http://www.spanglishgringo.com/weblog/2006/03/14/reform-this/ Stories, thoughts & insights on Jesus, college students, and the Bible; Los Angeles, immigration, politics, ethnicity and culture, and also about my daughter Isabel - from a spanglish gringo father living in, learning from, leading & loving life in East L.A. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:36:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 http://www.spanglishgringo.com/weblog/2006/03/14/reform-this/#comment-297 Chris Hull Thu, 16 Mar 2006 16:25:00 +0000 http://www.spanglishgringo.com/weblog/2006/03/14/reform-this/#comment-297 The Los Angeles times recently reported on the discovery that remains recently unearthed at an MTA excavation site in Boyle Heights were actually those of Chinese immigrants from the turn of the century who had been denied the opportunity to be buried in the adjacent Evergreen cemetary. Described as a reminder of a dark past for the city of Los Angeles, these Chinese immigrants were brought to this country to work, and yet, facing strong anti-immigrant sentiment, were prevented from even the most basic social and civil rights. This recent discovery can not help but point to a disturbing moral trend in the development of this nation. As new, tougher immigration reforms are being discussed in congress, it is clear that time and time again we as a country have nursed our fears and in turn denied hospitality to the stranger. It is apparent, from both these recent discoveries and recent developments in congress that the old addage rings true, the more things change the more they stay the same. Too long has there been a dangerous inter-mingling of unexamined politics and passive Christianity. I applaud Cardinal Mahoney for his stand on these issues and would hope that his challenge marks a turning point for both catholics and protestants, and that the light of Christlike compassion would shine bright in the midst of dark times. The Los Angeles times recently reported on the discovery that remains recently unearthed at an MTA excavation site in Boyle Heights were actually those of Chinese immigrants from the turn of the century who had been denied the opportunity to be buried in the adjacent Evergreen cemetary. Described as a reminder of a dark past for the city of Los Angeles, these Chinese immigrants were brought to this country to work, and yet, facing strong anti-immigrant sentiment, were prevented from even the most basic social and civil rights. This recent discovery can not help but point to a disturbing moral trend in the development of this nation. As new, tougher immigration reforms are being discussed in congress, it is clear that time and time again we as a country have nursed our fears and in turn denied hospitality to the stranger. It is apparent, from both these recent discoveries and recent developments in congress that the old addage rings true, the more things change the more they stay the same. Too long has there been a dangerous inter-mingling of unexamined politics and passive Christianity. I applaud Cardinal Mahoney for his stand on these issues and would hope that his challenge marks a turning point for both catholics and protestants, and that the light of Christlike compassion would shine bright in the midst of dark times.

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