There I was: jaw-dropped and dumbstruck by some of what I saw my friends and classmates supporting at the Trump rally on Sunday. Maybe it weighed on me so much because my parents were in town. The immigrant story was present with me: my parents were sitting in my living room, sharing a morning cafecito. I debated on whether or not I would say something, but it continued to weigh on me throughout the day. I began to type. Seeing my community’s response to the event prompted me to speak up with even greater confidence. This issue exceeds partisan ties – it’s a matter of loving our brothers and sisters, all of our brothers and sisters, to the best of our abilities. To my politically conservative friends, I challenge you to be mindful. Think about what you represent when you support the rhetoric that is used by our nation’s leader to describe the humans coming into our country, legally or not. Think about the words said by the president, his proposed solutions to the problem, and where you as a Christ follower fit into all of this through your support of the president's verbiage. I also challenge you to think about your friends–children of immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers–as you employ the aforementioned rhetoric. Consider your own family’s immigration to America, even if it is no longer discussed in your home. Think about us and our families. Like your ancestors, we came here to seek better lives, not to destroy. It’s the story of thousands of families, like mine, who have sought our own version of the American dream. To my politically liberal friends, we, too, have our shortcomings. I was very disappointed to see the use of social media and negative language to disparage individuals who hold opposing beliefs. I was embarrassed, as someone who strives to articulate my feelings clearly without attacking others, to see that people from my end of the political spectrum were not also seeking to use precise language as they voiced their perspectives–in fact, many were doing the exact opposite. If we want to call out the injustices we perceive that others are perpetuating, should we not measure ourselves with the same rigor? Should we not be the agents of love, inclusion and acceptance we wish for others to be? Should we not be the example of the citizenship we desire to see? Will it be difficult doing so when we feel that the politically conservative individuals are actively working against our best interest? Yes; however, it is a duty we must fulfill with tact and poise. Let’s ask and not merely assume. Let’s listen before we surmise. Let’s hold ourselves to a higher standard of civility and talk to those that are on the other side of the spectrum before we form conjecture about what they really believe. Enter into constructive conversations with those who are different than you and aim to better understand the mindset of the other. It’s a significant challenge. I know that it is. I’m not innocent. I know that I’ve passed judgement on someone’s character when I learn about their political views, particularly on immigration. It saddens me when I catch myself doing it, and I sincerely apologize to those to whom I have done that because it is not what I am called to do. I am called to love all my brothers and sisters (yes, even the ones with conflicting views) to the best of my abilities. That being said, let’s all be mindful of our language. In the musings of British broadcaster and writer Harold Evans, “Words have consequences.”
In love, let’s hold each other accountable and enter into productive conversation when we perceive injustice. I challenge you to keep open minds and open hearts as we engage in civil dialogue, growing an America where we can all freely pursue our dreams.