives have the biggest mouth and largest megaphone. The softer, but more reasonable voice of the National Council adds this, that everyone of us should follow: “From the very beginning, the Christian Church has identified itself with refugees. Our ancestors in faith were themselves refugees when they fled the chariots of Pharaoh after escaping slavery. Jesus himself was a refugee when his family fled to Egypt to escape the sword of Herod…. Christians and Jews alike heed God’s command:  “You shall love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” Well put.         

           

                    

All past blogs are archived on my website: your comments are welcome there: www.kennethbagnell.com.