“Pro-life” Trump is engineering an American Kristallnacht

Here’s a ridiculous scenario: Imagine you drive a red car. One day, the mayor of your town says that, every week, he’s going to head over to the post office and pin up a list of people who have done bad things with red cars.

The list includes people who have bought red cars, people who have borrowed them, and people who have stolen red cars; and it includes everything from driving with a broken tail light to deliberately plowing through line of kindergarteners. The list doesn’t specify: It just has names of people driving red cars, and it says they’ve all done something bad.

This goes on week after week, and even though you’ve never so much as failed to use a turn signal, you start to notice that you’re getting dirty looks when you step out of your red car. You find yourself parking around the corner, just so no one realizes that you’re one of those “red car people.” Your neighbor sees you washing your car in the driveway and she makes a disgusted sound and loudly tells her kids, “Let’s go find some other friends to play with.” One morning, you wake up and discover that someone has slashed your tires and beat in your windshield, and “NO RED CARS HERE” is spray painted on your driveway.

You haven’t done anything. But you do drive a red car.

Stupid, right? That is a silly story. Let’s talk about something that hits a little closer to home with some of my readers:

At the peak of the Catholic sex abuse scandal, a priest friend — a holy, kind, exemplary man — told me that when he passed a woman and child on the sidewalk, the woman instinctively shoved herself between her child and him. She made a physical barrier to protect her kid, as if, just because he had a Roman collar on, he was going to lunge over and start groping her child.

How unfair! How grievously unfair, to behave as if every priest is probably a sexual predator, when in fact priests are no more likely than any other man to abuse children.

But at the same time, my priest friend couldn’t blame the woman. When it does happen, molestation of children is an unspeakable crime. And every day, week after week after week, the papers and the TV news carried stories of priests who did abuse children, or who were accused of abusing children, or who didn’t do enough to stop the abuse of children.

Or, maybe they actually did everything they possibly could to stop the abuse of the children, but still, ugh, they’re one of those priests . . . 

We all know what priests are like. We know, because we read it in the news.

Imagine being a priest in this climate. I heard priests debating with each other whether it was safe to go out wearing clerical garb. Why put a target on your back? Everyone you meet has been trained to look at you and think, “Sex crime! Sex crime!”

This is the power of the selectively chosen printed word. This is what can be achieved when you take a story that is true (some people in red cars do commit crimes; some priests do molest children) and play it over and over and over and over again, chanting in the ear of the reader: DANGER. DANGER. WARNING. WARNING. NO TIME TO THINK. ALERT. ALERT. PROTECT YOURSELF.

Protect yourself against what? Why, against people like that: people who commit crimes, people you can easily pick out on the street, because they’re illegal immigrant criminals. Well, they’re illegal immigrants. Well, they’re immigrants. Well, they have brown skin and an accent, and you know what people like that do.

We know, because we read it in the news. We read the weekly lists that the president of the United States says he is going to publish — lists of “crimes” (he doesn’t specify if we’re talking about rape or murder or driving over to Kroger’s without a license) committed by “aliens” (he doesn’t specify legal or illegal).  The important thing is, we have to have constant reminders that there are people coming into our country and doing bad things! Never forget!  Immigrant and crime! They go together.

Never mind that immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than people born in the United States. Doesn’t matter. What matters is the constant reminder of facts without context to create an emotional response. It’s not rational. It doesn’t have to be. In fact it works better when it’s not rational (especially when you’ve been training the populace to believe that there is no such thing as objective truth, just facts and alternative facts).

There are already laws on the books about deporting illegal immigrants. There are already laws on the books about arresting and prosecuting criminals. There are already numerous public records of crimes committed in this country. We don’t have a secret court system. Just about every arrest is public record. There are already numerous aggregators of statistics to tell us who commits what kind of crime. Most Americans already agree that crime is bad, illegal activity is wrong, and criminals should be punished by the law.

These lists do not give us more information. They do not “better inform the public,” despite what Trump’s statement claims. All of the information in them is already public information.

There is only one reason to publish a list like this, and that is to whip up fear, suspicion, and outrage. To make people feel unsafe and angry. To constantly remind them (as Trump did in his inauguration speech) that we are drowning in crime, awash in violence, crumbling into ruin, teetering on the brink, losing ourselves in the darkness.

Things are terrible, terrible, terrible. And whose fault is it? Well, I happen to have a list. And I’ll be updating it every week, so you’ll know who to blame.

Now imagine that you are the one with dark skin and an accent. Imagine your kids have dark skin and accents. Maybe you’re legally here and maybe you’re not, but it’s very clear that you’re some kind of immigrant.

Remember: immigrant crime immigrant crime immigrant crime. That’s the important thing to remember. Your neighbors have been hearing it for months.

Imagine that you live in a country where, every single week, your president has been telling everyone that people with dark skins and accents are criminals. Imagine getting your kids ready to walk to school, and knowing that half their classmates have been reading these lists every week. Imagine leaving work at night and finding that a couple of guys have had a couple of beers and they’ve decided they’ve had enough of these fucking immigrants fucking up their country, and if the police won’t do anything about it, then they will.

Think it won’t happen? Why? Because fearful, angry people never lash out at the innocent?

bundesarchiv_bild_146-1970-083-42_magdeburg_zersto%cc%88rtes_ju%cc%88disches_gescha%cc%88ft

Because we’d never let things go that far?

Why not? If we’re not going to say “halt” now, then when?

This is classic scapegoating. It’s what fascists do to gain control. They tell the people, over and over and over again, “You’re not safe. You’re not safe. It’s the fault of THESE PEOPLE. I will protect you from THESE PEOPLE, and then you can be safe.” And then, while you’re thrilled to get his help and protection, you barely notice the other stuff he’s doing, stuff that directly contradicts the things you said you cared about ten minutes ago. Stuff like small government, religious freedom, freedom of the press, respect for the disabled, protection for the innocent and vulnerable.

My friends, I have always thought that Trump would be a bad and dangerous president, a vulgar and ridiculous man, but I thought the accusations of fascism were overblown. I thought it was hyperbole.

I don’t think so anymore. This is textbook behavior. This is how it always starts. This is how totalitarians persuade the population to give him everything he wants: By whipping up fear and anger, by pointing to a scapegoat, and then by offering to take care of that scapegoat for you.

Up until now, I’ve been angry at Trump. Last night, he broke my heart. I wept when I heard of his plans, and I wept harder when I saw some of my friends defending them. Not because I want to protect criminals, but because I want to protect my country. I love my country. This is not what I want for my country.

Today is International Holocaust Remembrance Day. A good day to remember that everything Hitler did was with the consent of the people, whom he had primed to fear and hate certain groups of people. He started by posting lists of Jews who were accused of committing crimes. He started by reminding Germans of what a shambles their country was in, and then he told them, over and over and over again, whose fault it was.

And then they let him do whatever he wanted.

We have seen this before. We have seen this before. There is no Mexico City Policy, no phone call to the March for Life, no promise of new jobs that can justify the American Kristallnacht that our president is openly trying to engineer.

Resist. Even if you need a job. Even if you are pro-life. Even if your city is full of people who don’t speak English. Even if you think Hillary belongs in jail. Even if you voted for Trump. Resist this path we are on. Remember who you are, and resist.

***
EDIT Friday around 5:00 eastern: Thanks to a reader, I realized that I misread and mischaracterized Trump’s statement. It was an honest error, not a malicious one, but that’s no excuse. I have edited the post to make it more accurate.

The original passage, as far as I can reconstruct it, read:
We know, because we read it in the news. We read the weekly lists that the president of the United States says he is going to publish –‘lists of “aliens” (he doesn’t specify legal or illegal) who have committed “crimes” (he doesn’t specify if we’re talking about rape or murder or driving over to Kroger’s without a license).

The corrected passage now reads:
We know, because we read it in the news. We read the weekly lists that the president of the United States says he is going to publish — lists of “crimes” (he doesn’t specify if we’re talking about rape or murder or driving over to Kroger’s without a license) committed by “aliens” (he doesn’t specify legal or illegal).

I apologize for the error. It does not change my argument in the slightest.
Kristallnacht image: Bundesarchiv, Bild 146-1970-083-42 / CC-BY-SA 3.0 [CC BY-SA 3.0 de (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/de/deed.en)], via Wikimedia Commons

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171 thoughts on ““Pro-life” Trump is engineering an American Kristallnacht”

  1. The true American Kristalnacht is happening in New Orleans at this moment. The school board removed the name of the Founding Fathers and others who owned slaves from the public schools 30 years ago and is now removing statues and monuments. Streets and other buildings are also on the list.

  2. The sweeping condemnation of this executive order seems hinged upon an idea that we are conducting some sort of ethnic cleansing of Muslims or targeting any specific group of innocent people. I think we need to stop listening to the hysterics of the liberal media and look at the text and think about (1) the goal of the order (2) the context of the order and (3) the justice of the order.

    The goal of the reporting part of the order appears to be to have an information source to the American public about the crime levels in sanctuary cities holding illegals. The context is our police and law enforcement in the past have been UNABLE TO ENFORCE OUR LAWS. The justice of the order brings something to consider: we are talking about crime rates of aliens that are ‘removable’ or ‘illegal’ or ‘overstayed their passes’, per the executive order that this man has quoted. https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/01/25/presidential-executive-order-enhancing-public-safety-interior-united

    I’ll quote a couple of things. The whole document is about illegal or deportable aliens: “Many aliens who illegally enter the United States and those who overstay or otherwise violate the terms of their visas present a significant threat to national security and public safety. This is particularly so for aliens who engage in criminal conduct in the United States.

    Sanctuary jurisdictions across the United States willfully violate Federal law in an attempt to shield aliens from removal from the United States. These jurisdictions have caused immeasurable harm to the American people and to the very fabric of our Republic.”

    “The purpose of this order is to direct executive departments and agencies (agencies) to employ all lawful means to enforce the immigration laws of the United States.”

    …again, it seems to me that the liberal media has hyped this up to mean all aliens in the USA are now going to have a crime record put up in public for them, like some sort of sign hanging from their bodies constantly. I don’t see how this is the case. Furthermore, isn’t there a public record of any legal citizen in the United States for criminal records?….and even detaining to question people (who may be innocent) records!!!…..these aliens are not being ‘singled out’ at all! They are joining the flock! … Now instead of looking to our liberal sources for what sort of activities are done by illegals and dancing around organizations to learn anything about this (if we were ambitious enough to try), we FINALLY can see for ourselves like any other dumb background check and we can FINALLY uphold our very own immigration laws. I, for one, think that is just.

    If there is nothing to hide, they wouldn’t be hiding the crime rates of illegal immigrants in our country. http://www.nationalreview.com/article/443019/de-blasio-plans-destroy-illegal-immigrants-records

    If we are too afraid to look at the numbers and face the truth, then how can we address problems? No one had trouble tracking the number of priests when the sexual abuse scandal hit the church. Did we ignore the problem because the innocent priests might get lumped in with the very minority number of guilty priests? No. We faced the problem. We admitted there are some among us. We worked up a plan to deal with those who we found had problems among us. We did not try to cover anything up and say “for the sake of the innocent, do not look for any guilty among us.” The reason this sort of mentality is getting published is because the media LOVES to print and print all about the priest pedophiles but they completely skip over when a undocumented immigrant (i.e. illegal alien) commits a crime. If a white cop shoots a black person, you know it will get coverage. The reason we want public reports of what illegal aliens do is to try to circumvent the “editing” powers of the mainstream media who will skip this information over and over again. Let’s hope the undocumented immigrant community will take the opportunity to condemn those who break the law. Let’s hope those of us who are here legally will stand up for our country’s laws.
    The goal of the reporting part of the order appears to be to have an information source to the American public about the crime levels in sanctuary cities holding illegals. The context is our police and law enforcement in the past have been UNABLE TO ENFORCE OUR LAWS. The justice of the order brings something to consider: we are talking about crime rates of aliens that are ‘removable’ or ‘illegal’ or ‘overstayed their passes’, per the executive order that this man has quoted. https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/01/25/presidential-executive-order-enhancing-public-safety-interior-united

    I’ll quote a couple of things. The whole document is about illegal or deportable aliens: “Many aliens who illegally enter the United States and those who overstay or otherwise violate the terms of their visas present a significant threat to national security and public safety. This is particularly so for aliens who engage in criminal conduct in the United States.

    Sanctuary jurisdictions across the United States willfully violate Federal law in an attempt to shield aliens from removal from the United States. These jurisdictions have caused immeasurable harm to the American people and to the very fabric of our Republic.”

    “The purpose of this order is to direct executive departments and agencies (agencies) to employ all lawful means to enforce the immigration laws of the United States.”

    …again, it seems to me that the liberal media has hyped this up to mean all aliens in the USA are now going to have a crime record put up in public for them, like some sort of sign hanging from their bodies constantly. I don’t see how this is the case. Furthermore, isn’t there a public record of any legal citizen in the United States for criminal records?….and even detaining to question people (who may be innocent) records!!!…..these aliens are not being ‘singled out’ at all! They are joining the flock! … Now instead of looking to our liberal sources for what sort of activities are done by illegals and dancing around organizations to learn anything about this (if we were ambitious enough to try), we FINALLY can see for ourselves like any other dumb background check and we can FINALLY uphold our very own immigration laws. I, for one, think that is just.

    If there is nothing to hide, they wouldn’t be hiding the crime rates of illegal immigrants in our country. http://www.nationalreview.com/article/443019/de-blasio-plans-destroy-illegal-immigrants-records

    If we are too afraid to look at the numbers and face the truth, then how can we address problems? No one had trouble tracking the number of priests when the sexual abuse scandal hit the church. Did we ignore the problem because the innocent priests might get lumped in with the very minority number of guilty priests? No. We faced the problem. We admitted there are some among us. We worked up a plan to deal with those who we found had problems among us. We did not try to cover anything up and say “for the sake of the innocent, do not look for any guilty among us.” The reason this sort of mentality is getting published is because the media LOVES to print and print all about the priest pedophiles but they completely skip over when a undocumented immigrant (i.e. illegal alien) commits a crime. If a white cop shoots a black person, you know it will get coverage. The reason we want public reports of what illegal aliens do is to try to circumvent the “editing” powers of the mainstream media who will skip this information over and over again. Let’s hope the undocumented immigrant community will take the opportunity to condemn those who break the law. Let’s hope those of us who are here legally will stand up for our country’s laws.

  3. I commend the stance you are taking, Simcha. There is a crisis in America, with deliberate misinformation and disregard for truth – the ‘alternative facts’ zone. It is vital that those with a forum do something to address this. It is distressing to see Catholics embrace Trump , in many cases for the sole reason that he is now allegedly pro life. Being pro life is much bigger than just being against abortion. Remember ‘love thy Neighbour as thyself’? No person from any of the countries on the current list of people banned from entering the US has ever harmed an American. Christianity is a religion of love or it is nothing. And you don’t have to be a fool. See threats where they are, just don’t imagine false ones.
    An important and thoughtful piece, Simcha.

  4. Thank you for this article. The only thing I’d add to the red car analogy is the possibility that some of those committing the crimes drive blue cars, but say that their car is red so that either they can appear to be red car owners (because everyone knows red cars are faster and more desirable), or that they accept they are a blue car owner but want to increase the animosity towards red car owners regardless of their criminality or lack thereof.

    But maybe that’s going a bit too deep into the waters of whether a person stating to be of a faith/belief/doctrine is truly of that f/b/d by saying they are despite their actions being in opposition to the teachings of that f/b/d.

  5. What a naive article!!! Comparing Islamo facsism with red cars and Catholic priest! You stupid fellow. Here is a simple test for you. Go and preach the same principle in any Islamic country. If you come back in one piece let me know.

    1. The article compared the original fascism with Trump. You know, the Nazis. Just because you put the word “fascism” next to the word “Islam” does not mean they have anything in common. The Nazis were anti-Semites and the vast majority of Muslims are Semitic peoples. In other news, Jesus was a person of color, not the Aryan you see in the paintings.

      1. Since when are Jews and Arabs “persons of color”? They were allowed to visit and immigrate to the US as “whites” when only whites were allowed as immigrants.

  6. Try telling the parents of Kate Stinley that there are laws against illegals committing crimes and being sent back for it. Maybe Trump will eliminate sanctuary cities then people maybe will feel safer.

  7. People are responsible for how they react. Say, to a priest, for example. If a mother makes a physical barrier between herself and a priest because she thinks he’ll grope the child in a public place in broad daylight, then is she not delusional? Think responsibly.

  8. SImcha – you are so very angry – like Mark Shea. Try looking at some good Trump has done – and praise him for it. It will make you appeal more to those like me who really WANT to see the logic in your writing, but just cannot – too much anger, too one-note nelly and too much foul language. You lose those readers to whom you ( hopefully ) are wanting to make a point. Possibly change their minds – Otherwise , you are just writing to vent – and that should not be done publicly ..at least not as often as you have been.

    1. I don’t see anything good that Trump has done. He has divided the American people and is inciting hatred which is leading to violence against innocent people.

    2. Kristinwith6, I having been looking for any good that Trump has done, and so far I find nothing. He appoints a person for Secretary of Education who has done everything in her power to destroy public education, someone who wants to dismantle all regulations to provide clean air and water to the EPA, a known racist to be Attorney General, and the list goes on. This is a man who has to denigrate and mock anyone who disagrees with him. He threatens our free press, our freedom of speech and assembly, and who wants to pervert religious freedom to make us into a Christian theocracy.

      1. The appointed Secretary of Education wants to put power back into the parents when it comes to the parents choosing a school and school form (e.g. homeschooling and other private options) fit for their child. If it destroys the monopolic power of the Board of Education in America in the process…well I do not need to go on, for that alone sounds like a social good to me.

        Perhaps a little more accountability from the Public school system will ensure future satisfactory results.

    3. I simply CANNOT BELIEVE how many people are either stupid or just plain EVIL! Either way, I DON’T TOLERATE EITHER! A war is coming, and you had BETTER be on the right side of history, not the right wing radicals! CIVIL WAR COULD HAPPEN, JUST AS EASILY AS TRUMP COULD WIN THE ELECTION! (if the moron doesn’t get us into a NUCLEAR WAR FIRST!) WAKE UP! RESIST! Resist being evil and selfish and cruel, because that’s, “UN-AMERICAN!”
      What does being an American mean anymore? It isn’t what Trump thinks it is! It’s exactly the opposite! Trump = Hitler!

  9. Pro-Life isn’t about life at all. It’s about control of sexuality, and by extension mind control over people’s lives.

  10. That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve heard yet! It’s bad enough comparing Trump to Hitler, but this??
    It’s like comparing Peas to apples. Whoever wrote this article needs mental health care badly!

    1. I happen to think this article is incredibly accurate. Personally, I have no political ties, so before you go saying I’m a Hillary supporter,hear me out. This article is a warning. All of the things that Mr Trump is doing is exactly what Hitler was doing at the beginning of the holocaust. It isn’t a matter of whether or not the two are being compared. This is fact. Trump is inciting fear and hate, no matter how you want to look at it. So yes. Trump essentially is going to become an modern Hitler unless we stop him or, far less likely, he comes to his senses and ceases his hate mongering.

    2. Trump’s rallies strongly resembled Hitler’s rallies, so many of his tactics are very similar. My mother survived Nazi Germany, so I know about that from her. And a mosque in my city was set on fire last week, Jewish centers along the East coast have received bomb threats. Trumplease has emboldened people to commit violent acts. Don’t forget he would tell his “second ammendment people” to do something about people he didn’t agree with. I heard his veiled threats.

  11. It is easy to be pro-life for lives that don’t even exist yet. But when are we pro-life for real life children and people? We all remember the baby washed up on the ocean shore. Many Trump supporters don’t like Trump and supported him based on the pro-life belief and the pending appointment of a Supreme Court judge. This was their justification for electing such a man. What seemed like a noble cause, defending the future of lives that don’t yet exist came at the cost of lives that very much exist now. The thought of a ending a fetus in the mother’s womb was more painful and important than the reality of a baby washed up by the ocean. It is easy to be pro-life for lives that don’t even exist yet but I admonish people to be pro-life for the lives that exist now. Be pro-life for black and brown lives, for refugees, for for immigrants. Because those exist now.

    1. It is not easy at all to pray in front of abortion clinics in the snow and rain and heat. Offering to take ladies to a crisis pregnancy center for geniune FREE counseling and an ultrasound by a qualified sonographer, crying with them AND supporting them all throughout their pregnancy. Adopting them, befriending them and supporting them in their suffering. Our society tells them that their fertility is a shameful thing and that their children are not wanted. They feel forced into killing their unborn. They know they are mothers, the moment they find out they are pregnant. They feel that flutter of life, they hear the heartbeat of their child. We stand with them. Democrats tell them to go fill out mountains of paperwork and kill their child. Then in their sorrow they are told to shut up and be available for men to use and discard again. This is not freedom.

      Everyone that I know, in the pro-life movement, would quickly make room in their own homes if a girl is kicked out of her home because she is pregnant(and have done it). We give sacrificially to crisis pregnancy centers, who give free support and friendship. We stand alongside these moms, take them to appointments, babysit for them, give them food and clothing and help them get jobs. When others tell them to be quiet and kill their own children.

      It is one of the most evil lies of Satan that we don’t care once the baby is born. Lies, lies, lies.

      Similarly, we care about immigrants fleeing war and refugees who are living without a country. However, we also are smart enough to recognize that evil men are taking advantage of the generosity of our nation by planting their operatives among the genuinely persecuted. We are also savvy enough to recognize when we are being played. When the Christians from war torn Syria are left in the camps to be raped and abused and even killed the men in the camps of questionable origins, who coincidentally have no documents, should not be the ones who are a priority for resettlement. These men should be building housing and fences in the camps and doing manual labor for their food. We don’t want to be fooled by them into bringing these ISIS sympathizers and draft dodgers here are refugees.

      Don’t be naive. Pay attention to what these same immigrants are doing in Germany, Briton, and France. They are terrorizing the natives, raping their daughters and complaining about the speed of the Wi-Fi. We aren’t anti-immigrant but we want to be wise. waiting a little longer, to be vetted is not killing anyone. This has been done many times by past presidents.

      1. Wow Suzanne ! Firstly I wanted to say I’m sure that it’s not that hard to pray in front of abortion clinics in the rain, & the snow, & the heat, but then as I continued to read I was touched by the kind & caring deeds of yourself & others, having been down the route of being offered the option of abortion on the day I found out I was pregnant ! & being pressured by the baby’s Father to do so I went as far as you could go without actually going through with it & I was shocked to find out how easy it is & that no positive alternatives were offered at the time it is great to know there are people caring for women feeling under the same pressure. However, went on to find the sentiment that you give sacraficially a bit disconcerting . I don’t think anyone’s views or opinions are provided by Satan, but I think the sentiment of the original post was that the life of children already born are also valuable, so whilst you may well care for babies of young girls who find themselves in a difficult position socially/economically, does that same care & compassion extend to babies & children who’s parents are trying to save them from war torn countries, Christian or not ! & not to forget we were all babies once, even men ! so surely being pro-life should have the well being & longevity of all at it’s heart, not just babies, not just Christians, surely we are all as valuable as each other & every baby deserves a happy, healthy future, what ever their age in life ? Surely that is what every parent wants for their child ? Not every man from the Middle East is a ISIS sympathiser Suzanne, many of them have suffered at the hands of ISIS themselves, seen loved ones killed, homes destroyed by them, that is why they are fleeing in the first place, & as for draft dodgers ! this is not America we are talking about this is people fleeing from bombs, death, destruction, torture, starvation, loss & dispair of such depth that those of us in our comfortable western world have been fortunate enough to have been spared since the destruction of Europe in the 2 nd World War.
        But what ever your beliefs & leanings please please please do not refer to right wing propaganda referring to Britain . We are happy & well living in this country with immigrants & refugees, men, women, & children thank you very much. For f sake ! They are not terrorising us ! Actually they are a friendly, cheerful, hardworking, caring, Conciencious, generous, & thoughtful part of our community, in fact showing the qualities that one would consider Christian more so than many Christians themselves, despite being the target of people’s ignorance, bigotry, & hostility. Our daughters are not being rapped by them !!! & I find it quite condisending to be referred to as a native ! I am English ! & wtf is it about complaints about WiFi speeds !
        Keep up your good work in caring for young Mums but keep your Right Wing White Supremacy Bull Shit to yourself & certainly don’t taint my country & my continent with it with your lies. Please !

      2. I don’t think any of these issues are what the article was addressing. This seems to me to have been a warning to pay attention because of how easily fascism can slip unoticed into a societies thinking when oschestrated by those practiced in propaganda. Kristalnacht was a visible point at which societies sense of ethics slipped away and the fears planted by the fascists won the battle for control of men’s minds. Take a wider view of history and you can learn much.

      3. I’m in Britain. The pathetically small number of refugees we have taken in, oddly enough, has NOT raped or terrorised anybody. The WiFi, who knows. It’s still probably better than being dead. I’m afraid, in your own words, you have been played if you believe half of what you have written 🙁

      4. Your people keep voting for the political party that constantly tries to dismantle the safety nets for the poor; you vote for the people who want to destroy social security and medicare. Why should I believe you are pro-life vs merely pro-birth when you continually vote onew issue and don’t care about issues that will sustain life post-birth? When you vote against the environment, vote against equal rights and opportunities. That’s why we think you don’t care past birth.

      5. So nice to help the mother during pregnancy. Are you willing to adopt, raise and edu ate the unwanted child? Provide counseling for the mother you forced to carry the baby? Perhaps for life? What happens during gestation is only the beginning. Not nearly adequate. But thx for trying.

      6. Wow. Truly what an unmitigated tirade of crap. I live in Britain. Immigrants ‘terrorising the natives, raping their daughters’…are you out of your mind? What kind of Trumpian fantasy are you mainlining? Please please just get off Fox News and actually find out about the reality of other countries before coming up with ridiculous, poisonous statements.

      7. “geniune FREE counseling and an ultrasound by a qualified sonographer, crying with them AND supporting them all throughout their pregnancy. ”

        What you call “free counseling” the rest of us call “harassment and intimidation”. You support them through their entire pregnancy but NOT if they choose to end it in which case you call them the devil and tell them they are burning in hell. You don’t support them AFTER they had the baby, instead you expect them to join the flock and fund your church for you.

        I’m sure you’re pro-life for religious reasons as most people are who are pro-life. But did you know that the Bible actually DOES mention abortion? Did you know that the Bible did not consider it a “sin” and that instead it was part of the process for determining whether a wife had cheated on her husband? Here’s how it worked: Husband accuses wife of unfaithfulness and drags her to the temple. There, the priest makes an abortion potion out of holy water and the dust found on the floor of the temple. She is forced to drink it. If the potion causes her to miscarry, then she is shunned and shamed and the miscarriage is proof that she cheated. If her baby is unharmed by the potion, her husband is told that the baby is his and to quit being so damn jealous of his innocent wife. This is from Numbers 5:11-31.

        Why is it agnostics tend to know more about the Bible than Christians? Because we’ve actually read it.

      8. You wrote, “Democrats tell them to go fill out mountains of paperwork and kill their child. ”
        I’m curious what gives you that idea, it is far from true.

        I want to understand and respect your viewpoint but I cannot. It seems to be based in a well meaning, possibly religious, close-mindedness (I’m not implying that religiosity exclusively breeds close-mindedness). I hope the generations after you and I do much better than us. I suspect someone reading this years from now will feel like it was written in the toddler years of the human race.

    2. You are so very right. These Pro-Life people are really pro-birth, pro-fetus, pro-zygote. If you are going to be pro-life then you had better be pro-ALL life and that includes the life of the mother.

  12. Good article. but I have to take exception to the equivalence between red car drivers and priests. If bad things done by red car drivers were not exposed, but in fact were covered up by the town’s mayor – only for red car drivers, no one else, trhen you would have a valid analogy. If ONLY red car drivers were allowed to get away with child rape, that would be comparable to the situation as it stood for priests and child rape. Sure, it’s true that “… priests are no more likely than any other man to abuse children”, but when priests did in fact abuse children, the heirarchy of the Catholic church actively covered it up, actively moved the priests to other parishes to do it again. And some of the priesthood KNEW about it, and did nothing for a LONG TIME. Even today, despite Francis’s progress on the issue, the Vatican continues to drag its feet on bringing the Catholic justice obstructors to justice. The red car analogy is good for demostrating the unfairness of scapegoating immigrants, but I’d leave the priests out of it.

    1. Not to condone at all the way the Catholic Church hierarchy covered up sex abuse, but, to be fair, priests are not the ONLY people who got away with rape. Many public schools and even other Christian churches cover up abuse and allow abusers to keep working.

  13. For one, I cannot recognize a person’s legal status to be in this country by looking at them. Most of them would or should not be co-workers, since I work in a legal business. Secondly, many of the illegal immigrants (who have already committed one crime -illegal immigrant), are not Mexican nationals. I don’t know what percent are Mexicans or Yemeni’s or Afghani’s or any other nationality because the Obama administration did not want us to know this.

    As I pointed out to a young lady the other day, if her father has a credible fear of returning to his home country, he can claim asylum here. I have worked at a large NGO that resettles refugee’s and they have a whole department that has law school students on staff ready and willing to help persons to claim asylum.

    If you are this concerned that we will be looking askance at the illegals, you must feel that there will be a lot of crimes revealed by this reporting these crimes.

    Next, your red car analogy does not work. It’s not illegal to buy red cars and it is not arbitrary to call being illegal, illegal. Let’s do apples compared to apples and oranges compared to oranges.

    Lastly, the wall idea is to protect us and them. The open borders policy has encouraged human trafficking to a terrible degree. If there is a wall, and people have to apply to emigrate here, then we can check their nationality, political affiliations(like ISIS, Hamas, Al Quieda or Santa Muerte et cetera), whether or not they have a communicable disease (and we would likely get them treatment or call attention to it), and whether or not they are habitual rapists and have been previously deported.

    I believe that the posting of the crimes is to make Americans aware that the open borders policy is also making it very easy for habitual criminals to simply get off the deportation bus and hop right back across the border.

  14. I’m disturbed more that this list is just crimes and not names. With names of the immigrants in an immigrant nation, we would see our own names mixed in the frey. However, like a horror movie that doesn’t show you the monster, the minds of the angered will put the immigrants they hate the most into all the crimes.

  15. Lots of newspapers publish the names & photos of recently arrested persons as part their news. I’ve seen this in small town weekly papers, as well as larger daily papers. Did you do any research on this?

  16. So, should the media not report stories of sex abuse by priests? I know the last president didn’t have a “weekly list” but he did have the bully pulpit and he did highlight instances of possible police brutality. One result of that was the ambushing, shooting and killing of police. Should the president not have focused on possible cases of race-instigated police misconduct?

  17. Simcha,

    What is so breathtaking about reading this thread is that these are thinking, “practicing” Catholics. They say “just give Trump a chance to prove himself”. Prove what? That he can say shocking/disgusting things every single day?? It’s about money. It’s about white America. It’s about sticking it to “those people”.

    I read these comments, some of which seem to be women that have commented here for a while, and I wonder why they don’t feel conflicted (dirty).

    I have lived a handful of hours from the border for most of my life. The new immigrants have never been the problem. They are among the most humble and self deprecating people I have ever met. They suffer. Our gardener is sweet, and kind, and hasn’t been able to see his wife and children in years now.

    Generations down the line a weird mixture of latch-key kids, that have seen their parents get used, abused, and be at the bottom of the economic food chain can resort to tribalism. Most of the violence that happens, is sadly similar to what happens in black inner cities. I have also seen that the way the school systems work promotes the “us vs. them” mentality. You can have two schools less than a mile from each other, but because of the way the lines are drawn, one school can be pure brown and the other pure white. They do house checks in the good districts to make sure that nobody is trying to sneak into their well funded schools (that have arts, music, more programs/aids). I’ve seen it with my own eyes, and absolutely couldn’t believe it is happening in two of the most ultra liberal counties in the United States.

    I’ve never had my car hit by an illegal alien. Nor has anybody in my family. My husband has been left without any redress when two white people totaled *his* cars. One of them was drunk, and the other one was Haley Love, daughter of one of the Beach Boys (15, and driving without a license) she borrowed it and drove it through a plate glass window. She said “sorry”, begged him not to tell her Dad, and walked away. My husband was not a citizen, and was afraid of getting in trouble. Two of his very wealthy, white friends borrowed a truck he owned to move, and cost him thousands of dollars of damage to the car. Both shrugged and walked away. Neither bothered to ask their rich Daddies for a dime. One of them had a brother-in-law who stabbed a Mexican to death. He followed him, stabbed him with a nine inch blade, and said “you beaners are ruining our city.”

    Did one of your comments above have the honesty to admit that for a while they revoked the right of the undocumented to get a drivers license? How do you get insurance if from one day to the next, your right to drive (to work) is suspended? They expect some guy living in a tiny room with three other guys on the floor (so he can send back money to his children) to pony up thousands of dollars for a single fender bender?

    As my husband said this morning at breakfast, as I was describing this comment thread: “The question in my mind, is how some of these people think they will be let into that country on the other side of the pearly gates?”

    This whole Trump debacle is shit pie.

    I *CAN’T BELIEVE* how many Catholics are lining up for a slice.

    1. Oh, and I should also add that the Mexicans were here before the white people. The U.S. stole California from them, so maybe *we’re* living here illegally.

    2. I meet with a small group of Catholics for prayer monthly. We almost never talk about politics but I was aware that they are a lot more liberal than I. One woman is older, a physicist who has lived all over the world and whose hero is JFK. The other is African-American, works for the federal government and has spoken about the discrimination she faced while growing up. The week after the election, I was stunned to learn that both are enthusiastic Trump supporters (I am not one), voted for him and were praying for his election so that the baby-killing might come to an end.
      On the bus yesterday to the March for Life, one thirty or forty-something Hispanic woman (very heavy accent) led the rosary. Along the March route she stopped frequently to buy pro-Trump buttons and tee shirts. By the end of the March she was wearing a Trump shirt, a half-dozen buttons and a hat.

      Don’t be too sure that you know who the pro-Trump people are.

      1. My grandfather was a missionary with my grandmother in Puerto Rico. They both came from Ohio, but both their grandparents were born in different places (England/Ireland, France) My Mom was literally born on the beach in a shack in Agua Dia. Her first words were Spanish, because she had a black nanny named Flor.

        After a long career of teaching, my grandfather became a border patrol officer in Chula Vista after he retired. It never stopped shocking him how the Mexican border patrol officers were the most brutal.

        I believe it might possibly be called “Stockholm Syndrome”.

        p.s. (btw my mother is named after the vicar of Puerto Rico who is her godfather and who used to babysit for my grandparents. My sisters and I all have Spanish names because my white mother and grandparents *loved* Spanish culture. My grandfather used to say: “French is the language of love, but Spanish is the language of God.”)

    3. Ms. anna lisa:

      Yup. Us white men are all evil, evil, evil. Born racists. Born rapists. We are all damned to Hell for all eternity becasue of our pink skin.

      BTW Mr. Evil himself just defunded abortion overseas. You know. Those NGO’s that murder little black ndn brown babies?

      The NGO’s usually run by morally superior Western white women who are all going to heaven.

      Please forgive me for being a Christian, white male.

      Richard W Comerford

  18. Ms Fisher
    RE: Fairness

    On the night of 9/10 November 1938 some 31 Jews were murdered by members of the National Socialist Workers Party. You appear to equate these murders with the Donald.

    However the Donald is not a Socialist. His daughter converted to Orthodox Judisam and married an Orthodox Jew who is a key adviser to the President The Donald has Jewsih grandchildren. The Times of Israel notes that the Donald has appointed 11-Jews to key positions in his adminstration. Lastly the Donald is a strong supporter of ISrael.

    It is unfair, and indeed cruel, to Mr. Trump’s grandchildren that you paint or in anyway infer that their Grandfather is a Jew hating NAZI.

    Kindly apologize.

    Thank you.

    God bless

    Richard W Comerford

  19. I agree that individual human beings should treat others with mercy, charity, justice, and kindness etc, even when doing so is uncomfortable and would upset their routine. But it does not NECESSARILY follow that one city, state, or nation ought to do the same with its laws. Pope Francis implies it is at the heart of Christianity for a nation legally to welcome noncitizens. But telling one legal community to love another community is no better than telling people to love humanity. Individuals care for other individuals, not communities for other communities. A community has justice only insofar as its individuals are ordered by laws.

    What is a country if it doesn’t require anything of its citizens except “place”? Not requiring citizenship is either 1) assent to one world community or 2) denial of the same country’s most fundamental law: to have a common understanding of justice.

  20. If executive directives disigned to enforce immigration law = American Kristallnacht, then Michelle Obama’s school lunch program = Holodomor.

  21. Since this article is written in the context of Holocaust Remembrance Day complete with reference to Kristallnacht, I think it’s fair to also comment that Netanyahu’s Israel is probably today’s greatest exporter of Islamophobia (at least prior to Trump). Why is it that efforts to admonish that sentiment coming from Israel are frowned upon?

    1. Mr Brian Berneker

      And Iran, Iraq, ISIS, AL Qaeda, Saudi Arabis, Hamas, PLO, Qatar, Yemen, among others, have repeatedly called for the total destruction of Israel and backed up their calls for Israel’s destruction with deadly violence against the Jewish State.

      Saod calls for teh dstruction fo Israel have been ongoing since 1948

      And what do these would be destroyers of Israel all have in common. The yare members of teh religion of peace. They are Muslims.

      Meanwhile you and Ms. Fisher paint the Donald, who is a strong defender of Israel’s right to exist, as a NAZI who murders Jews.

      You and Ms. Fisher should apologive to the Donald’s Jewish grandchildren.

      And please forgive me for being an evil, Christian, white male.

      Richard W Comerford

  22. Thank you for this post. I also appreciated all the commenters who agreed and disagreed with you respectfully. I know you’ve been at this a long time, but I imagine the comments that attack you personally still hurt. Know that those comments only reflect poorly on those who write them, particularly when they don’t know the difference between caned and canned. I sure hope The Register didn’t cane you.

    But back to the subject at hand. Gracias por escribir la verdad. Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, ora por nosotros.

  23. I agree with much of what you are saying, but tbh, the people I see saying ‘resist’ are doing exactly what you’re accusing Trump of. I have continually seen comments more vile than anything Trump has said and inciting violence! Have you not seen, “your vote is a hate crime” posters?!

    The left is totally losing it and giving into fear- and committing kristallnauct all their own. Seriously- I have only seen what you are talking about from my social media friends on the left- none of the people I know who voted for Trump are acting like that- and some of them are immigrants with brown skin.

    Please try to unify- we do not need anymore of this- I’m not saying don’t be critical of Trump, but be fair here.

  24. It’s all about attention. It’s not about principles. It’s about creating a brand, maintaining a profile and getting folks to be Patreon patrons. That’s all. You did very well on that score today, Simcha. Congratulations!

  25. Wait wait who’s attacking immigrants and their cars? The people who did this are still sending threats to this Muslim guy and his Mexican driver because they were in DC so they must be part of the problem.

    https://www.google.com/amp/dailysignal.com/2017/01/24/that-dc-limo-trump-protesters-torched-belonged-to-a-muslim-immigrant/amp/

    If you actually read the Order it’s clear your overreacting with hysteria. Immigrants are not being kicked out. Ironically they’re prioritizing convicted criminals and countries that refuse to jail their own criminals. Plus it gives broad judgment calls to immigration officers to prioritize dangerous people over nondangerous immigrants. This is basically what everybody wanted.

    Certain sanctuary cities are in a fight with the administration. They’re going to track crime in those areas. It’s leverage. Obama did this plenty.

    This entire reaction is reprehensible. Your candidate lost the election. You are privileged enough that she almost won. Your struggle is NOT THE HOLOCAUST. You have no right to co-opt the suffering of the European Jews because you didn’t get your way. You have the votes, the media, all of Hollywood, and a major political party at your back and the next election as an opportunity. You are not the Jews.

    THIS RHETORIC IS HURTING ACTUAL IMMIGRANTS.

    Your sons went to the March for Life and this is all you can say?

  26. Thanks for writing this. I really enjoyed this post and think your logic and narrative should be relatable to many people, regardless of political platform. I am liberal but strongly believe that rational, cross-aisle conversations need to happen in order to make progress in our country. I would love to share your post, but feel that the title of the piece alone will ensure that my conservative friends and family will not click on it and adds to an established polarized of left/right media consumption. The content of your piece does not connect back to the “pro-life” label in your headline (although it’s certainly accurate in its use). I would think a more apolitical title would allow your message to spread even wider. Just my $.02

  27. My husband and I have had a few drinks and so I’m not sure I should be posting as I typically try to avoid Simcha’s political posts. I’m a first generation American and so I understand the immigrant experience. And over the past three decades of my life, I’ve known and even befriended many illegal immigrants. As I once lived in Boston, and my Irish Dancing daughter was basically raised in an Irish Pub, many of those illegals I’ve befriended over the years have been White (and Irish). But I’m the chatty type who runs pitchers of water and lemonade out to the Hispanic trash men and to the men working on our home on scorching summer days, and so over the past two decades, I’ve heard scores of stories of folks who’ve illegally emmigrated from Central America (and many of those stories have been quite heroic). And some of those illegally emmigrated folks – among the most hardworking people I’ve ever met – are (surprise)! now citizens.
    This issue is not a Brown and White issue, though perhaps for folks living in mostly White New Hampshire, it may seem that way. This issue is about what we give to Caesar and what Caesar wants and expects from the people he supports through his Social Contract. I don’t know what the President has said that has spurned this article, and I don’t much care. Because it matters not to me as a Christian what the President is doing. It doesn’t change what we as Catholics and Christians are called to do. Caesar will do what Caesar will do. WE CATHOLICS are to support immigrants, illegal and legal. Period. End of story.
    And that’s what matters. i think, Simcha, you really need to let go the idea that the government will save you or anyone else from anything. Because it won’t. The government’s propensity to evil via control of its citizens outweighs any good it could possibly ever do. Just because the government rescued you when your family and other loved ones around you failed you, doesn’t mean government is always the answer. My contention is that if the government gave you food or medical care when your family wouldn’t or couldn’t, it was robbing Christians of the opportunity to do so. Getting to Heaven is on us. It will certainly not be with the help of the government. It matters not how upset we are over government policy – being upset will never get us into Heaven. And, now, as my husband has just gone on another work call, I think I’ll have another glass of wine and forget all about politics and check back here tomorrow or Sunday. Maybe Monday. God Bless.

    1. “WE CATHOLICS are to support immigrants, illegal and legal. Period. End of story.”

      Wrong. The Church has always taught that a country has a right to defend its borders from illegal invaders. The Catechism clearly states that illegals are required to obey the laws of their host country. Catholics our so ignorant of Church teachings, thanks to our progressive SJW bishops.

  28. Simcha – I wish you would reply to the people leaving comments who have a different perspective than you have.
    you might be a little isolated in New Hampshire.

  29. “Most Americans already agree that crime is bad, illegal activity is wrong, and criminals should be punished by the law.”

    I disagree. Where I work is a good example. Almost all employees are considere either middle class or upper middle class. It is a technology company. Junior engineers starting salary is about $80,000/year. Maybe half the company employees are earning over $100K/year.
    The vast majority are “extremely” liberal. No conservatives here. Of most of them, the general consensus is that it is perfectly acceptable to break a law if said law is believed to be unfair.
    “The speed limit here is only 30?! Screw THAT! It is unfair, and I’m in a hurry!”
    That attitude propagates itself to many other laws. Immigration is but one example. Almost all my colleagues without exception believe that there is no such thing as an “illegal” immigrant, because immigration laws are unfair. When I ask why those laws continue to apply to people from Europe, or any of the Asian nations, their answer is that we already have too many of them. “It’s not fair.”
    They believe buying/smoking/selling pot is perfectly acceptable, because the laws are unfair.
    Most have voiced opinions such as “If it will keep republicans out of office, then let voter fraud happen. All’s fair in love and war.”
    During the presidential campaigns, most of them cheered when the news showed people vandalizing property that displayed Trump signs.
    During the riots, most of them cheered at the vandalism being shown on TV. Because they believe “the rich” are somehow evil (sort of like “all priests are sexual predators”), and destroying their property is then justified.
    When groups of protesters for “Black Lives Matter” were blocking highways, they were cheering. Remember, these are educated people; educated people cheering about law-breakers. When I commented about how tragic it could be, because deaths could occur due to firefighters, EMT personnel, nurses, doctors or police could be prevented from arriving someplace in time to save a life, most were silent, but several made comments such as “Too bad. The good of the protest outweighs the few lives it could cost.”

    I could easily list dozens of similar things. The point being, most Americans only agree “crime is bad” IF said crime is something they disapprove of. Most Americans agree “illegal activity” is wrong only when said activity is something they disapprove of. Most Americans agree “criminals should be punished by the law” only if the crime is something they disapprove of, and the punishment is something they approve of.

    “What matters is the constant reminder of facts without context to create an emotional response.”

    But isn’t that exactly what is happening now? Most major media sources are blowing things way out of proportion. How can we know which are being truthful and accurate, and which are distortions, and which are just lies?

    Last week, CNN ran an article, the headline of which was “Ex-CIA chief Brennan bashes Trump over speech during CIA visit”. The headline in the New York Times was almost identical, as was the Washington Post, the Seattle Times, SFGate and NPR.
    The same day, the headline for the same story from ABC, NBC, Chicago Tribune, the Boston Globe and the LA Times was almost opposite, being “Trump Works to Smooth Over Tensions With CIA Visit”.
    The articles were as different as day and night. Those opposed to Trump gave only very negative information, while the others were either both sides, or in the case of ABC mostly positive.

    The impressions we get, as you so clearly detailed in your article, are often from the media’s version of what they want us to think. And these days more than ever it depends on which media source(s) you are checking.

    There is a vast amount of fear mongering happening, and statements are being blown out of proportion. I believe it remains too soon to know for sure how things will go, and that we should not be so quick to judge. The media is not being honest much of the time.

    1. Illegal activity ISN’T inherently morally wrong. Legal and illegal aren’t the same as moral and immoral – legislators are not necessarily acting morally when they enact a law, or what is right for one circumstance isn’t for another; that’s why it’s often necessary to push for changes to the law!

      Obeying a just law is good, yes, and disobeying one is bad. When it comes to *unjust* laws, though, that’s not the case, and if you genuinely believe that a law is wrong (i.e., morally repugnant, not just inconvenient), then sometimes the only morally acceptable action would be to disobey it. In an ideal world, all laws would be just laws, but we don’t live in an ideal world, and it’s dangerous to act as if we do.

      This is not to say your colleagues are making the right choices about *which* laws to disregard (again, inconvenient is not the same as immoral, and something like a speed limit is probably there for genuine public safety reasons), or that no regard should be paid at all to the law, but it *is* important to look at the law with some critical thinking and not simply accept that because something is illegal, it is necessarily wrong.

  30. I’m with you in thinking that Trump is ” a vulgar and ridiculous man” but I have to call you out on some of this. First of all, you made an important transposition when you said Trump would publish ‘lists of “aliens” (he doesn’t specify legal or illegal) who have committed “crimes”’ when the article you quoted said he would “publish a weekly list of crimes committed by immigrants.” It’s not a list of people, it’s a list of crimes – which is a big difference. If you read the executive order, it’s not a public shaming or fear-mongering exercise. Most of the executive order (https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/01/25/presidential-executive-order-enhancing-public-safety-interior-united) is about “ensur[ing] that our Nation’s immigration laws are faithfully executed” … it’s about enforcing the existing laws, which, as you point out, already exist and are supported by most Americans. But they are woefully under-enforced, and whether you think immigration laws are fair, the fact is they are the law and people who disregard them are *breaking the law* and are de facto criminals. The executive order is addressing the fact that there are many of these illegal immigrants who are also more serious law-breakers, and that in enforcing immigration laws, we might reduce the amount of crimes perpetrated by people who really shouldn’t have been here in the first place. That is what the “lists” are intended to do – collect data on crimes committed by people who would have been deported if immigration laws were followed. And I think your attempt at minimizing a crime like “driving over to Kroger’s without a license” is misguided – I grew up in a border city and while fortunately I don’t know anyone who’s ever gotten hit by a drunk driver, several of my siblings have been hit by illegal immigrants driving without licenses. It’s actually a big deal – in my anecdotal experience, a bigger deal than drunk driving. There is a reason we have licenses. I have to pay a higher amount in insurance costs to protect against uninsured drivers than I would if I lived in a part of the country where there are fewer illegal immigrants driving illegally. It’s a weird thing to complain about, but it is a higher cost that’s incurred every month because of lawlessness.

    I personally think immigration laws should be changed to make it easier for people to come here legally, but that doesn’t change the fact that there are many people who are simply breaking the law by being in the country. I believe you are in New Hampshire, which is the third-whitest state in the country, so I understand how to you it can seem like all “people with dark skins and accents are criminals” (not that you think that, but you seem to think that others think that and operate on that principle) and we can just lump together everyone different and non-white as an “immigrant.” But I live in a border county, and there are more “brown people” than “white people” in my city, and immigration is not an issue of skin color. There are many brown people here legally. There are many brown people here illegally. There are black people and white people who are illegal immigrants, too. This isn’t an action against some visible group of people – “THESE PEOPLE” – this is a specific action concerning people breaking a specific type of law. This is an executive order directing existing agencies to enforce existing laws, and publish data on their enforcement. Calling it a precursor to full-on Hitler is distastefully hyperbolic.

    1. Thanks you, Sarah. You’re right, I misread and mischaracterized Trump’s statement. It was an honest error, not a malicious one, but that’s no excuse. I have edited the post to make it more accurate.

      The rest of what I say stands. Statistics show that immigrants commit proportionally fewer crimes than those born in the US. Obviously drunk drivers should be prosecuted, whether they’re citizens or not. But when we publish lists telling how many “aliens” (which may or may not mean legal) drive drunk, for instance, we’re implying that it’s a disproportionate problem among immigrants, when that may or may not be the case. (Anecdotes really don’t make the case, as you know.)

      By deliberately choosing which information to publicize and which information to leave out, the list aims to make two points: That everyone who looks like an immigrant is probably illegal, and that everyone who is an immigrant is probably a criminal. All of the information it offers is available in many other places, and so these lists are not informational in nature. They are emotional.

      1. Simcha, how on earth do you reason that illegal immigrants commit *less* crime than US citizens? I know you linked to the NYT but it just doesn’t stand to reason. If 11 million American whites crossed illegally into Canada and there was a massive US-Canada drug pipeline it wouldn’t make any sense to say Canadians are statistically likely to behave *worse*

        We’re the largest drug market in the world. There’s got to be crime coming over the border. New Hampshire is not Texas or California.

        Honestly – a buddy of mine came here illegally. He saw dead bodies in the desert in the dark. In my old hometown in Florida illegals were promised a good life here and then kept as slaves in a shed for years for the citrus groves until the Feds busted them up. Border crossing is not safe. Legal avenues should be encouraged, not illegal avenues.

      2. I have shared your article but did so with a disclaimer. I stated that it was not an anti pro-life article, but an anti hate article. I wanted my friends and family who are pro-life to look past the title and read the article.
        .

  31. Amen, Simcha! We are called to protect those at the margins, not to marginalize them further.

    I was thinking earlier today that this proposal coming before Holocaust Memorial Day was too crass, even for Trump. I was wrong. I wonder if his Jewish daughter and SIL hear the resonances.

    1. Ms. Andrea:

      And Friday the evil Donald reiterated his strong support for the Jewish State of Israel.

      Clearly the evil Donald and his Jewish grandchildren are dangerous anti-Semites.

      BTW reportedly Jews are abandonning Europe in record numbers, not becasue of evil Donald like thugs, but becasue the adherents of the religion of peace are murdering Jews left and right.

      And kindly forgive me for being another evil, Christian, white male sole source of the world’s problems.

      Richard W Comerford

  32. Thank you for this post. I’m horrified by what people will go along with just because Trump says he will protect life. He’s not trustworthy and I think he’s bought the pro-life movement by agreeing to put pro-life people in charge. Everything he does seems very calculated to rile up and confuse the American people in order to make us more dependent on him. I don’t think he desires a holocaust but he is definitely starting out like a dictator. Thank you for your post.

  33. And your choice was the butcher of Illinois, or Arkansas, or New York, or Kalorama or wherever she was from

  34. I am disheartened by the increasingly hysterical tone of of the progressives, especially the elitist Catholic liberals in America. You feign fear of what is to come of your nation while relishing in the opportunity to malign the name and character of those newly elected and their supporters. What ever did the previous administration do to better America? I ask this from a vantage point from outsde the USA. Your international reputation faultered and we watched as violence increased and racial strife became a daily feature on the newsfeed. Respect the intelligence and integrity of your senators and congress representatives and, yes, your President, a flawed man like the rest of us. Pay close attention to governance at the State level and in your local communities. Be examles of goodness and hope for your children. You just might have a chance at greatness. We in Canada have raced far past the point of turning back the tide of progressiveism. We have unrestricted abortion up to the time of birth, doctor assisted suicde with the parameters soon being broadened to include young people and this year will bring legalzation of marijuana across the country. So I don’t speak from arrogance but from a hope that you will do better than we have done. Especially at this turbulent time, I am ever mindful of the power of prayer.

  35. A few small points. First, from the article – not all dark skinned people are immigrants, and not all immigrants are dark skinned (which the line “it’s obvious you’re an immigrant” seems to imply). That assumption, though, is another part of the problem: people can be Puerto Rican, or a second generation Cuban, and not be an immigrant but still be targeted.

    Not that we should be targeting anyone based on birth place or citizenship status. One commentator quotes Jesus to show we are obliged to follow unjust laws… and yet the second part of that parable is to give unto God what is God’s… which is everything: our hearts, our minds, our lives, our politics, our allegiance. It was a bit of a quandry- and still is- to apply that to our lives: at what point does our compliance with an unjust law make us culpable to the sin it effects? Both sides of the coin, so to speak, need serious reflection by every sincere follower of Christ.

    And if our conclusion leads us to follow the unjust law at this point in time, we can still look to the sum total of Jesus actions: who does he choose to spend time with? to heal? It’s the poor, overwhelmingly. But not exclusively. We can find him healing the centurian’s child: so even those participating in oppression can receive grace. We find Jesus healing the soldier’s ear in the garden: that is, healing the violence caused by someone faithful to him. All food for thought when we call ourselves his disciples, and strongly distinguish others who are “unlike” us or “unworthy of” respect.

    1. Are we obliged to follow unjust laws? CCC1903 says no. Taxation is not inherently immoral, so paying taxes is not necessarily immoral, so Jesus’ statement is not an endorsement of unjust laws.

  36. My son doesn’t look like “us”. He doesn’t talk like “us”. He’s one of “them”. He gets looks and comments wherever he goes with me. You see, I’m white, and my son is disabled, Roma, and adopted. In his country, “only the Roma commit crimes”, said every white person in that country. “The Roma deserve to be treated badly without pity because they commit all of the crimes, and take our jobs”. My son’s biological family lives on the outskirts of society, in fear and desperation and poverty, all because they are outsiders, and an easy target for a country full of economic instability and anger.
    It hurts my heart, and causes me great fear to have people “like him” singled out only as criminals. I’m afraid for him in the world he’s growing up in. I’m afraid for all of my children, but my Roma son is the only one who will be put on a list if he dares ever make a serious mistake.

  37. I can see why the Hindus invented reincarnation. I’ve read in a few books that sometimes souls have been encountered experiencing purgatory on this earth.

    My guess is that Trump will need to accompany dark skinned and displaced people as his purgatory. He will need to watch all of the ripples of the filthy stones he throws. Perhaps he will be sojourning this way until every tear has been paid for with his own tears of regret.

    “And he won’t be let out until the last farthing is paid.”

    Americans used to have a sense of gratitude for having landed on these shores. Now they hover over their pile of marbles and say: “I got mine!” Perhaps they will suffer a similar fate for looking the other way.

    It must profoundly deform the beauty of a soul to contort itself into a filthy configuration.

    Mammon and racial hatred–the devil doesn’t need to innovate much, does he.

    1. I really like your comment. It reminds me of the effects of our actions here and in the afterlife. It should make us reflect on our failings to love our neighbor with fear and trembling.

  38. So in the likely event you’re proven wrong about this, will you publicly retract what you’ve said and apologize for slandering a president, his administration, and supporters? If you believe in the power of the printed word as you claim to, surely you’d understand the issue with repeated hyperbole, exaggerations, or (what will very likely prove to be) outright lies. Will you hold others making the same claims as you to the same standards should the next presidential election come to pass without the rise of the first American dictatorship?

    1. Should the next presidential election come to pass without the rise of fascism, it will be *because* people have resisted, not because we have misjudged him.

      1. Look up ‘fascism’ in the dictionary, and while you’re at it look up ‘resistance.’ Arguing on a blog is not resistance.

    2. This a thoughtful opinion piece not slander. The authors words were not attacking President Trump supporters or people who voted for him. Asking people of goodwill to to consider history in the context of current events is a reasonable. I believe that as the President of the US Mr.Trumps words and actions should be examined..as should every Presidents and elected official.

  39. Since you are Catholic, lets focus on the principal of Justice. As Augustine would say, Justice is to render each his due. When the immigrant, broke the moral and civil law of governance and snuck into our country he violated the commandments of God, committing a grave sin. Jesus said render unto Cesar which is Cesar’s’ , which is obeying the civil law- even if unjust. God put that individual in a place and time in his country because God knew exactly what that soul needed to populate heaven. God does not permit an evil for a greater good. It is not a sin to be poor and you can’t justify stealing for economic freedom. “You will always have the poor”. These illegal immigrants create tremendous tax burdens which in effect steal from the resources of tax payers. Many American businesses suffer from having to compete with “off the books” illegals. Wages are lowered across the board, For the Catholic Church to promote illegal immigration is a grave sin. Additionally, the resources are also consumed from law abiding immigrants who patiently go through the process, in effect stealing from the honest. Now should those same immigrants, once in our country, be persecuted unjustly (i.e. the holocaust) then we would have the moral obligation to defend them and save their lives in any manner possible. Because the matter of life trumps death. Also should they be fleeing religious persecution that also changes the equation of justice. You are way off base on your assessment of Trump, his actions prove he has appointed a profoundly Christian and prolife cabinet. Do you really think Pence, Conway, Ryan, and Bannon will allow a Trumpian holocaust to occur. I’m sorry, but the greatest threat to the Catholic church and humanity is the left. The leftist philosophy is a diabolical disorientation that destroys everything that is good, true, and holy. You tremble over Trump when you should tremble over the church bending to the world. These leftist bishops morally equate perceived social justice issues with life issues and climb into bed with the democrats. Why, because their is a lot of money providing immigration services for the displaced. “Big-time!” to quote Trump.

    1. I agree. I appreciate the concern and red flags to watch out for, but I do think it’s too soon to make a sweeping judgment on Trump.

    2. Time will tell if she’s right about Trump or not, but she appears to be right about you. You said “When the immigrant, broke the moral and civil law of governance and snuck into our country he violated the commandments of God, committing a grave sin.” That is stereotyping, judging, demonizing. a) Simply being an immigrant is not illegal. Our country was founded by immigrants. b) Many (up to 40%) immigrants that are illegal now came here on perfectly legal visas, not sneaking, they’ve just overstayed them. c) Illegality and sin are two totally different issues, so unless you’re sinless yourself, lets not cast the first stone, k?

      1. Wow your logic is astounding…An alien that enters a country without permission is by definition an illegal alien. Period…Why be afraid of statistics about crime committed by illegals? Afraid of discovering the truth? If you are so sure the illegals are pure and clean then the statistics will reveal such. I guess you have not paid any attention to what is happening in Germany, France, Sweden, Austria, Belgium, Spain, Italy…

      2. You cannot conflate immigration with illegal border crossing. If you or Simcha dispute the laws, why don’t you go after the congresspeople who passed them and keep them?

      3. If the “immigrant” entered with a visa with no intention of leaving, they are violating the law. They didn’t cross the Rio they just exploited the system-no difference. Their are several billion human beings in the world that make less then 2 dollars per day. If we allowed just a small percentage of the impoverished it would overwhelm the resources of our nation. Not to mention we are 20 trillion in debt. Will you be singing the same tune when the purchasing power of the dollar is on par with all of the other impoverished countries. My guess is if we had a real financial crisis and $1,000 had the same purchasing power as $10 the leftist would cry the loudest. The solution to the worlds ills is not to import enough socialists, Marxist, and those who live by sharia law into our nation. Rather we need to promote our system of governance that promotes God given individual liberty. A nation is defined by its’ border, language and culture. Trump is defending the US citizens, that is what he put his hand on the Bible last week and was elected to do. The God of the Old testament has no problems with walls and nations defending themselves. We already have had attacks from ISIS in our country. Is it so far fetched that a few people from Syria could overstay their visa and fly a drone with anthrax over Disney land one fine summer day? Immigration should be a spigot that gets turned on and off for our nations good. It should not be a big open pipe-line flowing south to north.

  40. This is how I feel as a pro life Catholic conservative woman: I am labeled rigid, dumb, backward,evil, narrow-minded and up for ridiclue and name calling just because of what I believe. I am stereotyped and pigeon holed and insulted by fellow Catholics. I’ve been chastized and scolded and deemed irrelevant and hateful. What is the next step for me? Internment? Forcing me to limit the number of children I have so not to proliferate my faulty genes and undesirable tendencies. Anything g to negate and silence for the cause.

    1. You forgot entitled. And persecuted. Poor dear.

      “Forcing” you “to limit the number of children …” Huh, that’s the exact opposite of forcing women to got through pregnancies they don’t want. Weird how that works, isn’t it? Poor, poor dear.

    1. You’re kidding, right? That’s a strange sense of humor you have there.

      I’m not even going to argue with you. If you don’t have eyes, you’ll never see.

      1. Not kidding, I am sure. We are in the time of Immature Narcissists Being Mean to those who hurt their feewings!

        It’s a national fashion! It’s patriotic!

  41. Posts like this are exactly why we are at each other’s throats. I do hope you allow this comment.

    I would appreciate a link to your post at some point in the past 8 years decrying Obama’s habit of publishing campus sex crime investigations each week, just like this. By your logic, that means he was pre-demonizing all men.

    Please also post exactly when Trump said that dark-skinned foreign are people are out to eat your baby. And Hitler, really?! You’re mischaracterizing his statements to stir up resentment. He says illegal immigrants are committing crimes, full stop, period. Where is the lie? That is a just cause for concern. Ask any border-dweller like me. He has also emphasized the need for a big DOOR in the border wall to let in those who will not harm us. I think you’ll find very few people who want to stop immigration–it’s not too much to ask to ask people to follow the rules and do it properly. To help the plight of others, we should bring aid to the people who need it. Please stop dividing us further.

    1. Other than The White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault, which published a total of two reports over its lifetime, I’m not sure what you’re talking about. There was a push to make statistics on campus rape available since it would be in the interest of women to know if a particular campus had unusually high rates of rape, but that’s not even remotely similar to publishing a list of criminal activity by a particular group.

      Info about pretty much all criminal activity is available out there for the public to view if they want, but it’s rarely broken down by demographic in this way, in its own report. There’s no point, other than to vilify that group.

      1. Actually Obama’s DOE OCR (led by his political appointments) did great harm to college students – men and women – with its “focus” on sexual assault. Their means utterly undermined the ends and they flouted the law at every turn using lies, the press, and coercion to achieve their questionable goals (which often times was just a positive press release). Sound familiar? And I say this not only as a higher ed lawyer, but also as a big supporter of everything Simcha wrote in this article (no I didn’t vote for Trump )

    2. American Citizens are committing crimes, too. You could still be robbed–your wife could still be raped–someone could shoot you if no LATIN immigrants were allowed in–because that’s what this is about, right? Race and socioeconomic status? No proposals about building a wall along the border with Canada.

      What you’re saying proves the article’s point. Scapegoating–or saying the reason for your unrest is not that life is hard for everyone and we all need to deal with it and grow up, but that there’s that person over there who stole your job and might break into your house–is what this article is about. People love hearing that they’re not the problem in their lives, which is what makes this tactic so effective and terrifying. That’s not to say some aren’t criminals. Criminality abounds among the poor, but it does so to a far greater degree among the rich.

      And about Obama’s publishing assault reports–yes it does make all men seem demonic to some. But it has a deeper, more important point, and that is that this shit happens soooo much to people and almost nothing gets done about it. If you’d been born as a woman, you would have had fear of men driven into you for your own safety, and it wouldn’t have been because there aren’t tons of men who disregard a woman’s status as a person everyday of their lives. If you want to have a voice in this, stop crying “not all men” and actually stand up for women. Watch how the reputations of men start to change.

      1. There are far fewer people trying to accomplish drug smuggling and human trafficking over the Canadian border.

    3. I respectfully disagree. Even if your experience with criminal justice and immigration is different based on living close to the border, that’s just a reason to have different views on laws and law enforcement.

      Associating non-citizens with crime serves no purpose in terms of criminal justice. It doesn’t help prevent crime or enforce laws. At best, it does nothing.

      Regarding sexual assault reporting, no one had to make a list of “men who committed sexual assault” because statistically, most sexual assaults are committed by men. Even so, men should not be scapegoated for sex crimes because the vast majority of men are not rapists. Just as immigrants should not be scapegoated for crimes since the vast majority of them are not criminals.

      1. Associating illegal immigrants with the crimes they tend to commit (drug related crimes, shootings, cartel kidnappings, driving without knowing the rules of the road, or a license, or impaired) actually is great. It prevents us from casting, say, all Mexicans as these criminals. Just as we don’t legally treat all African Americans as gang members right now.

        In some parts of Asia they have separate female train cars because they are so susceptible to harassment or rape on the train. I don’t begrudge them that as a male. Sometimes temporary profiling is a way to keep people safe. But we’re not even at that point with immigrants. And don’t tell me we are – read the law and the Executive Order. It clearly differentiates illegal immigrant criminals from illegal immigrants, and illegal immigrants from legal ones. This is a good differentiation. I know plenty of immigrants who agree.

      2. Every alien that breaks into the USA illegally is comitting a CRIME. It’s a violation of Federal Law, punishable by a jail term for repeat offenders. And everyday they are here illegally, they are committing a CRIME. Why do you think they hide in the shadows? Not to mention they are here stealing our resources, not paying federal and state income taxes, overwhelming our health and educational systems and causing our own citizens to live in fear. They are CRIMINALS. Enough with the PC bullshit.

    4. Hi:

      Can you link to any of these lists of campus sex crime investigations? My husband is a dean at a college and has to file annual/semi-annual data on crimes committed on campus to the DOE, but what you are alleging is something different. The crime statistics (all crime, violent and not) are published to help people make decisions about the safety of campuses. It doesn’t cherry pick data about gender, national origin, race or victims or assailants.

      1. I work at a University as well. The documentation that I believe people are talking about is an annual crime report required of all campuses that details all crimes (property crimes, vandalism, theft, assault, violence).This report is known as Clery Act/report. All schools that receive federal funding should have this report publically available. The purpose of the report is to inform parents, faculty, staff, and studentsof current and accurate crime stats. Stakeholders could then make an informed choice regarding colleges and education and or employment. All the information is deidentified and in the aggregate as to not violate privacy laws. This report captures statistics about crime on campus it does not address remedies or policies. This has been in place at least since the late 1990s…way before President Obama was involved in the DOE or the DOJ.

      2. The person could be referring to the “Dear Colleague” letter sent out to many colleges by the DOE with respect to investigating college sexual assaults/Title nine inquiries. It has lead to many schools assuming any male in a situation is guilty, the female is always the victim, and an abandonment of due process for students n sexual harassment investigations.

    5. Serena, this is a false equivalency you’re trying to draw. It would only be the same if Obama had published sex crimes believed to be perpetrated by a particular subsection of the student population such as white students, Catholic students or student athletes. And I seriously doubt that the publications were limited to male students. Your assumption there, however, is telling about the culture we live in.

      As for divisiveness, this post is about standing together to fight against the possibility of tyranny. It asks that we join together to not let it happen. That’s not divisive, but your argument most certainly is.

    6. Enough with the Obama whataboutability and the Hilary whataboutability. They’re out. Trump holds the power now and he must be held acountable for the comsequences of his own policies.

    7. I can’t always express well with words what I think, but I agree with Serena. So many attitudes now are shaped by misnomer ideas that completely change the dialog. LEGAL immigrants=wonderful! ILLEGAL aliens=illegal status. Generally, liberals don’t differentiate between the two, which is a fatal flaw to most arguments about immigration.

      We’re a country of laws. Have you ever read the Canadian list of requirements for entering their country legally? Why is the US so demonized for wanting to be discriminating of the people we allow into the country? If people are here illegally, they haven’t been vetted and haven’t gone through the process of applying for immigrant status. That’s how you weed out the criminals, murderers, gang members, etc. Of course, there are many good people who are here illegally, but it doesn’t change the fact that they are here illegally. If your toilet is overflowing, you turn off the water first and then fix the problem, not the other way around. You have to stop the majority of illegal immigration before you can fix the problems with the system.

      This isn’t anything like the holocaust, and to compare it to Hitler is disingenuous, misleading and extremely divisive. Who is spreading the fear and anger here?

      1. Having a reasonable and appropriate requirements for seeking asylum or refugee status already exists in the US. Building a wall across our borders or targeting groups to deny entry because of their religious beliefs or country of origin is bad policy masquerading as keeping Americans safe. The Muslim ban in particular is particularly egregious. The US has acted similarly before (Chinese Exclusionary Act to name one instance) and we allowed isionalationists and nationalism replace compassion.

    8. All universities are required by law to post crime statistics for the campus area. This is done in the university newspaper. Additionally,the crime statistics on campus are emailed to all students, staff and faculty. Crime statistics are also printed every week in our local paper and we don’ t have much crime to print. There is nothing American, illegal or unChristian about it. Personal data is not reported to protect the privacy of the individuals involved. Are you afraid that people will stop living in the sanctuary cities or not buy property there? Are you a realtor? I am sure that the crime statistics are published in the relevant newspapers in those cities. It is public information and we, the people of the US have a right to know how dangerous an area is. Simcha has no argument about this. What an ignorant and uninformed person she is! Trump is full of so much common sense which has somehow escaped Simcha. She is full of anger and hate towards the President and is grasping at nonsense in order to meet her deadline for writing. Maybe she should stay away from politics until she can control her anger. Maybe gardening or home decorating would be a neutral topic on which she could easily write and meet the deadline.

  42. I saw a great suggestion today to publish a list of helpful or heroic things done by immigrants each week. Seems it would help.

  43. Yes to resist. My question is by doing what? I seem to remember hearing that the White House contact page is no longer active. I’m really not trying to be difficult, I just am the sort who wants someone to hand me the action plan so I can just do it and not try an avenue that won’t work, or think “outrage!” but then not get around to figuring out what to actually do.

    1. Anna, you could also learn more about nonviolence resistance – there’s more than one way to oppose (think of WWII – soldiers, spies, yes- and people continuing their everyday lives while hiding Jews or helping them escape). There’s a documentary called A FORCE MORE POWERFUL that talks about organized non violent resistance to major historical events across the world – I’d highly recommend it. But also visiting any Holocaust museum, or reading about the lead up to Kristallnacht, would also serve as good inspiration…. good luck!

      1. This is not a credible news source. It is not journalism. It is merely opinion.
        This article has many erroneous statements. The president has stated over and over again that deportation for crimes committed only applies to ILLEGAL immigrants.
        Also when he speaks of neighborhoods out of control with crime and chaos…he was speaking ONLY about CHICAGO.
        And there are nor will be any lists. The author has misstated this because it is totally out if context.

    2. Also, contact your representatives. If they are doing what you want, let them know, if not, let them know. Local, county, parish, state, and national.

    3. Try thinking for yourself, for starters. You might then be able to see that we actually have someone in the White House willing to fight for families, Christians and our beleaguered country. It amazes me that seemingly good people can find so many things to carp about. I wonder, ‘How can this be? Don’t they remember the last dark eight years?’ But basically, it’s just ingratitude. I’m so thankful right now, as is everyone I know. You and the others here are whiny spoiled brats and the best thing that could happen to you is to know real hunger, and real suffering to appreciate just we have in this incredible country. I’m thankful to our great God for His many blessings, not the least of which was being born an American. If you do nothing else this day, thank God for sending us a president that will fight for life and Faith.

      1. It’s very presumptuous of you to assume that people who don’t agree with you are all “whiny spoiled brats” who have never known “real hunger, and real suffering.” But I have a feel you’re not seeking a dialogue — you’re just ranting.

      2. “If you do nothing else this day, thank God for sending us a president that will fight for life and Faith.”

        When He does, I will. Until then, I’ll resist an administration which has given no indication of being truly “willing to fight for families, Christians and our beleaguered country.” (The inclusions of Christians in that list is truly laughable considering that one of the arguments against the Women’s March was that we didn’t know what true persecution was, and that our standing up for our rights was an insult to those who have no rights. Well, time to turn the mirror around.

        “I’m so thankful right now, as is everyone I know.” – then you must live in an echo chamber.

        “You and the others here are whiny spoiled brats and the best thing that could happen to you is to know real hunger, and real suffering to appreciate just we have in this incredible country.”

        That is the. most. UNCHRISTIAN response I have heard. No one should ever have to know real hunger or real suffering. I DARE YOU to say that to the face of someone who has known them.

      3. God did not send you this president. God gave you over a dozen other choices. God expects you to act as a Christian, and you didn’t. You were tested. You failed. You chose the serpent. Don’t think so? Pray and tell God, explain to Jesus, how Trump is acting according to Christian values.

        You think the last eight years were “dark”, for some reason? You wish that we whiny spoiled brats should know real hunger and suffering……..yet you do not know real darkness. You wish hunger and suffering onto people……..and what does God say to you about that, when you pray to him and tell him this? You do not know darkness……but you will, now.

        You spit on the least of His brothers. You do, and YOU KNOW IT. Shame on you.

      4. Thank you for stating this. We do not have an obligation to agree with everything our President or reps tell us. In fact that is our right as American citizens. I do not think every person here illegally is a criminal. I do think that those who are acting in such a way hide behind those who came here for the purpose of living in freedom. The truth is hard to swallow and for too long we have been lied to or had a watered down version of the truth fed to us by our former President.

      5. So, you disagree with His Holiness, the Pope on how the poor & refugees/immigrants should be treated? You’re buying into the fear mongering put forth by the Republicans and their friends in the alt-right. With the decreasing birth rate among Americans, we need immigrants to sustain our country, or we’ll find ourselves in a situation like Japan with a dis-proportionally aging populace and not enough young people to keep things running and to pay into our social systems. I live in a metro area with a large immigrant population and have lived in many different countries, including Turkey, which is 98% Muslim, so I know better than to buy into their narrative. You should broaden your horizons and you’ll realize that the vast majority of people in the world are good and just want health & security for their families.

        What exactly was so “dark” about the last 8 years (besides the color of the first family’s skin)? Crime is down, employment is up and so is the economy, meaning that President Obama left the country in much better shape than the US he inherited from Bush.

      6. I sincerely doubt that the man in the White House has any respect for life or faith. He is a bloviator who has many times stated things that are demonstrably not true. The “whiny spoiled brat” is the one with the keys to the kingdom is his hands. I don’t know how the last eight years were dark for you. I saw a president who was respectful of all people of all faiths, as Christians are called to be. He supported the rights of all Americans, regardless of their backgrounds. Our new Commander in Chief seems to respect the McCarthy era, though under different auspices, which was a truly dark time for America.

      7. “You cannot be a Christian without living like a Christian.” (Pope Francis…A.K.A. The Pope/head of the catholic church) “You cannot be a Christian without practicing the Beatitudes. You cannot be a Christian without doing what Jesus taught us in Matthew 25.” This is a reference to Christ’s injunction to help the needy by such works of mercy as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked and welcome the stranger. (Pope Francis)
        It’s hypocrisy to call yourself a Christian if you chase away a refugee or someone who is hungry or thirsty, toss out someone who is in need of my help,” he said. “If I say I am Christian, but do these things, I am a hypocrite!” (again, the Pope….Pope Francis)

      8. I cannot support the decision of a president to ban those who need help the most,even on the grounds that it is best for the country. I guess if it is a choice between acting in faith to love others, or acting in patriotism to save my country, I will choose faith. We can be confident that loving others, caring for the helpless, the oppressed, and the hungry, we are acting in faith that God’s Word’s is true- that Christ meant what he said when he declared the second greatest commandment to be loving your neighbor as yourself. Let the world crumble around us, but if we love God and love people, what have we to lose? I am grateful that God did not treat me as an alien or stranger, or the enemy that I am: a sinner. Instead, in grace, He gave up the very life of his Son so that I could have a relationship with him. Furthermore, we are called to have attitudes of Christ-Jesus, who humbled himself to death on a cross. There is no better time to do this than now. We must respond to the outcry for help; to not do so is ignorant of the grace we have received in Christ. Because Jesus is our righteousness, because His work on the cross erased all the wrath that was due us because of sin, we can be emboldened to act contrary to the ways of the world! When the world wants to hide from the dangers of terrorism, of disease, of poverty, we instead live in confidence that we have nothing to lose! So we love those persecute us, we bless them and do not curse them. We cover our enemies and give them water to drink. Against such actions there is no law. Then, the world will look in amazement and ask us about the Hope that we have.

    4. Join MoveOn. They are having weekly protests, letter writing. There are many, many places to do just that. It is not hard to find.

      1. Move. on is a George Soros-funded organization which has nothing good for the American people. George Soros actually collaborated with the Nazis in his native Hungary when he was teenager rounding up and confiscating the possessions of Hungarian Jews who had just been deported to the concentration camps. Soros has said in an interview made in the last few years that that was the ‘best year’ of his life’, helping the Nazis. Move.on and others are indeed whining about nothing and merely protesting in order to instigate hatred, violence and criminal activities.

      2. Lying is a sin, Catherine. George Soros did not “collaborate” with the Nazis. His family did purchase documents to declare they were Christian, to try to escape persecution and death. How terrible! Soros called 1944 the “happiest year of his life” because he witnessed his father save the lives of not just his family, but many other Hungarian Jews.

      3. Catherine of Siena, George Soros IS Jewish. His family hid this information from the Nazis and fought and resisted from within. The reason in the interview he said they were the happiest years, was being part of the heroism he and his family exhibited saving and hiding Jewish families. Posting misinformation for the trolls?

    5. Some people have suggested calling Trump’s hotels with your complaints about his words and actions – clog up the phone lines for his businesses.

      1. Bocere WOW! I cannot even find a source for the fantasy story you have created for the evil man, George Soros. He was a Nazi sympathizer and has been interfering in our elections for many years. He is a currency manipulator who has actually cause the currency of some nations to collapse so that he can profit by it.

        I have never ever heard the ridiculous idea that he is some kind of WWII hero. God help us! Google it.

    6. Hi Anna – you also can contact your local representatives in Congress. Because House representatives have smaller districts and are up for election every two years, they tend to be more responsive to constituents. But definitely drop your Senators a note too.

      Also, I work with mostly immigrants. A lot of them are scared right now – even those here legally and from countries no one’s been speaking against. Taking special care to be kind right now may go a long way. 🙂

    7. Daily Action is an easy solution. They send you a text every day giving you the assignment of who to call about what that day.

  44. Thank you for saying what few in the Catholic world are brave enough to say. People like you, Mark Shea, and Fr. James Martin are keeping me in the church at this point. You’ve just gained a Patreon supporter, too. Keep speaking the truth!

    1. If Father James Martin is keeping you in the church, it ain’t the Catholic church. He’s a loon. So is Mark Shea.

      1. Some good points for consideration, but you know what? I don’t care. Everyday I know law enforcement will show no mercy to me or my family if I do certain things, and will remorselessly separate me and my family. Yet our political system features the routine law breaking of immigrants who break the law to get here, and they want them to become voters. Just like why the 14th amendment was enacted: political party preservation. Trump is there because the people have spoken, and we want our laws enforced. Live with it.

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