LOVE AS AN ACT OF RESISTANCE

LOVE KNOWS NO BORDERS BROUGHT 400 PEOPLE TO THE USA-MEXICO BORDER THIS PAST MONDAY, INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY.  THERE WERE TWELVE OF US IN THE OREGON AFSC DELEGATION.  MONDAY WAS AN OVERCAST CLOUDY DAY AS WE GATHERED AT THE BORDER STATE PARK TO WALK A 1.5 TO THE IRON WALL THAT DIVIDES THE USA FROM MEXICO AT THE OCEAN.  

AS WE APPROACHED THE BEACH, WE FELL SILENT.  THE FAITH LEADERS READ OUT THE NAMES OF THOSE WHO DIED THIS PAST YEAR TRYING TO ENTER THE UNITED STATES.  

SUDDENLY THREE PELICANS SWOOPED ALONG THE TOP OF THE WAVES, A BLESSING, ON US.  SUCH A BEAUTIFUL PLACE FOR SUCH AN UGLY WALL TO DIVIDE PEOPLES.  

WALKING IN THE SAND TO THE WALL

NON-VIOLENT ACTION AT THE WALL.  THE PEOPLE WHO PREPARED TO BE ARRESTED STEPPED OVER THE LINE, PAST THE SIGN THAT SAID NO TRESPASSING U.S. PROPERTY.  THEY WERE PRAYING, KNEELING WHILE WE SURROUNDED THEM WITH SINGING AND CHANTING.  WHEN THE BORDER PATROL IN RIOT GEAR DESCENDED THE HILL, TEARS CAME TO MY EYES.  HERE WE WERE - PEOPLE WITH LOVE FOR THE STRANGER AND THE REFUGEE WERE MET WITH ARMED MILITARY TYPE FORCE. IT WAS A CHALLENGE TO LOVE THE OTHER AT THAT MOMENT.  

WHAT A CONTRAST - THE CALL TO WELCOME THE STRANGER AND THE BORDER PATROL MARCHING TO ARREST THE PEOPLE WHO SHOWED UP WITH LOVE.  

A POSTER AT THE MARCH

REV. DR. TRACI BLACKMON, JUSTICE AND WITNESS EXECUTIVE WITH THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST, ISSUED THE CALL TO BE A LOVING PEOPLE AT THE INTERFAITH SERVICE THE NIGHT BEFORE THE MARCH.  SHE CALLED UPON US TO BE "A LOVING PEOPLE AS AN ACT OF RESISTANCE AGAINST RACISM, HOMOPHOBIA, ANTI-IMMIGRANT ACTS AND ATTACKS ON POOR PEOPLE."  SHE REMINDED ME AND OTHERS THAT PROTESTS MAY BE NON-VIOLENT, BUT THEY ARE NEVER PEACEFUL, AS PROTEST BY DEFINITION CONFRONTS THE EMPIRE AND THE PRINCIPALITIES AND POWER STRUCTURES.

ANOTHER PREACHER REMINDED US THAT THE WALL IN THIS PARK IS SACRED GROUND WHERE PEOPLE CAN TOUCH EACH OTHER THRU THE FENCE - CONSTRUCTING THEIR LIVES ACROSS THE BORDER,  CAN YOU IMAGINE BEING SEPARATED FROM YOUR LOVED ONES BY A WALL AND ARMED BORDER PATROL?  

WE WERE THERE TO SHOW LOVE, CONFRONT THE EMPIRE, RESIST AND COMMIT TO CHANGING A SICK SYSTEM THAT LOCKS UP FAMILIES, SEPARATES FAMILIES AND CAUSES DEATH TO PEOPLE TRYING TO MIGRATE TO A SAFE PLACE.  

 PEDRO RIOS, AFSC STAFF IN SAN DIEGO, STATED:  "IN THIS CALL FOR LOVE, A LOVE THAT KNOWS NO BORDERS, WE CENTER THE FOLLOWING MESSAGES (FOR ACTION)

• WE CALL UPON OUR GOVERNMENT TO RESPECT THE HUMAN RIGHT TO MIGRATE AND SEEK ASYLUM
• WE CALL FOR AN END TO THE MILITARIZATION OF BORDER COMMUNITIES
• WE CALL FOR AN END TO IMMIGRANT DETENTION AND DEFUNDING ICE AND CBP​ 

JOIN ME AND THE OTHERS IN RESPONDING TO THIS CALL.  CONTACT YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS TO INSIST THAT THEY ACT TO END THIS DEHUMANIZING SYSTEM OF LOCKING UP PEOPLE AND DENYING THEM THE RIGHT TO ASYLUM. 

THE WALL BETWEEN EAST AND WEST BERLIN FELL AND SO CAN THIS WALL THAT SEPARATES US FROM OUR SOUTHERN NEIGHBORS!

WATCH THE MARCH