Journeys of a Catholic Poster Girl

It never ends, does it? Every time I think it’s done, it’s not. So here we go again.

So how did yesterday’s “Day without Immigrants” affect you? I’ll tell you how it affected me–not a whit. My day was not impacted at all. According to my office mates, it would’ve been had I visited a Chipotle, but I didn’t, so therefore no impact in my day.

you know what really gets me mad about this whole argument? The idea that we who oppose illegal immigration are somehow anti-immigrant. Now obviously I cannot speak for all of us, and there are, surely, people who are anti-immigration, no matter how foreign that idea is to me. But we’re not anti-immigration. We’re anti- illegal immigration. We’re against people coming into our country by way of breaking our laws and then wanting to be good citizens. Um, hello? If you want that, then come legally. Come like the immigrants did in the 19th and early 20th century. Don’t sneak over the wall. Come the right way, and we’ll take you in happily. America is a big tent. But we don’t think too kindly of those who come in illegally and then demand all sorts of things. And yes, these are demands . There’s no other word for them. Let’s be real. They want acceptance, they want health care, they want citizenship, they want schooling for their kids. They’re marching with wrong-way American flags and chanting “yes we can.” Well, we don’t doubt that. But do it legally!

And the whole national anthem thing? That is probably one of the worst PR moves of the century. You want to be an America? Learn the National Anthem in English! Can you imagine an Arab immigrant in Europe, say, learing the Marsellaise (French National Anthem) in Arabic? Not so much. Would not fly. At all. And yet….

Let’s call a spade a spade. They are illegal immigrants. The crime is inherent in the name. I am sympathetic to the idea of coming for a better life. But you’re not making your life better by sneaking into a country. I’m sorry.

And the bishops who are against the law? I wish they’d actually study it and then talk. If they were only so vocal about, say, abortion! You know, things the Church can actually speak with authority and intelligence on! What an idea! But that’s for another post….sigh. I wish Church leaders would speak up consistently, and not only when precious liberal matters are being discussed.

Currently I’m reading God’s Invisible Hand by Cardinal Francis Arinze. It’s actually b unch of interviews with Irish journalist Gerard O’ Connor, which makes for interesting and quick reading. It’s really, really good so far, and it’s good to keep tabs on him…he was considered papabile in the last conclave, and was ecstatic when B XVI was elected. My kind of Cardinal (as opposed to, say, McCarrick, Mahoney, Rigali…..grrr)! Ignatius publishes the book, so you can it at their website or most Catholic bookstores (if you’re in Columbus, both the Cathedral Book Shop and Catholica in Westerville have it.). I’m also going to be reading Ramesh Ponnuru’s (of National Review fame) new book, The Party of Death as soon as I can get a copy…you know how I feel about anything related to abortion policy.