A funny immigration tribute to South Park
1 John 4:18, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.”
Judge Maxine M Chesney stopped Homeland Security from sending out 140,000 letters on Friday, which threatened employers to fire people with “suspicious” social security numbers or be subject to criminal charges. Chesney issued the restraining order in the context of a lawsuit from the worker’s union AFL-CIO. The union argued that the lists on which these letters are based include American citizens who are simply victims of clerical typos and miss-filings by Social Security bureaucrats. So, it seems that an attempt to get rid of those dreaded “illegals” might have an effect on American citizens–imagine that. As I said in the last post, unions and immigrants are increasingly presenting a united front, which gives a clearer perspective on how this country actually works. Full accounts of this story can be found in the Washington Post and the San Francisco Chronicle.
Of course, the news comes as relief to the millions of people whom this would affect, but it prolongs the anxious anticipation of whether the ax will fall. Both employers and employees are biting their nails hoping for the best. We all wait in fear.
Leading Through Fear
Fear, it seems, is now the law of the land, aimed not at solving the issue of immigration, but at regaining support from the conservative right in a time when a lame-duck presidency is hurting the GOP’s chances in the 08 campaign.
The use of fear as a political tool is not new to the world. The most cited expert on fear-based leadership, Nicolo Machiavelli devotes an entire section of his book to the stile:
“Upon this a question arises: whether it be better to be loved than feared or feared than loved? It may be answered that one should wish to be both, but, because it is difficult to unite them in one person, is much safer to be feared than loved, when, of the two, either must be dispensed with. Because this is to be asserted in general of men, that they are ungrateful, fickle, false, cowardly, covetous, and as long as you succeed they are yours entirely….”
According to former Senate Foreign Relations Committee Special Counsel, Jack Blum, this tactic is not new in the United States either.
“Fear rules American politics and history, and it has done so for the last 100 years.”
If there are any doubts that this administration is using scare tactics to control the American political climate, just remember the color-coded “alert” system that was developed right after 9-11.
“Today we are on red, severe danger, be prepared for a full-cavity search at the airport if you have brown skin or a beard.”
Fear vs. Fruits
Now, it is no secret that the president fancies himself a devout Christian. But, in light of what the Bible states about fear, can we really think him to be what he claims? On Fear the Bible says:
“For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
2 Timothy 1:7
“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear: because fear is torment. He that fears is not made perfect in love.”
1 John 4:18
So, if we are called to love and love casts out fear, then whatever causes or promotes fear is the opposite of love—call it hate, or call it bad fruits. On the fruits, Mathew says the following:
“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that does not bring forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” Mt. 7:15-20
Alas, most of my friends, good devout Christians, supported the president for years on the grounds that he was Christian. He had great campaigns, and knew the buzz-words to captivate the attention of the Protestant/Evangelical voter. Two terms later, I ask, what are the fruits, and who is on the receiving end? In the immigration debate, the answer is undocumented immigrants. They live in fear, work in fear, and sleep in fear. Fear that you would turn them in; fear that I might call immigration on them; fear that the “Christian” man who leads their host country will make their persecution a national policy.
For now, the fear of Homeland Security intimidating employers into firing undocumented immigrants has been suspended. But I wonder, what is the American Christian going to do to be kind to the alien in their gates? How will we cast out their fear? How will we bear fruits of love?
September 12, 2007 at 5:27 pm
Very interesting cartoon.
May 21, 2008 at 12:02 pm
Funny cartoon.
Serious subject.
Happy to see humanity being represented under a Calvinist banner…