Contemplating Illegal Immigration

Anyone who really knows me, or has,at least, read some of my Meditation blog entries,knows how religion plays a large part in my day to day life.As I've mentioned before,meditation and contemplative prayer play a role as does the Rosary and frequent Holy Communion.Reading religious writers is also an important part.....Father Thomas Keating being one of my favorites.In Chapter 12 of "Open Mind Open Heart;The Contemplative Dimension of the Gospel" he writes that we should:
"Deliberately dismantle excessive group identification. This is the practice of letting go of our cultural conditioning, preconceived ideas, and over identification with the values of our particular group. It also means openness to change in values, openness to spiritual development beyond group loyalties, openness to whatever the future holds."
I suppose this is what I've done, to a certain extent, in my views toward the ,so called,"illegal alien situation" in the USA.
I am not impressed by any of the arguments coming from those are worried about the "invasion".
We are all children of God....each one equal in His sight.I have no problem with someone coming to this country to improve the life of his family.Many of these immigrants are here illegally simply because the US and Mexican governments have made it nearly impossible for most to enter legally.The process of immigrating here is outrageously difficult.
Many Americans say that the new immigrants do not want to "assimilate" into our culture. What are we trying to preserve? American Idol? Our Materialism? Our culture of Death (abortion on demand)?
There are some who are angry that the new immigrants do not learn English fast enough.They fear, I suppose, that English will no longer be the language of our country. I don't see that happening in my lifetime.Besides, all languages are of equal value....if my grandchildren speak something other than English, so be it.
This isn't the final word, of course. There's more to be said at a later date.