This piece was originally featured in Sojourners’ God’s Politics blog. You can find the original here. The piece was written by Linda Hartke, LIRS President and CEO.
“See it, say it.”
We’re urged, these days, to be vigilant. I’m alert to this when taking the subway in Washington, D.C., where loudspeakers remind riders that if they “see it, say it.” Speak up, we’re told, if we see a threat.
When the government wants me to be vigilant, I expect no less from the government. That’s why, this week, I’m one of many Americans hoping that the Supreme Court will strike down Arizona’s extreme anti-immigration law, SB 1070.
By subjecting individuals to arrest based on racial profiles and criminalizing unlawful presence, SB 1070 sows fear in immigrant communities and places families at risk of separation. This causes needless and endless hardships for migrants, their families, and their churches in Arizona.
In short, SB 1070 is a threat – to communities, to family unity, to human rights and dignity. Showing laudable vigilance, the federal government has mounted a legal challenge to the law. What remains is for the Supreme Court to show similar vigilance when they hear oral arguments in the resulting case, Arizona v. United States, this Wednesday, April 25.
Click here to read the rest of the piece at Sojourners.