A note: Dec 18 is International Migrants Day - UN

An e-mail from Janvieve Williams, from the Latin American & Caribbean Center http://lacccenter.org/blog/about/ ,

woke me up to the fact that today the UN marks the day as International Migrants Day. Going to the UN web site...http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=29351&Cr=migrants&Cr1=# , the importance of the marking becomes vivid: "...stressing the need to ensure the dignity and human rights of the more than 200 million people worldwide who cross borders to live and work, and who make a vital contribution to their societies."

200 million! How many of those are here in Georgia? So, this is a world-wide phenomenon: not only circumscribed to 'us' in "America", feeling the need to protect our selves, our culture, our highways, our jobs from "those illegals from South of the Border"...

And then these people at the UN have the 'gall' to bring up the 'need to ensure their dignity and human rights'? Aren't they 'illegals'? Haven't they broken the law, the 'rule of law', such a supreme guidance principle for the constitution of our - US - society? The comeback to that and the answer immediately follows:

"...Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stated in his message for the Day...'To save migrants from abuse, and allow them to contribute to development in their home and receiving countries, we must acknowledge them as human beings whose rights, like those of everyone else, must be protected.' He adds...“We can only fully give meaning to the Declaration if we recognize that regardless of an individual’s immigration status, fundamental human rights are non-negotiable and the treatment of migrants, regular and irregular alike, must always conform to international standards."

That puts some things in perspective, no? Further...: "...this year’s commemoration coincides with the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, with its “visionary commitment to dignity and justice for everyone, everywhere, always."

And as usual, when "the universe" is intent in making one 'hear' something, usually a relevant and important bit that is meant for introspection, awareness, and maybe further 'digestion', that bit comes out from 'everywhere', as if saying..."see me, see me, I am here!" Well, these principles from SG Ban Ki-moon are not dissimilar to those put forth by Bishop Anthony Taylor, Little Rock, AK, and which I read this week, referred to me by a friend here in Atlanta, Susan Sullivan, from the Arch Diocese. They are part of a Pastoral Letter on the Human Rights of Immigrants (...!) titled "I was a Stranger and you Welcomed Me"... Check it out at http://www.dolr.org/bishop/pastoralimmigration_english.pdf

These coincidences must mean there is something important here, critical, that can not be 'passed up' without some processing. I invite you, the reader, to do some of that.

In closing, it is neat to read Bishop Taylor's Basic Principles, and note #3a: There are to be no second class residents in the community". Hmmmm! This world is changing, and fast!