United Methodist Bishop Minerva Carcaño (far right) talks with a participant at an interfaith rally last week in front of the U.S. Capitol to pray for an end to hate and for just immigration-policy reform. Looking on, is Bill Mefford (second from left), director of Civil and Human Rights at the United Methodist General Board of Church & Society.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — United Methodist Bishop Minerva Carcaño was part of an interfaith rally in front of the U.S. Capitol last week that offered prayers for an end to hate. The rally, organized by the Interfaith Immigration Coalition, was a response to a conservative group bringing anti-immigration TV and radio talk-show hosts to the nation’s capital.

Rally participants recited a “Litany to End Hate” that said in part: “Too often these days we hear immigrants dehumanized and vilified in public speech and public policy.” “We reject the language and logic of hate, and call for an end to the use of fear and racist rhetoric that poisons our communities.”

Bishop Carcaño said immigrants are not the problem in the U.S.’s broken immigration policy. “They are part of the solution,” she declared.

Shame, shame, shame on those who depend on, use and abuse the work of our immigrant brothers and sisters.

“Shame, shame, shame on those who depend on, use and abuse the work of our immigrant brothers and sisters,” Carcaño said, “and then turn on them with their racism.”

Carcaño was not alone in her strong condemnation of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR). U.S. Rep. Jared Polis, D-Col., said FAIR’s stance against immigrants “makes no distinction whether they are documented or undocumented.” “It is bigotry,” he said, basing his condemnation in part on “bizarre faxes” he receives from FAIR.

Faith community needs to show way forward

Polis, who was joined by Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., in addressing the rally, said the faith community’s leaders “need to show us the right way forward.” Polis said his great grandparents were immigrants. “All of us, except for Native Americans, have that heritage in common,” he said. “We’ve got to bring the laws of this nation in line with the tradition of this great country.”

We’ve got to bring the laws of this nation in line with the tradition of this great country.

Joining Carcaño to offer prayers and join in a “Litany to End Hate,” were Bishop John Wester, Diocese of Salt Lake City and chair of the Committee on Migration for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops; Dale Schwartz, from Atlanta and chair of the Public Policy Committee, Hebrew Immigrant Society; and Bishop Prince Singh, Episcopal Diocese of Rochester, N.Y. Carcaño, episcopal leader of the United Methodist Desert Southwest Conference also chairs the Council of Bishops Committee on Immigration and the denomination’s Interagency Task Force on Immigration.

“We’ve welcomed immigrants to our shores for over 200 years,” pointed out Wester, who read a prayer written by an immigrant. “Hate diminishes our people.”

Schwartz said the Hebrew Immigrant Society has been in existence for 130 years. He said “scapegoating” of immigrants is not new. “We must not stand for hate crimes and rhetoric,” he declared. “Immigrants are people of faith, too.”

The theme of being kind to immigrants runs through all the great Western religions, according to Schwartz, who added, “You would not know that from watching TV talk shows.”

Not just U.S. issue

Singh called for looking with compassion at the whole human family to break down walls, not build them. An immigrant himself, he said he took seriously his U.S. citizenship. “It’s important at a time when fear seems to dictate the agenda,” he said, “that it is left to us to dictate how we will reclaim our character.”

It’s important at a time when fear seems to dictate the agenda.

Carcaño emphasized that immigration is not just a U.S. issue. “It is a global issue fostered by natural disasters, political struggles, regional and global economic realities,” she said. “At its heart, immigration is the movement of men and women seeking to survive and thrive in the life God has given them.”

If the United States indeed seeks to be a global leader, Carcaño said it will need to lead off with a just immigration policy. “The way each of our communities extends fairness and justice, compassion and care to the immigrant among us,” she said, “will determine whether we Americans will be a beacon of light or a shadow of darkness in this world.”

Bishop Carcaño prayed the following:

Oh God of the immigrant and God of the native born, pour out your Holy Spirit upon us and give us your peace. Forgive us when we stand by and allow racism and all forms of hatred to afflict our immigrant brothers and sisters. Even as we gather in this place of power, give your power and healing presence to immigrants all across this country who suffer this day. And on this day give us courage to denounce the vile actions taken against our immigrant brothers and sisters.

Strengthen us that we may speak up for your justice, a justice that extends to all your children of every color and culture, and from every corner of the world. Hold up before us the vision of that day of justice and peace that will surely come, for you are God of justice and peace. And set our path before us that without wavering, we may walk and work for that day of clear justice and perfect peace. Amen.

Litany to End Hate

Following prayers from the religious leaders, participants at the rally participated in the following litany:

Leader: Blessed are you, Creator of all people, source of all life.

Response: We gather today as people of faith to remember who we are, to speak the truth in love, and to be strengthened in our resolve to seek justice for all your people.

Leader: In the teachings of our faiths, we learn that every guest is a representative of God, that all people hold in common inherent dignity and worth, yet too often these days we hear immigrants dehumanized and vilified in public speech and public policy.

Response: We reject the language and logic of hate, and call for an end to the use of fear and racist rhetoric that poisons our communities.

Leader: In the teachings of our faiths, we hear a call to seek for others what we would want for ourselves, yet these days we hear increasing violence and hatred directed a immigrants who come to our country seeking relief from violence and poverty, seeking only what we would want for ourselves and our families.

Response: We reject the language and logic of hate, and call for an end to the lies that blame immigrants for all our country’s woes.

Leader: In the teachings of our faiths, we are called to seek justice especially for the poor and the marginalized, yet too often voices of anger and hatred drown out those who seek just and fair policies.

Response: We reject the language and logic of hate, and call our elected officials to hear the voices of reason and compassion. We pray for their courage to work for justice in the face of opposition, to do what is right, even when it is not popular.

Leader: Blessed are you, Creator of all people, source of all life.

Response: We gather today as people of faith to speak the truth in love, and we will continue to gather, to organize and to lift our voices until the human rights of immigrants are preserved and the best values of our nation are upheld by the law of the land.

The events of the past week in Washington, D.C., have been amazing and exciting. Certainly, the inauguration of President Barack Obama on Tuesday was the centerpiece. But we also started off the week celebrating the United Methodist Special Sunday “Human Relations Day” and Martin Luther King Day on Monday. Three significant days in a row of celebration, remembrance and hope.

Respect should be accorded to the president, but veneration is inappropriate.

I was struck repeatedly by not just the size of the crowds in the capital, but by the number of people who believed they would never see an African-American president and their desire, indeed their need, to bear witness by their presence. Many barriers have fallen.

We treat U.S. presidents almost as kings. As a small “d” democrat, I find that quite disturbing. Respect should be accorded to the president, but veneration is inappropriate. Without veering toward worship, it was understandable that millions of people wanted to be part of an historical moment, though.

I watched live footage of President-elect Obama traveling by train from Philadelphia to Washington. I was moved by the thousands of people who gathered in the bitter cold to catch just a glimpse of Obama and his family as they waved from the rear car. Throughout inauguration day, I shed tears at various moments.

The enormity of this moment cannot be overstated. On Sunday, Jan. 18, Bishop Gregory Palmer, president of the United Methodist Council of Bishops, preached in Washington, D.C. He said we stand in the light and legacy of the prophet Martin Luther King Jr. He pointed out, though, that while we have made a step forward, the dream has not been fulfilled.

The enormity of this moment cannot be overstated.

Dr. King referred to the “beloved community” as a vision for us. He said to achieve that vision all of us must be fully engaged in the struggle for peace with justice and the ministry of proclaiming God’s message to all for salvation.

Let us work together to find common ground so that we can ensure health care for all people, and tackle together global poverty, nuclear disarmament, climate change and peace in the Middle East, to name but a few of the most challenging issues facing us.

President Obama has named former Sen. George Mitchell (Maine) as his special envoy to work for peace in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Mitchell served in a similar capacity some years ago in an effort to resolve what has long been known as the “The Troubles,” the conflict in Northern Ireland.

Mitchell recently made a speech in Israel during which he talked about his efforts in Northern Ireland, an 800-year-old struggle. An older man approached him afterwards and asked Mitchell if he said “800.” Yes, Mitchell replied, “800.” “Ah, such a recent argument,” the older man said. “No wonder they were able to resolve it.”

President Obama has already changed the world in regard to U.S. use of torture.

On day two of his presidency, President Obama ended the use of torture by the United States. I am grateful for this common-sense decision. I suspect that many people who tried to defend waterboarding, “coercive interrogation” and other forms of torture were doing so because of loyalty to a political party or because they somehow felt it was their job to try and rationalize inhumanity. I pray they will repent of their actions, and that the United States will never return to such days.

The more salient point, though, is that by requiring the CIA to abide by the restrictions in the Army Field Manual in conducting interrogations of detainees, President Obama has already changed the world in regard to U.S. use of torture. I pray that it is the first of many steps reorienting this country to the side of justice for all, including the least and lost.

It has been an amazing, exciting week full of joy, and hope for other changes to come. The important message from this past week may lie in Paul’s letter to the Christians in Rome. In chapter 12 verse 2, Paul writes, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God — what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

As Bishop Palmer pointed out, we have a ways to go. We are God’s work in progress, and none of us should be too tethered to the world that preceded Barack Obama, or for that matter, the different one that his election makes seem so full of promise. We have much work to do together to achieve that promise on our journey to find “what is good and acceptable and perfect.”