This is not the moment for a ‘transeat’

Guest blogger: Msgr. Hugh Shields, Vicar for Hispanic Catholics of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia:

When we studied philosophy in the seminary, one of the phrases used in the argumentation of a point was the phrase “transeat.” Loosely translated it meant “I, in a gentlemanly fashion, will let what you just said pass for now.” In many debates that phrase allowed the speaker to come to his conclusion and then be responded to by the listener.

In our country’s immigration law reform debate we, as Catholics, seem to have fallen into the habit (hopefully, unconsciously) of symbolically using transeat in the heated, emotionally charged dialogue.

To allow speakers (elected or not) to imply that the approximately 12 million undocumented people in our country are all drug dealers, terrorists, “illegal” or here to undermine the values of our country — and we as Catholics say transeat?

To allow speakers to deny the right for people to immigrate seeking a better life for themselves and their families (a right, by the way, supported by the teaching of the Catholic Church) — and we as Catholics say transeat?

To allow the narrowing of “immigration law reform” to simply mean “border enforcement,” when our Catholic bishops are begging for a more comprehensive approach to a very difficult reality — and we as Catholics say transeat?

To allow directly or indirectly the “demonizing” of people as if they are not made in the image and likeness of God simply because they do not have documents — and we as Catholics say transeat?

To permit the “not connecting of the dots” between our commercial contracts with foreign nations and the conditions that drive people to seek a better life outside of those same foreign nations — and we say transeat?

To allow the “debate” and its significance to deteriorate into a shouting match in front of a cheesesteak establishment — and we say transeat?

I think we, as Catholics, are not being the leaven that our Church wants us to be when we withhold by our absence a much needed powerful presence of Christ in a debate on its way to violence.

Transeat or not? I would encourage that at this time, and in this discussion, not.

¿Transeat? No en este momento

Por Mons. Hugh Shields
Vicario para Hispanos Católicos de la Arquidiócesis de Filadelfia

Cuando nosotros estudiamos filosofía en el seminario, una de las frases que se utilizaba en la argumentación de un punto era la frase transeat. Traducido vagamente significaba, de modo caballeroso: dejaré que pase por ahora lo que usted acaba de decir. En muchos debates esa frase permitió al orador llegar a su conclusión y, a continuación, responder al que escuchaba.

En el debate de reforma de ley de inmigración de nuestro país, nosotros como católicos, parece que hemos caído en el hábito (espero, inconscientemente) de utilizar simbólicamente transeat en el acalorado, emocionalmente cargado diálogo.

Permitir a oradores (electos o no) implicar que los aproximadamente 12 millones de personas indocumentadas que están en nuestro país son todos traficantes de droga, terroristas, ‘ilegales’ o que están aquí para minar los valores de nuestro país - ¿y como católicos decimos transeat?

Permitir a oradores negar el derecho a las personas a inmigrar buscando una mejor vida para ellos y sus familias (un derecho, a propósito, apoyado por la enseñanza de la Iglesia católica) - ¿y, como católicos, decimos transeat?

Permitir el estrechamiento de la ley de inmigración a que simplemente signifique la imposición de la ley fronteriza, cuando nuestros obispos católicos piden un acercamiento más comprensivo a una realidad muy difícil -¿y nosotros, como católicos, decimos transeat?

Permitir directa o indirectamente el ‘satanizar’ de las personas como si ellos no son hechos a la imagen y semejanza de Dios simplemente porque ellos no tienen documentos - y, ¿como católicos, decimos transeat?

Permitir el no conectar los puntos entre nuestros contratos comerciales con las naciones extranjeras y las condiciones que impulsan a las personas a buscar una vida mejor fuera de esas mismas naciones extranjeras -¿y decimos transeat?

Permitir que el debate y su significancia se degeneren en un vociferar frente a un establecimiento de cheesteak –¿y decimos transeat?

Creo que nosotros, como católicos, no estamos siendo la levadura que nuestra Iglesia quiere que seamos cuando por nuestra ausencia retenemos una presencia poderosa de Cristo muy necesaria en un debate que se encamina a la violencia.

¿Transeat o no? Yo animaría a que sea no en este momento, y en este debate.

This column first appeared in English and Spanish in the Catholic Standard & Times, July 22 issue.

I'll have a cheesesteak with that racial profiling bill, please

Philadelphia's renowned Geno's Steaks was the site of a 4-hour radio fundraiser in support of Arizona's SB1070 law. Organized by Geno's owner, Joey Vento, the event was broadcast by WPHT radio's Dom Giordano.

Citizens, people of faith, comprehensive immigration reform advocates and members of several Catholic religious congregations and organizations gathered across the street from the eatery to protest the Arizona law - which human and civil rights advocates (as well as many Latino citizens) say will institutionalize racial profiling and adversely affect people of Hispanic heritage regardless of documentation status.

A bill modeled after Arizona's has been introduced in Pennsylvania by Rep. Daryl Metcalfe. Like its Arizona counterpart HB2479 states that law enforcement shall verify the immigration status of any person the officer has stopped, arrested or detained and "who is or should reasonably be suspected of being unlawfully present in the state." One of the co-sponsors of the bill, Rep. Tom Creighton said in an interview in Lancaster's Intelligencer Journal that what amounts to reasonable suspicion would be "a real subjective decision by that officer."

Earlier on the 14th, Tucson's Bishop Gerald Kicanas testified before Congress (the House Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law) on the ethical imperative for reform of the U.S. immigration system.

Immigration is ultimately a humanitarian issue, the bishop said, since it impacts the rights and dignity of millions of persons and their families. "As such it has moral implications." he said. "We cannot accept the toil and taxes of immigrants without providing them the protection of law."

The bishop, whose diocese runs along the whole of the Arizona-Mexico border, said he witnesses every day "the human consequences of our broken immigration system."

Photos of the rally across the street from Geno's Steaks by Sarah Webb for the CS&T.

July 14: Join other people of faith in Philadelphia to decry racial profiling & SB1070

Tomorrow, Joey Vento of Geno's Steaks (you know, the "Speak English, this is America" local merchant and anti-immigration personality who I wrote about here) is hosting a fundraiser to "protect" SB1070 from the Department of Justice lawsuit. Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, Sheriff Joe Arpaio (the Arizona sheriff who places detained immigrants in shackles and houses them in tent prisons, see a post about him here), Congressional candidate/Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta all plan to participate (via radio).

Please help us send a message that we do not support laws or policies that encourage racial profiling - here or in Arizona - by joining other people of faith and immigration advocates at 5:30 p.m. at the Capitolo Park, at 9th and Passayunk in South Philadelphia (across the street from Geno's Steaks).

Prayers for immigrant taxi drivers in Philly

On Wed., June 30, 26 Philadelphia taxi drivers arrived at the Philadelphia Parking Authority's garage on Swanson Street expecting to be paid for credit card transactions still owed to them. When they got there, however, the majority of them were handcuffed and detained by Immigration and Customs enforcement agents for being in the United States without documentation. According to a report filed July 2 by the Philadelphia Daily News' Gloria Campisi, "all but four were released but their names were placed on a deportation list." She added "Two of the three cleared drivers identified themselves as American citizens and said that the experience had been harrowing and humiliating and that they, too, had been handcuffed and interrogated." According to Campisi, the ICE spokesperson said "those arrested were from the United Kingdom, Morocco, Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia, Senegal, Jamaica, Ivory Coast and India." Wed., July 7 at noon, the Unified Taxi Workers Alliance of Pennsylvania, members of the New Sanctuary Movement, Juntos-Philadelphia, the IWW, the Media Mobilizing Project and people of faith from throughout the city joined in a prayer vigil
in support of the drivers and their families. One of the apprehended taxi drivers slated for deportation attended the prayer vigil - wearing an ankle monitoring device. Photos by Sam Williams for the Catholic Standard & Times.