Time to Grow Up and Act Like Kids Again

“It’s MINE!!!,” screamed the Stephen as he took the big red ball away from the Anne. Anne promptly burst into tears and went running to the teacher where she sobbed and stuttered trying to tell her version of the story. Stephen came running up a few steps behind yelling, “I had it first and she took it from me." Both children are full of righteous anger and primed to fight for their rights with no regard or thought for the other.

The teacher was now left to sort out the issue and deal with the children, not just with their refusal to share, but also with their behaviors after the fact.

You might think this is a story of two preschoolers, but perhaps not…

Recently, in Phoenix, a black city councilman was in a confrontation with a white police officer. The actual outcome of the situation is murky with blame to be assigned to both sides, but the interesting thing is the gigantic outpouring of anger from the black community in that area. Even if this single episode was not actually racially motivated, someone had better pay attention to the issue of community policing in that area because the response tells me there are much deeper issues there.

In the past months, we have seen a Health Care Bill signed into law by Democrats who completely bypassed any semblance to open and honest legislation, provoking some of the largest angry reactions that I have seen in politics during my lifetime. This gave a boost to the Tea Party movement that has been agitating for change in government.

Sometime later, Arizona Republicans signed a law into effect that some said could lead to racial profiling, leading to an enormous backlash by Hispanics and others.

Each of these events have something in common: the response was much more powerful than expected and in some cases, has yet to die down.

The response in each of these cases is due to the feeling of disenfranchisement by one group in response to the actions of another.

As a White man, it is easy to dismiss the situation that occurred with the City Councilman because he is black and ultimately had a large degree of fault in the events that transpired. But the event was merely a catalyst that opened the lid of simmering issues between the Black community and the Law Enforcement community.

Democrats are quick to dismiss the Tea Party movement as a bunch of crazies and racists, but the truth is, they are by and large ordinary people that are sick of the abuses of government and want to be heard.

Arizona Republicans and supporters of SB1070 and similar laws like to shut down the immigration argument with sound bites about ‘rule of law’ but fail to recognize the very real fears of many legal Hispanic immigrants and citizens as well as the complex issues of our historic immigration policies.

Whatever race we are, whatever political or religious affiliation, we must remember that there are people who hold different ideas than we do. Our actions as a majority may seem right to us, but may trample the rights of others or appear to do so.

If large numbers of people stand up in response, there just might be a problem that the majority doesn’t recognize or refuses to see. Dismissing our opponents and denigrating their values is not healthy or productive.

Democrat or Republican, White or Black, Legal or Illegal, Christian or Atheist, Tastes-great or Less-Filling, we all share this nation and we must work together and listen to each other.

In Kindergarten we learn to share, to respect each other, and to play nice.

It is the time to dial down the rhetoric and work to open avenues of communication.

It is the time for openness and truth.

It is the time for cooperation and compromise.

Let’s remember those lessons from Kindergarten…

It’s time to grow up and act like kids again.

Don't make me go tell the teacher.

¿Puede llevar zapatos de una otra persona?

Para mis Hermanos Hispanos,

(ENGLISH TRANSLATION FOLLOWS)

Soy un Estadounidense y vivo en Arizona. He estudiado español más que doce años y yo soy un pastor de una Iglesia Cristiano. Soy también Caucásico con raíces alemanas si que importa. Comprendo toda la ira y frustracion en SB1070 y las leyes que han sido entrados los últimos años. Yo no apoyo muchas de estas leyes y yo no concuerdo con Russell Pierce en la mayoría de las cosas. En mi opinion, yo creo que el es una racista y yo pienso que el esconde su racismo detrás de la ley.*

Pero, esto debe ser dicho.

Si estas honesto, entonces sabes que el problema de inmigración ilegal es un problema de derechos humanos. La esclavitud, el robo, la violación de mujeres, las drogas, la violencia, el asesinato, y el riesgo de la muerte en el desierto es implicado todo aquí. Si tu no quieres las leyes que han sido pasadas contra inmigración ilegal, entonces debes provear respuestas a estos problemas.

No no es suficiente para acusar todos los Arizonans del racismo si no puedes resolver o no resolverá estos asuntos.

¿Dónde se paras en los derechos humanos de la familia que se muere de sed en el desierto?

¿Qué respuestas das a la chica adolescente violada por un coyote cruzando la frontera?

¿Qué dices al hombre que es forzado a trabajar como un esclavo aquí en Estados Unidos porque su esposa es una rehén?

Los derechos humanos están en los dos lados de este asunto.

Este asunto es más grande que construyendo una pared en la frontera o un programa de trabajadorer braceros.

Este asunto es más grande que republicanos o demócratas.

Este asunto es más grande que respuestas sencillas y cantar esloganes.

Este asunto es más grande que piel café o blanca.

Tenemos que caminar en cada otros zapatos y trabajar conjuntos para entender.

Derechos humanos pertenecen a todos.

Somos todos ninos de Dios.

¿Qué harás para hacer paz?

*Nota: No creo que todas que apoyan SB1070 y leyes similares son racistas y creo es incorrecto para acusarlos todos.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION:

Can you wear someone else's shoes?

To my Hispanic Brothers,

I am a United States citizen and I live in Arizona. I have studied Spanish for more than 12 years and I am a pastor of a Christian Church. I am also white with German roots if that matters. I understand all of the anger and frustration about SB1070 and the laws that have been passed these last years. I don’t support many of thes laws and I don’t agree with Russell Pierce about most things. In my opinion, I believe that he is a racist and that he hides his racism behind the law.*

But, this must be said,

If you are honest, then you know that the problem of illegal immigration is a problem of human rights. Slavery, robbery, rape, drugs, violence, murder, and the risk of death in the desert is involved in all of this. If you don’t want the laws that have been passed against illegal immigration, then you must provide an answer to these problems.

It is not enough to accuse all Arizonans of racism if you cannot solve or will not solve these issues.

Where do you stand on the human rights of the family that dies of thirst in the desert?

What answer do you give to the young girl raped by a coyote when crossing the border?

What do you say to the man who is forced to work as a slave here in the U.S. because his wife is held hostage?

Human Rights are on both sides of this issue.

This issue is bigger than building a wall on the border or a guest worker program.

This issue is bigger than republicans or democrats.

This issue is bigger than simple answers or chanted slogans.

This issue is bigger than brown or white skin.

We have to walk in each other’s shoes and work to understand each other.

Human rights belong to everyone.

We are all God’s children.

What will you do to make peace?

* Note: I don’t believe that everyone who supports SB1070 and similar laws are racist and I believe it is wrong to accuse everyone of this.

Para Cruzar la Frontera

Dispenseme por favor cualquier error en el texto español abajo. Todavía soy aprendiendo el idioma.

Ahora, estudio para mi Grado de Maestro en Seminario. Tengo que aprender griego y hebreo como parte de mis estudios. Tengo entusiasmo de esto, pero también tengo miedo. Yo ya he pasado años para tener fluidez en español y yo sé cuán dificil que puede ser.

Ha sido el cruce de muy difícil la frontera al dominio de otro idioma. De hecho, no ha sido tanto un cruce de la frontera. Ha sido más como chocar por la frontera. Ha habido mucho dolor.

Empecé aprender español en grado 4^th y siguió aprendiendo por el colegio. He estudiado el idioma para más de doce o quince años. En la escuela, yo aprendí muchas palabras, pero nunca aprendí a comunicar. No fue hasta que empezara que asisten servicios de una iglesia en español que atravesé la frontera de fluidez.

Principio, empecé asistir cada semana y entonces luego sólo podría asistir cada pocos meses. Pasaría tres o más horas con un grupo de personas que sólo podría hablar español. Fue muy difícil. Muchos veces, yo regresé a casa con un dolor de cabeza de la concentración que fue requerida.

Asisto ocasionalmente los servicios ahora porque estoy muy ocupado, pero cada semana, hablo con el Pastor español, Alfredo. Yo lo ayudo con su inglés y él me ayuda con español. Ahora, tengo el vocabulario y capacidad para hablar como un niño de diez años de edad. Puedo hablar bien en temas normales, pero información técnica es todavía difícil.

Lo mejor cosa sobre communicando con Alfredo es que compartimos una fe y el conocimiento de la Biblia. Cuándo estamos atascados para una palabra en ingles o español, la persona que lucha citará un verso de Biblia con la palabra o el concepto en ello y el otro puede comprender. Por ejemplo, él hablaba de una mancha en la ventana y no comprendí la palabra que él utilizaba. El citó de Efesios 25-27. Entonces comprendí la definición de mancha. Otro tiempo, hablaba con él sobre los Palos Verdes árboles en la propiedad y no podría recordar la palabra para espinas. Pude utilizar el 2 Corintio 12:7 y entonces, él me enseñó el espina de palabra. Estos son justo dos ejemplos del muchos veces que hemos utilizado este método para comunicar.

Te recomiendo a aprender una segunda lengua. Lo ayudará a expandir su mente, pero también expandir su vista del mundo. Para crucer las fronteras culturales son muy útiles en rompiendo libre del egoísmo y una mente-cerrado. También lo ayuda a aprender empatía, la paciencia, la bondad, y la generosidad. Te fuerza a ver el mundo de un vista diferente.

Regresaré a mis estudios ahora. Espero que usted haga también.

Pero el fruto del Espiritu es amor, gozo, paz, paciencia, benignidad, bondad, fe, mansedumbre, templanza: contra tales cosas no hay ley. Galatas 5:22-23

ENGLISH TRANSLATION:

I am now studying for my Masters Degree at Seminary. I have to learn Greek and Hebrew as part of my studies. I am excited about this, but also scared. I have already spent years to become fluent in spanish and I know how hard that can be.

It has been very difficult crossing the border to fluency in another language. In fact, it hasn’t been so much a crossing of the border. It has been more like crashing through the border. There has been much pain.

I began learning Spanish in fourth grade and continued learning through college. I have studied the language for more than twelve to fifteen years. In school, I learned many words, but I never learned to communicate. It wasn’t until I began attending church services in Spanish that I broke through the border of fluency.

I began attending weekly at first and then later I could only go every few months. I would spend three or more hours with a group of people where I could only speak Spanish. It was very difficult. Many times, I went home with a headache from the concentration that was required.

I rarely attend the church service now because I am very busy, but each week, I spend some time speaking with the Spanish Pastor, Alfredo. I help him with his English and he helps me with Spanish. At this point, I have the vocabulary and speaking ability of a ten year old child. I can speak well on normal topics, but technical information is still difficult.

The best part about communicating with Alfredo is that we share a faith and knowledge of the Bible. When we get stuck for a word in either language, the person who is struggling will often quote a Bible verse with the word or concept in it and the other one is able to understand. For example, he was talking about a smudge on the window and I didn’t understand the word he was using. He quoted from Ephesians 25-27. I then understood the definition of mancha. Another time, I was speaking to him about some Palo Verde trees on the property and could not remember the word for thorns. I was able to use the 2 Corinthians 12:7 and he then taught me the word espina. These are just two examples of the many times that we have used this method of communication.

I encourage you to learn a second language. It will help you to expand your mind, but it will also expand your view of the world. Crossing cultural frontiers is very helpful in breaking free of selfishness and a closed-mind. It also helps you learn empathy, patience, kindness, and generosity. It forces you to see the world from a different point of view.

I will return to my studies now. I hope you will too.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23