On the Caging of Children: Words from an Immigration Rally at Dallas City Hall

*Delivered on June 14, 2018

First of all, I don’t speak Spanish. I’m sorry. With that said, I do speak love. I understand what love looks like in practice. I do understand that keeping children in cages is not love. I brought my son with me today. There is a part of me that wants him to know how lucky he is to not be in one of these cages. But the bigger part of me, wants him to know what it looks like to give your life to get these children out of these cages. I want him to know what the Gospel says about, “Loving your neighbor as your self.” I want him to know what it looks like to put your body on the line to get these children out of these cages. Our motto these days seems to be, “Cage your neighbor as you cage your self.” We are encaged by our hatred, bigotry and patriotism. We cannot help these children until we bust out of our cages.

Make no mistake…this is not an isolated incident in the history of our country. Oppression is normal. From slavery to the genocide of Native populations to the denial of civil rights for all sorts of populations, we are experts at hate. This is simply a continuation of what has always been. So…I’m not asking you to be a good American…I am asking you to be human. Throughout the scriptures, we read a familiar phrase, “That which you reap…you sow.” Without a doubt, we live under the most evil administration in the history of this country. “…you reap what you sow!” Thankfully, “God is not mocked!” “…you reap what you sow!” The perpetuators of evil will get theirs. Our job is to protect the innocent from their aggressions.

As I think about this moment for all of us gathered here tonight, I think about the fact tha… We don’t need people who just show up at a rally. We don’t need people who just hold signs. We don’t need people who just want to post on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. What we need is a revolution in this country. We need a revolution of love. The revolution begins in our hearts. It begins with a question… How far are you willing to go to get these children out of these cages? How far are you willing to go to save these children? What are you willing to give? You see…the revolution requires sacrifice. I believe that a God of love is calling to us this very night. Don’t just give words. Give everything you’ve got.   …And that my friends is the way of love.

Amen.