Achuckallen

Instigating Better

American crises

Haiti and the Southern Border

by

AChuckAllen.com

There are no easy answers to the mess found on our Southern Border. Some problems go back over multiple administrations. I’m not suggesting that any solution alleviates every issue. But come on, man!

Two hundred thousand plus people have been crossing the border due to this administration’s policies. That isn’t what concerns me nearly as much as how we have treated the thousands of migrants who somehow made their way from Haiti to Del Rio, Texas.

When you think about the realities that these poor people have experienced, you must wonder, if these Haitian people do not qualify for asylum, who does? Haiti is in the midst of another crisis. A country riddled with earthquake and hurricane recovery. A country with horrific poverty and filth. And a government that has been poorly led and often ruled by corruption. These people are desperate.

I know that the United States needs controlled border security. I am aware that we can’t salvage everyone. But again, if the Haitians don’t qualify for asylum, who under the blue sky of Texas does? Knowing all of that, the best answer we have is that we are flying them back to Port ‘au Prince? The living quarters under the bridge in Del Rio are light years better than their lives in Haiti. I’ve been there enough and seen it up close.

I’ve been told that as a pastor, I really should not write anymore “politically charged articles.” Come on, man!

While I’m whining a bit, let me also get something off my chest. I’ve spent a fair amount of time on America’s Southern Border and with the men and women in the green uniforms. The U.S. Border Patrol Agents are the very salt of the earth. They are the least paid of all the federal law enforcement officers – the lowest. They are primarily Hispanic-Latino, themselves. They are not the ICE agents you see banging on doors, and they deserve far better than the demonization being thrown at them by Washington. These folks are underpaid, overwhelmed, and understaffed.

I’ve been in the Border Stations and Ports of Entry on our border. I’ve seen the Border Patrol show more compassion and concern for people than most churches do for their communities. They do their job with no appreciation at all. This ridiculous issue about horses and whips is foolishness—shame on our elected officials for misrepresenting these folks in the green uniforms. Horses are necessary because of the terrain. Whips are tools to keep the horses where they belong. Not one shred of evidence points to the Border Patrol doing anything wrong. But pictures of horses and river crossings draw outrage, while many Haitians living under a bridge draw apathy. Unbelievable.

As I wrote earlier, I know that these problems do not have simple solutions. And this is not intended to be political writing, although it will be received that way on both sides. This is a cluster of bad decisions and a historically political hot potato that could be resolved. But that would require some common sense.

Why do we constantly resort to binary thought patterns? Why does it always have to be one extreme or the other? Why not put a bit of compassionate common sense to work here?

Here are a few thoughts:

  1. Vaccinate the thousands of Haitians with temporary housing in between shots. That could have already happened, given the timeframe they have been in Texas.
  2. Expedite asylum hearings for them as they are escaping a disaster.
  3. Redirect much of the funding of the“infrastructure package” to fund additional Border Patrol staffing and expedited asylum hearings.
  4. Redirect all ICE funding and assets to Border Patrol.
  5. Allow faith-based organizations and NGOs to operate in conjunction with Border Patrol to care for as many immigrants as possible. They could hopefully ease some of the care required of the overworked, underappreciated Border Patrol.
  6. Stop playing politics with the border and care for people. It shouldn’t be that hard.
  7. Restrict entry until Border Patrol and legal assistance can be put in place to handle the ongoing, not soon ending crises.

I’m just a pastor in Atlanta, Georgia, but even I can do three things.

  1. Lead my church and community to pray earnestly for the Border Patrol and the Immigrants.
  2. Support the Border Patrol by getting to the border and encouraging them, and offering pastoral support for their families. And remind them that America appreciates them.
  3. Take teams and encourage others to take teams to serve the men, women, kids, and families stuck in the middle of the foolish political bickering. America has roughly 400,000 churches. If 5% of those churches raised $500 each and sent eight people twice, we would have $10mil and an army of 320,000 caring people.

America is better than turning desperate people away and doggone it; she’s better than demonizing her own faithful law enforcement officers. Come on, man!

This article isn’t about President Biden, former President Trump, Obama, or Bush. And it isn’t about donkeys or elephants. This is about people. People doing their best in green uniforms, and people seeking hope in a place where health and safety aren’t radically uncertain.

More to come…

Chuck

Four Thoughts on MASKS

by

May 13, 2021

I know, what could possibly be left unsaid about wearing a mask? Well, he are four thoughts for you to ponder over, as we still hear the battle from all sides.

1. Like almost anything in America, we found a way to politicize a face covering. Just spelling that phrase annoys me. I’m pretty sure that anybody can find research to support their personal preference. To argue this point seems pointless. To predetermine someone’s value, worth or intelligence based on if they are wearing a mask is just wrong. Especially in my state where you most likely have been vaccinated if you want to be.

2. Consider where people live. I live in the great state of Georgia. In this state, the governor and legislative leaders have declared that we are “100% open.” As a result, unless the establishment you wish to enter requires you to mask up, be an adult and choose wisely. If you’ve been vaccinated, encourage others to do the same. But please, don’t be a militant jerk about it.

3. According to every data source, just this week, you should not wear a mask outside. But hear me – if you want to wear a mask outside or alone in your car, knock yourself out. But if so, please do not throw shade at someone that isn’t wearing a mask.

4. At the risk of sounding like an anti-masker, it really feels like much of our mask wearing has been driven by optics more than science. In the early days of the pandemic, we were fearful of surfaces. It took an entire year for people to calm down from that scare. Much of the same has been proven true about masks. But honestly, much of that science is new data collected over the past fourteen months. I have been onboard with masks, but can we not allow people to make their own health choices in May, 2021? I read earlier today that even Governor Newsome, in California is dropping masks in June. Wearing masks to make a point or for the optics to prove you are looking more vigilant than others seems a bit silly.

At the end of the pandemic day, we know so much more than we did in March 2020. We must address at least five more pressing issues. 1) Rapidly Increasing Inflation. 2) The Humanitarian Crises on Our Southern Border. 3) The Tension and Attacks in Israel. America must find its backbone again in support of Israel. 4) Reopening America’s Largest and Most Critical Cities and Economic Centers. 5) Rebuild and Restore America’s Educational Systems. Many of our best and brightest citizens chose to be educators . Let’s give them a chance to teach our children skills and lessons that will allow them the opportunity to better the world, not civic lessons established on personal preference.

Why yes, I did “mask that covert message” inside an article on wearing masks. Proving once again that masks mask the more significant issues.

Peace, Chuck