Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor, Your Huddled Masses

For most of America's history, in spite of it's flaws, it was a beacon of hope to those fleeing from hopeless situations around the world. Over the centuries, people have flocked to America to find shelter in the wake of famines, wars, religious persecution, crippling poverty, and so much more. I personally would like to believe that legacy will carry on even after I've departed from this earth.

However, I'm beginning to fear that, within my lifetime, this time we are living in now is going to be the era that people point to as the place in history when that legacy began to die.

I'm devastated and enraged by this immigration ban President Trump has enacted. If you're somehow unfamiliar, Trump issued an executive order banning citizens from 7 Muslim-majority nations entry to the U.S. for 90 days, and bans all refugees from entering the U.S. for 120 days.

I'm honestly not entirely sure what the President (or the order's supporters) believe will be accomplished by it. America already has the most rigorous refugee resettlement process of any nation in the world. It can take asylum seekers YEARS to be thoroughly vetted. Any potential terrorists seeking to strike out at us from within would find it far easier to sneak into the country than to try to come in through ANY official avenues.

The only possible outcome of this ban is the further erosion of the already very shallow reserves of goodwill that the rest of the world has for the U.S. It is an objectively nonsensical plan that is already having negative repercussions around the world.

So it's a dumb move. As an American, I find it embarrassing, but as a Christian? I find it repulsive. Especially the talk of prioritizing Christian refugees over Muslim refugees. Scott Arbeiter, President of World Relief, said it well: "Some of the most vulnerable people in the world right now are Muslims. If we say no Muslim should be let in, we are denying the humanity and dignity of people made in the image of God."

Guilty Until Proven Innocent; When Proven Innocent, Start Rioting

*Please note that this blog is a place where I can share my thoughts and emotions freely. If the wording or tone of something I write displeases you, I'm sorry that you are displeased, but I am not sorry that what I wrote made you displeased. I don't really care, actually. If my words get you worked up, try doing some yoga or drinking some tea and listening to some soothing music. Or, just stop reading it. Thanks so much.

When it first erupted into public consciousness, it was impossible to avoid the Michael Brown case. It was everywhere you looked. Everyone had something to say about it, yet no one really had a clue what had happened. Was he running? Was he surrendering? What did he do to attract the officers attention in the first place? Was he a child or an adult?

Nobody seemed to have heard all the same details, but one thing somehow seemed obvious to everyone (or at least everyone who was being vocal about it): This was clearly a hate crime. A white police man would never have a reason to kill a black man that was not motivated by pure, unadulterated, racist malevolence.

So You've Just Gotten Home From A Long Day of Pushing Carts in the Snow

Good evening, unskilled laborer! We can see from your hunched over stance and far off gaze that you've had a particularly...not great day at work today. Fret not! We have a simple 5 step plan for dealing with such employment related bereavement.

Step 1: GET DRY. From where you're standing, this may seem a daunting, near impossible task. This is understandable, seeing as you spent the better part of 8 hours out in a veritable snowstorm, voluntarily forgoing your regularly scheduled breaks to keep from falling even further behind on your cart-pushing duties. However, if you can drag your weak and fragile body up to your room, you can change into some fresh clothes, preferably your Star Wars pajama pants and an overlarge t-shirt. Feeling a bit better? More comfortable? Good! On to...

Step 2: MAKE A FIRE. This can technically be done anywhere you please, providing you have matches, but we would rather you do it in the fireplace. Don't worry, it's right at the bottom of the stairs. Yes, you DO have to go downstairs. Don't just crawl in to bed, go do the rest of the steps! It'll pay off, we promise. Go start the damn fire.

Step 3: MAKE HOT COCOA. Time to get your insides filled with some delicious warmth. DO add peppermint, vanilla, and cinnamon for extra deliciousness. DO NOT use chocolate milk. You tried that last time, remember? That's when you learned there can be too much of a good thing. Just use the regular one percent.

STEP 4: FIND A GOOD BLANKET. Really any old blanket will do. We're not really sure who even added this to the list. I mean, there's literally a basket of them right next to the fire place. Just pick one. This could totally be a 4 step list...huh. Oh well. Ready for the last one?

STEP 5: RELEASE YOUR EMOTIONS. With all the materials gathered, hobble your way over to the fireplace and plop your sorry butt down in front of it. Now, set your hot chocolate to the side, curl up in a fetal position beneath the blanket, and weep bitterly into the carpet. Yes, shhhhhh, that's it. Let it all out. There, there...oh look, he's cried himself to sleep. Let's leave. He's got another big day ahead of him.

Congratulations! You have successfully completed our course on how to cope with weather related work grievances. When you wake up, make sure to clean up the hot chocolate you kicked over while you fitfully slumbered before the hearth, and prepare yourself for another work day.

We suggest you get well acquainted with these steps, as you'll be repeating them every night you close until winter passes.

Sweet dreams!