I'm proud of Bernie's statement toward refugees.

In this hysterical xenophobia following the Paris terrorist attacks, it's good to be able to read the following from Seven Days, a weekly tabloid distributed from Burlington, quoting Bernie Sanders:

"During these difficult times, as Americans we will not succumb to racism," Sanders said.We will not allow ourselves to be divided and succumb to Islamophobia.  And when hundreds of thousands of people have lost everything.  And when hundreds of thousands of people have lost everything -- have nothing left but the shirts on their backs -- we will not turn our backs on the refugees from Syria and Afghanistan.

The full statements from him and Shumblin is at sevendaysvt.com.

The First Universalist Parish in Derby Line

V on a ladder painting First Universalist Parish on November 5, 2015, Derby Line, Vermont

Allen Yale, Derby Line, Vermont, UU church, Nov. 5, 2015, putting primer on bare wood on a wonderful November afternoon.

Yesterday I went to Derby Line and was able to help V and Allen paint, some; then went to the Haskell and was able to speak a little French with the library staff person, probably walking over into the Canadian side of the library.

from Barton, Vermont, November 4, 2015

 Are these different, these photos, from each other?  Are morning waves in Crystal Lake, moved by a northwestern soft wind, different from one another?  The leaves, the maple leaves?  Even Colleen, in whose house I wake, a third morning ... are we altogether different, distinct?  Twenty-five miles south of the Canadian border, beside a lake filled with Canadian geese trying to decide, I think, if they are altogether for the journey south, or not.  Route 5 traffic interrupts thoughts, but a still photo is a still photo still.  Early November.  Barton.

¡VIVA!

¡viva México!

16 de Septiembre: Mexican Independence Day

PROVIDED BY UNC INSTITUTE FOR THE STUDY OF THE AMERICAS

Parades, fairs, dancing, and fireworks mark the celebration of Mexican independence. (Image source. More about the photograph)

SLIDESHOW

View a slideshow of photographs from celebrations of Mexican Independence Day.

Every year on the 16th of September the President of Mexico addresses the Mexican people from the balcony of the National Palace with the modern version of the famous Grito de Dolores. He shouts Vivas! to the leaders of the Mexican Revolutionand ends with a cheer echoed three times by the huge crowds that have gathered: “Viva México!” His cry is echoed throughout Mexico by the governor of each state. The Grito, or shout, caps a day of festivals in Mexico City and other urban areas and ushers in a new year of independent Mexico. Perhaps most importantly, it reminds the people of the origins of their nation and those that fought and died so that Mexico may be free.

The Grito commemorates 16 September 1810, when a parish priest in the town of Dolores in the State of Guanajuato, Miguel Hidalgo, rang the church bells and called his parishioners to fight for independence. The movement for Mexican independence, officially proclaimed in 1821, had several precursors. In the eighteenth century there were over 100 small, ill-advised rebellions, but none came close to realizing the goal of a Mexico independent of Spain and rule by criollos, or people of Spanish descent who were born in the colony of Nueva España, or New Spain. The movement that began in 1810 was the first that attracted large numbers of the population, most notably the indigenous peasants.

Miguel Hidalgo was a criollo who was more concerned with the daily needs of his parishioners than their spiritual ones. He was tired of the constant poverty and mistreatment the people received from the peninsulares, or the Spanish administrators who came to New Spain for profit. Hidalgo introduced new industries such as wool weaving, carpentry, and bee keeping to help the economic condition of the peasants and started a reading group with like-minded criollos.

The Interfaith Welcoming Coalition in San Antonio

So far as I know, the White House has not appealed the final decision for the Flores case.  The for-profit detention centers for women and children from Central America must shut down.  I'm going to try to post a short video here from the house in San Antonio where mothers just released from these detention centers were given respite and resources for their long bus journeys across the country to reach sponsoring family and friends.   It shows Melanie, who is barely 5 years old, dancing.  Her mother Yanira is nearby.  Yanira brought two teenage boys and little Melanie out of Guatemala, went straight to ICE to ask for asylum, and then was put into detention for several months.  Yanira and her children were asked to stay on at the hospitality house in San Antonio maintained by the Interfaith Welcoming Coalition to assist in helping others released from Karnes City and Dilley.     Below is a recent e-mail

Updates and Urgent Needs We have recently seen a significant increase in the number of families being released and needing overnight hospitality. In the past two weeks, we have provided overnight housing to over 300 people. One night last week, we housed 56 people! We are very excited that more families are being released and hope this trend continues until family detention is ended. U.S. District Judge Dolly Gee recently found that family detention violates the Flores settlement - read more here! As a result of this increase, we have a high need for volunteers at La Casa. We have four shifts - morning, afternoon, 7:30pm-11pm, and overnight. We have a new full-time volunteer through the Mennonite church - Luz Varela. We are very happy to have her! She has been here a week and has already become a vital part of the work we do. She will be at the house in the mornings and evenings this week to train new volunteers. To sign up to volunteer with Luz, please email sanantoniowelcome@gmail.com with your preferred day and time. If you are not fluent in Spanish, daytime volunteering is a great option. Morning and afternoon volunteer times are flexible.

Copyright © 2015 Interfaith Welcome Coalition, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: 300 Bushnell Ave. San Antonio, TX 78212 sanantoniowelcome@gmail.com

                                                 

Poem found at northern border, a prayer for women and children detained at the southern border:

Aqui en la biblioteca de un pueblecito, Barton, Vermont,  donde un archivo guardado el año pasado todavía está en la computadora,  yo lo pongo aquí para las mujeres en Tejas que están, con sus niños, carcelados aún que ellos no son illegales.  No son illegales porque ellas fueron inmediatemente despues de cruzando la frontera a la migra, los oficiales de ICE, para pedir asilo.  87% passaron el "credible fear test," pero sin embargo estuvieron pusos en los centros de detención en Dilley y Karnes City, Texas donde han tendio quedar por tan mucho como un año.  Tienen que pagarfianzas grandes, como $10,000 (U.S.) -- todo esta sistema nueva es muy, muy rentable para los dueños de las prisiones!

But now with the Flores case decided, these prisons are to be closed!  We are hoping now that the U.S. Federal Government, or Obama -- as some people call it -- will not appeal the decision of the Flores Case.

I was privileged to work as a  volunteer in a hospitality house in San Antonio, Texas, this spring; I was honored to meet many, many mothers risking their very lives to bring their children out of the drug-cartel-controlled realities of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras.  So the prayer I've found up here very near the northern border, near Quebec, is for these many women and children whom I was able to meet and for all the thousands whom I was not able to meet. We don't have to be Catholic or even Christian to appreciate this prayer from Pax Christi and share its hope for "a society of justice."

Prayer for Our Immigrant Sisters and Brothers

Blessed are You, Lord Jesus Christ.

You crossed every border

between Divinity and humanity
to make your home with us.
Help us to welcome you in newcomers,
migrants and refugees.

Blessed are You, God of all nations.
You bless our land richly
with goods of creation
and with people made in your image.
Help us to be good stewards and peacemakers,
who live as your children.

Blessed are You, Holy Spirit.
You work in the hearts of all
to bring about harmony and goodwill.
Strengthen us to welcome those
from other lands, cultures, religions,
that we may live in human solidarity
and in hope.

God of all people, grant us vision
to see your presence in our midst,
especially in our immigrant sisters and brothers.
Give us courage to open the door to our neighbors
and grace to build a society of justice.

Je suis, nous sommes ...