From an immigrant to his American Muslim friends







I am that immigrant, first a Green Card holder, and later a Citizen.  The United States has been good for me, and to me. I am a Christian.

Now I worry for my fellow immigrants (who are legally here, with Green Cards or as Naturalised Citizens) and who are Muslims.

The apparently "off the cuff" Executive Order  regarding immigrants from certain Muslim majority countries is creating ghastly ramifications, as identified by

* Many leaders of "high/tech/silicon valley" Companies know this.

* A former British Foreign Secretary who said (wisely) "you do not make immigration policy out of campaign slogans".

* A former U.S, Ambassador to both Mexico and Iraq (he served under George W. Bush [R], who laments that we are breaking solemn promises we made to those Iraqis who worked for and with the U.S.A.

* My personal friends who are (1) Immigrants, (2) Citizens and (3) American Muslims, in particular the Asghar family:.

Dear Asghar Family,

 I am honoured to know you.    I am happy that you contribute so much to the United States. You are noble Citizens.  You are faithful Muslims.    For this I am grateful.

 I would hazard a guess that you are a wee bit afraid  because of the anti-Muslim, dangerous and irrational feelings and actions which the President's Executive Order has stroked.

 God forbid that you should be in danger in this "land of the free, and home of the brave" simply and solely because of your religion.

 I will do my best to "have your backs"

 Your Christian friend,

 J. Michael Povey

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Shoe insults

Last year I consulted with a local podiatrist: Dr. Robert F Herbold Jr. D.P.M. 4717 Swift Rd., Sarasota , FL – 34231  because I was being bothered with a couple of bunions  (yes I am at that age). I was very impressed with this Doctor.  He agreed that I had bunions, but he ventured that it was much too soon for surgery. (Now there’s a first). Instead he recommended some “arch supports” to relieve the tension for my feet, a tension which was exacerbating the bunions. What’s more -  he told me that he sells these arch supports at the miserly sum of $2.50 each (about 1/5 of the price in the local pharmacies). He is an honest man, and I recommend him to anyone with foot problems. So, a couple of weeks ago, having purchased some new walking shoes, I knew that I needed to buy a couple of new arch supports I took myself to his office. Once there, my mind went blank. I wanted to ask his front desk Clerk if I could buy some “shoe inserts” , as I could not rem...
Read more

It began in Bristol U.K. "A man dies" and "Jesus Christ Superstar"

Image
I well remember the swirling controversy in Bristol, U.K. when a (Presbyterian) Minister the Revd, Earnest Marviin created a ":Rock Opera", called "A Man Dies"  in and for his congregation in the Lockleaze area of Bristol, U.K. Earnest Mrvin I was a sixteen years old member of the Plymouth Brethren Church back in those days, so I most likely disapproved of "A Man Dies" .  We, (the Plymouth Brethren),  disapproved of everything! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I had forgotten all about "A Man Dies" until earlier today when saw these pictures on the "Bristol, Then and Now"  Facebook page.   St. James Presbyterian Church, Lockleaze, Bristol  The Bristol Then and Now page includes the following commentary: Lockleaze, Bristol  -  'Jesus Christ Superstar' began at St.James (Presbyterian) Chur...
Read more

The background, the couple, my friends, the wedding ceremony, the Shaykh, the Priest,

Image
The background   I have known the Keller/Bonsey family since 2000 when I became the Rector at St. James's, Cambridge, MA. They (Elisabeth Keller and the Revd. Steven Bonsey with their four children Noah, Sam, Josiah and Annie) had come back to Cambridge from Hawaii where Steve had been the Rector of an Episcopal parish. Steve had just been appointed as a Chaplain at Tufts University (no Sunday morning duties) so the entire family was able to enrich our common life at St. James's - which they did with great love and joy. I count them as friends and have stayed in touch with them since my retirement.  Noah, the oldest son is eloquent in Arabic (he spent a year in Damascus when Syria was a safe place).  He has developed a super career as an analyst of social media in the near East.    Noah worked in Tampa for a while a few years ago, so he and I were a...
Read more