Due to ruling, chance of meeting in Phoenix may increase
by Anna GroffPrint Article Email to a Friend
One day before Arizona's immigration law was scheduled to go into effect, dynamics changed. On July 28, Judge Susan Bolton of Federal District Court blocked the most controversial elements of the bill.
So what does this mean for the decision of whether or not to hold the Mennonite Church USA Convention 2013 in Phoenix?
While the decision is still in process, Glen Guyton (pictured), associate executive director of constituent resources, said the possibility of meeting in Phoenix in 2013 may have increased.
"I am not exactly sure what this means for the location of our convention in 2013," he said on July 28, "but Judge Bolton's injunction does seem to increase the possibility that Mennonite Church USA may be able meet in Phoenix in 2013 to be a witness and to continue to speak out for the stranger in our land."
This decision does not change the focus of the delegation to Arizona Aug. 12-14, he said.
"I have said all along the convention location is only one decision that the church needs to make," he said. "Phoenix has given our church a unique opportunity to work at our priority of anti-racism in new and meaningful ways. We have a long way to go, but I am extremely optimistic since many of the most troubling parts of the Arizona law are on hold. It is very important that we continue to listen to our Latino community."
Yvonne Diaz, director of Iglesia Menonita Hispana, said this ruling is a "step in the right direction" but added that she doesn't think this issue is over. IMH has opposed Phoenix as convention site.
"It's still important that [the delegation goes] and talks with each other and the officials,” she said on July 28. "We want to be creative ... this is not just about Latinos and this law. It’s about all of us as a church community and what one part of the family is experiencing and how the rest of the family can be supportive."
Diaz (pictured) said she plans to wait and see what develops after this ruling. "Will [this ruling] make people dig in their heels deeper? Racial profiling is happening whether the law exists or not. ... People have very, very strong feelings, and I doubt they are going to give up this easily, unfortunately," she said.
On Aug. 12, the delegation plans to meet with local religious leaders and Latino organizations at the Phoenix convention center. On Aug. 13, they will meet with city officials, including the Phoenix police chief, assistant city manager and vice mayor. Following this is a time of discussion with local Mennonites at Trinity Mennonite Church, Glendale, Ariz., in partnership with Pacific Southwest Mennonite Conference.
In 2003, Mennonite Church USA delegates passed an immigration statement that says, "We reject our country's mistreatment of immigrants, repent of our silence, and commit ourselves to act with a on behalf of our immigrant brothers and sisters, regardless of their legal status."
As of July 28, the delegation members are as follows:
Iglesia Menonita Hispana representatives: Nicolas Angustia, Yvonne Diaz, Madeline Maldonado, Juan Montes, Jesús Muñoz
Intercultural Relations Reference Committee members: Leslie Francisco III, Kuaying Teng
EB members: Ed Diller, Dick Thomas, Tina Begay, Charlotte Hardt, Juanita
Nuñez, Elizabeth Soto Albrecht (undecided as of July 28)
Mennonite Church USA staff: Ervin Stutzman, Glen Guyton, Marty Lehman, Susan Mark Landis, Rachel Swartzendruber Miller
Racial Healing Task Group representative: Lloyd Miller
Other: Marc Hershberger (pastor), Saulo Padilla (director of immigration education office Mennonite Central Committee U.S.) and Gilberto Flores (conference minister)
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It's important to note that the judge did not invalidate the controversial portions of the bill. Rather she issued a preliminary injunction, maintaining the legal status quo while the matter is further argued in the courts. In the end, MC USA is going to have to make a decision about Phoenix 2013 long before the AZ law is fully litigated, since the law will likely stay in the courts until the US Supreme Court rules on it.
Rather than dissing Phoenix because of the politics of how to handle immigration in the US, wouldn't it be more in keeping with followers of Jesus to engage directly in the society by being visible and present? I don't see how the law or the ruling, one way or the other, should make a difference. We are here to represent God's Kingdom and what better way to do so then to be there in the thick of it? I think even entertaining the idea of going somewhere OTHER than Phoenix is a bad idea. While I understand solidarity with Latino brothers and sisters, what about the people who work in the convention business? Hotel staff, restaurant staff, transportation employees, etc., all of which depend upon conventions like ours for their daily living. By boycotting, are we not then hurting some of the very people that we are stating that we're trying to help? Wouldn't it be better, instead, to be there, providing them with business and a living and at the same time speaking for justice? And then there's the concept of justice. I agree, we cannot walk all over a group of people and treat them like something other than a person simply because of nationality. Please understand that I have nothing against Latinos. I'd hope that my mother would have taught me better than that, both from her years ministering to Hispanic congregations in New York and in our years as a family ministering in Puerto Rico. However, there are other people that deserve to have some semblance of justice. There are people in Arizona who are following the rules, living under the law of the country, but cannot find jobs because of the labor practices of businesses who choose to hire illegal immigrants under the table for cheaper than a legal person. There are illegal immigrants (and not all of them, mind you) who are gaming the system and taking advantage of our social programs causing a serious problem of financial distress to the state and national governments (stewardship, anyone?) Justice for the oppressed people is DEFINITELY in keeping with the Christian way. Justice for people fleeing violence and other such things is what we should stand for. But is there not justice for the people struggling to get by but cannot because of the broken system we live under? Should they not see justice? Boycotting Arizona solves neither problem. Jesus alone can solve the problem. And what better way to bring Jesus into the problem then for Christians to get in there and walk with the people from both sides, speaking love, grace, and mercy to them all. Please, let's stop talking about boycotting and start thinking about how the Kingdom can break into Arizona and Phoenix to heal people's hearts and minds.