The Heartbreak of Liberty
On the day the Statue of Liberty was built, it became a symbol to immigrants coming into our country of a new chance at life. Liberty could be seen from the boats as they entered Ellis Island, full of men, women and children leaving their countries and entering a new land. Some were running for their lives from political, religious or economic reasons. Some were hoping for a new chance at a better life. Others were joining family members that were already in the United States. For all of the 12 million people who the Ellis Island Foundation says passed the statue over the course of 64 years, the Statue of Liberty was a beacon of hope.
Upon the pedestal of the statue can be found a poem, written by Emma Lazarus called The New Colossus, whose works were sold to help fund the statue. This poem speaks of the hope that drew so many to American shores. Here are the famous words that the writer quotes the Statue saying: Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!
I watch the news today and imagine the Statue of Liberty weeping at America’s current state of affairs. I see the President and other government officials working tirelessly to keep refugees and those who would come to us requesting asylum from entering our borders. I see rigid laws making it very difficult for immigrants to get legal status. I see migrant workers’ children being kept by the thousands in chain-surrounded tent camps with little government oversight. It brings me to wonder what has happened to this grand welcome of men, women and children to our shores, a welcome that our country has been built upon for centuries. How could Liberty’s heart not be breaking as a symbol of welcome and asylum to those who’s only desire is to be free?
This issue came to the forefront for me in the last year when my church began sponsoring a refugee family through Church World Services. This family has a mother, a father and four little girls ages 7, 6, 4 and 2. The mother and father had been in a refugee camp, where they met, for many years. They had to go through a long and difficult process of screening and waiting in order to make it to our city with the chance of a new life. I have watched them adjust and struggle in a new brand culture. They have welcomed us into their home and allowed us to be part of their lives. What we see as meager belongings, they see as treasures. There is no way of knowing what atrocities they were living with in the camp, though we have heard of the possibilities. They now have hope, a sense of security, and the opportunity for their children to grow up without the fears that a refugee camp brings. It is a stark reminder of what loving others in a way that you would hope to be treated can accomplish.
Getting to know this precious family has brought into my awareness the recent news of the decrease in refugees entering the United States. In 2017, Pew Research says the U.S resettled 33,000 refugees, down from 97,000 in 2016. It is also a total that is less than the rest of the world which settled 69,000 combined. This is at a time when the world refugee population has reached 9.9 million. Next year, the President has lowered the maximum refugees our country can accept to 30,000. After knowing real people with real stories, and imagining all of the people who are not making it onto our shores, I have to stop and ask some questions. What is going on? How can this be happening? What should my response be?
Reading current events about the refugee issue I have described, as well as the migrants, the persons wanting asylum on our country’s southern border and those who would like to come with green cards, it seems like the central theme of these issues is fear. We fear people who could be terrorists coming into our country to do us harm. We fear migrant workers taking our jobs. We fear paying for people’s health care because they are here illegally. We fear what we do not know or understand. We fear and we respond very strongly, protecting our borders, protecting our jobs, protecting our homes and protecting our country from the outsiders who threaten to enter our lives.
The President says he is protecting us. Many in our country are agreeing with him and affirming his decision. But what exactly is he protecting us from? The sociological viewpoint according to Stephen Grunlan, is that in our society we value our privilege, our power and our prestige. In other words, “our wealth and prosperity, our political and social influence, and our honor and respect”. Perhaps the President is trying to protect these values? Or, is the President protecting our social mobility? Is he afraid that the dreams of those coming into our country could result in a downward mobility of the people already residing in the United States as they seek upward mobility? Thirdly, could he be protecting his own power and the America’s confidence in him by “protecting” us from terrorists by building a wall on our southern border and not allowing these groups of people into our country? It is difficult to be sure of the exact reasons that these actions are being taken. Whatever the reasons may be, as people in our society, it is important that we recognize the actions and decide how we choose to respond. Will we go along in agreement? Will we speak out in opposition? Will we applaud the President or will we call our United States Senators and Representatives and voice our disapproval and concern?
As a Christian, the questions I begin to ask myself go beyond the ones listed above. As a Christ follower, how should I view the current events? What should my response be? As I begin to discern my response, I recognize that I have a few choices. I could refuse to think about this and be satisfied that it will all work out as it should. Second, I could continue to work from within the system as we are doing by hosting refugees as a church. Lastly, I could become an activist to promote change individually or joined together with other Christians in a common goal. Here are some key ideas I will need to consider.
First, it is necessary to decide where my treasure lies. In Luke 12, Jesus speaks of the rich fool who was more worried about himself and his possessions than his spiritual life. He missed out on a rich relationship with God because he was worried about what he owned. Continuing in Luke 12, Jesus instructs his disciples again not to worry about what they should wear or eat, because God provides. He goes on to say that where your treasure is, there will your heart be. If I am worried about what I will lose in my life, I will never be bold enough to stand up for what is right because the fear of losing my privilege, power or prestige on earth would be too dear.
Second, I need to have an understanding that God calls us as Christians to be servants. This is a we have much because that is what we deserve. On the contrary, we have been given much. In 2016, the Census Bureau showed the US per ca pita income to be estimated at $57, 6174. With this blessing, we have much responsibility. Jesus sets the example of servant-hood for us, when he lay down his life for mankind. Likewise, we are called to sacrifice what we have (our privilege, power and prestige) for others.
Third, I need to recognize that Christians have an obligation to love, and when it is possible, to act on that love to change the underlying causes of a wrong. In 1 John 3:16–18, we are called to not love in words but with actions and in truth. This is much more than working from within a system. This means stepping out in boldness, possibly putting ourselves in vulnerable positions, in order to work for what we believe is good and right. It could cause us to lose things like friendships, positions, associations, or our freedoms. When called to do this, it is a frightening but necessary step in order to create change in a system that has gone wrong.
Fourth, I need to choose to act despite my fear. Isaiah 41:10 and 43:1 tell us not to fear. This is what I truly desire. To be honest, though, how often does that happen? If I believe God is calling me to specific steps, I need to move forward in the confidence that no matter what happens, He is in control. I will trust and believe that I am doing the right thing and then give one hundred percent to the fight in front of me.
When things like this trigger our conscience, it creates a discontent. We can ignore it, work within it, or work to change it. Even if you are not a Christian, key ideas can be taken from these points to work to make the world a better place. Know what you want to accomplish and know your why. Keep the why in the forefront of your actions every day and you will be able to accomplish what you set out to do. Our actions come out of our attitudes and our attitudes are largely our motivation. Let’s be people who are not content with accepting everything the way it is, and vow to work to make our country the best place that it can be. Let us wipe the tears from Liberty’s eyes and work together to hold strong to the words upon her pedestal.
References
https://www.libertyellisfoundation.org/the-new-colossus
Grunlan, S. (Ed.). (2001). Christian Perspectives on Sociology: (Reprint edition). Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock Pub.
https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2017/acs/acsbr16-02.pdf
