Quoted from the Dylan Roof thread:
appleman wrote:I simply do not understand the plain Mennonites that are openly protesting Trump's border positions at this point. Nor do I necessarily understand those that are very vocally supporting them for that matter.
Hmm...I didn't know there were any plain folks openly protesting Trump's border positions - I'm surprised - although I can appreciate their concerns. Let me share what is so concerning from my perspective Appleman, as a brother, since I suspect the climate up there north of the border is a bit different (pun intended
), and since I represent the position you cannot understand.
First, from where I sit, the reaction doesn't have to do with the government managing it's immigrant vetting. Everyone accepts that this is there job.
The reaction comes on the tail end of a lot of harsh campaign language about immigrants, and a lot of anger and fear and aggression being stoked in society. I'll admit that it is not totally unjustified - especially in the face of terrorism, incompatibility with some Islamic ideology, and some of the economic realities folks are facing.
Also, maybe those of us Mennonites who have lived and ministered overseas or in cross-cultural contexts or to refugees are especially sensitive to this, since we personally know people who are directly experiencing the growing anti-foreigner zeitgeist. We also know that this climate stokes a backlash oversees that makes it more difficult to do ministry.
So executive actions actions like closing the borders, building walls, etc. - while they seem somewhat minor if taken alone - feel like part of something insidious and much bigger that is growing down here...and elsewhere in the world. We may be wrong, but some of us see a trajectory that has shown itself before in history, and we are concerned for our neighbors and for what we see growing in people's hearts - enough to publicly say that we're concerned - even though our core instincts are to steer clear of the political fray if at all possible - and even if it puts us politically in league with people we normally don't find a lot of common ground with. And, apparently, enough to get at least a few of us joining with other faith communities and secular groups in publicly expressing our concern.
Not saying this to get you to agree...but to at least sew a bit of understanding.
I certainly respect those whose conscience is not there (yet
), or the majority of plain folks who, by principle, are not ready to enter the fray or express an opinion at this point.