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Video Transcript
Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, here with Distinguished clergy of multiple faiths in Mcallen, Texas we're here today to stand their witness to pray with to be with to support the families the children the refugees, the Asylum seekers the migrants people to this country who are seeking a better life honor to be joined by Reverend Al Sharpton of the National Action Network and other Distinguished Clergy. In a moment we're gonna take turns offering some words of explanation of why we're here. Some statements for the press we'll also offer some prayers and we'll sing a little bit together but as we open sacred convening we wanna invite Reverend Floyd from the National Action Network to open us in prayer Thank you You buy your head dear Freedom of Heaven and Earth We come before you today on one accord cleaning the cause of the poor pleading the cause of the oppressed pleading the causes of those fleeing violence Those who are fleeing death and destruction for a better life for themselves and their family father. Though we after you open the hearts of those who are encountered this morning that you speak to them that you speak compassion that you speak life that you speak mercy that you speak of love that you speak Justice over our nation this morning that we open our hearts and the nation to receive those who are need as you have received Father we ask that you work through us this day that you work through those who are empowered this day that they might move was trusted that our nation my towards Justice and progress We can add that you point your mercy out of those who are fleeing oppression father that you comfort them that you encourage them in their experience in your mind that you lift them makes you view yourself unto them and that we might all worship and praise you together in victory Justice and we thank you for these things in your holy and precious name We pray Amen Amen. Thank you for thank you to the National Action Network. Reverend Al Sharpton Would you please open us with your reflections on the meaning of this day and why we showed up there in the calendar Thank you to all together Let me say that I think that is important In fact, it is encouraging that we are here the day after the An issue, the Executive order to make it clear that the resist movement against immigration laws and actions that are unfair and just is not over It is the wish of the administration to act like would the struggle page He is indeed the question of immigration rights and he does not have to account for the damage Already done by here's separation of families that he has been the only President to do and to act like he has made some move of liberating something he has giant to stop the mess that he created President Bush President Obama. No one did what he did I have the old as the first ladies in town and That's good and I would hope she would encourage her husband to now let's. Figure out the damage that there were other people, faith leaders in town when I was in town and you need to not only stop the damage from going forward You need to repair the damage death was done How do you have children that attend the ages identify who their parents are when they can identify who they are How do you have? Parents have been spread all over the country Knowledge of where their children are having things I reconcile so the stop is is not to answer What do you do about those who are suffering in the action So it is important that we come today of all faiths Jewish Christian Muslim all kinds of representation of different faiths Those of us in the civil rights community to stand at the board and to stand with those who work every day Sister Norman. What she does here on the Cabinet charities, which is totally not policy But does it serve We visited with her and some of his fans because this is real underground We will be going back to our various places of service labor I t me up where he has a couple hundred families some of which we do But we wanted to start at the border on the day after the Executive order on the day the first day he came to knowledge what we say to say the battle isn't over it is just begun and we will stand together We are United for Justice these children Our lastly what brought leaders of faith together on this well, many of us of all ready together since many of the balance But what brought a new meaning to it is when the Attorney General tried to cover up some very wicked executive action which scripture in compelled us to stand up and say since You're, now going to use the Bibles right to cover something that was wicked in cities in his hours Been a strength to say that is not what the Bible says That is not what goes as faith stand for every one of us. Whatever way. We approach God in whatever practice believe that there's nothing more important to God than innocent babies in some children and That's what's been reported positive parents at this border This is where we stand We trust to fight for them Amen We're gonna. Hear from Rabbi Jill Jacobs True ala The call for Justice I'm Rabbi Jacobs I'm, the Executive Director, Troy. There have been a call for human rights which brings together 2000 rabbits across the US and Canada to work for the human rights of all people and I'm here today, as a Jew who heritage unfortunately has taught us too well, the pain of being separated from our families whether through murder through expulsion or through the knee to evaporate I'm here as an American our country It has a painful history of separating families and we have to stop that practice and I'm here as a mother who can hardly very separate as my own two children for a few days let alone not even know where they are as religious people. We remember the evil city of Sedona sodium in English Now, the soon of Sedona might not be at least according to Jewish tradition. What many people think that it was according to Jewish Can the Senate Don was a refusal to welcome strangers travelers immigrants who came into their town The book of Ezekiel says that the citizen was arrogance that they had plenty of bread an untroubled tranquility and yet they did not support the poor and the Tomas goes even further and it says that the people who don't look around and they said Well we have bread that comes from the art and it's like gold dumps We have seen so much and travelers are only coming to take our property so let's can Sit around immigrant strangers to come in to our place and so they did and they even made a law that forbid anyone for caring for people who came in from outside for strangers In fact, there's a story in the top of one woman who breaks his law and she secretly goes out and she feeds those who are in need and the people of Sudan catch her and they killed her Now. They were following the law and she was A lot it was justified We also learned from this home that there are four judges and to know their names Funny names are named for shop shop to rides. I five much like you know It's, roughly translate as liar perpetual liar forger and provider of Justice I think so I'm Not sure, which of those judges exactly our attorney general, is but I do know that all of those judge judges and the kind of Justice that kind of so called Justice they do is Unfortunately in our Department of Justice in the policy, he should have been announced by this administration so we're here today. To say that we won't let the United States turn into Sedona We won't let it become a place that refuses to welcome in those who are just seeking refuge that we're going to be like those few brave people like Low and his family like all the stories told in the Thomas, who stand up and say that even if there's a law if the law is unjust we're not following it that we need to protect people who are coming and we're going to fight against this law So That's why I rabbi's Jewish community's faith communities across the United States are standing up to say that we refuse to allow children to be separated from their parents and with this Order Doesn't make anything better because we also refuse to allow children to be imprisoned with their case That's also against all humanity as well as against international law we're calling on this administration to end the separation of families to end the zero tolerance policy that is casting people were just trying to seek a better life here as criminals they're, not criminals and we're calling on the administration to ensure that people who are coming here are able to apply For Asylum and are able to to find a better life in the United States in my tradition every single morning, we say a blessing which we thank God for freeing those who are prisoned let's, hear as we thank God for being the one who treated those who are bound up But It's not just a responsibility of God it's responsibility and all of us as God's partners to free all of those who are imprisoned who are about to our glad to be free Rabbi we're gonna invite Reverend Andrea Alexander from the National Council of Churches to offer some words hello I'm with the National Council of Churches. Since 1950, National Council of Churches has been forefront of ecumenical work and Justice work We have seen the pictures of children crime cleaning for their their mothers and their fathers We have heard and We've heard people in leadership refer to these children as criminals and violent They are children and I am calling National Council Church is calling the country a clarion call this country to save the moral values of our country It is time for us to stop having these conversations that start with this gives us this is not America This is America. We have a history that shows that we have taken children from African mothers in Aspen. American mothers were slaves in this country We have snatched children from Native American communities and put them in boarding Rules and ripped them of their culture and their language We took children and families and put them in internment camps and we put these beautiful names on things or not beautiful names. But instead of saying prisons in jail the tender shelter that was there that we have now the tender age shelter children are tender age. All children are special and so we come saying It's time to stop and it is up to us this the eating that was issued that said that children could be taken from their parents was only immediate briefly by saying, No, we won't take them immediately. Now we will criminalize the situation that was a civil case and now It's gonna be a crime so we'll find ways to take their children your children in the back end so don't be fooled We have got to stay vigilant and We've got to stay away. We've got to stay together and people of faith whatever our various issues and differences are can Not agree that children are off limits these children have been used as palms they have been used as ransom They are being used as chess pieces and we say no that is not acceptable so we're calling this country to account and we an in those of us to account this is a racist issue. These are around children and we know that there are these children were your children who are also coming across the border without proper documentation This is not a situation we were doing so we call American people to awaken and acknowledge racism at the course of the things we're doing we're gonna. Have it in front of Fashion from policy and then possibly, we can be transformed but the transformation comes with repentance and acknowledging that what We've done is wrong and then turning our ways to do what is right Thank you forever. How examiner and this truly is a multi faith movement were honored to be joined by Ari Emanuel. Would you come forward and offer some words of muscle tradition? Thank you for being with us today So I'm, like my name is Joe Joe Malik I am m H R v Mail I K Yeah But this morning I just want for us to reflect on a few things Not easy for all of us as people of faith we are sitting now today under Abraham's tent goes to other sons and daughters of Abraham was saying that God has informed us throughout our history The unjust law is no law And then, as we think about the message of Doctor King saying that we shall overcome we as the American people will have to overcome our history Our history continues to remind us of the mistakes that our nation has made and we as those who are still saying to this government that we remember now and we will remember in November That the Department of Injustice will be held to account They are many of our people who have seen the images of children washing up on shores of Texas. Like they washed up on the shores of the Mediterranean We will not rest. We will become eventually in our communities The zero tolerance policy of this President is insane and just as Moses called out to Farrow We are calling out to the modern day fairy and I want to remind Pharrell this morning of what God Ultimate judgment was for him that we are calling him to say no this is an opportunity to turn around the 2300 children that are still in the intention is not acceptable to say we won't do anymore damage These children have to be repaired and so we're calling on God and we're calling on the people of God to say that we will be eternally vigilant to stand together and not be divided and I wanna thank Jewish community because they know probably better than any other community When you see the signs of imperialism when you see the signs of the coming genocide they are familiar with it from the time of farewell to the time of Adolf Hitler and so we are going to say now in following their leadership then we will not allow this country to have to say later than we apologize for the Holocaust May God bless us all continue to fight and what's happened now I believe that God has always prevailed and today we By the Grace of God for them, thank you so much Thank you before you before. You walk away cancer profit, which they Doctor Seuss Cartoon There's, a big blog right behind the table and I wanna show everybody just in the spirit of what mom to hiring in the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington DC This doctor Susan Cartoon is on display until 1941 when Doctor Seuss understood what the rise of Hitler meant for the world and there is a Being Red that says eight off the wolf the wolf is eating the children but the captain says and the wolf tune up the children and spit out their bones But those who were they were foreign children And so it really Didn't matter and her shirt that she's wearing. Says what now I'm Gonna go first Doctor Suits understood the signs when he saw a notice and we the children of the Holocaust. The signs we see them and so we are here today and say they are not American children They are not Mexican children they're, not Honduran children they're not going to That's, right, they are god's children and they are all of our children. And we stand in solidarity with Reverend Leslie Cocoa Tune, which you come forward and offer some words Good Afternoon My name is Reverend Doctor Leslie Copeland, Tune I am director of medical advocacy Days for Mobile piece of Justice and today, also representing the conference of National Black Churches which is a body that represents a nine story African Americans foundations It is hard in a moment like this that this is where we are as a nation It is almost impossible to believe that that cartoon that this trajectory towards fascism and towards the kind of White supremacy that we have Devastate whole communities in the past is now at our doorstep so we stand here today deeply profoundly disturbed and we know that America can do better and must do better and I know we always say this is not. We've heard. Many people say this is not America but sadly our past tell the different story However, if this is a moment when we can repent, I think about Esther and I think about more to cost and how border had to say to her if you remain silent in a moment Relief and deliverance will rise from another place where we stand here because we are determined that we will not be silent so that we will not let children be kidnapped and taken on our watch and do nothing about it We know that we have many ways that we can lift up our voices and lift up the voices of these migrants of these children I work with in Ministry young children who have been devastated by their families going through separation and divorce and I can tell you from just working with them that it is a horrible experience And creates habit in their lives to have that temporary separation to have their families apart and to do it deliberately we have to call it evil We cannot say that is not a nice thing to do. That is a bad policy. We have to call it what it is and that is evil and the people who are coming here. They are not our enemies They are runners in our sisters. They are our neighbors. They are those who are created in the image of God and they should be treated as such they are filled with Potential and purpose and hope hope that brought them on a long journey of leaving horrific surface. This is only to be back here with more horror created by our government and shame on us it is time for this to end. While we celebrate us, suppose that there was an executive order sign we are done with empty gesture We need true transformation in our policies Need for every single, one of those children who has been taken to be identified and reunited with their families Nothing less is a natural We will not stop until that happens and unfortunately that means that we sources from our government will have to go to making sure those families are reunited So unfortunately, Mister President, your border Wall money is going to have to go cuz. We unit unification of the children that have been taken away from their parents But that is what This looks like and that is why we are here today and that is why we will continue to fight and continue to lift our voices and continue to lift the voices of those who have been impacted the migrants and the asylum seekers who have come here and we will not stop we're gonna fight as I've said before with our prayers we're gonna fight by listing of our voices we're gonna. Fight to make sure these families are unified and we're gonna fight in November when we go to the polls thank you and God bless Thank you to and we should acknowledge here. The God bless the Roman Catholic Church in the arch diocese which has done incredible god's work in actually tending to and shepherding on a humanitarian level All of the migrants who pass through the country, which is the single biggest entry point for migrants to this country. So I want to invite my senior Kevin solve It's come forward and offer some words Thank you as We've all heard We all come here with very different ideologies we come here with Friend issues that are at four different ways that we think it is appropriate to deal with I come here today with the cross of Jesus Christ whose blood was put out in a few But to the minute but across that I've come to bring today is indeed a special close It was West Five Pope Francis who has been an incredibly loud strong voice on behalf of immigrants and refugees I come here as a representative of Cardinal Dolan, who declared the other day when I asked about a use by Bible declare that this policy of tearing children away from their parents is both on Mobile and on America I come here today to say that I do want a zero tolerance policy Zero tolerance for No mercy That's right, we need a policy of mercy affair Not nearly not merely for the sake of the children will be devastated Not feeling their parents are being devastated but for the sake of People feel the shake of us as a nation Very few people pay attention to the last part of the decoration of independence who's Further, we will celebrate within a couple of weeks but at the end of that for their independence they pledged their mutual honor that respect their solidarity to one enough We are together despite our different ideologies despite our differences in the way that we think should be solved to say that people are amazing Images like this we support without recrimination family down families to stay together Almighty God All your children suffer today because the incredible hurt upon some of those are water. And now throughout this last 12, worth your mercy upon those children and for your mercy upon this nation and God, even though, sometimes it's hard for fourth Those who's policies we cannot understand and convert homes so they're. All your children may be given the dignity and the respect that they married as being made in your image and likeness Amen. Thank you must solid One closing reflection before Sharpton closes out. We take any questions if there are any I invoke the name of my grandma Fannie at age 16. She came to this country and she was a refugee She was seeking Asylum in flame the programs of Europe and having witnessed the Rabbi in her hometown when she was a little girl I know to be here as an American rabbi is a gift The gift that I must return to these children who are escaping the same kind of brutality. The same kind of impression my grandma Fannie was escaping coming to this country and finding the refuge we fight for all the families we fight for all the little girls and little boys and all the families who would find refuge here to make America a country of Justice and mercy and welcome and Because we all up here, take our scripture seriously I will add. The Jeremiah tells us of the powerful moment when Rachel Ark matriarch dry out for her children and ask Where are the children and she wet We have asked and priority where the children the children were not lost in this bureaucratic system in this mess who are crying out at this moment for their mothers and their fathers And what will our elected leaders who are accountable to us and an enduring American values do not only to Store these children to their parents but to restore the soul of our country and without sharp If you close us out every say as we close into question I doubt media a while. So I want to make one addition when we grab my show this displayed He was not comparing Trump to the new hip no calling out shots for the new doctor Please make sure you don't become provocative in your report It is now been stated and I hope the word goes forward Many of us approach this from different practices of faith for once That's, right and many of us come from different backgrounds But all were brought to these shores and all understand I as a Baptist Minister side from being a civil rights Organization was challenged by this young medicine today. We must stand up and That's why because of the effort we have taken this National action that were very seriously as a civil rights issue but I take it as Resolution because as coping and others have stated it is in my own personal religious practice as I respect the gentleman's passion practice and my senior solid prayers that I believe since I was a boy preacher when the angel went to Joseph and set free because they are going to kill the little baby the baby Jesus at a car description he had gotten got his wife, Mary and their baby and spread to each is impossible For me to be a practicing Christian right and I look out to refugees when Jesus was a refugee to beaches Luckily, they, Didn't have an order in Egypt to snatch them from the arms clarity Otherwise, I never been a Baptist so I'm here, not only as a civil rights leader I'm here as one worships of refugee from Ham and I hope the President hears us I would hope before we take your questions I come out and became a school of thought Was the son of means to sing in the 60 's that we did this morning of over across? the the rest Center we they used to say we shall overcome and when I was a kid, I knew it was something why Don't we sit in that old school song cuz. I was young became them but Don't like that I realized the courage it took for people to look at Viking dogs at Bob. We had no arms no way of fighting back knowing they made dad and look Face and say we shall will come that spirit. We channel today I'm Gonna. Ask us again a lot of arms and saying that you know that movement song we shall overcome S We S S S S S S S Day. Oh S S Course yes I wanna ask this question in a sensitive way as possible since it came up and I got further and Emotionally, frankly, decision do you really think that there is an equivalency between the way america's handling the separation of children and families and the no vote whatsoever. So let's be Super clear about the the reason why for a few people who lit up the memory of the Holocaust is we have in our cultural memory of the trauma of the direct experience of the dangerous of fascism totalitarianism This is a terrible policy needs to be changed It is not cost and there's. No equivalency so let's be unequivocal If I made in the year of the last presidential campaign I was invited to speak as a Muslim more and I'm from Brooklyn. So I mean I literally I'm I visited silicone that invited me to speak in that year wanted in any time in my life because I believe the Jewish community that they were like the Canary in the coal mine They knew that something was happening in our country that we, Didn't, have the pulse of modern email said They came for the Socialists. I wasn't a social They came for the Communists I won't deliver activist and when they came for me this is the concern We had and we think that this becomes the new normal Then we know what comes mess that it may be an unintended consequence But when racism is allowed to run free when initial system is allowed to run them up when the constitution becomes by in then what happens next Maybe it won't be as bad as not one, but people never thought that Hitler could become They have journey No one ever thought that other human beings could do to what the U People suffer to all human beings so I'm saying to you now belong I'm, not I'm, not the Jewish community I don't have to take I don't know they don't take a hit for me, but I'm telling you now we allow this to go forward Only. God knows what would have to meet I think that is good. You ask question so Joe could respond but also let me remind that it was not passed on your man that made the presidency between the Holocaust and not it was Donald Trump Progress between relaxes and they wanted to protest against the new statues in Charlottesville He is the one that has normalized comparison, That's right an equal level that should never be seen on an equal level We would never stoop that customer said. And say this, no, this is not the cost or not this country. I don't believe that there will be death camps in this country But that Doesn't mean that we can't wear from history That's right There are dangers from madness, horrible moment that Dangerous and the world's response to the whole cost was to create universal decoration of human rights and to create a whole host of international human rights, including the refugee convention which was designed to ensure that what happened us to the Jewish community would never have anybody again. It wasn't just designed to make sure that people wouldn't be that there will be another genocide. It was designed to make sure that anybody who was seeking a place to go with safe and just to put a fine point Anybody who's interested, the answered affirmatively posted an incredible video of Holocaust survivors People who were in the Kinder transport who survived the Holocaust who are specifically talking about this policy. And why if policy so it's about learning from history to inform moral choices we're making today Can I just ask a clarifying question Molly See fist with the times Were you allowed to actually visit the processing Center? Did did that get canceled because it was pushed back So you suppose the processing Center we would we we stretch with at the We were told we could come this morning the process it was pushed back in the afternoon which someone understand go up as of us have nice glad we now know why it was pushed back cuz. This is Trump was dead but some members of the delegation would have to be very clear that we are also as administrator for the children. The families were ministering to the members of law enforcement to Border Patrol Many of whom are traumatized by these policies. They are trying to protect our country and protect families and so part of our job is to be their pastoral care as well So can we How many are plan to go and they've allowed each of us stands at 10 A man inside your times? Obviously really response responsible for American allies to Isaac We got world response This is a global issue I think that it is something that we think that any leader of innovation or it has been standing. All of the stand up where children are involved You have the public policy that was put in place that would that would separate children from their families anybody in leadership in the world today to take a position on that and I think the fact that he has stopped Giving any kind of specificity on arms gonna reconcile the damage done Can you imagine the child has never knowing wish mother fathers? That is very like me in maybe chases here anywhere. I mean you should or speak to that and should say that they would not do the same in their nation that they should do it very publicly You, Can't, take a position and have set and if you don't I think It's urgent that they do so because this fight continues as we want every single child to be reunited with their parents or a family member, and not to just be wondering and the system of America and not know It's just such a horrific thing to do and the only way to reconcile that unified. So having the international support of the international community, I think in holding America accountable I think is crystal sorry A few missions that Journalists struggled to get in. I mean do you see that as being it was interesting again The time is pushed back. I was wondering the tent going, but this after my right but I assume it will not let me bring it to a crew from my television become Santa going pastor administer two folks were credit they as with everything else, there should be a high level of transparency but the American people deserve to know what's actually happening in our names and That's. What can you tell us a bit about what you saw this morning at the shelter? What was the most and point in River? Now is anyone anticipation the fact that this is This is this place is doing more work in this area than any other Organization they processed over a hundred thousand people in our lives for years Sometimes they have as many as 200 people a day today we saw I mean there are several families but I personally engaged at least three different families who are actually leaving to be relocated to family members It's doing amazing work and I will put a plug Right now, they need more States and so one of the things that many of us wanna do we get back is to help raise funds for more Let me just add that is one of more than 30 capital charities agencies throughout the United States are doing the work of trying to hear some of the healing for the difficult situation that the children are in This work has been going on for years when children came by themselves to the border they have been resettlement and we provided a safe haven to the magic word resembled the new product Is now thousands have been torn apart from their parents when they Didn't have to be But whether it be here at the border in what sister Norma is doing in creating this this rescue Center What I saw this morning was a place of love, a place of caring in the midst of chaos in the midst of her What agencies and Catholic charities and others are doing throughout the countries is trying to be a safe place for this difficult difficult unacceptable situation as we try to remain revenue and must be clear the folks that were tending to our folks that are asylum seekers which means they came According to US law that is a place to be a refuge for Simon seekers some of the folks we are only seeing the people who process and then are now in the system to be determined what their refugee status is The people are getting incarcerated What the thing that they did wrong was come in the wrong door right what they did is illegal. It's just that they came to express their legal rights as refugees but they came in the wrong door another being incarcerated for it We have time for maybe one question then. We've all gotta. Go cuz. We wanna head over to censor anything else Alright thank you all so much