Sept. 6, 2010 issue
Phoenix boycott?
By Myron Shenk Albany, Ore.If Mennonite Church USA boycotts the state of Arizona, does consistency demand it boycott all U.S. states? Numerous features of the Arizona law are already federal law. If the law is offensive at the state level, is it not at the federal level also?
In line with “Why MC USA Must Officially Boycott Arizona,” published in The Mennonite, many of us feel that the colonization movement of the Americas involved injustices and mistreatment of First Nations people. To build on the argument of Felipe Hinojosa and Hugo Saucedo, most of us have ancestors involved in these injustices, so should we eliminate all national borders and boundaries?
During the 13 years I lived in four countries in Latin America, I was required to carry documentation at all times, proving legal permission to be in the country. When participating in training courses or professional meetings in an additional 27 countries around the world, I was instructed to carry at all times my passport/visa, as proof of legal entrance. I never protested these requirements. I believe national governments are better than no governments.
Perhaps MC USA participants could quietly infiltrate Mexico or Canada for this convention. Never mind seeking legal entry; they too have a history of abuse of First Nations people. If apprehended, we could experience firsthand the love of these countries toward unregistered visitors!
I hope MC USA leaders allot considerable time for listening to the legislators of Arizona to understand their reasons for enacting SB 1070. Maybe in this humble act, some legislators might be influenced to consider changes that seem less threatening to those alarmed by SB 1070, and we might discover that these legislators may not be raging racists after all.
Comments
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No comments on the topic] This is an attempt to contact the author myron shenk who was my training coordinator in OSU in 1995. Please tell the author to send me a mail to confirm his current e mail ID Regards Matthew
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