President
Obama’s speech last night on temporary immigration reform was excellent. He was
poised, determined and intelligent. He was our nation’s leader; the one many of
us have been waiting for these last few years to show real courage. The
executive action he will enact is compassionate, sensible, and humane. It does
not go far enough for me, but at least, finally, something tangible is being
done to address the millions of undocumented living and working in our country,
many of them for years. The Republican’s
freak out over this is silly and so over the top it borders on cartoonish. They
know they have royally messed up. In spite of their recent election victories
they have failed and lost. For now and forevermore the Latino community in this
country will be grateful to President Obama, and those Democrats who have
supported him in this, for actually doing something to legitimately include
them in our society. This nonsense from Republicans that the president’s action
has “poisoned the well” is laughable. Anyone paying attention knows the
Republicans in Congress and many of them in elected offices across the country
have never recognized President Obama’s presidency and have done everything in their
power to discredit, vilify, and ruin him. Those attempts will, sadly, continue.
They are the actions of a political party completely out of working ideas for
America. And they will eventually pay for having nothing substantial to offer
us but rancor and obstruction. But for millions of Latinos and other
undocumented immigrants here, they will soon have a chance to know the freedom
to legally work and belong that they have so long hoped for. I rejoice with all
of them. And thank you President Obama for taking a stand on something so
important. Your legacy has been significantly enhanced.
There are words from Brandi Carlile’s song, “The Story,” that I might sing, and perhaps you, too. “All of these lines across my face Tell you the story of who I am So many stories of where I've been And how I got to where I am But these stories don't mean anything When you've got no one to tell them to” You don’t have to be single or alone to feel the depth of those words. Someone in a longtime marriage or relationship might feel them, too. The voyage through life takes each one of us through an assortment of experiences. Some of them ennoble us. Some crush us. Some lift us beyond ourselves and carry us into the lives of those who need us. And some carry us to those we need. Some experiences are burdens. Others ease and encourage us. Some leave us baffled and unsure. Some build confidence within us and are so affirming that we grow in substance, in courage, in tenderness, and sympathy. As we age, the lines in our faces can represent the hurts we have not yet resolved. Or t
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