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Christianity Today, February, 2008 |

Continental Divide

Hispanic evangelicals move toward the Democrats — and away from white evangelicals.

Paul Hughes | posted 1/23/2008 08:38AM

As Democratic candidates continue to court people of faith, the Republican Party's bid to hold on to such voters, particularly evangelical Hispanics, is slipping.

Nearly four in ten Hispanic voters and ...

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Beau in NC

Posted: January 24, 2008 9:56 AM

The "elephant in the living room" (no pun intended) is that while Republican politicians are talking tougher, knowing that their hard-core base wants Mexicans back in Mexico, they decline to get specific about just what moving them would involve. The worst case scenario would be a massive "trail of tears" unlike anything we have ever seen in this country. If you want a hint what it would be like, rent the film "Children of Men" and pay particular attention to the refugee removal system. Now, I am not suggesting that this scenario will happen. The majority of the GOP is not that heartless. But what will happen? Consider how many teenagers and young adults (I think I heard a figure of close to a million) are A) Here illegally, because they were brought here as infants or small children, B) speak English like native-born Americans C) have never seen Mexico D) have younger sibling who are citizens by virtue of birth here, and D) don't want to move. What happens to them?

Ben	Posted: January 24, 2008 1:40 AM

This article fails to distinguish between legal and illegal immigrants. Many (most?) evangelicals would like to see illegal immigration stopped, and legal immigration made easier. There is also a perception (I don't know if it is really true or not) that Hispanic immigrants are unwilling to learn our language. If that is true, then it needs to change (if I moved to Mexico, I would expect to learn their language); and if it is false, then evangelicals need to be educated. But if we fail to distinguish between legal and illegal immigration, many evangelicals feel that their views are being misrepresented, as in this article.

Jn 17, 21

Posted: January 23, 2008 10:19 PM

Christians were illegal less than two thousands years ago. Thank God they did not gave up and became law obedient citizens of Rome. What roman god would we be following now? Thank God Christians from Afghanistan, Egypt, Libya, Somalia, Algeria, Eritrea, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Azerbaijan, Ethiopia, Sudan, Bangladesh, Gaza and the West Bank, Mindanao, Philippines, Syria, Belarus, India, Mauritania, Tajikistan, Bhutan, Indonesia, Morocco, Tibet (China), Brunei, Iran, Nepal, Tunisia, Burma (Myanmar), Iraq, Nigeria, Turkey, Jordan, North Korea, Turkmenistan, China, Kuwait, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Comoros, Laos, Qatar, Vietnam, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Yemen are willing to be "illegal". Man's nature is migrant; we will always move looking for a better life. We see this everyday going within America's borders and all over the world, sometimes disregarding man made laws and borders; there is a stronger law called survival.

Born Again in America

Posted: January 23, 2008 10:11 PM

It's so much easier to love "mankind" than your brother. Up close and personal only works for Americans when we can get it cheaper. That's why we don't want to know about children in sweat shops who make clothes we buy, or abuses by giant retailers that are swallowing the competition whole. I want "it" for less. If we can get Juan, Tomas, Maria or Miguel to do our manual labor more cheaply we don't care about legal status. But we scream if Maria, Juan or Miguel offend us with their human problems. We want these people to work then disappear. What despicable hypocrisy we commit. And the worst perpetrator of this hypocrisy is the federal government. If the federal government severely fined and sanctioned big business for their massive illegal hiring, making it LESS profitable instead of MORE profitable to exploit the illegal foreign worker there would no longer be an incentive to come. Perhaps there would even be an incentive to go home. What would Jesus do? I think I know. Do you?

Paul	Posted: January 23, 2008 9:08 PM

I agree the real problem with illegal immigration is the fact that it is illegal, but it has been aided and encouraged by businesses in the US. If we properly punished businesses for aiding lawbreaking, the problem would solve itself. The most sinister outcome is that we have created a group of second class citizens which are exploited by business with low wages. At the same time we have let our manufacturing jobs move to China (try finding any product in a store not made in China) where much of the labor is low wage and exploits child labor. I have a compassion for Mexicans wanting to better themselves, but it raises the question "Why can't we build an economy based on fair wages?" Have we learned nothing since the Civil War. I am a conservative evangelical who has voted Republican in every presidential election. But I am appalled at the situation.

Greg Marquez

Posted: January 23, 2008 8:57 PM

For what it's worth, and I'm pretty sure no one on the right is interested in a rational discussion of this issue, the issue isn't illegal immigration per se, or even bigger fences or no amnesty. The issue is that conservatives out of fear of loosing their culture, have demonized illegal aliens and particularly Mexican Americans. One of the posters at National Review's blog, The Corner, has frequently stated that Aztecs as he refers to them have lower IQs than white Americans. Another National Review poster has openly stated that he does not want to see America become a majority Hispanic nation. (Okay now if that's not bigotry then bigotry doesn't exist.) And these guys are writing in the leading conservative intellectual journal. For whoever's interested here's the take of a conservative mexican american evangelical pastor about all this. http://www.ivchristiancenter.com/2007/05/antiamnesty_or_.html Meanwhile this guy who voted for Reagan is off to look for a new political party.

Robert

Posted: January 23, 2008 6:37 PM

Fine by me if the "Hispanic Vote" is leaving the Republican Party. In fact, why should any of us stay with that party? Hispanic culture has some very good moral instincts, and it's a pity that Republicans make use of this without giving them anything in return. Perhaps they can leaven the Democratic Party since Republicans give them no hearing. To be sure, some necessary processes aren't really happening: White-American society has yet to "pay the piper" and find ways to reward immigrants who are willing to "cowboy up" and find ways to bring illegals under the protection of law. Likewise Hispanic culture hasn't been completely sold on going legit, the idea that we can have a workable system. In many ways Hispanic communities have a better understanding of citizenship, patriotism and community than the mainstream. The danger is our system might disabuse so many of these ideals.

Dave	Posted: January 23, 2008 6:01 PM


I am glad the real, hateful nature of so called Christians is finally showing. Latinos --if you lay down with dogs then your gonna get flea's. You made your bed with those who hate, and now that hate has been turned on you.

Daniel Darling

Posted: January 23, 2008 3:49 PM

I think this is an issue where evangelicals, especially those with conservative political leanings, have to realize their first alleigance is to the Bible. That's why we should shy away from the negative, angry rhetoric of the anti-immigration crowd. I think this issue has the potential to deeply divide the church in a way that is harmful. I'm very prolife and very conservative, but I also believe that the Hispanic people are people no different than I, people whom God loves, people for which I must care.

Cohen

Posted: January 23, 2008 3:09 PM


Republicans' only chance for capturing the Hispanic vote is McCain. He is the only "normal" candidate who hasn't demonized illegals. Republicans, with their racist rhetoric in the immigration debate have made sure that Latinos never vote Republican again and that Hillary is the next President.

Funny Truth

Posted: January 23, 2008 3:05 PM

The Funny Truth is that , ALL THOSE WHO call themselves GOOD CHRISTIANS Are the same ones that are against Mexican Christians, Arent their GOD your SAME GOD? What gives any Human any right to control another child of almighty god, regardless of faith, color, creed or belief? The Hippocracy of those who claim theyre Christians and yet they abhor Almighty Gods masterpieces, every HUMAN was created by Almighty God, and if our nation turns to a bitter nation of hate we will lose the love of God upon us for GOD LOVES THOSE WHO LOVE HIS CHILDREN. STOP THE HATE.

Anonymous

Posted: January 23, 2008 1:40 PM


Gee, no one is against immigrants, its the ILLEGAL immigrants. I guess everyone can just do whatever they want irregardless of the law, and we should just let them. I agree that most of the illegals are working hard in various service industries, but we need to arrive at some sort of policy that figures this whole mess out, but I haven't seen any good ideas out there.

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