The Face of Dan Patrick’s Texas
From the Dallas Morning News.
Protesters lined both sides of Elm Street on Friday, in dueling downtown demonstrations over plans to house unaccompanied Central American children in Dallas County.
At their peak, the crowds together swelled to about 100 people. The two groups gathered to voice support for, and opposition to, a plan to establish temporary shelters in the county for thousands of children now being detained at the border.
Here is the Christian side of the argument.
How loving and reasonable.
http://s3.amazonaws.com/rapgenius/filepicker%2FKe30youSHq5PuTlwzQVQ_elizabeth_eckford_little_rock_nine.jpg
Like the fifties. Hate never ages well.
1Guess haters have to hate, but without knowledge it’s a misdirected anger. Too late for them to hate Reagan and his Central American policies that created the problem. But it’s not too late for them to tar and feather Ollie North.
For a comprehensive look into the historical and current reasons these innocent children deserve both compassion and political asylum this article from the Desert Beacon presents a thorough synopsis of the facts.
http://desertbeacon.wordpress.com/2014/07/16/amodei-does-the-phone-thing-immigration-edition/
To summarize, quoting the Desert Beacon: “Closed Minds and Borders.”
2I think someone just asked them if they enjoyed sex.
3Boy, those are some seriously ugly Americans. The probably do think of themselves as christians. Sadly, they’re mistaken. They’re just assholes.
4Obiously, they’ve never heard of Christ. They’re Kristains.
5It all comes down to love…sigh.
6Those sad women do not look loved…as in somebody needs a hug/sex/orgasm on a regular basis–3 times a day for survival in the hug realm, the other I cannot know except for myself… Or they could be sent to a bombed out war torn space with their babies and try to survive…so they would understand—compassion is a hard won virtue, and it must extend to everyone, as difficult as that may be to see and understand, all I can see is that we need more love.
screecherguy, I prefer to think of them as asshats, because they do not have the serious function of being butt holes. How they cannot see that these children are in need of a hug and a home is beyond me.
President Obama is asking for 3.7 billion dollars to resolve the issues; that in the scheme of our national budget is less than the change we have in our pockets. No. Not talking about what’s in our wallets. I seriously mean the coins we keep in our pocket, until we can drop them in the ashtray of our vehicles or the change jar many of us keep.
What has the GOP offered? More Black Stopping of President Obama, a cursory squint at his proposal and faux surprise, absolutely nothing.
D’Oh. Face Palm. Huh? The GOP is screaming “border emergency,” so where are their emergency actions? No. I mean actions, not red meat dog whistle suggestions to unconstitutional, immoral and international crimes of not offering the necessary aid and assistance to these children.
With you all the way, screecherguy. But out of respect to The Mama and my Mama, am traveling the expletives deleted route, as you did.
Time for Juanita Jean and her friends to publish the links to Catholic Charities and all who will do right by these children. It is an emergency, so let’s come on with the American compassion, as we always do.
7Is it just me, or does the white picket fence motif on the protest signs kind of jar with the message?
It’s a picket fence, by golly, which evokes Americana, and Leave it to Beaver, and which any half-grown kid can hop over if they so choose. Just seems kinda weird to me… but then messaging hasn’t really been the right wing’s strong suit lately.
8Seems to me that I read in the paper today that most of the children will be sent home. Is that true? and I KNOW there are lots of folks in the USA who would take one or two in, at least till they have time for a hearing. Lots of folks don’t want them to get a hearing. THEY ARE REFUGEES. Thanks for the comments about how borders work both ways. I have heard that used to, it was easy for folks to cross over to the USA to work or shop, but the closed borders crossed ranches and communities. It’s not easy. Birds come home to roost.
9Now I know some of you here are better at the Bible than I am, but I sort of remember a passage where Jesus said something like “let the children come unto me”.
Can anyone here talk about it better than I have? Thanks.
10Cheryl, you might like to read the young adult novel by Sharenow, MY MOTHER THE CHEERLEADER. Another excellent one about misunderstandings and hate is the juvenile novel THE LIONS OF LITTLE ROCK by Levine.
11JAKvirginia, I can’t cite the verses, but Jesus is also quoted as having said that whatever you did for the poor, the sick, the needy, the imprisoned, you did for him, and whatever you didn’t do for them, you didn’t do for him.
Some people who claim to read the Bible sure do tear out a lot of pages first.
12I googled dan patrick and refugee central american children. There was no mention of Dan Patrick. There was a lot of discussion about how people all over the United States are asking to take in children. This IS difficult. I’m for it. I also am wondering when folks already are having trouble paying their bills for groceries and rising taxes and orthodontia they’ve made commitments for, how will they take in more children? There have to be longterm networks established and somehow find out how to work toward peace and not war in Central America and other countries. We have to find ways to make livings that don’t involve making products to kill people. I love email but using it costs a bundle which lots of folks don’t have. At the drop of a hat we spend huge amounts of money for things we say we HAVE TO HAVE. Somehow we need to discuss workable solutions that allows us to love the little children.
13these folks all need to be sent photos of the first integration attempts to see their remarkable resemblance. I see the learning curve is not very high. Thirty years ago when often visiting an aunt in San Antonio and then Austin, I learned that one never mentions religion or politics, (nor God forbid race) or the “bless their hearts” folk would go after your children if they couldn’t reach you. In a heartbeat.
14I admire JJs guts in just living there.
A far better woman than I.
Marge Wood, the neocons expect every country in the Middle East to accept the refugees created by our failed foreign policy. Yes, “Birds come home to roost.” Reagan, ergo the USA broke Central America.
Time to go Eminent Domain on the big banks. All those vacant homes in foreclosure or already foreclosed homes in every state need to be turned over to the National Guard and charities to house the children and their families.
Would love to see a bi-partisan bill that housed our own homeless and did right by the children seeking political asylum.
We have the space, we have the resources and we have the heart to do this.
Congress wants to take off the month of August? They’ve taken off almost six years, since the day President Obama was elected. Fine. Let the Republicans go home and hopefully stay home. With just a few days without them, the Democrats could stay in session and do the work that needs to be done. Go nuclear Senator Reid!
15JAKvirginia, we don’t need to go Buybull or waste our time thumbing through the many translations. We can go USA and tradition with Lady Liberty. “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”
Children. Embrace them, nurture them and educate them. What better base for citizens could we ask? Trust fund babies and tax evaders?
16Great ideas, PKM. I’ve also thought for many years that empty military bases would be perfect for housing the poor, the elderly, the uneducated, and train and certify and help find work for the adults there, and have some of the willing elderly to help read to children. Now. Where is Cindy Cole when we need her?
17Polite Kool Marxist, I can’t believe you hold up the Catholic church as an example of doing “right” by children. The Catholic Church shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near children. Haven’t they done enough damage already? Haven’t these children suffered enough? Why do you want to turn them over to an institutional pedophile organization?
And to all of you who say that these hateful people aren’t “real” Christians. Wake up! You Christians have been fighting wars for many centuries about who is and isn’t a “real” Christian. Millions have died because you all don’t agree on who is a “real” Christian.
Face it, this IS the face of modern Christianity in America.
If you don’t like it, then organize and speak up and do something to counter the hate. If your religion is different, then do something about it besides just complaining on some blog posts.
The vocal and public presence of Christianity in America today is HATE.
18@ Mark Johnson: I’d suggest that real Christians actually try to follow Christ’s teachings and philosophy. However, there’s also a long history of Kristians: misguided and/or purely evil people who attempt to co-opt the Christian “brand” by preaching hate in the name of Christ. Just as Krab is fake crab, Kristians are fake Christians.
Other than their disgusting actions, the easiest way to spot them is when they claim anybody pointing out their hateful actions is anti-religion. But you’re right – few in the media point out how Kristianity isn’t consistent with Christ’s teachings.
19Cheryl, I had the same thought. You beat me to the photo!
20RepubAnon:
I like your Christ; I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ. — Mahatma Gandhi
You are falling into the “No True Scotsman” logical fallacy. (Google it). If only you can decide who is and isn’t Christian, then only you can be a “true Christian.”
That takes some ego.
These people are true Christians, not “Kristians” as you call them. They are followers of your Christ, and this is where that leads them. This is the face of Christianity today.
21Ugliness. I am sad for them.
22Mark Johnson, there are plenty of Christians out there doing good works and being quietly decent people. The problem is that the obnoxious buggers who think their god hates everybody they hate are the loud ones who get all the publicity. And I say this as an atheist.
23@Mark Johnson
Catholic Charities is a non-profit supported by diocesan funds AND OTHER FUNDS. It is a multinational multicultural organization mainly staffed by lay folk now. They have been assisting these children and helping with this problem for over a year now, long before our media picked it up and floated the idea of bashing the Prez with it (Rupert, line 1) They are NOT part of the diocesan institution/hierarchy of the church and “old boys club” that is having the same tired old problems with power mongering and exploitation that ALL the old boys clubs have, and have had, for aeons.
Do your homework please.
Nobody here is forcing their religion or ideology on you, so you can take your little anti social rant and stick it. Many mainstream Christian churches and preachers today spend far more time in the Old Testament than in the Gospel, and thus they are far more conversant with Moses than with Jesus. Their Yahweh is painted as an angry, vengeful God who exacts obedience by smiting his people with the fury of natural disaster; they were afraid of Him then and they are afraid of Him now. They don’t understand that gentle, loving, Savior who died for them to try to teach them the lengths his followers should go to serve others. They only believe in his name. If you don’t like him, don’t like Yahweh, don’t like the Bible, think all that is unnecessary – well, that’s nice for you. That doesn’t give YOU the right to bash the other people on this site that don’t subscribe to your point of view, any more than they have the right to bash you.
@JAK you’ve got it right, and He continued with, “but woe to him who leads astray one of these little ones.” There’s lots of leading astray right now and it’s only going to get worse I’m afraid. We can chalk this crap up to Aisle’s and Murdoch’s race baiting and fearmongering. Those people aren’t just angry, they are terrified, and it’s mainly the fault of Fox News.
24These children are refugees….they need help. We all must help. Seeing those horrid Xtian faces from my hometown makes me cringe.
Talking to my Sister last evening – she is in Scottsdale, retired USArmy Major, BlackHawk pilot. She made a great point:
All the Americans who are looking to adopt – here you go. There should be no unadopted children in the US and since these ‘protesters’ are the same Anti-Choicers Xtians terrorizing these poor kids – well, rather than ‘protecting zygotes’, they can now protect REAL LIVE CHILDREN! Problem Solved.
Let’s not hold our breath.
25Tom Green County Commissioner’s Court Approves Resolution Against Housing Border-Crisis Children
http://sanangelolive.com/news/national/2014-07-16/commissioners-court-approves-resolution-against-housing-border-crisis
26The sheer hateful ugliness on the face of that woman in the photo. I can’t imagine being married to a woman like that – or – worse yet – having the misfortune to be one of her children.
27Aggieland Liz … I love you! :o) You certainly can tell the true Christian by how they live their lives and through their actions and those folks in the picture … well … they sure aren’t what they profess to be and that would be Christian! Not even close!
PKM – I don’t know about anyone else in here, but how you refer to the Bible as the “Buybull” is just hurtful and offensive to myself and anyone else who actually believes in and on the Bible. :o(
28You have to really love those who follow a stone age tribal belief system based on bigotry and hate of strangers and the helpless. Even when they claim that their jesus replaced the buyBull and preached hippy-dippy love they still find hate easier.
29Yes Marcia I also use buyBull, and if you find that hurtful imagine what its like for gays when you all claim the buyBull says they should stoned and not allowed to have the same life you have. So which is hurtful???
“If Christ were here now there is one thing he would not be – a Christian”
30Mark Twain
Mark Twain! Right on target.
I decided long ago that I am a follower of Christ rather than a so-called Christian. You can see those good Christian faces in this picture….the grand old tradition of “you’re goin’ to hell and I’m ‘saved'” never dies.
31I wish someone would carry a sign in front of these black-hearted people which says this:
32What Would Jesus Do
Jesus loves the little children,
All the children of the world.
Red and yellow, black and white,
They are precious in His sight–
Jesus loves the little children of the world.
Their grandmothers probably demonstrated against Adlai Stevenson in Dallas, back in 1963. Damn shame to see Dallas dragged back into its stereotypical image of right-wing hatred…….
33The saddest part about Dan Patrick is that not only wasn’t he a very good sportscaster, he wasn’t even the best sportscaster named Dan Patrick.
34One word. Ugly. Well three. Ugly to the bone.
35You just know all these hateful people are sitting in church this morning. I hope their Pastor saw these pictures & calls them out by name in front of the entire congregation. Then I hope the Pastor puts some pressure on his community to help the kids. Maybe sponsor some through the legal process, house some, feed them and hug them. You know, the same stuff Jesus would do?
36You can’t argue with these people. Nobody’s listening if everybody’s talking. Just start singing in a low, slow voice, Jesus loves the little children. Its a very sweet song, learned it in VBS. Maybe it will become our times, We Shall Overcome.
37When I was young I went to a hard shell Baptist church every week. At 12 you are not that aware of human nature. But as I got older I started noticing. People would stand around in clumps gossiping about the ones not at church that week. That woke me up, my best friend’s mother was one of the sweetest, nicest women I have EVER seen. But her southern gentleman liked to get all drunked up and come home mean. All the Kristians (I love that) knew what she went through but trash talkin’ was the only thing they cared about. Not only was she nicer than those women but she could have been beautiful if she had been lucky enough to have found a decent man to have a decent life with. All the phony hypocrites I have met over 78 years.. But especially since I took up the hobby of people and political watching seriously. When I got the tools to really watch in ’98. It is hard to remember the few that were good people…the many like these gets in the way. I hate what the people that control this country has tured it into.
38@Marcia in Co, PKM, and L.Long I have to go with Marcia on this one, but for this reason: I dislike hearing people I’ve come to know and like via this website stoop to the tactics of those that hate. I’m not big on the Bible either, or more accurately, how it is used by those who profess to being “Christian.” But the words we say tend to define us. I do despise what the Republicans are doing and I thinks Liberals/Progressives aren’t proactive enough, we don’t speak up loud enough. But I want us to speak rationally, not because those on the “other side” will listen any better (nothing guarantees that) but so that we can take the higher road. It might only be history that reports that, but I sure want to be on the right side of history!
39L.Long, I agree with your feelings and understand your disdain for those that quote the Bible. I’m not particularly religious but I know that the book is not the problem, it’s the people. I can say “Get out of here!” in three different inflections and those four words will convey three different meanings. Words are important, which is why none of us should misuse them.
Boy, I haven’t been this philosophical in a long time. I need to get back to work on the buying spreadsheets for class!
Love to all of you!!
Reminds me of the photos in Little Rock, 1957.
40@aggielandliz
I’ve done my homework, thanks. You might want to do some more yourself. Catholic Charities, while a distinct legal entity separate from the official Catholic Church, is still part of the Catholic Church. They are separate legally so that they can receive government funds. Government funds to the tune of $2.9 Billion in 2010, or 63% of their funds. Only 3% comes from the Catholic Church itself. Still, the Catholic Church is intimately involved in the mission of the Catholic Charities. I am very familiar with Catholic Charities as they are the organization that claims religious persecution when they can’t take public funds and discriminate against gay people. They prefer to shut down instead of doing anything to help Teh Gay. They exist to spread the word of their Catholic god. With taxpayer money.
As for your claim that the Catholic hierarchy is merely some “old boys club” just like all the other old boys clubs is a bit disingenuous don’t you think? Because all the old boys clubs don’t claim to speak for GOD himself. They don’t claim that their pronouncements are infallible do they? The rape of children is not just the same “tired old problem with power mongering and exploitation that ALL the old boys clubs have, and have had, for aeons.” When the CEO of Halliburton is hiding illegal profits he isn’t doing it because, GOD. That only happens in church.
41Mark, first, i’m not Catholic and in that context … second, you’re way off topic.
42@L.Long: You state this: “Yes, Marcia I also use buyBull, and if you find that hurtful imagine what it’s like for gays when you all claim the buyBull says they should [be] stoned and not allowed to have the same life you have. So which is hurtful???”
Well, L.Long, not ALL of us state such misguided and hurtful things in regards to gays! So YOU can remove me from your inclusion that all Christians and those of us who believe in the Bible are the hypocrites who espouse such crap!!
43@aggieland liz
While I appreciate your sincere and polite suggestion that I “take my anti social [sic] rant and stick it,” on consideration, I think I will pass.
My words have not, in fact, been antisocial. Unless of course you equate society with Christianity.
I will admit to being anti-Christianity. Although in my defense, as a gay man, Christianity hated me first. So when Christianity is anti-Mark, how is one to respond?
I also don’t recall “bashing” anyone on this site. I, for instance, never told anyone to “stick it.”
If you consider questioning someone’s words and ideas and beliefs as “bashing” then we have very different ideas about what it is to “bash” someone. And I am not the only one calling others beliefs into question. You, yourself did. Are you bashing those others whose Christianity “in name only” you question? Haven’t you ‘bashed’ them? Do they need to “stick it” as well?
Finally, aggieland liz, you failed to address my point that these hate-filled people are in fact, real Christians. They are real Christians no less than you.
44I think I saw these ugly women just a few months ago fighting for unborn fetuses.
45@Mark, you say you’ve done your home work, but you are the one being disingenuous here. Catholic Charities is PART of the church but it certainly is not part of the hierarchy. Period. And many of the people who WORK for Catholic Charities are in intense disagreement with the direction the hierarchy has progressed and are doing everything they can to work around these issues. Like advising couples where they will be received more charitably when they are told CC can no longer help them. They’ve had their funding cut over that stupid policy too, which is as it should be; there is a new lawsuit being filed in St Joseph, MO (another bastion of love, MO!) where a lady who worked for the food pantry was fired last week because she is married to another lady. She had made no secret of it and was told it would be no problem – gonna be a problem now, I think.
Perhaps you didn’t read my first comment? Genesis, Deuteronomy and Leviticus are all part of the Torah, the older part of the “buybull.” (Sorry Marcia, makin a point) They spent a lot of time on their social code in those books, and that’s the only place I recall anything about men together or women together being mentioned. Not a word in the Gospel of Jesus Christ about it. NOT. ONE. WORD. So a bunch of people who prefer black and white to shades of gray and nuance throw stones at you. They did at Blacks. They did at Indians. They do at women. There are just as many of us who taught our kids something else entirely and are, in large part, as responsible as non-Christians and non-theists alike for the current shift in attitude, because the younger people are far more accepting of other people’s life choices, which is as it should be. Think I’m part of the problem cause I’m a Christian? You couldn’t be more wrong. I’ve been working to change people’s attitudes toward gays and lesbians since I was in high school, and I still am now. Didn’t think they were right then; I’m thinking we are finally moving in the right direction, but we aren’t there yet. We might make it in my lifetime, though. Probably before we get equal pay!
As far as the hierarchy is concerned? Yeah, I stand by what I said. It’s just another old boys club with “corps d’esprit” and a penchant for avoiding open scandal. Same as the military. Same as the Boy Scouts. Same as parts of academia. Just don’t get caught and we’ll all look up at the sky and whistle Dixie; if you do get caught we’ll do everything we can to muddy the water, blame the victim, and get you the hell outta there. Same old stuff. NO difference at all. Is it right? HELL NO. Should bishops that knew these things be prosecuted as accessories? HELL YES, WITH ENTHUSIASM. Extradite Bernard Law, I’d like to see him in the dock.
I don’t know what your remark about talking to God was apropos of, I guess you thought it was cute or funny. The only “infallibility” in the church applies to a) the pope, and b) only in matters of CATHOLIC dogma, related ex cathedra. The rest of the time he’s on his own, same as the rest of us – and nobody else even need apply. And it has zero, zip, nada to do with anyone who is NOT Catholic!
As for “sticking it”? I really don’t care if you do or you don’t; it makes no never mind to me, but you are painting with an awfully broad brush here, and have very likely hurt and made unhappy, however mildly, a lot of people who have done you no harm – possibly including our hostess Juanita who was raised a Baptist.
Bigots come in lotsa different stripes. I wouldn’t jump into the trap feet first if I were you!
46@Lorraine – their pastor/preacher/elder probably TOOK them there 🙁 !!
47Sorry, everyone else, for the Catholic Charities sideshow, but well, sometimes you just ‘gotta.
@ALL, you say that “Catholic Charities is PART of the [Catholic] church but it certainly is not part of the hierarchy. Point taken. But I never said that Catholic Charities was part of the hierarchy of the Catholic Church. But that wan’t the point, was it? The point is that the Catholic Church is not just a part of, but ultimately responsible for, Catholic Charities. The Catholic Church IS the hierarchy of Catholic Charities. Let’s take just one example. The Catholic Charities of Dallas. They have a Board of Directors. How nice. And who is on this board? Just one member. The Catholic Bishop of Dallas. So don’t pretend to try to school me about who is really in charge of Catholic Charities.
But do, please, allow me to teach you a little bit about the Bible, which you hold in such high regard. While it doesn’t seem that your sweet Jesus had anything to say about Teh Gay (which is odd considering its all-consuming importance to today’s Christianity), but there are in fact a few passage in the New Testament relating to homosexuality. Negatively, of course. You can use The Google to figure it out if you wish.
I do want to — sincerely — thank you for your work all these years at gay inclusion. If only more Christians felt the same.
As for my comment about “talking to god,” I wasn’t trying to be glib at all. I was trying to point out that here is a distinct difference between organizations that presume to speak for a god and those that don’t. I know you understand that difference, or why be Christian. Our society treats religious organizations differently than secular ones.
Personally, I think that if you presume to tell me that your morality comes down from on high, from god himself, then you should be held to a higher standard. If you pretend to speak for god because you say he speaks to you, well, you better be damn sure about what it is you are saying. And just because you may call it the word of your particular god doesn’t mean the rest of the world has to bow down and hold it in uncritically high regard.
Thanks for calling me a bigot. There you go with that bashing again. If by bigot you mean someone who openly questions your deeply, sincerely held religious beliefs, then yeah, I’m a bigot.
But you will note that I haven’t said horrible things about Christians in general, just about Christianity. There is a difference, however subtle it may be that it escapes you. I know that there are decent people who are Christian.
I also know that if you look at Christianity from the outside, the the media that we see, the decent people don’t represent Christianity.
I don’t know if Juanita has taken offense at my comments; she is the one who posted the photo and called it the Christian side of the argument.
48The lovely,snarling thing behind the fence reminds me of chickenhawk dogs,”let me at ’em,let me at ’em.” The ones outside the fence snarling are telling the others to hold ’em back before they hurt somebody. Right where the rubber meets the road,the vicious ones turn tail and run and then claim victory.
49Not much offense,but some followers of christ are there to clean up the mess so called christians leave behind.
50