Different standards for different immigrants
Righties often like to wail and gnash their teeth over "immigrants not following the rules." Of course, the immigrants they are usually referring to tend to be Catholic, darker complected and come from impoverished areas of Mexico, Central America and South America.
There seems to be a different standard if the immigrants are white Protestants being backed by American fundamentalists. From today's Columbian:
The point is not that immigrant groups should be unfairly harassed, (like the Hispanic population of Hazleton, Penn.,) but rather that there is a blatant double standard going on, based on the political, religious and ethnic background of immigrants. And it's pretty clear that the American fundamentalist right is seeking new allies.
Readers may recall that a Jerry Falwell-linked group tried to glom on to a phony prayer group controversy recently in the Evergreen School District, and Ken Hutcherson declared his intention in January to make recruiting inroads in Slavic churches. As the religious right in America continues to be exposed as well, crazy, I guess it's not surprising they would seek to find followers from other countries.
Naturally, there can be "teachable moments" along the way, as immigrant groups learn about our Constitution and how the separation of church and state is not only a vital tradition, but a means of securing religious liberty, despite what our home-grown extremists may tell them. But for now, it seems pretty clear that these Slavic immigrants are being recruited into what amounts to a political movement led by homophobes. And that's just sad.
There seems to be a different standard if the immigrants are white Protestants being backed by American fundamentalists. From today's Columbian:
Welcome to the Slavic Christian Academy, the first private school in Clark County targeting young students from Russian, Ukrainian, Belo-Russian and other Slavic-American households.Neat, let's just ignore our own laws. Isn't that what gets righties all up in arms about desperately poor Latinos coming here?
The school operates in a classroom wing it rents from the Church of the Nazarene-Fourth Plain, near Sifton. It is not affiliated with any one church or denomination, said its principal, Andrey Dolbinin.
---snip---
One critical glitch needs fixing: The school has a state business license, but has not filed papers needed for state certification as a recognized private school.
Dolbinin said he expects to complete the process soon. Until then, state education directors technically regard Slavic Christian students as being truant. Neither state nor local school officials indicate a desire to initiate a crackdown, however. As a short-term solution, the Evergreen district in which the school lies would be likely to send letters to pupils' parents urging that they register as home-school students.
The point is not that immigrant groups should be unfairly harassed, (like the Hispanic population of Hazleton, Penn.,) but rather that there is a blatant double standard going on, based on the political, religious and ethnic background of immigrants. And it's pretty clear that the American fundamentalist right is seeking new allies.
Readers may recall that a Jerry Falwell-linked group tried to glom on to a phony prayer group controversy recently in the Evergreen School District, and Ken Hutcherson declared his intention in January to make recruiting inroads in Slavic churches. As the religious right in America continues to be exposed as well, crazy, I guess it's not surprising they would seek to find followers from other countries.
Naturally, there can be "teachable moments" along the way, as immigrant groups learn about our Constitution and how the separation of church and state is not only a vital tradition, but a means of securing religious liberty, despite what our home-grown extremists may tell them. But for now, it seems pretty clear that these Slavic immigrants are being recruited into what amounts to a political movement led by homophobes. And that's just sad.
