Sunday, November 20th, 2005...10:14 am
No More Deaths Benefit Concert
I know that many of you know this story already, but I wanted to post a bit more about it.
Back in July, two volunteers with the group No More Deaths, Daniel Strauss and Shanti Sellz, encountered three seriously ill border crossers. They gave the three of them a ride to get some help. They were stopped and arrested by the US Border Patrol.
The two of them are now being prosecuted by the US Attorney for Arizona, Paul Charlton. The irony is that they are being prosecuted under statutes designed to go after coyotes, the sleazy people who are paid to bring migrants into the country, and often exploit them and sometimes leave them to die when caring for them becomes inconvienient.
More agressive enforcement of anti-coyote statutes is one of the few things that people on both sides of the issue can agree on. I have heard of few cases of a coyote being prosecuted for being paid to pack two dozen aliens in a van and dropping them off somewhere near Menager’s Dam to fend for themselves. But, we (this is being done in our name) are going after two people who wanted to get sick people to a doctor.
There is a feeling from some folks who are inside the humanitarian aid movement that the US Attorney may be looking for a way out of this. The US Attorney is under a great deal of public pressure to drop the case, including calls from Bishop Gerald Kicanis. Since in so many cases volunteers had been allowed to give aid to sick migrants, there is some thought that some hothead was on duty that day and it’s hard for the government to back down now.
Which brings us to the concert. Tuesday after next, the 29th, there will be a “free” concert at Club Congress. Free, but they are suggesting a $5 donation, so you had better pay up. The concert will feature Tucson icons Al Perry and Howe Gelb (without Giant Sand), along with Space Fish, Tom Wallbank, Dj daddy, The Jons and Chango Malo. Ted Warmbrand (ack…) will also be performing. The money will be going to No More Deaths so they can help with the legal bills and continue to aid the migrants.
-RRR-
I haven’t had any “Romanism” on here in a while. This morning’s gospel reading was apropriate:
When the Son of Man comes in glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thisty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.” Then the righteous will answer him and say, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?” And the king will say to them in reply, “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” Then he will say to those on the left, “Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, nakes and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.” Then they will answer and say, “Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?” He will answer them, “Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.” And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life. (Matthew 25:31-46)
This is one of those portions of the Bible that Pat Robertson and crew has razored out. Although they’d probably happily point out that the goats are on the left and draw some poorly thought out political point from that.
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